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- Twin Express User's Guide
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- Twin Express 1.1
- User's Guide
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- Copyright 1991 OMNICODE. All rights reserved.
-
- Twin Express User's Guide
-
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-
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- Copyright: This document and its accompanying software are
- copyrighted by OMNICODE (Montréal, CANADA) which retains all
- rights of ownership and copyright. Registered users have
- specific rights as stated in the license agreement. Others may
- only distribute the complete package as described in the
- distribution statement.
-
- Disclaimer: The software, the documentation and all the files
- included in the package are provided without any warranty.
- Moreover, OMNICODE does not guarantee that the software, the
- documentation and the files are accurate, reliable or fit any
- particular task. The users of this software package accept all
- risks related to its use. OMNICODE shall not be held
- responsible for any damage, costs or loss arising from the use
- of this software package.
-
- Trademarks: IBM, IBM AT, IBM PS/2, PC-DOS and OS/2 are
- registered trademarks of International Business Machines
- Corporation. IBM PC and IBM XT are trademarks of International
- Business Machines Corporation. MS-DOS is a registered
- trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Windows is a trademark of
- Microsoft Corporation. Amiga is a registered trademark of
- Commodore-Amiga Inc. AmigaDOS and Amiga Workbench are
- trademarks of Commodore-Amiga Inc. Unix is a registered
- trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories.
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- II
-
- Twin Express User's Guide
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-
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- TABLE OF CONTENTS
-
-
- INTRODUCTION................................................ IV
- 1 GETTING STARTED........................................... 1
- 1.1 Summary of Features.................................. 1
- 1.2 Installation on the Amiga Computer................... 2
- 1.3 Installation on the IBM-PC Computer.................. 3
- 1.4 The Serial Cable..................................... 4
- 1.5 Running Twin Express................................. 5
- 1.6 Of Ports and Baud Rates.............................. 6
- 1.7 Startup Problems..................................... 6
- 1.8 Registration......................................... 8
- 1.9 Support.............................................. 9
- 2 TUTORIAL.................................................. 10
- 2.1 Vocabulary........................................... 10
- 2.2 Purpose of a File Transfer Program................... 10
- 2.3 Commands and Aliases................................. 11
- 2.4 Local Versus Remote Resources........................ 11
- 2.5 Transferring Files with the COPY Command............. 12
- 2.6 Syntax of File and Directory Names................... 13
- 2.7 File Groups and Wildcards............................ 15
- 2.8 Moving Text Files to a Different Type of Computer.... 16
- 2.9 Enabling Fast Transfers.............................. 17
- 2.10 Input from a Command File............................ 18
- 3 COMMANDS.................................................. 19
- 3.1 CHDIR................................................ 19
- 3.2 COPY................................................. 20
- 3.3 DELETE............................................... 21
- 3.4 DIR.................................................. 21
- 3.5 ECHO................................................. 23
- 3.6 HELP................................................. 23
- 3.7 MKDIR................................................ 24
- 3.8 QUIT................................................. 24
- 3.9 RENAME............................................... 24
- 3.10 RMDIR................................................ 25
- 3.11 SET.................................................. 26
- 3.12 SHOW................................................. 26
- 3.13 TREE................................................. 27
- 3.14 TYPE................................................. 28
- APPENDIX A: Error Messages.................................. A1
- APPENDIX B: License Agreement............................... B1
- APPENDIX C: Distribution Statement.......................... C1
- APPENDIX D: Problem Report Form............................. D1
- APPENDIX E: Registration and Order Form..................... E1
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- III
-
- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
-
- INTRODUCTION
-
-
- Twin Express is a file transfer program that allows a
- user to quickly transfer files between two computers via a
- cable connected to their serial ports. It is an attractive
- solution to the problem of transferring data to a computer
- equipped with a different type of floppy drive or to a
- floppyless workstation. It is also an inexpensive alternative
- to those time-consuming exchanges of floppy disks and slow
- communication programs.
-
- Speed is its main feature. Between two 12.5 MHz
- AT-type computers or two Amiga 3000 computers you can transfer
- data at about 22,000 bytes/second. This is 2 times faster than
- many other serial file transfer utilities and 7 times faster
- than utilities relying on the serial handler of AmigaDos.
-
- Its second main feature is its ability to exchange
- files between different types of computers (e.g. Amiga and
- IBM-PC). In this case, it may even translate some special
- characters (e.g. ±, £, ½, ß, é, â, ï, ñ) in your text files.
- As of December 1991, the program runs under AmigaDOS and
- PC-DOS (or MS-DOS). It can also execute as a DOS process under
- Windows and OS/2.
-
- Twin Express is a shareware program. That is, a
- program that you can try before you actually pay for it. As
- such, you can copy it, distribute it or store it in a library
- as long as the package is not modified, not sold and not
- linked to any salable item. However, if you install the
- program on a computer and decide to use it after the free
- one-week evaluation period you must purchase a license from
- OMNICODE. In return you become a registered user and are thus
- entitled to a manual, a diskette containing the latest version
- of Twin Express, an invoice (as proof of purchase) and
- customer support in case of problems.
-
- This manual describes the features, installation
- procedures and commands of Twin Express. The tutorial in
- chapter 2 shows some basic examples of Twin Express commands.
- However, if you just cannot wait to get your hands on the
- keyboard you may want to proceed with the information
- available through the on-line HELP command.
-
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- IV
-
- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
-
- GETTING STARTED
-
-
- This chapter describes the features, the installation
- and the start-up procedures for Twin Express. Typical error
- messages plus suggestions for solutions are outlined in order
- to help you establish communications between the computers.
- Registration and support sections terminate the chapter.
-
- 1.1 SUMMARY OF FEATURES
-
- This section highlights the most important features of
- Twin Express:
-
- 1. Fast serial transfers: about 22,000 bytes/second between
- two 12.5 MHz AT-type computers or two Amiga computers
- (ram disk to remote ram disk transfers).
-
- 2. Compatible versions run under AmigaDOS and PC-DOS.
-
- 3. Translation of text files when they are transferred to a
- different type of computer (useful for transfers between
- Amiga and IBM-PC computers).
-
- 4. Simple, easy to use commands similar to those used by
- your operating system (e.g. DIR, COPY, RENAME, etc).
-
- 5. Command name aliases compatible with AmigaDOS, PC-DOS
- and UNIX commands (e.g. MAKEDIR, XCOPY, LS).
-
- 6. Support for wildcard characters allowing users to select
- a group of files with a single command. The operation
- can be extended to include files found in
- subdirectories.
-
- 7. User may list directory files, change the default
- directories and create or remove directories.
-
- 8. Copies of files get the same date stamp as the original
- files.
-
- 9. On-line help.
-
- 10. Support for command files (batch files).
-
- 11. Transmission errors are detected and corrected (by
- retransmission of bad packets).
-
- 12. Support for ports COM1, COM2, COM3 or COM4 on the IBM-PC
- or compatible computers.
-
- 13. Support for baud rates up to 115200 on IBM-PC or
- compatible computers and 290000 on Amiga computers.
-
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- Twin Express User's Guide
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-
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- 14. Detection of busy ports, incompatible baud rates and of
- non-present, non-standard or malfunctionning serial
- ports.
-
- 15. Distributed as a shareware program: "you can try it
- before you buy it".
-
- 1.2 INSTALLATION ON THE AMIGA COMPUTER
-
- Requirements:
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- 1. AmigaDOS 1.2 or higher.
- 2. 75K of disk space.
- 3. 150K of free memory.
- 4. A null-modem cable.
- 5. A free serial port (SER: is mandatory).
-
- Distribution files:
-
- 1. INSTALL
- 2. INSTALL.INFO
- 3. README
- 4. README.INFO
- 5. TWIN
- 6. TWIN.INFO
- 7. TWINDOC
- 8. TWINDOC.INFO
-
- Installation:
-
- 1. If your are using your Amiga with Workbench, activate the
- CLI task by clicking the appropriate icon.
