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Text File | 1996-06-04 | 85KB | 1,815 lines

Copyright 1996 by Net-Tamer Delphi: DAVIDCOLSTON Internet: davidcolston@delphi.com or nettamer@cei.net For the new to the net folks <G> = GRIN, ;) = wink, there are a lot of these little symbols running around on messages! *********************** * PROGRAM DESCRIPTION * *********************** Net-Tamer is program designed to automate many of the tasks that you perform on Delphi, or any PPP dial up account. Net-Tamer will capture EMail and Usenet messages to files that you can later read while you are off-line. This saves you connect time and money, or if your access to the net is unlimited - frees up the telephone, so your spouse (or parents) won't gripe as much<G>. While reading your messages you can write replies or new messages that Net-Tamer will upload to your service on it's next call. Net-Tamer has many more features. It also does FTP file transfer, Telnet, and World Wide Web. The web stuff is a bit tricky yet, but this will get better. It's speed will blow Netscape or similar programs away, already. If you do not find specific instructions in this file, then I think it needs no explanation, or that the right *.KEY file will tell you what you need. I am often wrong, so drop me email if you don't understand something or you can't get something to work. Net working stuff is tricky and I can find no way to cover all the possibilities on the net and make the program entirely plug and play. You will need some patience to get the program setup. If you email me and I do not respond with in 24 hours, write again. I either did not get the message or I am dead<G>. You may email me with a question, even if you do not register. It would be unfair to not give you a chance to try the working program, before you register. I WILL NOT ACCEPT A REGISTRATION IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS. That is poor business and would lead only to hard feelings, if the problem cannot be resolved. Not all problems can be solved, but most can. If you do not understand a term in the doc file, consult the Terms list at the end of this file. ANY REFERENCE TO GRAPHICS OR SOUND IN THIS DOC FILE DO NOT APPLY TO THE XT/286 AND PALM TOP VERSIONS. ********** * CHANGES* ********** 1.04 You can now subscribe to the nettamer listserv group. Details are at the end of this file. It does have the FAQ, but I's still despirate for a volunteer to re-write and maintain it. I have extensively reworked the telnet stuff for VT100 graphics. You will need to read the telnet.key file, if you expect to use telnet with something like LYNX. In fact, all the *.key files have been reworked. The WWW bookmark files have been extensively reworked. There is now a bookmark.fav file and a bookmark.txt file. The fav file lets you store any favorite sites including the complete path, by pressing CRTL + F, wile you are viewing that page in WWW. The TXT file is a running list of the last 64 sites that you visited. Both files can be edited with a text editor. Palm Top users may now place only nettamer.exe or reader.exe on the palm drive. However, YOU must have the ntuser.def file and ntcom.def files on the drive, before you run nettamer. Once you have created those files with reader.exe, then you can take reader.exe off on a temporary basis. This will free about 200k on the drive. 1.03 has much better on-line responce, vastly improved telnet functions, and even a little real forms support (at least you can search Yahoo. See the on-line section.) I think I have all sorts of additional PPP variations covered, but doubtless users will find new ones for me to worry with<G>. Perhaps the biggest change in the 1.02.1 edition of the program is the addition of a dumb terminal mode. If you absolutely cannot write a login script, then press alt + = in the terminal screen. (The one you see after pressing enter at the welcome screen to start the program.) The program will ask if you wish to init the modem. If you do, then hit Y. That is the last thing the program will do on "automatic". From then on, you are on your on. You can type ATDT (or ATDP as the case may be) and a telephone number, hit enter and login like you would with any terminal program. If you make it to the point where you need to start packet mode, just hit alt + p. The program will then go into PPP negotiations. To get mail, usenet, etc. After login, consult the terminal.key for the alt key combinations that apply. Alt + P has another use. After connect (and PPP negotiations), it will bring up the Ping routine. Ping allows you to see how fast (or slow) a connection to a particular site is running. So, of you are trying to make a connection to a site that is known for being hard to reach or slow, then hit alt + p, BEFORE you try to raise it via FTP, WWW, etc. Alt + R, while in the terminal screen now lets you select a file to display, play, or EXECUTE. This includes text files, HTML files, and graphics and sound files in the 386 and higher version. You may do this on or off line. If you select an executable file, the program must be able to load it and run it in available DOS memory. Do not try to load and run plany.exe this way. Select the sound file to play and the program knows to call plany. Similarly, the program will call djpeg and G&S.EXE, if you select a graphics file. Menus are now standardize to the same letters for exiting the menu and "more". The space bar is now the same as page down in the reader module. This version includes the usual bug fixes, without which no software is truly complete<G>. I always hope that any new bugs are less obnoxious than the old ones;) Despite references elsewhere is the DOC file. There are now three versions of Net-Tamer. A 386 and higher version, an XT/286 version, and a "palm top" version. The XT version does not have optional graphics, optional text mode fonts, or optional sound. It does do everything else the 386 version does. The "palm top" version is really an XT version, but assumes a monochrome display, but not a mono-chrome graphics adapter. This allows me to do some things to make the program work better on the machine that you run. If you are installing on a palm top, you do not need to include all the files. You just need: nettamer.exe, reader.exe, red.com, and one login script file i.e. service1.log, etc. You may also wish to include the *.key files, which list all the "hot keys", but these are not manditory. Additionally, the programs PPP negotiations are much improved, and there is a new setup parameter, which allows for a different email user name and login user name. This is needed on some systems where there are extentions to the email name for login, or the CHAP/PAP negotiations require @domain to be added to the login protocol. There is now a separate field for email password. This is for users logging into one service, but getting email on another service. YOU MUST NOW ENTER YOUR COMPLETE EMAIL ADDRESS instead of just email username, in that field. This will make the "login user name" different from the "email username" for almost everyone. Setup have been completely re-worked. It should be less confusing for new users and now ties the user to the service and telephone numbers. You may have an unlimited number of accounts on many services and separate email addresses, login names and phone numbers for all of them. You may now declare a STATIC IP address in a service#.log file. See the script language section. Net-Tamer supports the NetScape "cookie" specification for user authentication. If you login to a web service the first time and are denied admission, the service usually will offer a form which asks for your name and password. Once you answer the question, the program will write a *.CKY file for that service and you won't be asked again. I have added the ability to do a so called "file attachment" with MIME (or correctly Base 64) encoding. This is one option, if you elect to send a binary file via email. UUENCODE is the other. MIME as I have it implemented might be best for smaller files. UUENCODE is still the most widely used way to send binary files on the internet. The program does not yet support the BINHEX 4.0 or MacIntosh encoding routine. ***************** * SCRIPT WRITING* ***************** I estimate that 30 percent of users will be able to get by with what I have included as the default login script, service1.log. That is for a service with no login prompts, which uses PAP or CHAP user verification. Another 30 percent will probably be able to use the service2.log file. If you are not one of the "lucky" 60 percent, then you will have to write your own login file. There is a good section about this later on in the DOC file. There are also sample scripts at the end of the DOC file, so you should not find this too hard, even if your service is not among the "samples". If you can't write a script, try the "dumb terminal" mode. See the terminal.key file for details. ************************************ *NOTE TO INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS* ************************************ Net-Tamer requires a lot of information to get running that will cause some users problems. If you will email me, I will be more than happy to discuss the correct settings for you service and