PRO*TERM: SUPERB NEW MODEM PROGRAM
Autodialing SPRINT or MCI from your 1030
by MATTHEW ARRINGTON
A terminal program for your 1030 that lets you upload and download files in capture and XMODEM protocol. From the author of "Term1030," one of the most popular programs in Atari public domain, Pro*Term is packed with professional-level features including Sprint and MCI invisible-code autodialingand multi disk-based directories. It's also the second-largest program ever published in Antic. There are three BASIC listings and you'll need an Atari with 48K memory plus a disk drive.
I've had my Atari 800 for two years now, and have been eating, drinking, and breathing Atari since day one. When I first purchased my 1030 modem I really was disappointed by the lack of downloading capabilities and documentation. I immediately tried taking the 1030 back to where I bought it. They refused. Boy, am I glad now that they did!
Atari users took over where Atari left off..I got hold of a 1030 handler and immediately set out to write Term1030. When finished, I gave it to every BBS in my area and, to my surprise, it wasn't long before Term1030 was across the country. At first, XMODEM for a 1030 was a luxury, but as time went on I was bombarded with requests for more features.
Pro*Term was written to satisfy those requests. And now I'm working on a program patch that will let you use Pro*Term with otber popular modems. If all goes well, you'll see this enhancement in Antic soon.
LOADING & RUNNING
There are three programs. All are written in BASIC. Listing 1 is the main program, PROTERM.BAS. Listing 2, PROMAKE.BAS, when RUN will create a binary file called AUTORUN.SYS which, when booted, will install a 1030 device handler and then RUN PROTERM.BAS. (So make sure PROTERM.BAS is on the same disk and is accurately named.) Listing 3, MENUMAKE.BAS, when RUN creates a text file called BBSMENU.ADM with a few BBS telephone numbers to get you started.
Type in all three listings, check them with TYPO II and SAVE backup copies. To create your autoboot telecommunications disk, store a SAVEd copy of PROTERM.BAS. Then RUN PROMAKE.BAS to make the AUTORUN.SYS, and MENUMAKE BAS to make the telephone directory file. Now, turn on your 1030, boot your disk with BASIC, and away you go.
THE PROGRAM
The first thing Pro*Term does is pull up a directory of BBS numbers created by MENUMAKE.BAS, and display them on the screen with index letters. Just type the letter next to the number and Pro*Term does the rest.
Press SELECT to go to the Function Menu – the control center of Pro*Term. Before you begin choosing items, be aware that all functions can be executed from anywhere in the program by holding down [OPTION] while typing the appropriate letter. From the Function Menu, [OPTION] does not need to be pressed.
In general, [SELECT] will always return you to the function menu.
AUTODIAL
Besides the usual 1030 tone dialing, Pro*Term has some very advanced one-touch dialing capabilities. [OPTION] [B] will allow you to create your own autodial menu that contains your Sprint or MCI numbers, BBS names and numbers, and translation required for each system.
Once you've created your menu containing as many as 26 BBS systems, it can be saved on your Pro*Term disk. If you call your file BBSMENU, it will automatically load in when you boot Pro*Term. Use the menu editor's L command to load in other BBS menus. You can make.as many menu files as your disk will hold.
If the number you want to dial is not on your rnenu, [OPTION] [M] will let you manually enter a number to be dialed. [A] [/] will redial the last number called.
When using a long distance phone company where a delay is needed between numbers, every comma [,] entered will give a two second delay.
Once you've entered your Sprint or MCI codes, Pro*Term will keep them a secret. Use [OPTION] [L] (not described on any menu) to toggle the Sprint/MCI long distance dialing selection on and off. When using this selection, Pro*Term dials your long distance codes invisibly. (Most long distance phone services require tone dialing.)
When your menu is displayed, you just type the letter next to the system name. Pro*Term will then dial that system. If no connection is made, the number will be re-dialed, typing the [ESC] key will also re-dial the number. Pro*Term will continue to re-dial the number until any other key is pressed to abort dialing and return you to the menu.
Sorry, Atari 835 modems are not capable of tone dialing. Use [OPTION] [0] to set for pulse dialing.
TIMER/CLOCK
The Timer/Clock defaults to auto mode and is set to 00:00:00. Once you're connected online the timer will start counting until you hang up by using [OPTION] [H]. NOTE: Pro*Term does not automatically hang up. When leaving a BBS, be sure and use [OPTION] [H].
Setting the timer by [OPTION] [R] to anything but 00:00:00 will put the timer in clock mode, it will then stay on and keep the time of day.
UNLIMITED CAPTURE
Pro*Term is equipped with an unlimited capture buffer, meaning you can capture as much information as your disk will hold. For this option to work, you must create a MEM.SAV file before running the program. Use DOS 2 selection N.
Typing the [SPACE] bar toggles MEMSAV on and off from the functions menu. Use option [A] from any other sceen. Whenever the MEM.SAV option is on, the number in the lower right corner of the screen tells you how much butter space is left.
When the buffrr is filled, the sending system will be told to stop. Border lines will turn red and memory will be saved to disk. If you did not already specify an output file using [OPTION] [C] you will be prompted for a filename. WARNING: pressing [RETURN] at this filename prompt will clear the buffer and turn off MEMSAV.
SCREEN DUMP
You just read a message containing an address or phone number you need, but you didn't have MEMSAV on so you frantically grab a pencil. No longer! [OPTION] [S] solves this by dumping the current screen to the printer.
DOS FUNCTIONS
DOS functions include: Erase, Rename, Format, Copy File. As many as four drives can be accessed. Copy function can be used not only to copy a file, but to print out a text file by specifying P: as your destination. E: (editor) cannot be specified as an output device. If you need to display a file you can use the view file function [OPTION] [V], which will also allow you to print the current page displayed by pressing [OPTION] [P].
ENTERING FILENAMES
If only a filename is given, the output device will default to D1:. XFILENM and X:FILENAME will translate to DX:FILENAME, where X equals the drive number. The printer, P:, is also accepted as an output device.
XMODEM TRANSFERS
Pro*Term's XMODEM is fully compatible with FOREM and AMIS bulletin board software as well as with CompuServe.
Downloading and uploading procedures in Pro*Term are similar to AMODEM. You may set up the terminal for a transfer anytime, online or offline using the [OPTION] [D] or [U]. When using these functions, add a filename and the file will be opened to the disk.
The system you're connected to will usually give you an XMODEM READY prompt. Press [START] and the transfer will begin. For a terminal-to-terminal transfer, have the receiver start first. This makes a timing error less likely to occur.
TERM TO TERM
[OPTION] [A] will allow you to hook up with a friend. But first the two of you must decide who is going to call. One person must sit waiting for the phone to ring, then use the [A] function. The caller simply logs on normally.
MISCELLANY
[OPTION] [Q] is the only function that cannot be accessed while offline. It allows you to send a file without using XMODEM. The main use is for dumping a pre-written message to another system. Since most bulletin boards are not running at 300 baud in their message editors, a delay rate will be required. You'll be prompted for a filename and then for a delay rate from zero to nine. If you run into trouble by sending too fast you can press any key to abort the transmission.
Most functions can be aborted by pressing the [ESC] key or any key. If the other system does not recognize the abort (which sometimes happens), type a [CONTROL] [X] to abort the other side.
Matthew Arrington is sysop of tbe Madrona Marsh BBS, named after a swamp near his home in Torrance, California. The 24-hour number is (213) 212-6414, exclusively for 1030 modems at 300 baud.
PROTERM.BAS Download
PROHANDL.EXE Download
BBSMENU.ADM Download