-
- 2. Set the default directory to the directory containing the
- Twin Express package. The following example assumes this
- to be the root directory on floppy disk DF0:
-
- CD DF0:
-
- 3. Examine file README for any last-minute changes:
-
- TYPE README
-
- 4. Copy the file TWIN to a directory whose name appears in
- the search path of AmigaDos (e.g. utilities, c, system).
- This way you can run Twin Express from any directory and
- AmigaDos will find it. You can use the PATH command to
- display the current search path. The following example
- assumes that the UTILITIES directory on disk DH0 is in
- the search path:
-
- PATH
- COPY TWIN DH0:UTILITIES
-
-
- 2
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- Twin Express User's Guide
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- COPY TWIN.INFO DH0:UTILITIES
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- 5. Print the documentation file TWINDOC:
-
- COPY TWINDOC PRT:
-
- 6. Connect one end of a null-modem cable to the standard
- serial port "SER:" on the Amiga and the other end to a
- serial port on the remote computer. See section 1.4 for
- details about the serial cable.
-
- 7. You have one week to evaluate the program. After this
- period you must either remove the program from your
- system or register your copy.
-
- 1.3 INSTALLATION ON THE IBM-PC COMPUTER
-
- Requirements:
-
- 1. PC-DOS (MS-DOS) 2.0 or higher.
- 2. 75K of disk space.
- 3. 150K of free memory.
- 4. A null-modem cable.
- 5. A free serial port (COM1, COM2, COM3 or COM4) with a ...
- a) standard address (3F8h, 2F8h, 3E8h or 2E8h).
- b) compatible UART chip (8250, 82050, 16450).
- c) standard UART clock of 1.8432 MHz.
-
- Distribution:
-
- 1. INSTALL.TXT
- 2. README.TXT
- 3. TWIN.EXE
- 4. TWINDOC.TXT
-
- Installation:
-
- 1. If your are using your IBM-PC with Windows or OS/2, acti-
- vate the DOS environment by clicking the appropriate
- icon.
-
- 2. Set the default directory to the directory containing the
- Twin Express package. The following example assumes this
- to be the root directory on floppy disk A:
-
- A:
- CD \
-
- 3. Examine file README.TXT for any last-minute changes:
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- TYPE README.TXT
-
- 4. Copy the file TWIN.EXE to a directory whose name appears
- in the search path of DOS (e.g. DOS, c, bin). This way
-
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- Twin Express User's Guide
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- you can run Twin Express from any directory and DOS will
- find it. You can use the PATH command to display the
- current search path. The following example assumes that
- the DOS directory on disk C is in the search path:
-
- PATH
- COPY TWIN.EXE C:\DOS
-
- 5. Print the documentation file TWINDOC.TXT:
-
- PRINT TWINDOC.TXT
-
- 6. Connect one end of a null-modem cable to a serial port
- (COM1 is used by default) on the IBM-PC and the other end
- to a serial port on the remote computer. See section 1.4
- for details about the serial cable.
-
- 7. You have one week to evaluate the program. After this
- period you must either remove the program from your
- system or register your copy.
-
- 1.4 THE SERIAL CABLE
-
- A null-modem cable connects the computers by their
- serial ports. Such a cable can be bought in a computer store
- or can be made from an eight-wire cable and two connectors.
- The table below shows how the different signals are wired
- along with the pinout in use with different types of
- connectors (9 and 25 pins):
-
- ------ CONNECTOR 1 ----- ----- CONNECTOR 2 ------
- DB25 DB9 SIGNAL SIGNAL DB9 DB25
-
- 07 05 GND <---> GND 05 07
- 02 03 TD <---> RD 02 03
- 03 02 RD <---> TD 03 02
- 05 08 CTS <---> RTS 07 04
- 04 07 RTS <---> CTS 08 05
- 06 06 DSR <---> DTR 04 20
- 20 04 DTR <---> DSR 06 06
-
- Usually the serial port has a male connector. The cable should
- therefore have two female connectors. However, it is safer to
- verify this before you buy a cable...
-
- There are some null-modem cables with only 3 wires.
- These cables can also be used with Twin Express. However, it
- is not possible to select the high speed transmission mode
- with such cables. There are also null-modem cables with a
- wiring pattern different from that in the above table. Twin
- Express is likely to "see" them as 3-wire cables. So, be
- careful before buying a pre-wired cable and compare the wiring
- with the above table.
-
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- You can also transform a modem cable into a null-modem
- cable with a null-modem adapter. You can get an MF-DB25
- adapter (part 26-1496) or an MF-DB9 adapter (part 26-264) for
- about 8 CAN$ from Radio Shack. This might be a convenient
- solution if your cable has the proper connectors (usually a
- female connector at each end).
-
- WARNING 1: Do not use a cable with more than these 7
- connections (extra wires should be disconnected).
- This is very important on the AMIGA computers since
- they have a non-standard serial connector.
-
- WARNING 2: Cables longer than 20 meters should be used with
- caution. You might need to reduce the baud rate or
- use a more expensive low capacitance cable.
-
- WARNING 3: Avoid putting the cable near appliances. This could
- add noise to the signals. If this cannot be avoided
- you might consider buying a more expensive shielded
- cable.
-
- 1.5 RUNNING TWIN EXPRESS
-
- You can start up the program by typing TWIN at the
- system prompt of the computer:
-
- C> TWIN <enter>
-
- The program should now display its version number, a short
- message about the help facility and the TWIN prompt:
-
- TWIN EXPRESS - Version 1.1 released on 1991/12/20 (shareware)
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright 1991 OMNICODE. All rights reserved.
-
- HELP:
-
- ... Some information on HELP ...
-
- TWIN>
-
- At this point, Twin Express waits for the user to type in
- commands or to receive a request from the remote computer.
-
- If Twin Express is also running on the remote computer
- and a cable is connected to the default ports (COM1 on the PC
- and SER on the Amiga) you should get the following message on
- both screens:
-
- >>> Communication is established with the remote computer <<<
-
- This message indicates that you are ready to transfer files to
- the remote computer. If it does not appear see sections 1.6
- and 1.7 for help.
-
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- 1.6 OF PORTS AND BAUD RATES
-
- By default, Twin Express uses port COM1 on an IBM PC
- and SER on an Amiga. In both cases the default baud rate is
- 115200.
-
- It is possible to use baud rates other than the
- default value and, on IBM compatible computers, to use a port
- other than COM1. Ports COM1, COM2, COM3 and COM4 can be used
- on the IBM PC or compatible systems. Only SER can be used on
- the Amiga.
-
- The baud rates available on both machines are: 115200,
- 57600, 38400, 19200 and 9600. The Amiga version also accepts
- the following baud rates: 130000, 150000, 170000, 190000,
- 210000, 230000, 250000, 270000 and 290000 (190000 is
- recommended).
-
- To change a default value, the user must supply both
- the port and the baud rate as parameters to TWIN. For example,
- to communicate at 57600 baud using port COM2 on the IBM
- compatible:
-
- C> TWIN COM2 57600
-
- whilst the command for the Amiga is:
-
- 1> TWIN SER 57600
-
- 1.7 STARTUP PROBLEMS
-
- This section highlights the most common problems that
- a user might encounter in establishing communication. It
- presents error messages along with suggestions for solving the
- problem. More general errors are discussed in appendix A.
-
- >>> Communication is established with the remote computer <<<
- does not appear on the screen of computers.
-
- First, verify that the cable is connected to the serial
- ports on both computers. Second, make sure that Twin Express
- has been activated on both machines with the proper port and
- baud rate. Third, check the programs running in the
- background. Some of them might "steal" too many CPU cycles.
- Fourth, examine the cable. Is it a null-modem cable? Is
- there a bad connection (connectors, wires, etc)?
-
- Error: Unrecognized device
-
- An invalid serial device has been used as a parameter to
- Twin Express. Re-execute the program with one of the valid
- devices specified in section 1.6.