even to make changes in how the program works for your service, if necessary. There is no charge for this, unless you were to want a site license or free registration of your users. As users of my other programs will tell you, I believe that a program lives and dies on service and will always try to provide that. Happy users register, unhappy ones don't. I do not give anyone permission to "pre-install" the program. It MUST be distributed in the orginal archive, unless you wish to purchase a site license. You MAY distribute a sheet of paper or a text file, explaining setup to your users with out charge. You MUST inform them that the program is shareware, if you do this. If a service wants to have a customized version (pre-defaulted, no login script required, etc.) I will also discuss that. Call during normal business hours, 4:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central Time seven days a week. I get up early;) Yes, I also do custom clients for particular uses. "Robots" are a specialty. I work cheap, but not for free<G>. ********************** *IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS* ********************** If PPP login negotiations fail, please email me a copy of the login.cap and PACKET.CAP files. These are now text files. Just import them to your message. These are only available for the 386 version, however. I didn't want to make the older, slower computers waste time on this. If you lock up immediately when first starting the program, then you did not run the READER.EXE program first, to create the *.DEF files. If you made it through setup, but lock at the welcome screen for the main program, then you are likely to have a sound card conflict with the program. Delete the *.WAV files in directory or turn Sound Off in setup. If you have other problems and can't find the answer in the DOC file, then drop me an email. ******************* *SPECIAL THANKS TO* ******************* Thanks to MCI/NewsCorp and the Delphi service for giving me the online time to work this out. Thanks to FTPADM@X2FTP.OULU.FI and FTPADM@GARBO.UWASA.FI for bearing with what was a very rude FTP client at first. Thanks to my Rainbow offline reader users for the support and the beta testing. Thanks to my wife and kids for putting up with the long hours. Special thanks to Sue Mark, a dear friend, who agreed to be the "voice of net-tamer" for the 386 and higher version. (GO REF MED SUP on Delphi and visit her forum!) ************************ * Net-Tamer REGISTRATION * ************************ If you still want to register Net-Tamer, then you should be aware that registration is LIFETIME. That is, you may download any copy of Net-Tamer and it will say "registered to" and your email address. This fee is $35.00 (US). This covers all versions of the program and any and all future editions on any machine that you or a member of your household uses. This is a two-for-one deal. You also get the right to use Rainbow Offline Reader for Delphi (American and British on-line service). If you are a registered user of Rainbow Offline Reader for Delphi or were a Registered User of Rainbow Offline Reader for the now defunct NVN, you are already registered for Net-Tamer. Just move (or copy) the file USER.EZ to the nettamer main directory. If you have lost this file, then drop me email with the date that you registered and the name that you registered under to davidcolston@delphi.com, net_tamer@delphi.com, or davidcolston@cei.net and I will send you another copy. I wouldn't like to see a little thing like a hard disk crash mess up your registration<G>. If you register Net-Tamer, then join Delphi on-line service at some point, just GO CUST 250 DAT RAI and get the latest Rainbow offline reader. Corporate users, Government Agencies, and other "non-personal" use is treated on a case by case basis. If you are running a small private non-profit organization, let me know and I'll "work something out"<G>. You may also snail mail a check to the address below. If you do be sure to include your EMAIL address, so that I can send the registration file. Sorry, I do not snail mail disks, unless you include a stamped self-addressed envelope. This is usually a waste of your time, since the latest version is always around on the net. ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/connect/ or ftp://ftp.simtel.net/msdos/internet/ for the latest "offical release". Beta versions are uploaded to http://people.delphi.com/davidcolston/ I will also uuencode or file attach for those who cannot FTP. Net-Tamer 125 N. 14th St. Suite 204 Fort Smith, AR 72901 (501) 783-4688 or EMAIL: nettamer@cei.net, davidcolston@delphi.com, or net_tamer@delphi.com I give service even if you do not register. You will then ask, "then why should I register?" The answer is that registration lets me keep working and upgrading the program. If you don't register, then I won't stay in business and then you will have no support and no upgrades. If you cannot afford to register because you are on a fixed income, then drop me a note. I will give you a registration, if you promise to pay when and if you win the lottery<G>. I reserve all rights to the files included in this release, EXCEPT as noted under the files description section. I also claim copyright and the trademark for the names Net-Tamer, Nettamer, and variations of that name. I do not warrant that this program will run on any particular computer, or under any and all circumstances. I will, however, work with users in any reasonable way that to get them running. I have been know to go so far as to make a singleton version of the program under extra-ordinary circumstances. So if you do have problems, I promise that you will lose patience, before I will<G>. ***************** *PROGRAM UPDATES* ***************** I tend to upgrade the program about every month. I am hyper-active, so this is one of the reasons that I do lifetime registration. You are never required to upgrade. In deed, with lifetime registration there is no incentive for me to make a change just so you will upgrade. If you do upgrade, always save the old version first! I have been know to stick bugs in the program where there were previously none<G>. If a new version does not work, then please let me know. I will make every effort to fix it. Registered users get the priviledge of sending me suggestions for improvement. As user's of my other programs will tell you, I do take these seriously, but do not necessarily make the change immediately or ever, if it would mess up something else. If I cannot make the change, I will tell you so and give my reasons. If a change is simple and straight forward, I will usually include it in the next release. If it is complicated and I said that I would "get around to it" some day, keep dropping me notes and reminding me. I do have Attention Deficit Disorder, so I do not take offense at this<G>. I am rather arbitrary about version numbers. The beta "series" was .99 plus a letter. Current versions are numbered 1.xx.x. 1.00.x would be a minor bug fix for 1.00.0 A 1.0x.x would be additional features to a previous lower number. A version 1.1x.x will be very different than a 1.0x.x version. If I ever decide to name one 2.xx.x, then you can rest assured that I think that it is a MAJOR advancement. ************************* * MENU'S, TOGGLES, ETC. * ************************* Net-Tamer is mostly menu driven. Each Menu has three ways it can be operated. 1) You can mouse the line of the menu choice. (Micro-Soft or compatible rodents are supported.) Left Click = Select and Right click = ENTER. This is every where but the bottom screen line, where both keys are treated the same. Mousing a space is also = ENTER. (386 and higher version only.) 2) You can cursor to the line and press enter. 3) You can press the letter beside the menu choice (or in the case of a triple line list of files, you can press the letter of the row of you choice and the column number of your choice.) A toggle is a light switch. If it's not on, it's off<G>. Some Net-Tamer menu's are toggle menus. For example, a list of the messages that you are considering down loading. If you want one of the messages, then press the letter choice, mouse the line, or cursor and press enter. This will change the status of the line to On or Get, etc. If you change your mind, while the line is still on the screen, you simply choose that item again. If there is more than one screen page of listings, then you also have the choice of MORE. It you wish to back up to a previous page, then press the cursor up key on the first menu line OR choose BACK UP, if that is a choice. The process continues till you choose QUIT or hit the cursor key. In single menus, you can go backwards by pressing cursor up on choice A. This rolls back the list (assuming you aren't at the first choice<G>). File menus start with the root directory of your current drive. Select a directory name to move down one level. Select a . [DIR] listing to move back one level. If the purpose of the menu is to select a file, then hitting enter on the file name selects it. If the purpose of the process is to pick a directory, then enter on that directory and then select PATH COMPLETE, when you are where you want to be. These are mouse and cursor driven screens. The COMM DEFAULTS and USER DEFAULTS