MicroGate Corporation Announces BSCAPI for OS/2

AUSTIN, TEXAS, January 2, 1996 -- MicroGate Corporation today announced
BSCAPI for OS/2, a 32-bit Application Program Interface (API) for Binary
Synchronous Communications (BSC) on ISA personal computers.  BSC is an
established IBM protocol for synchronous WAN communications that is widely
used in banking, retail, and other applications to communicate between
various types of specialty BSC terminals and mainframes.  BSCAPI allows
OS/2 applications to emulate BSC terminals and process communications data
in real-time.

The MicroGate BSCAPI products include a BSC device driver and a BSC
procedures Dynamic Link Library (DLL) that implements the BSCAPI
functions.

Using MicroGate BSCAPI, OS/2 application programs written in C and other
higher-level languages call the DLL procedures to communicate with remote
BSC hosts over a synchronous data link which is managed by the BSC driver.
 Using these procedures, applications can initiate sessions, control
sessions, and exchange data at the record level with remote computers in
BSC application environments.  BSC application environments include Remote
Job Entry (RJE), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Point-of-Sale (POS)
transaction processing, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), Remote Printing,
and File Transfer.

BSCAPI is sold as a Software Development Kit (SDK - $ 999) and a Run- Time
Kit (RTK - $499).  SDKs contain developer's guide, BSC adapter, source
code examples, sample application, and header files required to develop
applications incorporating BSCAPI.  RTKs consist of the BSCAPI DLL, BSC
device driver, and BSC Adapter.  Products are available now through
MicroGate direct sales at (800)444-1982 or (512)345-7791.

Founded in 1982 and Headquartered in Austin, Texas, MicroGate Corporation
designs, develops, manufactures, and markets personal computer data
communications products.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

MicroGate BSCAPI provides an interface for application programs to function
as 2780/3780 BSC stations.  This application program interface consists of
a set of procedure calls used for controlling and monitoring
communications with a remote BSC host computer.  BSCAPI calls perform such
functions as opening and closing BSC ports, sending and receiving
messages, loading and saving configuration information, and reporting
status information to the application.  In performing these functions,
activities such as bidding for control of the communications line, record
blocking and deblocking, space compression and expansion, ASCII/EBCDIC
translation, and error control are handled automatically by BSCAPI,
freeing the application to focus on its primary data exchange function. 
All BSCAPI calls use the standard Windows or OS/2 DLL calling interface.

Using BSCAPI, application programs written in C, Visual Basic, and other
languages can autodial connections, establish sessions, and exchange data
at the record level with remote computers using the BSC protocol.

BSCAPI is available for Windows 3.X running in 386 enhanced mode, Windows
95, Windows NT, and OS/2.

BSCAPI SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT KITS

BSCAPI SDKs are available for each supported operating system.  Each SDK
contains developer's guide, source code examples, sample application, and
header files required to develop applications incorporating BSCAPI.

BSCAPI RUNTIME KITS

BSCAPI RTKs are available for each operating system version of BSCAPI and
consist of the BSCAPI DLL, BSC device driver, and BSC hardware adapter.

BSCAPI PROCEDURE CALLS

BSCAPI provides an interface for application programs to function as BSC
stations in sessions with BSC host computers.  The interface consists of a
DLL of procedure calls used for controlling and monitoring communications.
All BSCAPI procedure calls use standard operating system calling
conventions.

The BSCAPI procedure calls operate with respect to a "BSC Port", which
corresponds to a MicroGate BSC hardware adapter.  Up to four ports can be
concurrently accessed by applications using BSCAPI.  An application must
open a port before using any other BSCAPI calls.  When an application
opens a port it gains ownership of that port.  The Port parameter is used
with all of the BSCAPI calls.  After the application has finished using a
port it must close the port.  The port may then be used by other
applications.