-
- Error: Unrecognized speed
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- An invalid baud rate has been specified as a parameter to
- Twin Express. Note that you must also specify a device when
- you indicate a baud rate. Re-execute the program with one of
- the valid baud rates specified in section 1.6.
-
- Error: Cannot get pathname of current default directory
- Error: Cannot establish an abort receiver
-
- These are internal errors. They should not occur. Please
- contact OMNICODE (fill in and mail the problem report form
- in appendix D).
-
- Error: This protocol cannot be used with a 3-wire cable
-
- This error may occur when a user selects the high speed
- transmission mode with the SET MODE command. This mode
- requires a 7-wire cable as defined in section 1.4. First,
- check your cable. Second, use only the STANDARD mode with
- 3-wire cables.
-
- Error: Mode EXPRESS failed to initialize properly
-
- This error may occur when a user selects the high speed
- transmission mode with the SET MODE command. It indicates
- that transfers would not be reliable using this mode. It may
- occur on some computers, especially with long cables. In
- this case you must use the default STANDARD mode.
-
- >>> Non-present or non-standard device <<<
-
- The selected serial port was not found in the system or, if
- found, it does not appear to be a serial device. This error
- may occur if the user selects a device that is not installed
- (e.g. COM4), if a serial device has been installed at a non-
- standard address (e.g. COM1 address different from 3F8h) or
- if a different type of hardware has been installed at an
- address normally assigned to a serial device. First, try to
- execute Twin Express with a different device (e.g. COM2).
- Second, check the address of your serial port and compare it
- with the addresses defined in section 1.3.
-
- >>> Malfunctionning serial device <<<
-
- The serial device does not appear to work correctly. First,
- verify that your serial port works with a different type of
- software. Second, compare the type of the UART chip of your
- serial port with those listed in the installation section.
-
- >>> Selected serial device appears to be busy <<<
-
- The serial port seems to be connected to an external device
- (e.g. modem, printer). This error is likely to occur if you
- execute Twin Express with the default port and this port is
-
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- connected to a device. It may also occur if you disconnected
- an external device from a serial port in order to connect
- the null-modem cable. First, make sure to execute Twin
- Express with the appropriate serial port. Second, if the
- message appears only on one computer, re-execute Twin
- Express on this computer otherwise you will need to reboot
- both systems.
-
- >>> Local computer is too slow for current baud rate <<<
- >>> Remote computer is too slow for current baud rate <<<
-
- These messages indicate that a computer is not fast enough
- to communicate at the current baud rate. It may occur if you
- try to execute Twin Express on an Amiga 500/1000/2000
- computer with a baud rate exceeding 190000 or on a 4.77 MHz
- PC-type computer with a baud rate of 115200. Try again with
- a lower baud rate.
-
- >>> Remote computer appears to use a different baud rate <<<
-
- This message is displayed when a computer receives many
- unrecognized characters from the serial port. It usually
- occurs when the program is activated with a different baud
- rate on each computer. Note that this error is usually
- displayed on the screen of the computer having the fastest
- baud rate. It may also occur if you use a high baud rate
- (e.g. 290000) with a long cable or if your serial port does
- not use a standard clock rate. First, re-execute both
- programs with the same baud rate. Second, try to reduce the
- baud rate on the machine that does show this message. Third,
- try with a lower baud rate (e.g. 57600). Fourth, make sure
- that you use the serial ports connected to the null-modem
- cable. Fifth, compare the clock rate of your serial port
- with the value found in the installation section.
-
- 1.8 REGISTRATION
-
- Twin Express is a shareware package. It is not free
- software nor public domain software. The main difference here
- is that you must purchase a license to use it after an
- evaluation period. Note that the cost of the license is never
- included in the price of disks from public domain and
- shareware software distributors.
-
- The package contains files that can be evaluated,
- free of charge, during a one-week period. During this week,
- you can test the program and examine the documentation. After
- this period, you must decide if you want to keep the program
- or not. If the product is found to be not useful, the package
- must be removed from the system. However, if you do decide to
- keep it, you must become a registered user by purchasing a
- license from OMNICODE.
-
- The cost of a basic license for two machines is 30
-
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- CAN$ (including Canadian taxes where applicable). Add to this
- an extra fee of 10 CAN$ for each additional machine. If Twin
- Express is to be installed on a server, you will need a
- license for every computer that can access the program from
- the server. Upon registration, you receive a manual, a
- diskette containing the latest version of Twin Express, an
- invoice (as proof of purchase) and support for 6 months in
- case of problems. The registration and order form can be found
- in appendix E.
-
- 1.9 CUSTOMER SUPPORT
-
- You might experience problems with the program or the
- documentation or you might just want to obtain the latest
- release. Registered users can contact OMNICODE to get help.
- Just send a letter or a FAX to:
-
- OMNICODE
- P.O. Box 128 Ahuntsic
- Montréal [Québec]
- CANADA H3L 3N7
-
- FAX: (514)385-6455
-
- You will find a problem report form in appendix D to be used
- in describing your problems and for making suggestions. Fill
- in the form in appendix E in order to get the latest update.
-
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- Twin Express User's Guide
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- TUTORIAL
-
-
- This chapter introduces the new user to Twin Express.
- The experienced user is referred to chapter 3 for more
- detailed information.
-
- We assume here that the installation has been
- completed and that a cable is connected between the two
- computers running Twin Express.
-
- 2.1 VOCABULARY
-
- D.O.S. means Disk Operating System. Throughout this
- manual, this term is used without designating a particular
- implementation of this software (e.g. PC-DOS, UNIX).
-
- A null-modem cable is a cable that connects to the
- serial ports of two computers. This is not the same as a modem
- cable (the wiring is different).
-
- Serial transfers means data transmission between two
- computers by their serial devices through a null-modem cable.
-
- Remote system indicates the computer to which your
- computer (known as the local system) is connected. By
- extension, remote files, remote directories, remote volumes,
- remote devices and remote resources indicates files,
- directories, volumes, devices and resources located on the
- remote system.
-
- A volume is a structured group of directories and
- files, sometimes called a file system, installed on a disk, a
- disk partition or in a dedicated area of the main memory.
-
- 2.2 PURPOSE OF A FILE TRANSFER PROGRAM
-
- The purpose of a file transfer program is to transfer
- files between two computers. It allows a user to exchange
- files between computers equipped with floppy drives of
- different sizes or to exchange files with a floppyless
- computer. It performs this job better than a communications
- program since it is usually much faster and adapted for this
- task. Finally, it is also simpler and faster then using a
- floppy disk to transfer files between the hard disks of two
- computers (especially when the size of a file is larger than
- the capacity of the floppy disk).
-
- A file transfer program needs a link between the
- computers involved in these transfers. This can be done by
- connecting a cable to a serial port on each computer. Such a
- port works with fairly long cables, provides some protection
- against noise and is inexpensive.
-
-
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- 2.3 COMMANDS AND ALIASES
-
- The user interacts with Twin Express by typing
- commands that have a name similar to the commands of your
- D.O.S. For example, to get a list of the files kept in the
- local current directory:
-
- TWIN> DIR <enter>
-
- The full set of commands is given in the table below:
-
- DIR : Shows file(s) in a directory.
- CHDIR : Changes the default directory.
- MKDIR : Creates a directory.
- RMDIR : Removes a directory.
- TREE : Shows directory structure.
- COPY : Makes a copy of file(s).
- DELETE : Deletes file(s).
- RENAME : Changes the name of file(s).
- TYPE : Shows the contents of a text file.
- HELP : Provides help on Twin Express.
- SET : Changes the transmission mode.
- SHOW : Displays various information.
- ECHO : Outputs a string on the console.
- QUIT : Exits from Twin Express.
-
- In order to assist the users who transfer files
- between systems having two different D.O.S., Twin Express
- accepts popular aliases for some commands and options. These
- aliases are shown in the table below:
-
- DIR : LIST, LS
- CHDIR : CD
- MKDIR : MD, MAKEDIR
- RMDIR : RD
- COPY : XCOPY, CP
- DELETE : DEL, ERASE, RM
- RENAME : REN, MV
- TYPE : MORE, CAT, DISPLAY
- HELP : ?