screen are just displays. Press the letter number of a choice (or mouse it) to make a change. If the item is a toggle, you will hear, beep - beep, then the selection will change on the screen. For help mouse the F1 box or press that key. This will bring up ON LINE HELP. In general, Net-Tamer commands are not tough. When in doubt, press F1 and check out the various assistance files. The real secret is not to make this hard, because it isn't! ******************************** * * * INSTALLATION - INITIAL SETUP * * * ******************************** ! ! ! IMPORTANT ! ! ! What follows is a step by step description of the Net-Tamer installation process. In order to operate, Net-Tamer needs to know some information about your computer system, modem, and Dial-up account. In addition, if you want to spell check, Share Spell and GD Spell are supported by the program. Place those in the main directory. BEFORE running Net-Tamer read through this installation description and make sure that you have the information at hand to answer the questions. Taking a few minutes now will make installing Net-Tamer easier and you will be able to enjoy its features sooner! ********************* * Running Net-Tamer * ********************* To run Net-Tamer make the Net-Tamer directory active FOR THE FIRST USE ONLY, type READER at the DOS prompt and press return. After the first time through setup, type NETTAMER to start the program directly. Select EDIT USER DEFAULTS and then EDIT COMM DEFAULTS. You need to look at BOTH setup sections. You will now be shown a screen with lots of questions about your equipment and another about your dial-up account. Review the screens carefully to be sure that all information is correct and complete. The PRESS then letter X to SAVE THE INFORMATION! *** USER DEFAULTS*** Enter your email address I think you can handle this. Your login username is usually whatever comes before the @ sign in your email address. *** Dial up Password *** Hey, I don't know it<G>. NOTE: Passwords are CASE SENSITIVE on most services! *** Use password to limit access *** If you answer Yes to this question you can lock out people from using Net-Tamer to access your account without permission. Your service password is used for this. You, must remember the password yourself, if you want to get back into the program<G>. It is a major nuisance to enter your password every time you change modules, so think about this before you do it. ****SERVER NAMES & ADDRESSES****** The program needs to know the names of your services' servers for POP, SMTP, and USENET. These a not numbers, just the URL's. You also have to enter the ADDRESS of the Host Name Server for your service. This will be four numbers separated by a period. This is the address that the program calls to find out where everything is. You see, servers can change at any moment. Right now, the mail server (pop.yourservice.com) might be at address 205.117.117.35, but the next moment, it could be down for service and another machine could be handling that function. The Host Name Server (or you some times will hear Domain Name Server) is the address to ask where everything is. The information above, your email address, and your login user name, etc. have to given to you by your service provider. Ask for the "technical person", if the person answering the telephone doesn't understand what you want. *** Spell Checker *** Net-Tamer doesn't ask you about a spell checker. If either GDSpell or ShareSpell are in your Net-Tamer directory you will be asked, after writing a message, if you want to spell check your work. It is automatic, no defaults need to be changed. *** Fonts *** I have included several fonts to be used with the release version. Font's REQUIRE A VGA or Monochrome graphics adapter card to use them. If you need a larger font, then try DBOX.F16. This is my own creation. It is not pretty, but it is as BIG as you can make an 16 X 8 font. If there is real interest, I may well add the capacity for yet larger fonts. BTW, selecting a font with the .F14 extension will give you 3 extra screen lines. This essentially puts Net-Tamer in a 28 * 80 screen mode. Sorry, the program is not set up for 50 line mode. If this is an absolute must for you, let me know and I'll work on it. *** Text Editor *** You MUST select a text editor. Net-Tamer allows any text editor, which will accept a file name from the command line. RED is included with Net-Tamer. RED is freeware and you do not have to register it. You do not have to change anything to use RED and RED will word wrap. You may prefer EDIT. EDIT is included with MS-DOS in releases 4.0 and higher. The only problems with EDIT or EDITOR (if you use DR- DOS) is that they do not word wrap. Several good shareware text editors do word wrap. UEDIT, SEDIT, QEDIT, and SLED will all work with Net-Tamer. There are hundreds of text editors out there, so find one you like! Just be sure that if the program is not in the Net-Tamer directory, that you give Net-Tamer the path to it. For example, C:\DOS\EDIT for DOS edit. YOU SHOULD CHANGE FROM RED AT LEAST TEMPORARILY WHEN YOU EDIT TAGLINES. It will eat them, if the file is TOO big (over 64k)! *** E-Mail Signature *** At this time you can set a signature for E-Mail. To do so press the letter for Sign EMail and you will be prompted to enter the text for your signature. When you are done entering the text you will be asked if you want to always use the signature, to be prompted each time, or to never sign messages, select whichever option you wish. *** Message Directory *** Net-Tamer defaults to using the Net-Tamer main directory for the files it creates. Many files are created by Net-Tamer to store messages and other information Net-Tamer uses to keep track of things. If you want these files kept separate from the program files you must change the default. To do this press the letter marked message directory<G>. You will be ask which drive to store the messages on. Next you will be asked for the remainder of the path name. One option would be: D:\NETTAMER\MSG\ In this example you would be using drive D and the MSG directory would be a sub-directory of your Net-Tamer directory. You MUST create this directory, yourself! If you add a second account, you should create the new message directory, even before you start reader.exe to enter the information. ***Other defaults*** There are also defaults for music, no music, beep, no beep, single listed files menus, or triple and several other small things. Do not be alarmed. You do not have to set these, unless you want to. Try the defaults and then change things latter, if you want. Not all of these choices are available in the XT and Palm top versions. For instance, it is not too smart for me to ask for display colors when I know that the screen in mono-chrome<G>. *** Storing the Defaults *** Once you are sure that you have everything the way you want it press the letter "S" to save the information. *** Modem Port/Comm Set Up *** First question: which port your modem is connected to? Use the cursor or mouse to move the highlight bar and then press enter when the proper port is highlighted. Do not worry about IRQ's etc. Unless you KNOW you have a weird setup. Most users don't, so just select the port and Net-Tamer will default to the "normal" IRQ and address for that port. If you don't know which port your modem is using, try checking the settings in an existing telecom program (Telemate, Procomm, Qmodem, etc.) that WORKS with your modem and write that down. If you couldn't find your modem port from other telecom software, try running the program MSD that comes with later versions of DOS. Type MSD at the dos prompt. When you are at the MSD screen you can press the highlighted letter that you see in each block to see more information on that subject or click on the block with your mouse. You want to check out the info for your mouse (if you have one) and note which COM port it is using. Then check the info for the COM ports. This will tell you which ports are active. Your modem could be connected to any of the active ports that your mouse isn't connected to. If you have a "special IRQ" or need a special address (MOST PEOPLE DON'T NEED THIS), then pick option 5 and answer the questions. This is so that you can define your setup if it doesn't conform to normal DOS defaults. Net-Tamer will in most cases guess your port number, but I am still working on identifying the IRQ under Windows. IRQ's 2 - 15 are supported. *** Tone or Pulse dial *** Press T or P to select (Almost everyone is a T, these days<G>.) *** Modem Initialization String *** You can check your other telecom software's settings and see what init string is used there. Net-Tamer is fairly standard. If all else fails, try ATZ^M You will want the modem to use compression, if it is capable of this. That vastly speeds up the on-line stuff. *** Modem to Computer baud Rate *** This is the speed that YOUR modem talks to YOUR computer, not the speed that your modem talks to the modem at the other end of the phone line. If you browsed the suggested initialization string list when answering the previous question you should have also gotten a suggestion for the baud rate. Use this suggested value if you are not sure what to set this at. You can change to a slower setting if you have problems. Most