------------------ PortShare Lite ------------------------
The PortShare™ Lite software enables your Macintosh to share modem ports with other Macintosh computers connected to your network. So a modem or a serial printer (like ImageWriter/StyleWriter) can be used from any computer on the network.
There are important enhancements in PortShare Lite 2.0 - several features of PortShare Pro are implemented now:
1) PS Lite 2.0 is compatible with AppleTalk Remote Access and Serial Port Arbitrator.
2) PS Lite 2.0 can redirect not only the modem but the printer port, too.
3) AppleTalk transitions are supported.
-------------------- How it works ----------------------
PortShare Lite is a serial port sharing server and client software.
The server part of the software can make the modem port on your computer shared, i.e. it registers it on the network, processes connection requests from network users and executes commands sent with a client software on other Macintosh computer to control the modem port.
The client part of the software can "redirect" the built-in modem or printer port, so when you launch a communication application, PortShare Lite connects to a "shared port" on some other computer, and your application employs that shared port and the device attached to it instead of the built-in port on your computer.
Any Macintosh computer can operate as a PortShare Lite server and as a PortShare Lite client: when somebody works with your modem, you can use modems/printers/etc attached to other computers.
PortShare Lite is designed as a Chooser extension, it doesn't require any computer to be a dedicated server.
PortShare Lite 2.0 is compatible with PortShare Pro 1.4 and better (i.e. you can use remote ports made shared with PortShare Pro, and PortShare Pro users can employ the devices shared with PortShare Lite).
PortShare Lite 2.0 is compatible with AppleTalk Remote Access, and you can use it to share a modem used for answering incoming ARA calls.
PortShare Lite is the best solution when a few devices (a modem and a printer, for example) connected to the built-in modem ports should be shared on a small network, i.e. PortShare Lite is recommended if all those features of PortShare™ Pro as port grouping, virtual ports, local servers, etc - are not required. And PortShare Lite is the only solution for computers running System 6.x.x (System 6.0.5 or better is required).
Both PortShare Lite and PortShare Pro use the same network protocol, so the PortShare Lite performance is as high as that of PortShare Pro.
1. If you are using MacPlus with a system software version 6.x.x, make sure that the AppleTalk file is placed into the "System Folder". AppleTalk ver.48 or better is required!
2. Place the PortShare Lite file into the "System Folder" (into the "Extensions" folder if you use System 7) on all your computers. Make sure that AppleTalk is on.
3. On computers equipped with the ARA software, put the PortShareTask file into the "Extensions" folder, too.
4. Reboot computers.
On the server(s), i.e. on computers with serial devices attached:
1. Select PortShare Lite in Chooser and click "Options...".
2. Check the "Share Local Modem Port" box, enter the name for your modem (or what you have connected to the modem port) in the "Network Name:" field, and click "OK".
On the client(s), i.e. on computers that should have access to shared ports:
1. Select PortShare Lite in Chooser and select the remote shared port name.
2. Click "Options..." and select the "Redirect Modem Port" or "Redirect Printer Port"option.
System 7 users can use Balloon Help™ to learn more about PortShare Lite options.
Some communication programs use the serial port in a rather "illegal" way and they can make PortShare Lite very unhappy, so:
SAVE YOUR CURRENT WORK before using a communication program with PortShare the first time.
---------------------- Demo Version ---------------------------
This demo version of PortShare Lite has limited session time (2 min).
--------------------- History --------------------
This is the list of changes in the PortShare Lite software:
PortShare Lite 1.1
1) "Activity Log" implemented.
2) "Availability Notification" implemented.
3) Several minor bugs fixed.
PortShare Lite 1.2
1) Server/client interface was changed to make it compatible with PortShare Pro.
2) "Buffered Output" option for slow lines.
3) Some changes were made to allow applications to call a driver synchronously from a completion routine or a VBL task (as MacTerminal does when it Sends Break).
4) Apple's Printer Drivers (ImageWriter, StyleWriter, etc) will now close the port when the job is done, thus releasing the PortShare server.
PortShare Lite 1.3
1) Server/client interface was modified to support automatic flow control features of the Serial Drivers.
2) Buffer allocation procedure was changed, so the performance should be better on high-speed lines.
PortShare Lite 1.4
Client software was modified to avoid crashes of not-so-robust programs (like Zterm, or Apple printer drivers) when the session with a remote port is broken.
PortShare Lite 2.0
1) AppleTalk Remote Access and Serial Port Arbitrator are supported now.
2) Not only the modem, but also the printer port can be redirected to a remote port.
3) Activity indication (a blinking icon) is implemented.
