PortaCall(c) User's Guide


Introduction

If you regularly use your cellular phone to check your answering machine 
messages, then PortaCall is the program for you. 

With PortaCall, your computer will call you whenever a new message is on 
your machine.  PortaCall lets you know there is a message, by dialing your 
cellular phone, pager or any other type of phone, leaving a few harmless 
rings and beeps, and then hanging up.

When you receive a PortaCall call, you can then dial up your answering 
machine and retrieve your new message.

PortaCall will make you more responsive to your customers and will save 
you money in phone charges - You'll only call your answering machine 
when you KNOW there are messages.


Hardware Requirements and Setup

To use PortaCall you'll need MS-Windows 3.1, an answering machine and 
a Hayes compatible, auto-dial modem.  PortaCall will dial out on either 
a PULSE or TONE phone system. 

For PortaCall to work properly, you must connect your phone equipment so 
that your answering machine and your modem sense incoming calls at the 
same time.

One way to do this is to connect your phone line from the wall jack into 
the LINE jack on the modem and then connect the answering machine to the 
modem's PHONE jack.  

When properly connected your answering machine should pick up calls as 
usual and (without any communications software running) your modem lights 
should blink whenever you receive phone calls.  If you have an internal 
modem, obviously, you cannot check the lights.  In this case just make 
sure the answering machine is working properly.


Installation:

Note: In addition to PCALLW.EXE you will need to download VBRUN300.DLL 
and place it in your WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.  This file can be 
downloaded from CompuServe or most other on-line services.  It's possible 
that you already have it in your WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.

1.   Setup your modem and answering machine as described above.

2.   If you've downloaded the file called PCALLW.EXE you need to unpack 
     the file.  First, you should use file manager to move it into a new 
     subdirectory.  For example, create a directory called C:\PCALLWIN 
     and then move the PCALLW.EXE program into that directory.

3.   Next, use File Manager to execute the PCALLW.EXE file (by double- 
     clicking on the program).  This will unpack the PortaCall files.

4.   From here you can run PortaCall from within File Manager by double- 
     clicking on the Portacal.exe program or you can go back to program 
     manager and create an icon on your Windows desktop.

To Create a PortaCall icon:

(These instructions will place the icon in your accessories window.  They 
assume you've unpacked the program and it's in your C:\PCALLWIN directory.)

1.   Open the Accessories window
2.   Choose File from the menu
3.   Choose New
4.   Choose Program Item
5.   In DESCRIPTION enter PortaCall
6.   In COMMAND enter PCALLWIN.EXE
7.   In WORKING DIRECTORY enter  C:\PCALLWIN
8.   Click  OK


Running the Program

1.   Before you leave your office, turn on your PC and modem. 

2.   Start Windows and open the Program Manager.

3.   Choose File Run and type C:\PCALLWIN\PORTACAL.EXE (or just
     double-click on the PortaCall icon if you created one). 

4.   When the PortaCall screen opens, enter a WAIT VALUE in the Wait 
     field. The Wait Value indicates how long PortaCall will wait 
     (in seconds) before calling your remote phone.  The Wait Value 
     begins counting down as soon as your answering machine receives 
     a call.  When it hits zero, PortaCall will then dial your remote
     phone.  The wait time should be long enough for a message to be 
     left on your machine.

5.   Tab or use your mouse to move to the CALL field and enter the 
     remote phone number PortaCall should dial when you've received 
     a new message on your answering machine.

6.   Tab or use your mouse to move to the RING field and enter a value 
     from 1 to 10 (or click on the up/down arrows).  This value is the 
     number of times PortaCall should ring your remote phone when you've 
     received a new message.

7.   If you would like PortaCall to call you at more than one remote 
     phone number, you can enter up to three additional phone numbers 
     in the remaining Call fields and the desired number of rings in the 
     corresponding Ring fields.

8.   Tab or use your mouse to move down to the PORT field and enter a 
     value from 1 to 4 (or use the up/down arrows).  This value must 
     match your modem's serial port setting.

9.   Using your mouse, click on either TONE or PULSE, depending on how 
     your telephone dials.

10.  PortaCall keeps a log of all incoming calls.  To view this log, 
     click on the LOG button.  To clear out the log, click on the CLEAR 
     button.  When done viewing the log, click on the CLOSE button.

11.  To Exit PortaCall, click on the CLOSE button on the PortaCall screen.


Things to Consider:

The phone number can include dashes and commas (pauses).  It can also 
include any special Hayes dialing commands.  

The WAIT time is in seconds.  It begins as soon as your office phone 
rings.  You should use a WAIT time that is long enough for someone to 
leave a long message.  If the wait time is too short, then PortaCall 
may begin dialing your cellular phone before the caller finishes his 
message. 

The RING COUNT is based on the standard '6 seconds per ring' timing on 
most phones.  On cellular phones there is sometimes a long delay before 
the first ring occurs.  It may be necessary to add 1 to the ring count.  
For example, if you want PortaCall to leave 2 rings on your cellular 
phone, use 3 as the ring count. 

The PORT tells PortaCall where your modem is connected.  If you're not 
sure what COM Port to use, start with 1 and work your way up to 4.  
You'll know if you've found the right port when you call into your 
answering machine and PortaCall begins counting down; preparing to dial 
out.


Checking Your Messages:

Whenever your remote phone rings a few times and then stops, you'll know 
there are messages waiting for you.  In the meantime, PortaCall will have 
looped back to wait for the next phone call to your answering machine.  
Keep in mind that when you call up to get your messages you will be 
activating PortaCall again and, because PortaCall doesn't know that it's 
you checking your messages, it will, again, call your cellular phone 
a few minutes after you've dialed in. If you are certain that this 
second PortaCall call is due to your message checking, then just ignore it.


Registration

The downloaded copy of PortaCall allows 20 phone calls.  To receive a 
password that will allow you to use the full working version you must 
register the program with it's author.  PortaCall can be registered 
for $15.

Please register by sending a check or money order for $15.00 to 
Bill Dineen, 455 Hope Street #3F, Stamford, CT  06906.

If you have any questions about PortaCall, my CIS ID# is 76370,2451.