internal 14,400 baud modems can use 57,600 baud for the modem to computer connection. Even an external 14.4 should be run AT LEAST at 19,200. Many 2400 baud modems can use 19,200 for this setting. This setting depends on YOUR equipment, each system is different. Faster settings will increase data transfer speeds. A 28.8 will usually need 115200 as the setting! *** Phone numbers *** Each phone number that you enter requires a separate set of data about the service on the other end and a separate log file name. The log file will be the script for that telephone number in the dialing directory. These default to service1.log, but you can write your own and name it anything you want. YOU MUST WRITE A SCRIPT FILE for some services. A list of some "well known" scripts are attached at the end of this file. A phone number may be just the letters, "NONE". In that case, the program expects a DIRECT comm port connection to a TCP-IP network with a PPP interface. (A "null modem" arrangement.) To change this information, once entered, select change telephone number and then reply Yes to the question about change 999-9999. If an entry is correct, then just hit enter. You are only required to change incorrect information, although the program will review it all with you. BE SURE TO LEAVE NOTHING BLANK AND BE SURE TO PRESS X TO SAVE CHANGES IF YOU MAKE ANY! *** Rotate numbers if busy *** If you entered more than one phone number you can elect to rotate between them if Net-Tamer fails to connect to your first choice. Just press the appropriate letter. You may select a different number from the terminal screen, before you dial. Just press alt + a. *** Reinitialize modem for every call *** This is a yes or no question. Most modems don't need to be reinitialized, but you can select Yes if you've had trouble in the past with your modem locking up or otherwise acting in an unusual manner. *** Download directory *** You may select a download directory for files which the program retrieves via FTP or the World Wide Web in the program setup. If this path doesn't exist you will be ask if you want Net-Tamer to create it. If the path is valid you will be asked if you want to view the contents of this directory. If you view the contents you will then be asked to confirm the directory's selection. An easy way to keep track of downloaded files if you use more than one telecom program is to create a separate directory just for downloads and have all of your telecom programs put downloads there. NET-TAMER DOES NOT SUPPORT DSZ or GSZ. These are ZMODEM protocol drivers, which are not normally used on the net. IT WILL DO X AND YMODEM DOWNLOAD IN TELNET. Select the protocol and furnish all the information to the BBS first, then press page down for this option. This is only needed, if you telnet into a "normal" BBS. Select FTP UPLOAD or DOWNLOAD from the FTP menu. *** BIOS for video *** The default for this is No. If you tell Net-Tamer to use the BIOS routines information will be written to the screen a bit slower. This is NECESSARY, if you are a visually impaired user and use a "talker" or your PC has a very "different" video card. During an auto-run, all writes are to the screen, except for messages in the status line window at the bottom of the screen, even if you selected the BIOS mode. This keeps a "talker" quiet and make the program quicker when doing the robot stuff. Even if BIOS mode is selected, some things are printed directly to the screen, even if not on auto run. This prevents the program from "talking too much". After all, you would not want the talker to tell you every time the second number on the clock changed<G>. **** Adding Net-Tamer and Icon to Windows***** If you want to add Net-Tamer and it's icon to your windows directory, in program manager, do the following: minimize and highlight the box you want to add Net-Tamer to (accessories, main, whatever). Then hit FILE then NEW then pick New program ITEM, hit enter, then hit the browse button that comes up until you see the Net-Tamer directory and the Net-Tamer.exe file. Hit enter on that, then hit OK. Now you will need to enter in the "Path". Enter the drive and main directory where your nettamer.exe file is..(i.e.:c:\nettamer), then there is also a little box that says "change icon". You hit that and it will say there are no icons available for that group. So you will be given another set to browse through, change the directory there to reflect where the tamer.ico is and you hit enter on it and then ok and you are all set. *** Program Start Screen *** Quit the group setup main menu and then select "OTHER FUNCTIONS" and click or press enter! That will take you to a welcome screen. Press enter or mouse the appropriate box! ***USENET SETUP*** Select item B from the F3 WORK menu in the dialing section of the program, or E from the Reader module main menu. Select ADD A GROUP, you will see a list of all of the current available groups, the list is quite long. There are more than just the ALT. groups, so be sure not miss any <G>. Find the name of the group you wish to access and press enter, or mouse your choice. You will then be asked if you would like to make this group PERMANENT. If you say YES, Net-Tamer access this group on every pass, and the first time, it will get only 50 messages. After that it will get ALL new messages which you have not yet downloaded. You might be surprised to find your self downloading hundreds of messages. MY SUGGESTION...... Just say NO<G>. Once you have all of the groups you want entered, select them one by one. The program defaults to getting a list of all the currently active messages. You can then toggle select from that menu for any messages of interest. You can select option B again from the F3 Work Menu to select whether to now get ALL of the messages posted to the group, a range of messages, subjects only, or headers only. If you want ALL of the messages do not change the number in the block. If you want a range, backspace out the number that is there, and type in the range. For headers or subjects add either an H or an S before the -, or select a range for either (ie 100S-, 350S-500S, 550H-800H, etc). On your next pass, Net-Tamer will get what you've requested. If you are like me, you will probably want the last 50-100 messages posted, unless this is a "binaries" group. In which case you want only subjects<G>. If you've selected subjects or headers only, you will need to once again select option B from the F3 menu, select the group, and a box will appear asking if you would like the list sorted. This puts al of the threads together so you can follow the conversation. Select the subjects or headers you want to get the complete message for, and Net-Tamer will get the messages on the next pass. Once you have actually received the messages, you will see the groups listed with your groups and you can read the messages just like you do group messages. ***DIALING*** Press F6. If you want to stay online and play, after the program has gotten messages, then select a stay-on-line choice. ****ON LINE**** Once Net-Tame dials, the telephone, what happens next depends on what dialing choice you selected. First, it will establish a PPP link. This is all the stuff in the status box about "received PPP Code", etc. Once this is complete, the program will first try to check your email, if your dialing choice indicated a desire to do this. If you have selected GET ALL/DELETE ALL in the server maintenance menu of reader.exe, then the program will delete the incoming messages as received. If you have a server that supports the LAST command then you can use the MENU options A-E, if your server doesn't support this command, then you can only use the get/all delete none or get all delete all choices. After it checks incoming email, it will check the directory to see if you have any out-going email. If so, then it will call the SMTP server and take care of this. If you selected a choice indicating a desire to get usenet messages, the program will call the NEWS server. If there are out going messages, the program will send these before it gets any new ones. -FTP- Usenet messages are NOT gotten regardless of the dialing choice unless: 1) You declare at least one group to be "every time", or 2) You have selected a usenet group to retrieve messages from prior to dialing. Once these chores are complete, the program will either LOG OFF, if that was part of your dialing choice, or it will display some of the "hot keys" you might now wish to use in the status box on the bottom screen line. Once the program is through with whatever run it had to do and alt+<W>eb alt+<F>TP etc, shows up on the status line. Hit alt + F. The program will show you a list of FTP sites. Not all of them work, so let's find one that does. Select the FIND box and press enter. Type in garbo and hit enter. The program will find: garbo.uwasa.fi Press enter on that. The next thing you know, the program will be logging in to that site. Take the default name and password. The program will list the FTP servers directory for you. Just cursor down till you see what you want. If you press enter on a directory, the program will CD to that directory and pull another list. If you press enter on a file, the program will download it. -WWW- If the program is displaying a Web