- QUIT : EXIT
-
- SUBDIR : ALL, /S
-
- This feature should help those who are used to PC-DOS, MS-DOS,
- AmigaDOS or UNIX. However, Twin Express commands have their
- own behavior and options. Therefore, they may not recognize
- certain options or perform exactly like their counterparts in
- these operating systems.
-
- 2.4 LOCAL VERSUS REMOTE RESOURCES
-
-
-
-
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-
-
-
- All the commands related to file or directory
- operations can work on local or remote resources. These
- resources may be: files, directories, volumes and devices.
-
- Accessing a local resource is simple. You just specify
- the name of the resource in your command. For example, to
- delete the local file OLDDEMO.C:
-
- TWIN> DELETE OLDDEMO.C
-
- Unless otherwise specified, Twin Express always uses local
- resources. In the example above, the program deletes the local
- file OLDDEMO.C from the local default directory. You always
- have access to the local resources even if no communication
- has been established with a remote computer.
-
- Accessing a remote resource is simple too! This time,
- the name of the resource must have a ~ prefix (tilde). For
- example, to delete the remote file OLDDEMO.C:
-
- TWIN> DELETE ~OLDDEMO.C
-
- In this case, the request is sent to the remote computer where
- it is executed. In the example above, the remote file
- OLDDEMO.C is deleted from the remote default directory.
- Communication must have been established with a remote system
- before you can use commands specifying remote resources.
-
- The procedure is the same with all the commands. Twin
- Express uses a remote resource if the name has a ~ prefix and
- a local resource otherwise. The commands themselves are the
- same for both the local and the remote operations. Note: there
- must be no space between the ~ prefix and the name of the
- resource.
-
- 2.5 TRANSFERRING FILES WITH THE COPY COMMAND
-
- The main purpose of a file transfer program is to copy
- files from one computer to another. With Twin Express, this is
- done by the COPY command.
-
- This command can work with both local and remote
- files. To copy a file between two computers it is just a
- matter of using a local name and a remote name. For example,
- to copy the local file ALPHA to the file Bravo on the remote
- computer:
-
- TWIN> COPY ALPHA ~Bravo
-
- This command actually transfers a copy of the local file ALPHA
- to the remote system since the ~ prefix specifies a remote
- file. The new file is stored as file Bravo in the remote
- default directory. Note: whenever possible, Twin Express
-
-
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-
-
- preserves lower case letters used in file and directory names.
-
- The target name of the COPY command can be a device.
- For example, to print the local file README.DOC, you can copy
- it to the remote printer PRT:
-
- TWIN> COPY README.DOC ~PRT:
-
- The following devices are available on the Amiga computer:
- CON:, PRT: and NIL:. SER: can also be used locally if the port
- is not connected to a remote computer. The following devices
- are available on the IBM-PC or compatible systems: CON:,
- COM1:, COM2:, LPT1:, LPT2:, LPT3:, PRN: and NUL:.
-
- Of course, you can also copy a remote resource to your
- local system. For example, to copy the remote file CHARLIE to
- the local file DELTA:
-
- TWIN> COPY ~CHARLIE DELTA
-
- This time, a copy of the file CHARLIE is transferred from the
- remote to the local system. The command is the same as before
- but the remote resource is now the source file.
-
- The source file and the destination file may also be
- located on the same computer. For example, to copy the local
- file ALPHA to the local file BRAVO:
-
- TWIN> COPY ALPHA BRAVO
-
- No transfer occurred between the computers, in this case,
- because both names specified local files. A remote copy can
- also be done if both names specify remote files. For example,
- to copy the remote file CHARLIE to the remote file DELTA:
-
- TWIN> COPY ~CHARLIE ~DELTA
-
- With such an operation, the request is sent to the remote
- system where it is executed locally. This kind of operation
- can be useful if you have to perform some disk management on a
- distant remote system.
-
- The thing to remember here: COPY always performs a
- file transfer whenever one name specifies a local resource and
- the other name a remote resource. Otherwise, it is a plain
- copy.
-
- 2.6 SYNTAX OF FILE AND DIRECTORY NAMES
-
- By using only simple file names, like CHESS.C, the
- user can access only the files in the local and remote default
- directories. These directories correspond to the directories
- in use on the local and remote system when Twin Express was
- activated.
-
-
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-
-
-
- Twin Express also accepts file names that specify a
- path to reach the selected file or directory. Such names are
- often called pathnames. The path may contain a volume name
- and/or directory names.
-
- Directory and file names must be separated by either /
- (slashes) or \ (back-slashes). For example, to delete file
- CHESS.C from subdirectory SOURCES in subdirectory GAMES:
-
- TWIN> DELETE GAMES/SOURCES/CHESS.C or
- TWIN> DELETE GAMES\SOURCES\CHESS.C
-
- The choice between / and \ is yours; you can use both on all
- the systems. To specify the root directory (the main directory
- on a volume) you can use, as well, the slash, the back-slash
- or the colon. For example: to change the local default
- directory to the root directory of the current volume:
-
- TWIN> CHDIR / or
- TWIN> CHDIR \ or
- TWIN> CHDIR :
-
- However, a path may start with a volume name. This name may be
- the physical name of a disk (e.g. DH0, E) or, where
- applicable, the volume name specified during a disk format.
- When a volume name is included in a path, this name must be
- followed by a colon. For example, to remove directory TRASH on
- remote volume DH0:
-
- TWIN> RMDIR ~DH0:TRASH
-
- A volume name also forces the path to start at the root
- directory of this volume. Note: this behavior is different
- from PC-DOS and MS-DOS where the path starts at the current
- default directory (unless a \ is used). Actually, Twin Express
- accepts all the following pathnames to reach the directory
- DEMOS on volume C:
-
- TWIN> CHDIR C:/DEMOS
- TWIN> CHDIR C:\DEMOS
- TWIN> CHDIR C:DEMOS
- TWIN> CHDIR :/DEMOS
- TWIN> CHDIR :\DEMOS
- TWIN> CHDIR /DEMOS
- TWIN> CHDIR \DEMOS
- TWIN> CHDIR :DEMOS
-
- The last five commands above assume that the directory DEMOS
- is on the current default volume. Again, you have the choice
- of selecting the pathname syntax that most resembles that of
- your system even when you transfer files to/from a different
- D.O.S.
-
-
-
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-
-
- 2.7 FILE GROUPS AND WILDCARDS
-
- Quite often, the user needs to transfer more than one
- file: it may be all the files in a directory, C source files
- or only the files having a name starting with HOTEL. Some
- commands (DIR, COPY, DELETE and RENAME) accept the popular *
- and ? wildcard characters in order to specify a group of
- files.
-
- The ? wildcard character matches any single character
- in a file name. For example, to list all the four-letter file
- names starting with L and ending with MA:
-
- TWIN> DIR L?MA
-
- The * wildcard character matches any number of characters in a
- file name. For example, to delete all the files ending with
- .BAK:
-
- TWIN> DELETE *.BAK
-
- Twin Express also lets you specify the variable part of the
- file name with a selection from a set of substrings. In this
- case, the substrings are separated by | and the complete set
- is enclosed by (). For example, to list the .C files starting
- with TWIN and ending with either HOST, COMM or MAIN:
-
- TWIN> DIR TWIN(HOST|COMM|MAIN).C
-
- Of course the selection can be combined with wildcards; this
- can be quite powerful. For example, to delete all the files
- ending with .LST, .MAP or .BAK:
-
- TWIN> DELETE *.(LST|MAP|BAK)
-
- However, the selection and wildcards can be used only in file
- names. They cannot be used in a path (i.e. volume name or
- directory name).
