-------------------------------------------------------------- Gator Term - version 0.5 -------------------------------------------------------------- By Walter S. Wilson - 27 January 1995 - In GFA 3.5e -------------------------------------------------------------- OVERVIEW: -------------------------------------------------------------- Gator Term is a simple ASCII-based terminal program that offers: Capture File capability Zmodem uploading/downloading (via XYZ.TTP) Access to external programs, or instant access to your text-editor. A simple, straight-forward, no-frills dial directory. I wrote this program because my version of Flash will not run on my new TT030, and I don't yet have the funds to upgrade to a version that will. Gator Term takes up 303k when it runs. -------------------------------------------------------------- INSTALLATION: -------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Place Gator Term in its own directory. 2. Run Gator Term. If Gator Term cannot find XYZ.TTP, it will prompt you to locate it with a file-selector. After you do this, Gator Term will save the location to a file, and will never bother you about this location again (that is, unless this location changes sometime in the future). It is not necessary to have a copy of XYZ.TTP in Gator Term's directory as long as there is a copy of XYZ.TTP on your drive that you can point Gator Term to. XYZ.TTP is necessary for any uploading or downloading with Gator Term. Without it, you will NOT be able to upload or download files. -------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL OPERATION: -------------------------------------------------------------- TERMINAL MODE -------------------------------------------------------------- The "Terminal Mode" menu takes you to the terminal screen, where you can directly access your modem via "AT" commands. Whilst in the terminal mode, pressing the left and right mouse buttons simultaneously (first the left, hold it down, then the right) will bring up the file upload/download dialog box. To upload a file, click on the "U/L" button. A file selector box will appear that will allow you to select a file for Zmodem uploading. As soon as you double-click on the file to upload in the file selector box, the transfer will start immediately. To download a file, click on the "D/L" button, and the download will start immediately. The right mouse button exits the terminal mode. CAPTURE FILE -------------------------------------------------------------- Clicking on the "Capture File" menu will toggle the capture file ON/OFF. The file name is automatically set to today's date, thus, if it is the 27th of January 1995, the file name will be "27JAN92.CAP". When the capture file is active (ON), an asterisk "*" will appear to the left of the "Capture File" menu entry. The capture file function captures byte-by-byte to your disk in Gator Term's directory. D/L ZMODEM -------------------------------------------------------------- You can also use the "D/L Zmodem" menu to download files. This is kind of redundant, kind of. When selected, it will immediately go to the terminal screen and begin the Zmodem download. U/L ZMODEM ------------------------------------------------------------- Selecting the "U/L Zmodem" menu will bring up a file selector to allow you to choose a file for uploading with Zmodem. Likewise, this is kind of redundant, kind of. Hey, making drop-down menus got to be a lot of fun, and I got a little carried away. Once you select a file for uploading, it will go directly to the terminal mode and begin the upload. RUN EXTERNAL PRG -------------------------------------------------------------- Selecting the "Run External PRG" menu will bring up a file selector to allow you to choose a program to run from within Gator Term. I included this mainly for allowing a text editor to be run within Gator Term. This way you can deal with your capture files. In fact, once you select a program to run, you will be asked if this is your normal text editor. If you answer YES, the path will be saved, and every time you select this menu selection from here on out, the text editor will run automatically, and the capture buffer file will automatically be loaded. If you answer NO, then the external program will run, and that is it...the menu selection will once again prompt you with a file selector and the "normal text editor" dialog the next time you select it. LOCATE XYZ.TTP -------------------------------------------------------------- This is redundant. It will bring up a file selector for locating XYZ.TTP, and then save the location of XYZ in a file for future reference. If you have to uses this because Gator Term can't find XYZ, something is up, and I need to do some more trouble shooting/bug chasing. DIAL NUMBER -------------------------------------------------------------- If you have used the "Add to Dial List" menu, the "Dial Number" menu will allow you to view your BBS numbers and consequently dial them without having to type them in each time. If you have a whole bunch of BBS numbers, you can use "C" to run through them, "D" to dial the one currently showing on the screen, or "Q" to quit the dial menu. ADD TO DIAL LIST -------------------------------------------------------------- Selecting the "Add to Dial List" menu will allow you to add BBS numbers to your Dial List. You will be prompted for the BBS name, and then the BBS number. Each field can be up to 20 characters long, and should contain no comma's or other punctuation. Hence, enter "(406) 555-1212" as 14065551212. Sorry, I haven't added all the checking/paring functions to this selection yet. I will, eventually. -------------------------------------------------------------- GOOD TO KNOW -------------------------------------------------------------- Gator Term runs and works on my TT030 in everything but LOW resolutions. In TT Medium and TT High resolutions, Gator Term's menus get "bunched-up", but they still work. I don't yet know why this happens, but it does. Sometimes the "busy bee" mouse pointer is present...it affects nothing that I can tell, and i basically ignore it. I'll be fixing this quirk, eventually (I have a big list of things to do on this program - like adding X and Ymodem tranfer options, etc.). Please feel free to assault me in Email or on the Atari ST RoundTable if you have any gripes, complaints, or comments (or want more help). My Email address is: ST.WALLY@GENIE.GEIS.COM I simply cannot be responsible for anything that happens if you choose to use this program. It works 100% OK on my system, so there. By running Gator Term, you are accepting ALL responsibility for any consequences - good or bad. Sorry, but it has to be this way; I cannot cover every possible contingency or setup quirk, no matter how hard I try. I will do whatever I can to assist you if you should run into problems with this program...all you have to do is ask.