page, it may not all fit on the screen. Press page down to see more and page up to go back. Press the letter of a choice to take it, or press the cursor down key or cursor up key key then press enter to execute the command. You may also mouse the <A> or other letter which is displayed. Cursor left goes back one web page. Escape leaves that Web Site, but does not remove you from the WWW section, unless you are at the end of a link. You may edit any WWW URL, after selecting it. This will allow you to go directly to some places which do not show a link on the current page. In the 386 and higher version, you may also download and display any graphics file, or download and listen to sound files, with out leaving the program. These files are always saved, but WEB pages are only "cached" while you are in the WWW section of the program. As soon as you exit the this section, all HTM files are deleted, unless you used the ctrl + s, key to save them. You may also play sound files in the same way. Real Audio is not supported. I will include that as soon as I can find out the format of such files. You may mark a favorite web page to your bookmark.fav file, by pressing ctrl+f, while viewing the message. This version of Net-Tamer supports forms, at least a little. You can do a search on www.yahoo.com and use that to find most anything you want on the net. Hit alt + w, and enter www.yahoo.com. When you get there, select the <H-FORM> block (The letter in front of FORM may change). Next enter the word or phrase that you want to search for, for example, nettamer. Press enter. Yahoo may or may not find this. If it doesn't or even if it does and you want more choices, then select the letter at the bottom of the page which indicates a link to altavista. Yahoo will supply the completed form for this search. -TELNET, IRC- You can access IRC-Chat through Net-Tamer's telnet function. Two sites to check out are irc-2.mit.edu:6667 and cs-pub.bu.edu:6665 In TELNET the current sentence or whatever you are typing is not sent till you press the enter key or hit some control key. To send a single letter or space, etc where an enter is not permittedm then press the INSERT key. This functions as TRANSMIT. ***Message Viewer*** After the program has logged off with messages, press F3, then select option A to get to the messages you have downloaded. You then see a menu with the "mail bags" for viewing. Select one! Many message commands are on the screen, however, you can get a complete list by pressing alt + h. To go to the next message, hit enter, or the space bar. (You may also page down to the next message or cursor up to go backward, if you prefer.) <S>ave means to save the message, just press the letter S. You may save a message to a file, the printer, or an archive file. The archive files are for "permanent keeper" messages. You many select the archive files for viewing by selecting that choice on the "mail bag" menu. The letter S is also handy if you received a UUENCODED file. Net-Tamer will spot those and ask, if you want to "strip off the message header". You should say, "yes" under most circumstances. Save the "pieces" of the uuencode to the same file (in order of course), then press alt + u to extract the binary file it is hiding<G>. IMPORTANT: Although Net-Tamer will ask for a path for the decoded files to be stored, it expects the encoded files to be in the message directory. Pressing alt U, does not yet allow you to select a path for files to] decode. After you have saved these to a file, press alt + u and then Net-Tamer will do it's stuff and decode these! If you wish to, you can also go the setup screen and do a UUDECODE there. It will let you specify something other than the message directory being where the UUE files are located. To reply to a message, press R. To write a new message, press W. You may press G to get an old message. This selection now has several options of which I am sure you will approve. You may get a thread, a single message or a message only from or to a particular user. Press alt + G to "steal" a tagline from a message. This screen will give you directions on how to save it. Once you press enter, you can edit the line or press enter again to send it to the tagline file. Everyone "steals" taglines. This is expected. There are only three ways to get taglines, steal them. Download a "starter" list from the CUSTOM 250 group, or type in your own! The V command has lots of extra options for users in determining which messages to read. This gives a menu driven view off all the messages. Who they are form and to as well as other information. The program marks the messages that you have not read with a U. When you get more messages the next time, Net-Tamer will begin by reading the first unread message, even if it is in an older download. If you do not want to read the messages, just mark them for deleting. D does that, or press V and do it with your mouse or the cursor key<G>. PRESS A to save a messages from address to the address.lst file. Alt + H lists ALL commands. What we has just discussed is only a partial list. That choice is highlighted on the bottom of the screen! For group messages and usenet messages, there are three ways to generate new messages, while you are viewing them. 1) You can press R to reply in the group, 2) You can press R and reply by email, or 3) You can also press W to write an new message. That allows you to quote the current message and include it in the new message. It also allows you to change the subject and/or topic. 4) You and press Ctrl and R at the same time, which short cuts the reply process. Ctrl + R asks no questions about group or email, change of subject or CC's. It accepts all current Subjects,Cc's, and who the message is from as being the correct information. This option also allows you to write a second reply to the same message. The current message IS NOT QUOTED. This is a "short cut" command. The email option is needed for USENET, because some groups are moderated or anonymous. Those messages are replied to by email. Press R on one you want to reply to. The program will ask you, if you want to quote the current message. Simply press Y or N for yes or no. If you quote the message, Net-Tamer formats the entire message and sends it to the text editor. Delete any extraneous remarks, taglines or other things you do need to make a point in the message or for clarity. In short, use the text editor to pick out those parts of the message that are really important! Over quoting leads to big fat messages, which don't say anything<G>. If you enabled a signature, then Net-Tamer will attach the tagline and the signature to your current message. Now, save the message and exit your text editor. When you are through, you may press the R key again to review the message an make corrections or wait till you are through with all messages to review them. That choice is offered, when you press M or escape to quit looking. F10 will take you out of the program, so don't pick it, if you don't want to get dropped back to DOS<G>. To write a NEW message, select that choice from the main viewer menu, or press W while viewing messages. CREATING AND SENDING EMAIL/usegroup MESSAGES WITH Net-Tamer Ok, these are the steps to write an original mail from scratch. First go to **Create A New Message and hit (enter). After you do that pick MAIL.dlu (NOT CCMAIL.dlu!!!) and hit (enter). After you do that, it will ask to who, if you want to send a file (usually NO), and CC:s and for a subject. When you finish that you get a screen that says to write BELOW THIS LINE. Type in your message below that line. When you are done, it depends on the editor you are using, but use the exit command for RED or TED and for UEDIT you would hit F1 then pick S for save then hit F10. You have now saved a letter to be sent out via your next autologon with Net-Tamer. It SHOULD go if you follow these instructions. Do not touch anything that is there already, which is the message header information, unless it is wrong. The first line is always the To: address. The first line not followed by a /CC or comma is the subject line. So: fred@wildhog.edu, sally@barnhill.net /CC chuck@round.ball.org How about the game? Would mean that the message is to go to fred and sally, with a copy to chuck and a subject of "How about the game?" Just start typing below "How about the game". Net-Tamer saves outgoing email to CCMAIL.dlu, so you have a "permanent copy" of your replies. You can read your relies, delete them or whatever, just like any other message. Heck, you can even write a reply to yourself, if you are really lonely<G>. ***Taglines*** You may press alt + r to find a random tagline! If you may now search for a tagline (if you enabled that in set up). You may have two line tagline. Place a <> at the end of the first line to indicate that the tagline continues on the next line. PRESS ENTER ON THE FIRST LINE! Taglines are message closers. They may be witty, thought provocative or just something about you. Most taglines are (gasp) "STOLEN"! If you see one you like, Net-Tamer is an accomplished thief. Just hit alt + g at the same time! ****Command Line Switches**** From the DOS prompt in the Net-Tamer directory, type Net-Tamer and press enter. You may also load with /v to override the program and make it use a