  Procedure Call         Function
  --------------         --------
  BSC_ClosePort          Close (release) a BSC port
  BSC_Configure          Configure a BSC port
  BSC_Connect            Activate link, start a session
  BSC_Disconnect         Deactivate link, stop a session
  BSC_GetConfiguration   Inspect current BSC port configuration
  BSC_GetDefaultConfig   Get the default BSC port configuration
  BSC_GetStatus          Get the current status and statistics
                         for a BSC port
  BSC_GetTraceBlock      Get a block of trace data from the trace
                         buffers
  BSC_GetVersion         Get version information and serial number
  BSC_LoadConfig         Load a BSC configuration from a file
  BSC_OpenPort           Open a BSC port for use
  BSC_Read               Receive a message from a remote station
  BSC_ResetStatus        Reset the BSC port statistics
  BSC_ResetTraceBuffers  Reset (clear) the trace buffers
  BSC_SaveConfig         Save a BSC configuration to a file
  BSC_SetTraceLevel      Set the BSC driver trace options
  BSC_Write              Send a message to a remote station

BSCAPI CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS

BSCAPI operates with respect to a communications environment defined by
configuration parameters.  The parameters listed below are selected using
the BSC_Configure procedure call prior to beginning a BSC session.

  Parameter         Description
  --------          -----------
  A<command>        Auto-dial and modem configuration strings
  A2ETable          ASCII to EBCDIC translation table,
                    array of 256 bytes
  E2ATable          EBCDIC to ASCII translation table,
                    array of 256 bytes
  BIDLimit          Maximum number of line bids sent when trying
                    to send a message to the remote station.
  BIDNAK            Bid contention handling options
  BlockSize         Maximum size of a communications block, up to 4096
                    bytes
  ConstCarrier      Constant or switched carrier
  DLCMode           DLC (Data Link Control) mode, EBCDIC or ASCII with
                    parity options
  ENQLimit          Maximum number of ENQs sent to the remote station
                    after a bad response or timeout
  EOTBidRejection   Bid handling options when reads not in progress
  FullDuplex        Half or full-duplex communications
  IRSEnd            Handling of ending records in a block
  LineDelay         Transmission timing delays
  LineSelect        Clock generation options
  LineType          Switched or leased line
  NAKLimit          Maximum number of negative acknowledgements from
                    the remote station
  NewLine           New Line character processing options
  PadCount          Number of Pad characters appended to the end of a
                    transmit data block
  RecordsPerBlock   Maximum number of records per block
  RVIFlush          RVI handling options
  SCCTimeout        Hardware adapter timeout options
  SyncCount         Number of Sync characters to append to the start
                    of a transmitted data block
  StationType       Station role, primary or secondary
  TerminalType      Terminal emulation mode (2780 or 3780)
  TerminalID        String that is transmitted as part of the first
                    message of a session

STATUS REPORTING

BSCAPI maintains status information about the communications link and also
keeps certain event statistics. The BSC_GetStatus call returns the
following status information to the application:

  Statistic         Description
  ---------         -----------
  SerialSignals     State of the hardware serial signals DTR, DSR,
                    RTS, CTS, RI, DCD, RXD, TXD
  IOStatus          Session I/O status:  offline, connecting, idle,
                    read in progress, write in progress.
  CurrentBPHState   Current internal state of BSC Protocol Handler
                    software
  ConnectStatus     Status of a a pending connect operation: sending
                    auto-answer command, waiting for call, dialing,
                    initializing, manual Connect in progress, connect
                    complete, connect timeout, connect aborted.
  SCCError          Hardware error information
  Statistics        Statistics counts for:  line bids sent, line bids
                    acknowledged, line bids received, buffers sent,
                    buffers received, NAKs sent, NAKs received, bad
                    responses, records sent, records received.

DATA TRACING

For use in application development and diagnosing communications problems,
BSCAPI supplies functions for tracing data.  Data tracing records the raw
data blocks and control sequences transmitted and received by a station.
Data is recorded in internal trace buffers and can be extracted by the
application using a procedure call.

BSC HARDWARE ADAPTERS

BSCAPI can be ordered with several different MicroGate BSC hardware
adapters depending upon line speed and serial interface requirements.  BSC
adapters include an RS-232 adapter capable of speeds up to 28,800 bps; a
V.32bis internal modem adapter that supports line speeds up to 14,400 bps,
and a high-speed V.35 adapter designed for use with digital service
CSU/DSUs and ISDN TAs.
--end----end----end----end----end----end----end----end----end--
 
 =========================================================
 From the 'New Product News' Electronic News Service on...
 AOL (Keyword = New Products) and Delphi (GO COMP PROD)
 =========================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 company/author mentioned. For additional details, please
 contact them directly at the address/phone# indicated.
 Trademarks are the property of their respective owners!
 =========================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  USA
 Email:   rbakerpc@delphi.com   --or--   rbakerpc@aol.com
 =========================================================
