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D'SCOPE.COM
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1986-06-05
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65KB
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578 lines
Θ]ÇD-SCOPE V 1.00 (C) COPYRIGHT 1986 by H. UHL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ##
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L I N E M O N I T O R S O F T W A R E F O R T H E I B M P C
(C) COPYRIGHT 1986 H. UHL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE
D'SCOPE MAIN MENU
A -- CONFIGURE AND RUN K -- NOTES & WARNINGS
B -- INTRODUCTION L -- BAUD, PARITY, DATA & STOP BITS
C -- SETUP M -- WHAT'S TO COME
D -- CABLE REQUIREMENTS N -- ABOUT HARRISON UHL & CO.
E -- LIMITATIONS
F -- BACKGROUND
G -- LICENSE
H -- TECHNICAL SUPPORT
I -- FOR SALE
J -- HOW TO ORDER
Choose a selection by entering the letter to its left, use ESC to return to DOS
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to D'SCOPE, user supported software, which turns an ordinary IBM PC
(with two IBM compatable ASYNC COM ports, a color or monohcrome adapter, and
128k) into a DATA SCOPE (or LINE MONITOR).
A data scope provides a window on the data being transfered over a data
communications line. D'SCOPE provides a way to look at the data flowing back
and forth over an RS-232 line. This can be useful both in the development of
communications software and in the day-to-day maintenance of existing
communication links.
D'SCOPE supports a range of baud rates upto 19,200, seven or eight data bits,
and one or two stop bits.
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
SETUP D'SCOPE provides a window into the dialogue going on over an
RS-232 line. An RS-232 communications line typically runs
between a DTE (Data Terminal Equipment) and a DCE (Data Communications
Equipment) port. The DTE is typically either a terminal, a computer or a
computer acting like a terminal. The DCE is typically a modem. A DTE port may
be directly connected to another DTE by use of a special cable called a null
modem. To use D'SCOPE, an RS-232 communications cable that ordinarily connects
a DTE to a DCE is rerouted to one of the communications ports of the PC that
will be running D'SCOPE. A second cable is connect to the other
communications port (of the D'SCOPE PC), and to where the first cable
originally terminated.
DTE ------------------------------------------------ DCE BEFORE
null modem cable PC running D'SCOPE
DTE --------------------- COM1 COM2 ------- DCE AFTER
When D'SCOPE is running, it echos all the data coming in port 1, out port 2
and visa versa, meanwhile displaying the data on the screen of the PC. Thus,
if you are debugging a program that talks to a modem, you can see exactly
what the program under test is saying and and how the modem responds.
Note: the null modem cable is used to connect the Data Terminal Equipment
(probably another PC) to the PC running D'SCOPE.
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
CABLE REQUIREMENTS
The standard IBM serial asynchronous communications adapter port, when used in
RS-232 mode (versus current loop), utilizes only nine pins. These are:
Pin 2 Transmit Data Pin 3 Receive Data
4 Request To Send 5 Clear To Send
6 Data Set Ready 7 Signal Ground
8 Carrier Detect 20 Data Terminal Ready
22 Ring Indicator
Transmit Data, Receive Data, and Signal Ground are all that D'SCOPE supports.
However, many modems and communications programs require that some or all of
the rest of the above nine be connected. By using a straight through cable
between the items under test, and detouring the Transmit Data and Receive Data
to the PC running D'SCOPE, connecting all Signal Grounds together, all can be
accommodated. In routing the Transmit Data and Receive Data lines, one side
will be sent straight through and the other side will have the Transmit Data
and Receive Data lines swapped at one end. This forms a NULL MODEM on this
latter side. See SETUP.
A special cable doing all of the above is available, see FOR SALE.
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
LIMITATIONS
ASYNC communications were designed to overlook minor differences between the
speed of the sender and the receiver. This same holds true for D'SCOPE,
except when long uninterrupted blocks of bytes are being sent. If the sender
is sending just a shade fast, or the PC running D'SCOPE is a shade slow,
then eventually the buffers in D'SCOPE might overflow. This is analogous to
a sink that is filling faster than it is draining. Either the inflow must slow
down (or stop briefly), or the outflow must increase, or the sink will
(eventually) overflow. The buffers in this first version are rather small
(256 bytes each way). This will be upgraded in the first version of D'SCOPE
sent to registered users.
D'SCOPE takes over both communication ports' interrupt vectors, and at present
does not forward (to the old interrupt services) any requests not for D'SCOPE.
When D'SCOPE is finished, it restores all vectors, and shuts down the
communication ports. This can cause problems with some older models of
Tallgrass disk systems. Tallgrass suggests changing the interrupt vector for
the hard disk if this is a problem. Alternatively, a power down reboot will
clear everything. The problem causes error messages or beeps from the
Tallgrass software. (Crosstalk also causes the same difficulities.)
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
BACKGROUND
D'SCOPE was written as a capabilities demonstration, showing the IBM PC's
ability to process communications data on a real time basis. After this basic
demonstration was written, various possible enhancements were noted. In short
order, the list grew to the point where a commercial product seemed
appropriate. However, the long list of possible enhancements imply a
substantial commitment of extra resources, which in turn suggested the
appropriateness of a market test. Lacking the substantial funds needed to
properly launch a product announcement and test, it was decided to distribute
D'SCOPE as user supported software.
User supported software provides a way to try software before deciding to buy.
If you find D'SCOPE useful, your contributions will help assure ongoing support
and development. See FOR SALE.