bios print routine. (This is really not needed, unless you are a visually impaired user and need to "hear" your program for initial set up. Once through the comm defaults section, you can make this a permanent choice and never mess with the switch again). Loading Net-Tamer/A (plus a number, if you have more that 1 account defined) tells Net-Tamer to dial service using option A, then to immediately end the program on log off after the run. This is useful if you have a TSR timer program. /A2 means to do an autopass for account 2. If Net-Tamer mis-guesses your video address, you may load the program with the /G command line switch. /G B000 would be mono-chrome graphics (not just a mono-chrome display. Hercules graphics fall into that category) or /G B800 for color graphics. BE SURE you use zeros and not o's. If Net-Tamer flakes out because the modem is too sensitive to carrier drop, loading Net-Tamer with the /I command line option tells the program to ignore carrier drop. Some 28.8's will need this switch. In some RARE cases it is necessary to tell the service the sort of authentication protocol that you want to use LCP negotiations. Use /P to do this. You should not use this switch unless the network is known to be running WINDOWS NT and no login prompt alternative is provided. If it seems to take forever and a day to get an email uploaded, it is possible that the server cannot handle the "agreed upon" MTU. This is normally not a good idea, unless you can count to 3 or higher between the "screen jerks" as a large email is being sent. If this happens consistently, try loading the program with the /M #### switch. /M 1024 would tell the program to send the email in pieces no larger than 1024 bytes, even if the MTU is higher. MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS: Some people (or families) have more than one account for service. No need to have separate copies of Net-Tamer or let all the messages run together. Just select add a user in the Reader.exe main menu. You may choose to have the program create the directory, if you wish. I have mine set up as sub directories off the main Net-Tamer directory, but you may declare them to be anywhere you wish, even on a different drive. A Taglines.dat is maintained for each message sub-directory. You must have the following files in the main Net-Tamer directory: USER.EZ (The registration file.) nettamer.EXE <G>. reader.EXE Net-Tamer.DOC (you can find things in this document from the program!) and the *.KEY files for on-line help. Also put the login scripts that you are using in the same directory. You may have several of these, if you have more than one telephone number. USENET: Usenet is like a giant list of groups, but the participants are from all over the world. If you have a special interest in something, then odds on there is a usenet group for it! Some of the groups are "R to NA-17" in terms of rating, so select carefully, if some things offend you. Net-Tamer does not know what you want, except what you tell it to get. To get messages from the usenet groups, you must have signed up for internet access. To select a group, press the F3 key, like you were going to view messages, but select option B. The screen will display a menu asking you to add or delete a group. Since you don't have any yet, pick A which is add. Next, enter the name of the group. Nettamer lets you "browse" a list of the usenet groups. Suppose you decide for example to keep up with alt.online-service. This is a group for all the "commercial" services like service, etc. Type in the name of the group. If the group is in the master list the program will include it and add it to the menu, otherwise it will ask you if you are sure about the name. I would menu drive this, but there are over 4000 such groups! ADDING A GROUP TO THE MENU DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY GET MESSAGES. You must then re-select the group from the menu and then select which messages you want. The program will get any available message in the way the screen describes. The only problem is that although Net-Tamer will know message numbers, which were available, it will not know the message subject. You can now request a list of subjects for each message number, just like a group! Enter the message range your are interested in and add the letter S. i.e. 1000S-1500 would get a list of all messages in that range with the subject heading of each. You can then work your way through the list, when the program comes back from a run, and "toggle" select just the messages you want! If you want detailed information (say you are considering downloading a LARGE uuencode of a binary file) then you should use H, instead of S. The letter H gets the entire header, but not the body of the message. The headers are placed in the message files, so look there for them, not in the usenet select section. TEXT CAPTURE: Hit alt + c to start a capture file in telnet. OTHER Features. There are many more things that Net-Tamer will do. I just can never think of them all at the same time<G>. If you don't find it in the doc, ask anyway. Heck, even if it's not there you may convince me to add it<G>. SCRIPT FILES These files are executed only during login! The dialing scripts use two "macros" these are Password$ and Username$ (or Address$). These send those pieces of information to service. Do not change those words, Net-Tamer knows what that the formation is and keys on this to do certain things! Use: Blast PUSERNAME$ Instead of: Blast USERNAME$ if your service requires a P in front of your username. Most don't. Some services require something AFTER the Username, just edit the script this way: Blast Username$XXX The program will Replace Username$ with your username, add the XXX stuff and a <13>. Do not add <13> to Username$ and Password$ in a script. The program adds these for you. If you need to include an Ascii control character in a command, just enter it like this <27>. (That would be the escape character.) Net-Tamer DOES NOT ALLOW SPACES ON THE RIGHT OR LEFT HAND SIDE OF A WAIT COMMAND. USE <32> to indicate a space. Spaces in the middle of a statement are recognized. i.e. <32>NOW IS THE TIME<32> would check for the text and a space on either side. Below is a modified script for a access site. Yours may or may not function in the same way. This is just a sample. WAIT gin:-OR-#600 DELAY 10 BLAST Username$ WAIT word: DELAY 10 BLAST Password$ WAIT otocol: DELAY 10 Blast PPP<13> DELAY 10 PPP NOTE: The last PPP in the file is an internal command to the program to go into PPP mode. IF You don't get prompts on login, then that it the simplest script of all: DELAY 30 PPP Read the scripting section. Also see the new stuff section about CHAP and PAP, if this fits your situation. DELAY #- This command pauses program execution for X tenths seconds (decimals are not accepted). The incoming characters are still checked. example: DELAY 15 (wait 1.5 seconds) WAIT TEXT-OR-TEXT-OR-TEXT - OR WAIT TEXT-OR-TEXT-OR-#12345 This command tells Net-Tamer to check the incoming characters from service until the TEXT information is received. The -OR- is optional. If you specify -OR- (max two) the program will resume execution when it receives the characters matching any command specified by TEXT. The maximum length of TEXT is 40 characters. You may also say wait BILL-OR-#120. The number preceded by the # character indicates the maximum length of time to wait. The number is 1/10ths of a second. If the time is up, before the program reaches the text, then the script is abandoned. If a wait statement is not successful and you have not specified a time, Net-Tamer abandons the script in 7 seconds on a *.LOG file. <32> below represents a space character. Example: WAIT MAIL><32>:-or-TO:<32><32> Add /NOERROR, if you do not wish the script to end, if the text is not found in the specified time. BLAST TEXT<13> This command tells the program to send the characters in text. If the <13> command is included, the program sends ASCII 13 or enter. Example: Blast READ WAITING NS<13> IF TEXT - or IF NOT TEXT END IF - Tells Net-Tamer to compare the current state of incoming data for service with TEXT. If the TEXT condition is true, then Net-Tamer proceeds otherwise, it skips to the end of the END IF. The NOT statement REVERSES this. The statements are executed only if the TEXT is not the situation. STATIC ###.###.###.### - STATIC 206.14.56.13 in the script at any time before the PPP command, would tell the program to assume that as your static IP address. This is seldom needed. The most likely use would be a direct serial port connection to network, and not over a modem. PPP - This ends the service#.log file and tells the program to go to PPP mode. YOU MUST INCLUDE THIS COMMAND AT THE END OF THE SCRIPT! USERNAME$ and PASSWORD$ - These are instructions to the program to insert your Username or Password in this spot in the script. DO NOT INCLUDE A <13> with these commands. For example: BLAST USERNAME$ Will send your username and a <13>. You may also use these commands, even if other information is needed in the login. For example, CRIS.COM uses USERNAME$PPP to tell the service that you want a PPP connect. Netcom.com uses #USERNAME$ for the same reason. Again, no <13> is required. ****MACROS***** You may assign a macro to your signature. In the signature line of set up just type #M and the macro number to assign to your signature. A signature allows two lines, but if you want more, just use a text editor and create a file named MACRO. and a number. For example, if you want to assign file macro.2 to your signature, just enter #M2 in the signature line. THIS IS CASE SENSITIVE (small m won't do). (Please note: the pound sign and capital M tell Net-tamer to insert a macro. You must also give the macro file number.) Macro files must be named MACRO.