-
- The * wildcard character, alone, can also be used in a
- target name. For example, to copy all the .EXE files from the
- local subdirectory PROJECTS to the remote subdirectory TESTS:
-
- TWIN> COPY PROJECTS/*.EXE ~TESTS/* or
- TWIN> COPY PROJECTS/*.EXE ~TESTS
-
- As shown above, the * wildcard character in the target name
- matches the corresponding files of the source name. Actually,
- this is equivalent to the second command which simply
- specifies the target directory. However, when the target
- directory is a default directory, the * wildcard character
- reduces the number of characters to type. For example, to copy
- the local file CHESS.C to the remote default directory:
-
-
-
- 15
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- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
- TWIN> COPY CHESS.C ~*
-
- It may be useful to abort a command when a group of
- files is specified. This may occur, for example, when you
- delete, by error, the wrong group of files! In this case, the
- command may be aborted by typing <CTRL-C>.
-
- 2.8 MOVING TEXT FILES TO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF COMPUTER
-
- An important feature of Twin Express is its ability to
- transfer files between different types of computers (e.g.
- between Amiga and IBM-PC computers). This is of particular
- interest for text files since binary files containing data or
- programs are almost useless on a different type of computer.
- Text files contain printable characters. They are used to
- store letters, documents, ASCII data and source programs.
-
- Unfortunately, each computer has its own internal
- organization for text files. The end-of-line marker, end-of-
- file marker and the coding of special characters may change
- from one computer to another.
-
- At this time, Twin Express handles the translation of
- the end-of-line marker, the end-of-file marker and 50 non-
- standard characters common to both Amiga and IBM compatible
- computers. The changes are described in the following
- paragraphs:
-
- 1. The end-of-line marker is translated between NL (new
- line) on the Amiga and CR/LF (carriage return / line
- feed) on the IBM-PC or compatible computers.
-
- 2. A <CTRL-Z> marker is appended to the end of all text
- files on IBM-PC or compatible computers. Note: this
- marker is added even if the marker is missing from the
- source file.
-
- 3. The Amiga and IBM-PC machines share 50 characters having
- the same typeface but a different code. A simple
- translation is done in this case. These characters are:
- á, à, â, ä, é, è, ê, ë, í, ì, î, ï, ó, ò, ô, ö, ú, ù, û,
- ü, ÿ, ç, Ç, É, Ä, Ö, Ü, ¿, ¡, ñ, Ñ, å, Å, æ, Æ, ß, µ, ¥,
- ±, £, ¢, ¬, °, ², «, », , Ø, ¼, ½. The remaining special
- characters are left unmodified.
-
- The TEXT option of the COPY command indicates that the
- source file contains text rather than binary or raw data. It
- enables the translation process. It is not required when the
- transfer is done to the same type of computer. For example, to
- transfer the text file TWIN.DOC from the local directory to
- the file TWIN.TXT on a different remote computer:
-
- TWIN> COPY TWIN.DOC ~TWIN.TXT TEXT
-
-
-
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- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
- The TYPE command displays on screen the contents of a
- text file. Twin Express automatically translates the file to a
- format compatible with the local computer when the file is a
- remote file from a different type of computer. For example, to
- display the contents of the remote file SONGS.SPA:
-
- TWIN> TYPE ~SONGS.SPA
-
- The TYPE command assumes that SONGS.SPA is a text file and
- translates it, if necessary.
-
- A word of caution about word processors. These
- programs keep some formating information in your text files.
- This information may change from one type of computer to
- another. Twin Express does not translate this type of
- information. Therefore you may want to transfer the file
- without the TEXT option and then use a conversion program. On
- the other hand, if the word processor output can be redirected
- to an ASCII file, instead of the printer, this output file can
- be transferred with the TEXT option since it does not contain
- the formating information.
-
- 2.9 ENABLING FAST TRANSFERS
-
- The main feature of Twin Express is its speed. High
- speed serial transfers can be achieved by using a high baud
- rate and/or a special transmission mode.
-
- On the Amiga computer, the hardware can transfer more
- than 1,000,000 bits per second (according to Commodore-Amiga).
- To get the fastest serial transfers between two Amiga
- computers it is thus a matter of selecting the highest baud
- rate possible. In practice, this baud rate is actually limited
- by CPU speed and cable capacitance (ability to oppose to
- changing voltages). The highest baud rate recommended for the
- Amiga family of computers is 190000. However, if you have two
- Amiga 3000 and a short cable you may use baud rates of up to
- 290000. For example, to execute Twin Express at 230000 baud:
-
- A> TWIN SER 230000
-
- With such a baud rate, the effective transfer speed is about
- 22,000 bytes per second. Raising the baud rate, from its
- default 115200 baud, is the recommended method to get high
- speed serial transfers between two Amiga computers.
-
- On a 12.5 MHz AT-type computer, the hardware can
- transfer data at up to 115200 bits per second. Speed is
- actually limited by the hardware, not by the CPU. To get
- faster speeds, the user must select a special transmission
- mode (EXPRESS). On a 12.5 MHz AT-type computer, it transfers
- about 100% more data than the default STANDARD mode. For
- example, to enable the EXPRESS mode:
-
-
-
- 17
-
- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
- TWIN> SET MODE EXPRESS
-
- This allows a user to transfer files at about 22,000 bytes per
- second using the default baud rate of 115200. You can also use
- this mode with Amiga computers. However, with a high baud rate
- the increase in performance is lower.
-
- The EXPRESS mode is the recommended mode of transfer
- unless you are using a 3-wire cable or you run into a lot of
- transmission errors.
-
- 2.10 INPUT FROM A COMMAND FILE
-
- Twin Express reads its commands from the standard
- input file used upon activation. This file is usually
- connected to the keyboard. However, it is possible to execute
- commands from a disk file. The user just needs to redirect the
- standard input to this file. For example, to execute the
- commands in file BACKUP.TNX:
-
- TWIN <BACKUP.TNX
-
- The file contains the same commands as would be entered from a
- keyboard, including the final QUIT command. For example:
-
- COPY C:*.C ~D: SUBDIR TEXT
- COPY C:*.ASM ~D: SUBDIR TEXT
- QUIT
-
- Note: commands files can be created with any text editor.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
-
- COMMANDS
-
-
- This chapter provides detailed information about each
- Twin Express command.
-
- The full syntax is given for each command. Square
- brackets ([]) indicate optional parameters. Braces ({ })
- indicate a choice from a list.
-
- 3.1 CHDIR
-
- Syntax: CHDIR [~]DirectoryName
-
- Twin Express supports two default directories: the
- local directory and the remote directory. These are defined by
- the volumes and directories in use when Twin Express was
- activated.
-
- The CHDIR command changes the default directory of the
- local system or the remote system. The default directory is
- used whenever the user specifies a name not starting at the
- root directory of a volume (e.g. CHESS.C as opposed to
- /GAMES/SOURCES/CHESS.C).
-
- The name of a local directory is used with the CHDIR
- command to change the local default directory. For example, to
- change the local default directory to IBMGAMES on volume B:
-
- TWIN> CHDIR B:IBMGAMES or
- TWIN> CHDIR B:/IBMGAMES or
- TWIN> CHDIR B:\IBMGAMES
-
- The default drive is changed when a volume is specified in the
- pathname, as in the example above. This also indicates that
- the directory specified can be found in the root directory of
- that volume even though a slash or a back-slash is not
- specified after the colon. Note: This behavior is different
- from that of PC-DOS and MS-DOS.
-
- A remote directory name is used to change the remote
- default directory. Since this refers to a remote resource the
- name must have the ~ prefix. For example, to change the remote
- default directory to AMIGAMES on volume DH0:
-
- TWIN> CHDIR ~DH0:AMIGAMES or
- TWIN> CHDIR ~DH0:/AMIGAMES or
- TWIN> CHDIR ~DH0:\AMIGAMES
-
- 3.2 COPY
-
- Syntax: COPY [~]SourceOfData [~]DestinationOfData [SUBDIR]
- [{BINARY|TEXT}]
-
-
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- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
-
- The COPY command creates copies of files. Source and
- destination files may be local or remote resources.