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
LICENSE
Now for the lawyer's two bits:
D'SCOPE is licensed to you, the user, on an as is basis, and it is up to you
to determine its appropriateness and fitness for your intended use, before
you offer any consideration in exchange. You may copy D'SCOPE without
restriction. You are encouraged to give copies of D'SCOPE to others, but not
on a for-profit basis. (This does not preclude a nominal handling charge such
as those requested by public domain libraries or computer clubs.)
However, you are not permitted to distribute modified versions of D'SCOPE.
The source code of D'SCOPE is (C) copyright 1986 by H. Uhl as an unpublished
work, all rights reserved, and contains proprietary trade secrets. The runtime
image of D'SCOPE, and all of the screen displays are (C) copyright 1986 by
H. Uhl, all rights reserved, and contain proprietary trade secrets. These
trade secrets are the property of H. Uhl, and are not disclosed to you, the
licensee, and if you become aware of the contents of these trade secrets, you
are not permitted to disclose them to anyone else.
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Technical support, updates, and a user forum are available on a bulletin board
at (609) 987-2488. Please feel free to call the bulletin board at any time.
Non-registered users will have some limits on bulletin board privileges.
Correspondence can be addressed to:
D'SCOPE
4277 Port Mercer Rd.
Princeton, N.J. 08540
Additional support and customization is available on a time-and-materials
basis.
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
FOR SALE
Please use and distribute D'SCOPE freely, and send in any and all comments. If
you find D'SCOPE to be of value, please send money! For thirty dollars ($30)
you will become a registered user, and will receive: 1) a copy of the latest
version of D'SCOPE, 2) registered user privileges on the bulletin board, 3) a
subscription to the D'SCOPE Newsletter, and 4) pre-publication special offers
on all upgrades.
For seventy-five dollars ($75), you receive all of the above, plus a special
cable that passes the nine RS-232 lines straight through between the units
under test, except that the transmit and receive lines make a detour through
the PC running D'SCOPE. The cable has four DB-25 connectors, with the two that
connect to the back of the PC seperated by six feet from the two that intercept
the circuit under test. This cable is by no means required, but is quite
useful. (Note: this cable does not support current loop operation.) Other
special cables will be offered directly to registered users.
See HOW TO ORDER.
Or check the bulletin board for the latest ...
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
HOW TO ORDER
Please make check or money order payable to H. UHL & CO., and send to:
D'SCOPE
4277 Port Mercer Rd.
Princeton, N.J. 08540
Please add $4.00 shipping and handling.
New Jersey residents please add sales tax, $1.80 for the software alone,
$4.50 for software and cable. (Numbers based on current state sales tax of six
percent, please adjust if this changes.)
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
NOTES & WARNINGS
When a character comes in from one direction, and the other direction is quiet,
a diamond is displayed on the quiet side. This is the character displayed by a
control D. The first version of D'SCOPE sent to registered users will allow
the user to choose what character will be displayed in these circumstances.
The IBM serial ports do a good job of making sense of the characters coming in,
even when the parity, stop, and data bits are mismatched. But when D'SCOPE
sends these characters back out, they are converted to whatever the ports are
configured for. Thus, D'SCOPE can transform the characters so that the
eventual receiver no longer recognizes them. Properly matching the
configuration will eliminate this problem.
This present version of D'SCOPE does not recognize or echo a BREAK. When a
BREAK is sent, a couple characters of garble may be passed along by D'SCOPE.
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
BAUD, PARITY, DATA & STOP BITS
BAUD rate is a measure of the speed of a communications line. Generally, for
PC communications, baud rate is synonomous with bits per second.
PARITY is a rudimentary test to verify that the bits received match those sent.
Parity works by counting the number of bits set to one in a given byte, then
depending on the number of bits set, and the parity setting (ODD or EVEN) an
extra bit is set to either one or zero. Thus, if one bit got garbled, the
number of bits set would change, and the parity bit generated at the receiving
end would no longer match the one sent. Parity is sometimes turned off (i.e.
no bit is generated or tested), or sometimes the parity bit is always on (MARK)
or always off (SPACE).
DATA BITS is a count of the number of bits (of data) sent for each byte.
D'SCOPE supports seven or eight data bits.
STOP BITS come after the data bits. D'SCOPE supports one or two stop bits.
All of the above parameters must match those of the circuit under test.
See NOTES & WARNINGS.
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
WHAT'S TO COME
After (hopefully) fixing whatever bugs turn up, there is a long list of
enhancements that can bring D'SCOPE up to the performance level of dedicated
units costing thousands of dollars. Which of these improvements comes first?
That depends on the feedback from the users of D'SCOPE, so please send in your
comments and suggestions (or post them on the bulletin board at
(609) 987-2488).
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up and Pg Dn)
ABOUT HARRISON UHL & CO.
Harrison Uhl & Co. is a contract developer of custom, real time software on the
IBM PC, specilizing in systems for brokers and traders. The following areas
are supported:
COMMUNICATIONS
REAL TIME PROCESS & CONTROL
GRAPHICS
CUSTOM HARDWARE DEVELOPMENT AND/OR SUPPORT
LARGE DATA BASE SYSTEMS
TRANSACTION PROCESSING
FAULT TOLERANT AND FAIL SAFE SYSTEMS
DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS
You may contact Harrison Uhl & Co. at (609) 924-0214, or at:
Harrison Uhl & Co.
4277 Port Mercer Rd.
Princeton, N.J. 08540
Press any key to continue... (or use Pg Up)
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