## (the word macro, followed by a number up to 50) and be located in the message directory. *** PSUEDO ANSI COLORS**** You can put colors in your signature or taglines, which can be seen by other registered Net-Tamer users. If you set a color, it is only good for one line and the other user's screen returns to the original screen set after that line. To add a color, just type `[##m. For example to set the color to a red foreground (print) merely enter `[31m. To set a red background color, just enter `[41m. To set a white print with a red background, type `[37;41m. These are basically disguised Ansi sequences. They are done this way to avoid upsetting the program on download. Here are the colors: FOREGROUND BACKGROUND 30 Black 40 Black 31 Red 41 Red 32 Green 42 Green 33 Yellow 43 Yellow 34 Blue 44 Blue 35 Magenta 45 Magenta 36 Cyan 46 Cyan 37 White 47 White Background colors have the same last digit, but use a 4 in front! To make a color intense put a 1 in front. To "flash" the color use 5. To set a red background with white letters enter `[37;41m. The use of the semi-colon allows both foreground and background in the same command. `[1;37;41m makes the white bright. `[1;5;37;41m makes it flash. If you do not set a background color, it will be set to the background of the viewers program. Colors may be included anywhere in a message, except in an email address, subject, or topic. BUT YOU HATE THOSE COLOR THINGS! Then ask Net-Tamer to take them out of all messages<G>. You do this in the communications set up area. Net-Tamer ERROR MESSAGES Net-Tamer displays a number for all internal errors. In most cases, you can tell the program to continue despite the error. If an error persists or you do not see the error message displayed on this list, please contact me with the circumstances. 3 RETURN error. The program has lost it's memory pointers. This is never a first error, but can be caused if there were two errors in a row. 5 Illegal function call This is usually caused by a conflict with a monitor, or a multiple or repeated error. Check your setup for correct file and path names and be sure that you did not user an illegal character in a file name for usenet. 6 Overflow Net-Tamer was trying to read a message number, that went over 2,000,000,000. Since usenet messages don't go that high, then line noise was the likely problem. If you cannot get past the error, then delete the messages and re-download. 7 Out of memory Your computer does not have enough free memory to sort all the messages you are trying to read. That is okay. Press F5 to get back to the messages. The program will start indexing again, from where it left off. There will be no sort of the first however many messages, however. 9 Memory over load! Net-Tamer uses the low 640k of DOS memory, so do not confuse this with disk storage space or high memory. It will use some EMS or XMS, if it finds this, but like most DOS programs, it likes the low stuff<G>. Drop me a note, if you help in learning to configure memory. 11 Division By ZERO. (Don't ask me how, my math teacher said it wasn't possible<G>.) 14 Out of string space Same as 7. 17 Cannot continue A Dos error. Leave the program, re-boot and try again<G>. 24 Device time out (printer, modem, or drive is not working.) 25 Device fault "" 27 Out of paper "" 51 Internal Error Same as 17. 52 Bad file name 53 File NOT found 55 File already open There was a file name which has caused a problem. This is usually due to an incorrect group name. Delete your groups and reinstall them. 57 Device I/O error Same as 24. 58 File already exists Same as 52 - 55 59 Bad record This is an index file error delete the *.IEX file for that group. 61 Disk full You floppy or hard disk has over flowed<G>. 62 Input past end of file Same as 59 63 Bad file number 64 Bad file name If on line then this is a group set up error. In the message viewer, they are index file errors. 67 To many files Up the number FILES= in your config.sys file. 68 Device unavailable see 24 71 Disk NOT ready Your floppy drive door is not closed or there is a problem with a hard drive sector. Run SCANDISK and check this out. 72 Disk media error The disk is unformatted<G>. 75 File access error This is usually an error involving share.exe or another "TSR" program. Please write me with the specifics if you cannot resolve this own your own. 76 Path NOT found. You have found a way to tell Net-Tamer to look for a file in a directory or drive that does not exist<G>. 99 File is not intact or has been tampered with. The program checks itself for any sign of tampering. This prevents the spread of viruses. The error does not mean that you necessarily have a virus, just that the program is not the same as the one that was in the original archive file. The program has been corrupted in some manner, however. You can no longer use pklite, or similar software on net-tamer. Sorry about this, but in this day and age safety is important. If you absolutely have to have a compressed version, then let me know and we can work something out. THIS ONLY APPLIES TO THE 386 AND HIGHER VERSION. The older computers are slow enough to load the program as it is and palm top users often want to use PKLITE on the program. Internal error, means a conflict has arise with DOS. This is not a Net-Tamer error. A re-boot is required. Shut down and restart the program. I hope you don't see any of these! If you do, try hitting the famous Any Key first. If that doesn't cure the situation, then exit Net-Tamer and try again. If that doesn't cure the problem, please leave me a note in the group or in email. *****Net-Tamer FILE NAMES***** NetTamer.exe - the main file reader.exe - Setup and message viewer program. Nettamer and reader "chain" back and forth and must be in the same directory. G&S.EXE - The Net-Tamer sound and graphics player. Net-tamer uses this for sound for the included 8 bit sound files. If you download a *.WAV, *.AU,*.VOC,*.SND,OR *.MOD file, then Net-Tamer will call PLANY.EXE if it is found in the main directory. This will also show a *.gif file or play a *.wav from the dos prompt. Type: G&S filename.ext Press enter to terminate viewing of a graphic. I hereby state that this program is freeware and you may do with it as you please. PLANY.EXE - A VERY special thanks to BILL NEISIUS for allowing me to include PLANY.EXE. This is a public domain program, but I'm sure Bill would accept a contribution if you forced him<G>. Read the plany.doc file for other uses besides Net-Tamer for this neat little program. If it doesn't work, then be sure that you have BLASTER= set in your environment. The same goes for G&S.EXE. djpeg.exe - Based entirely on code provided by the Independent JPEG GROUP. (I mainly compiled the program. Heck, I don't even read C) See the jpgread.me file for the disclaimer. This is freeware. Net-tamer calls this to djpeg, before it shows a graphics file. RED.COM - a down and dirty text editor. The program is a minor alteration of a public domain editor by DAVID NYE. I cannot locate him to say thanks. The red.com, djpeg.exe, plany.exe and g&s.exe files are freeware. This applies to no other files included with this release. If you use any of these with another program, you should give credit to the author(s). nettamer.doc - this file. SERVICE1.LOG, SERVICE2.LOG, etc. - Log in scripts. You must usually edit these. *.DLU - the message files. If you must edit these, please delete the index files that go with them, before restarting the program. *.IEX - The index files. *.PRM - Archive files. *.PEX - Archive index files USENET.GET - Message request file for the next on line run. This is deleted once the messages are retrieved. FTP.GET - Same as usenet, but for FTP files to be retrieved during auto run. usenet.$## - a reply file. You are allowed a maximum of 255 reply messages or other outgoing files for usenet and 255 emails per trip. MAIL.