-
- In its simplest form, the command COPY uses a source
- file and a destination file on the same computer. For example,
- to copy the local file AUTOEXEC.BAT into the local file
- AUTOEXEC.OLD and to copy the remote file startup-sequence to
- remote file old-startup-sequence:
-
- TWIN> COPY AUTOEXEC.BAT AUTOEXEC.OLD
- TWIN> COPY ~startup-sequence ~old-startup-sequence
-
- As shown above, the remote resources must have the ~ prefix.
- Note: the target file gets the same creation date and time as
- the source file.
-
- A more useful form, from a file transfer program point
- of view, is when the source file and the destination file are
- not on the same system. This actually transfers the contents
- of the source file to the destination system through the cable
- connected to the serial devices of both computers. For
- example, to copy the local file TITLES.LIB to file NEWHITS on
- the remote system:
-
- TWIN> COPY TITLES.LIB ~NEWHITS
-
- Source file names may contain wildcards. This allows
- the user to copy many files with a single command. For
- example, to copy all the .C files of the current directory to
- the directory SOURCES:
-
- TWIN> COPY *.C SOURCES
-
- Note: when the source name contains wildcards or is a
- directory name, the target name must be the name of a
- directory.
-
- On request, COPY can also process the files of
- subdirectories. This is indicated by the SUBDIR option. For
- example, to copy all the remote .EXE files from the remote
- directory GAMES, including all the .EXE files found in
- sudirectories of directory GAMES, to the local directory
- DEMOS:
-
- TWIN> COPY ~GAMES/*.EXE DEMOS SUBDIR or
- TWIN> COPY ~GAMES\*.EXE DEMOS SUBDIR
-
- In this case, Twin Express first copies matching files found
- in the source directory to the target directory. It then
- copies matching files found in each of the source
- subdirectories to subdirectories of the same name in the
- target directory. If a matching target subdirectory does not
- exist, Twin Express creates the subdirectory and then copies
-
-
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- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
- the corresponding files to it. This produces a target
- directory having the same structure as the source directory.
-
- The TEXT option indicates that the source file contains
- text (printable characters) rather than binary data. It allows
- Twin Express to translate your text files when you transfer
- them between an Amiga and an IBM computer. For example, to
- transfer all the text files from the local directory BUSINESS
- to the remote directory LETTERS:
-
- TWIN> COPY BUSINESS ~LETTERS TEXT
-
- More information about the translation process can be found in
- section 2.8 of this manual. By default, the BINARY option is
- used and no translation is done.
-
- 3.3 DELETE
-
- Syntax: DELETE FileName [SUBDIR]
-
- The DELETE command removes local or remote files from
- a file system.
-
- A local file name is used with the DELETE command to
- delete a local file. For example, to delete the file
- REPORT.OLD in the default local directory:
-
- TWIN> DELETE REPORT.OLD
-
- To delete a remote file, the file name must have the ~ prefix.
- For example, to delete the remote file REPORT.OLD in the
- default remote directory:
-
- TWIN> DELETE ~REPORT.OLD
-
- Usage of wildcards is permitted with this command. For
- example, to delete all the .MAP files in the local default
- directory:
-
- TWIN> DELETE *.MAP
-
- On request, DELETE can be extended to files found in
- subdirectories. This is indicated by the SUBDIR option. For
- example, to delete all the .LST files on the remote volume C:
-
- TWIN> DELETE ~C:*.LST SUBDIR or
- TWIN> DELETE ~C:/*.LST SUBDIR or
- TWIN> DELETE ~C:\*.LST SUBDIR
-
- 3.4 DIR
-
- Syntax: DIR [~][PathName] [SUBDIR]
-
- The DIR command displays the names of the files in a
-
-
- 21
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- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
- local or remote directory. The command provides the following
- data regarding these files: the file size (bytes), date of
- last modification, time of last modification and the file
- attributes. For example, DIR might display the following
- information:
-
- Listing of directory C:\GAMES\CHESS
-
- CHESS.BAT 193 91-03-31 09:10:47 --CA RW-D
- CHESS.C 245002 91-09-26 15:28:18 ---A RW-D
- CHESS.EXE 113247 91-09-26 15:31:58 ---- RWED
- CHESS.DOC 35831 91-09-27 11:55:16 ---- RW-D
- OPENINGS Directory 91-05-25 16:29:31 ---- RWED
- CHESS.O 54645 91-09-26 15:31:04 ---- RW-D
-
- Total size of files: 448918
-
- A local file name is used with the DIR command to get
- information on a specific local file. For example, to get
- information on the local file CHESS.C:
-
- TWIN> DIR CHESS.C
-
- To get information on a remote file, the file name must have
- the ~ prefix. For example, to get information on the remote
- file GRAPHLIB:
-
- TWIN> DIR ~GRAPHLIB
-
- Usage of wildcard characters is permitted. For example, to
- display information about all the files having a name starting
- with HOTEL:
-
- TWIN> DIR HOTEL*
-
- To get the complete listing of a particular directory, the
- user must supply a directory name instead of a file name. For
- example: to get a complete listing of files in directory
- A:\BACKUP1:
-
- TWIN> DIR A:BACKUP1 or
- TWIN> DIR A:\BACKUP1
- TWIN> DIR A:/BACKUP1
-
- To get a complete listing of a default directory, the user has
- the choice of using the * wildcard character or no name at
- all. For example, to display all the files of the remote
- default directory:
-
- TWIN> DIR ~ or
- TWIN> DIR ~*
-
- The SUBDIR option can be used to also display the matching
- files in subdirectories. For example: to get a list of all the
-
-
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- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
- files having the .OLD extension on the current volume:
-
- TWIN> DIR :*.OLD SUBDIR or
- TWIN> DIR /*.OLD SUBDIR or
- TWIN> DIR \*.OLD SUBDIR
-
- The file attributes define some characteristics of the
- file. Twin Express supports the following attributes:
-
- S: File is a system file.
- H: File is normally hidden.
- C: File is a command file (batch file, script file).
- P: File contains pure, re-entrant code.
- A: File has been archived since its last modification.
- R: File can be read (not read protected).
- W: File can be written, modified (not write protected).
- E: File can be executed (not execute protected).
- D: File can be deleted (not delete protected).
-
- Not all these attributes are supported on all of the systems.
- Twin Express running on the IBM-PC or compatible machines does
- not support the attribute P and simulates the attributes C, R,
- W, E, D.
-
- 3.5 ECHO
-
- Syntax: ECHO UserText
-
- ECHO displays on the screen the text that follows the
- command. For example, to get the message "Remote Backup" upon
- the execution of the command ECHO:
-
- TWIN> ECHO Remote Backup
-
- The purpose of this command is to display comments when the
- input to Twin Express comes from a command file rather than
- the keyboard.
-
- 3.6 HELP
-
- Syntax: HELP [{TWIN|CABLE|USAGE|COMMANDS|EXAMPLES}]
-
- The HELP command provides on-line information to the
- user.
-
- The command may be used with or without a parameter.
- Without a parameter, it is a request for information on the
- command itself. Example:
-
- TWIN> HELP
-
- In this case, the command only displays the topics for which
- help is available. Actually, the user can get information
- about registration (TWIN), information about the wiring of the
-
-
- 23
-
- Twin Express User's Guide
-
-
-
- null-modem cable used for the serial transfers (CABLE), an
- introduction to the basic operations (USAGE), the command
- syntax (COMMANDS) and some typical examples (EXAMPLES).
-
- For more detailed information, the topic must be
- specified in the command. For example, to display a summary of
- all the commands:
-
- TWIN> HELP COMMANDS
-
- 3.7 MKDIR
-
- Syntax: MKDIR [~]DirectoryName
-
- The MKDIR command creates a new directory in the file
- system of the local or the remote computer.