$## - Same as above. MAIL.SET - instructions about where to start getting email messages from the server and which messages that are on the server to delete. The program will not delete a message when it is first received, in case it was messed up during download. usenet.get - the file which tells the program which usenet messages to get<G>. USER.EZ - the program registration file. USENET.FOR - A list of usenet groups. May be updated from the Usenet menu. MUSIC.RNB - the Net-Tamer songs file, used if you don't have a sound card. *.f16 or *.f14 - VGA Text mode fonts. *.x16 - special "graphics fonts" used by the program. You may delete all the *.F16 or *.F14 files, but should not delete the *.X16 files. (The program will still work, but it won't look too nice at certain spots.) *.KEY - the help files. And a few others that I probably forgot<G>. **************** * TERMS * **************** DNS - Domain Name Server. Addresses on the internet are really numbers. People, however, have trouble remembering numbers, so we give things names. When you tell Net-Tamer or any internet program that you want to go to WWW.HOTPAGE.COM, the program calls the DNS server to find out what the current address is for that name (URL). Yes, the address can change from day to day or even minute to minute as a service switches things from computer to computer to do such things as maintenance. SOCKET - A communications channel. When you see messages on the status line like "testing socket", the program is trying to contact the service that you have told it you want to use, or that it needs for an auto-run. URL - Uniform Resource Locator. The "name" of a service, but it can include a "path" to a particular web page or file on that service. PACKET - This is a bunch of bytes of information. The "packet header" tells the internet and the local server where things are going and the program where something is from. PORT - In addition to having an address, services have port numbers. Think of this like the extra four digits in an American Zip Code. The first 5 get you to the main area, then next 4 digits help the post office find the building. Most services use "well known" port numbers. Adding a colon and a number to the end of a URL indicates that this service uses a "non-standard" port number. Addresses on the net are four bytes and the ports add two more bytes to get the message to the final destination. Addresses are written as: 255.123.4.19 where the maximum number between the periods is 255. Ports are numbered 0 to 65535. Most of the "important" ports on the net have numbers smaller than 255. COMM PORT - That is the memory address that the program must know to "talk" to your modem. IRQ - The "interrupt" that the modem uses to tell the program that it needs attention. Most COMM PORTS and IRQ's are "standard". They are used on most computers in "well known" pairs. RFC's - Request For Comments. These are the "rules and regulations" for the internet in many cases. RFC compliant means that the service or the program accessing the service abides by the rules. Net-Tamer is RFC complaint for anything which applies to a "client". CLIENT - A program that accesses a particular service. SERVER - The computer that is home to a service. PPP - Point to Point Protocol. There are many types of PPP. Net-Tamer handles the PPP variations necessary for comm port interface with a network. CHAP - Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol. PAP - Password Authentication Protocol. Both PAP and CHAP are way that a user is identified on log in to a service, if the service does not use "prompts" for this. ***************** *TECHNICAL STUFF* ***************** Speed - The online speed of Net-Tamer is determined by many factors. The speed of the net at the moment, how far away the server being dealt with at the moment is, whether or not your modem does compression, the type of file you are downloading and your connect speed. If you have a "clean connection" to a local server, such as usenet, then the program SHOULD download messages at rates running from the high 1400's to 2000+ Characters Per Second at 14.4 connect speeds. Upload to a server will be slower. I typically get 1100 CPS when I upload. This is because the program waits to send the next "block" of data, until the server acknowledges the receipt of the last block. If you are uploading a big uuencoded file to mail or usenet, this will look a lot slower than it is. Each "tick" you see on the screen is over 1,000 characters sent in most cases. If you telnet to a BBS, then use XMODEM CRC or YMODEM to download a file, you should get about 900 + CPS at 14.4. This is much slower than FTP. Because these protocols add extra overhead on the protocols already being used for telnet, PPP, TCP, and IP. Speeds given by the program are, if anything, a bit slower than the actual speed. I will challenge any other program to a download race, all factors but the programs being equal. Debugging - There is an alt command to capture ALL packets sent by and received by the program. Hit alt + F5. There will be no acknowledgement by the program that you have hit that key combination and a second press of alt + F5 ends capture. Captured packets are placed in the PACKETS.CAP file. The program normally only puts "strays" in that file, as per the RFC directive to "log unusual events". Do not run capturing packets all the time, since this really slows things down. There are NO packet capture routines in the XT and Palm top version. Those machines have enough on their minds<G>. Ports - The program assumes the "well known" port for a service, unless the user indicates otherwise. The Net-Tamer main port is 3292 (hex 0CDC). The program rotates port numbers in the FTP data download and upload section. The low byte of that port number is always 20 and the high byte rotates from 0 to 127 in a circle. Buffer - Net-Tamer can handle packet sizes up to 2048 bytes or "octets" in net-speak. The program's total buffer size is 16k with a small "fudge factor". The PPP-LCP negotiations determine the Maximum packet size for send and receive, but many services will not send a packet at that maximum size. Net-Tamer will always send at the maximum permitted segment size. ******************************* *Some Suggested Init Strings * ******************************* ZOOM -V1E1W1&C1&D2&S1S95=47X4^MATS37=11N1&K3S82=128^M zoom(cont)AT&Q5S36=7S46=138S38=1^M SPORTSTER-ATQ0V1&S1I3E1X4&A3&C1&D2&B1^M AT&H1&R2&N0&K1&M4&Y3^M HAYES -AT&F^MATQ0V1X1&C1&D2&S1^M BOCA -ATQ0V1E1W1&C1&D2&S1S95=47X4F1S37=11N1^M boca(cont)AT&K3S82=128&Q5S36=7S46=138S38=1^M INTEL -ATQ0V1E1&C1&D2&S1X4V2B1+FCLASS=0^M intel(cont)ATS7=85 S25=50\G0\Q3\Y0\K1\J0\N3%C1"H3^M U.S.ROBOTICS - (See sportster). ****************************** *SCRIPTS FOR VARIOUS SERVICES* ****************************** I will be happy to include the login script for any service. Just forward it to me and tell me to put it in the nettamer.doc file. ---CRIS.COM----------- WAIT user:<32>-OR-#600 BLAST Username$@PPP WAIT Password:<32> DELAY 10 BLAST Password$ PPP ____COMPUSERVE_____________ You will have to edit the script below for the type of service you use to connect to C-serve (tymnet, etc.) There are several variations on the script. Check out the HP-Hand forum. I think those folks have found almost all the varations. DELAY 30 BLAST <3> WAIT Name: BLAST CIS<13> WAIT ID: BLAST Username$/go:pppconnect WAIT word: BLAST Password$ WAIT PPP DELAY 10 PPP _________sympatico (Canada)________ WAIT Login:<32>-OR-#600 BLAST Username$ WAIT Password:<32> DELAY 10 BLAST Password$ contact person: Gary_Jacek@bctel.ca gjacek@freenet.vancouver.bc.ca ----Script for Idirect (Toronto, Ontario Canada) WAIT ogin:<32>-OR-#600 BLAST Username$ WAIT Password: BLAST Password$ Wait tinue: BLAST PPP<13> DELAY 95 PPP Here is the script for Netcom.com: WAIT ogin:-OR-#300 BLAST #Username$ WAIT word: BLAST Password$ PPP *** Note: # in front of Username$ is ESSENTIAL!! Netcom Service recognizes it and switches to SLIP/PPP protocol. _______________________________________ PGP Public Key for David Colston! -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.3 mQCNAi9BIPsAAAEEAJ3wgk5EGZT4wkXgd1fY8zKBEZQLKf0HI6PcRY1dwbU2mNOe z/0ekPKCTL/96psqfw6i12DcBsP/FJoS8/l3r/ZPsZpsYSSTwZ72WqPTJTGEbpNb qODhqMV+9n+4zOp++7szse/LKV5wRIrg9zrHIqwDN/jW87AjG1KNztOsCfmNAAUR tA1EYXZpZCBDb2xzdG9u =usNy -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- How to subscribe the NETTAMER Mailling List Send e-mail to listserv@fido261.qis.net The subject line does NOT matter In the body of the message, you need a line that says subscribe nettamer The listserv software will process your request, and send back a message to you confirming the request. The message will contain a confirmation number and instructions on how to activate your address in the list. A sample conformation message is shown below: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (54) Sun 2 Jun 96 10:49 By: listserv@fido261.qis.net, Internet Gateway Net261 (261/1551) To: charlied@fido261.qis.net Re: Information request St: Pvt ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apparently-to: charlied@fido261.qis.net From: listserv@fido261.qis.net (listserv) Subject: Information request You have reached "fido261.qis.net", a gateway for the Baltimore, Maryland community. To get more help, or to make changes to which mailing Lists to which you are connected, send a message to "listserve@fido261.qis.net", with a message body of "HELP". You will be able to subscribe and unsubscribe from all of the lists via that address. --thom@fido261.qis.net - For this process, we are using your email address of "charlied@fido261.qis.net". >subscribe nettamer ------------------------------------------------------------- You are in the process of being subscribed to list NETTAMER. Following will be a confirmation number; you will need to send back the following to finish subscribing yourself to the list. Send back the following: confirm 3813566a If you did not send a message to subscribe, you don't have to do anything. Otherwise, please send this message back as soon as possible, in order to finish subscribing you to list NETTAMER. -------------------------------------------------------------