-
- A local directory name is used to create a local
- directory. For example, to create the subdirectory IBMNEWS in
- the current default directory:
-
- TWIN> MKDIR IBMNEWS
-
- A ~ prefix is used at the beginning of the directory name to
- create a remote directory. For example, to create the
- directory AmiNews in the remote root directory:
-
- TWIN> MKDIR ~/AmiNews or
- TWIN> MKDIR ~\Aminews or
- TWIN> MKDIR ~:AmiNews
-
- 3.8 QUIT
-
- Syntax: QUIT
-
- This command allows the user to exit from Twin
- Express. Note that you also exit from the remote program if a
- connection had been established with the remote.
-
- After exiting from the program you are left in the
- directory from which you activated Twin Express even if a
- different default directory (via CHDIR) had been selected
- during your session with the program.
-
- 3.9 RENAME
-
- Syntax: RENAME [~]SourceName [~]TargetName [SUBDIR]
-
- The RENAME command changes the current name of a local
- or a remote file to a new name.
-
- The current name and the new name are the two required
- parameters to this command. For example, to change the name of
- the local file TEST.ASM to DONJON.ASM:
-
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- TWIN> RENAME TEST.ASM DONJON.ASM
-
- You can also "rename" the file so as to change its parent
- directory. This actually moves the file to another directory.
- For example, to move file DONJON.ASM to the directory GAMES:
-
- TWIN> RENAME DONJON.ASM :GAMES or
- TWIN> RENAME DONJON.ASM /GAMES or
- TWIN> RENAME DONJON.ASM \GAMES
-
- Usually, most systems won't allow the user to rename a file to
- a different volume. In this case, the user must copy the file
- to the new volume and delete the old file.
-
- Both the current name and the new name must have the ~
- prefix to rename a remote file. For example, to change the
- name of remote file TEST.PAS to DRAGON.PAS in the directory
- GAMES of the remote computer:
-
- TWIN> RENAME ~TEST.PAS ~:GAMES/DRAGON.PAS or
- TWIN> RENAME ~TEST.PAS ~:GAMES\DRAGON.PAS or
- TWIN> RENAME ~TEST.PAS ~/GAMES/DRAGON.PAS or
- TWIN> RENAME ~TEST.PAS ~\GAMES\DRAGON.PAS
-
- The ~ prefix is required in both names, otherwise the meaning
- would be "move file to another system" which is not the
- purpose of this command.
-
- The command RENAME also supports the use of wildcards.
- This is used to move a selected group of files to another
- directory. For example, to move all the files ending in .C to
- the directory CSTUFF:
-
- TWIN> RENAME *.C :CSTUFF or
- TWIN> RENAME *.C /CSTUFF or
- TWIN> RENAME *.C \CSTUFF
-
- With such a command, all the selected files are moved to a new
- directory. However, all of them keep their original name.
-
- 3.10 RMDIR
-
- Syntax: RMDIR [~]DirectoryName
-
- The RMDIR command removes a local or a remote
- directory from the file system.
-
- The name of a local directory is used with the RMDIR
- command to delete a local directory from the system. For
- example, to remove the local subdirectory OLDSTUFF from the
- current default directory:
-
- TWIN> RMDIR OLDSTUFF
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- A remote directory name must have the ~ prefix. For example,
- to delete the directory OBSOLETE from the remote root
- directory:
-
- TWIN> RMDIR ~:OBSOLETE or
- TWIN> RMDIR ~/OBSOLETE or
- TWIN> RMDIR ~\OBSOLETE
-
- Most systems prohibit deletion of non-empty directories, which
- is a good security feature. The user must remove all the files
- and any subdirectories from the directory before deleting it.
-
- 3.11 SET
-
-
- Syntax: SET MODE {STANDARD|EXPRESS}
-
- The SET command allows a user to select one of the two
- serial transmission modes. These are: STANDARD (the basic
- mode) and EXPRESS (a high speed mode).
-
- The STANDARD mode transmits data at the speed defined
- by the current baud rate. At 115200 baud, it transfers data at
- about 11,000 bytes per second. This is the default mode. It is
- also the mode recommended when transmission errors occur with
- the high speed mode.
-
- The EXPRESS mode is a high speed mode that transmits
- more data than the standard mode for a given baud rate. At
- 115200 baud, it transfers data at about 22,000 bytes per
- second on 12.5 MHz AT-type computers.
-
- There is no need to type a SET command on both
- machines. Twin Express automatically puts the remote system in
- the same mode. For example, to enable the EXPRESS mode on both
- computers:
-
- TWIN> SET MODE EXPRESS
-
- 3.12 SHOW
-
- Syntax: SHOW {DEVICE|BAUD|SPEED|STATUS|PATH}
-
- The SHOW command allows a user to get information
- about the current device, current baud rate, current speed,
- default directories or status.
-
- The DEVICE option indicates the current serial port in
- use on the local computer.
-
- The BAUD option indicates the current baud rate in use
- on the local computer.
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- The SPEED option indicates the estimated transfer
- speed (in bytes per second) according to the current baud rate
- and selected mode.
-
- The PATH option indicates the default directories
- (local and remote).
-
- The STATUS option displays the type of the local and
- the remote systems (Amiga or IBM compatible), the names of
- local and remote ports and type of cable (3 or 7 wires) being
- used.
-
- For example, to display information about the
- estimated transfer speed:
-
- TWIN> SHOW SPEED
-
- 3.13 TREE
-
- Syntax: TREE [~][DirectoryName]
-
- The TREE command displays the structure of a directory
- and of all the subdirectories nested within it. For example, a
- GAMES directory might have the following structure:
-
- GAMES
- ADVENTURE
- MS-TREK
- COMBAT
- ARCADE
- BRICKS
- PINBALL
- MISC
- GAMBLING
- BLACKJACK
- BOARDS
- CHESS
- CHECKERS
- CARDS
- BRIDGE
-
- A local directory name is used with the TREE command
- to display the structure of a local directory. For example, to
- view the directory structure of the local directory GAMES:
-
- TWIN> TREE GAMES
-
- The directory name is not required to get the structure of the
- default directory.
-
- A directory name with a ~ prefix is used to display
- the structure of a remote directory. For example, to view the
- directory structure of the remote directory GAMES:
-
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- TWIN> TREE ~GAMES
-
- 3.14 TYPE
-
- Syntax: TYPE TextFileName
-
- The TYPE command displays the contents of a local or a
- remote text file, one page at a time. The user may abort the
- command by typing <CTRL-C>.
-
- A local name is used with the TYPE command to display
- a local text file. For example, to display the local file
- AUTOEXEC.BAT:
-
- TWIN> TYPE AUTOEXEC.BAT
-
- To display a remote text file, the file name must have
- the ~ prefix. For example, to display the remote file
- startup-sequence:
-
- TWIN> TYPE ~startup-sequence
-
- You can display remote text files even if the remote computer
- is not compatible with the local computer (e.g. Amiga vs IBM
- PC). In this case, Twin Express will translate the file as
- described in section 2.8 of this manual.
-
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- ERROR MESSAGES
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-
- Errors fall in three classes: startup errors, usage
- errors and communication errors.
-
- Startup errors:
-
- Startup errors are problems detected upon activation
- of Twin Express. Section 1.7 describes these errors in detail.
-
- Usage errors:
-
- Usage errors indicate mistakes in a user command (e.g.
- bad command, missing parameters) or an error detected during
- execution of a command. These messages always start with the
- word "Error". For example, an error message indicating a bad
- command:
-
- Error: Invalid command.
-
- A usage error always terminates the program when the input is
- from a command file.
-
- Communication errors:
-
- Communication errors are indicated by messages
- enclosed between >>> and <<<. The message specifies some
- unusual conditions related to communication with the serial
- link. You should not see many of them under normal conditions.
-
- Most communication error messages indicate that an
- error was found in a block of data. These errors are generated
- by bad connections, high baud rates, long cables and
- electrical interference. As a result, one or more bits have
- been changed in a block of data transmitted via the serial
- cable. This condition may produce one of the following
- messages:
-
- >>> Last packet data transmitted with error <<<
- >>> Last packet header transmitted with error <<<
- >>> Last packet data received with error <<<
- >>> Last packet header received with error <<<
-
- In this case, Twin Express retransmits the block of data and
- the corrupted block is discarded. It does not mean that the
- transmitted files contain these transmission errors. However,
- if you have many of these errors (say more than one error /
- million bytes) you should consider using a slower transmission
- mode or a slower baud rate to avoid possible undetected
- errors.
-
- Retransmission of bad blocks of data may produce other
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- Twin Express User's Guide
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- types of messages under some circumstances. As before, it does
- not mean that errors have been introduced into your
- transmitted files (serious errors abort the program instead).
- These messages are:
-
- >>> Duplicate of a packet (packet ignored) <<<
- >>> Unexpected collision of two packets <<<
- >>> Collision of two packets (recovered) <<<
- >>> Fatal collision of two packets detected <<<
- >>> Fatal packet numbering errors <<<
-
- These messages might also appear as a result of a software
- problem. Please contact OMNICODE if you repeatedly get these
- messages at a low baud rate.
-
- Once in a while you might see one of the following
- messages:
-
- >>> Break detected: bad device or cable problem <<<
- >>> Remote computer does not respond <<<
- >>> Waiting for remote to reply <<<
-
- They usually indicate a cable with a bad connection, a dis-
- connected cable or a program waiting for completion of a
- system request. You should check whether the cable is still
- properly connected or whether you have a system request on the
- remote computer.
-
- The remaining errors are usually encountered during the
- debugging of the communication protocol or with a very bad
- serial link. If you get one of the following messages, check
- your cable and try to execute the program at a lower baud
- rate:
-
- >>> Sender got an out of sync ACK/NAK/SYN/CAN <<<
- >>> Receiver got an out of sync ACK/NAK/SYN/CAN <<<
- >>> Sender received an unrecognized reply <<<
- >>> Receiver got an unrecognized character <<<
- >>> Time-out while receiving packet header <<<
- >>> Receiver failed to acknowledge packet header <<<
- >>> Time-out while receiving packet data <<<
- >>> Sender failed to send data checksum <<<
- >>> Receiver failed to acknowledge packet data <<<
-
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- LICENSE AGREEMENT
-
-
- In consideration of payment of the license fee,
- OMNICODE grants the licensee the following non-exclusive
- rights:
-
- 1. The licensee owns the media on which the software is
- distributed. However, the software itself and the
- documentation remain the property of OMNICODE.
-
- 2. The licensee may install and use this software on as many
- computers as have been registered. The initial license
- (registration) is valid for two computers.
-
- 3. Each of the computers on which the software has been
- installed may be used by any number of users.
-
- 4. The licensee may move the software from one computer to
- another as long as the number of computers that use the
- software does not exceed the number of computers for
- which the license costs have been paid.
-
- All rights not expressly granted in this agreement are
- reserved by OMNICODE.
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- DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
-
-
- For the purposes of this distribution statement, a
- distributor is any person, organization, club, group or
- company making the Twin Express package available to somebody
- else.
-
- Permission is hereby granted to any distributor to
- copy, distribute, or store this package in a library, an
- information system or a bulletin board system as long as all
- the following rules are respected:
-
- 1. The package may not be sold or leased out.
-
- 2. The package may not be bound, attached or linked to a
- salable product. In particular, it may not be installed
- on the hard disk of a computer being sold or distributed
- with any commercial product.
-
- 3. Notwithstanding rule 2, a distributor may charge a
- reasonable fee to cover the cost of a diskette and/or
- mailing and/or handling and/or connect time.
-
- 4. The package may not be distributed via a disk magazine.
- For the purposes of this rule, a disk magazine is either
- a magazine normally sold with an accompanying disk or a
- simple advertising cover containing a disk. These disk
- magazines are usually found in bookstores with other
- computer magazines.
-
- 5. Notwithstanding rules 2 and 4, the publisher of a
- standard magazine may offer, as a separate service, to
- send a copy of this package to its readers or to make it
- available for downloads. For the purposes of this rule,
- a standard magazine is a magazine sold without an
- accompanying disk.
-
- 6. Distribution of a printed copy of the documentation, in
- whole or in part, is prohibited.
-
- 7. With one exception, the package may not be modified.
- That is, the files included in the package may not be
- modified, substituted, deleted or mixed with files of
- other software. However, the distributor may add files
- describing its distribution service to the package.
-
- 8. All the files included in the package must be distri-
- buted together. The package shall be distributed via an
- archive file (library format) or as files stored in
- their own directory.
-
- 9. A distribution diskette may have many archive files or
-
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- directories containing other shareware or public domain
- software.
-
- 10. The distributor may not distribute the package as free
- software or public domain software. Whenever possible,
- the distributor shall indicate that the package is
- shareware software.
-
- 11. The distributor agrees to stop distribution of this
- package as soon as notified by OMNICODE.
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- PROBLEM REPORT FORM
-
-
- DATE ________________________________________________
- NAME ________________________________________________
- COMPANY ________________________________________________
- ADDRESS ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- Country ___________ Zip code __________________
- TEL ___________________ FAX __________________
- REGISTRATION # ___________________ (required for a reply...)
-
-
- PRODUCT Twin Express_______ RELEASE __________________
-
-
- COMPUTER BRAND _______________ OPERATING SYSTEM _______________
- CPU TYPE _______________ RELEASE _______________
- CPU CLOCK _______________ FLOPPY DISK TYPE _______________
-
-
- PROBLEMS, ________________________________________________
- ENHANCEMENTS, ________________________________________________
- SUGGESTIONS, ________________________________________________
- REQUESTS... ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
-
- Note: if possible, indicate how to reproduce the problem.
-
- Send to OMNICODE
- P.O. Box 128 Ahuntsic
- Montréal [Québec]
- CANADA H3L 3N7 FAX: (514)385-6455
-
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- REGISTRATION AND ORDER FORM
-
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- DATE ________________________________________________
- NAME ________________________________________________
- COMPANY ________________________________________________
- ADDRESS ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- ________________________________________________
- Country ____________ Zip code _________________
- TEL ____________________ FAX _________________
- REGISTRATION # ____________________ (required for items 2 - 3)
-
- COMPUTER BRAND _______________ OPERATING SYSTEM _______________
- CPU TYPE _______________ RELEASE _______________
- CPU CLOCK _______________ FLOPPY DISK TYPE _______________
-
- COMPUTER BRAND _______________ OPERATING SYSTEM _______________
- CPU TYPE _______________ RELEASE _______________
- CPU CLOCK _______________ FLOPPY DISK TYPE _______________
-
- HOW DID YOU GET A COPY OF TWIN EXPRESS (a-g) ? _______________
- a) Friend Name & address of d,e,f,g
- b) Office ___________________________
- c) Information system (e.g. BIX) ___________________________
- d) Bulletin Board System (BBS) ___________________________
- e) Users group - club ___________________________
- f) Shareware distributor ___________________________
- g) Other ________________________ ___________________________
-
- EXPECTED USAGE OF TWIN EXPRESS:
- _______________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________
-
- YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT TWIN EXPRESS:
- _______________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________
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- QTY PRODUCT PRICE
-
- ___ Registration for 2 computers (30.00 $) ________
- (includes 1 manual and 2 diskettes)
-
- ___ Extra license for 1 computer (10.00 $) ________
-
- ___ Extra manual (9.00 $) ________
-
- ___ Latest update diskettes (7.00 $) ________
-
- Total: ________
-
-
-
-
-
-
- All prices are in Canadian dollars.
- Prices are subject to change without notice.
- Prices include Canadian taxes where applicable.
- Use a money order or a check drawn on a Canadian bank.
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Send to OMNICODE
- P.O. Box 128 Ahuntsic
- Montréal [Québec]
- CANADA H3L 3N7
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