

               HANDS ON  Remote Control    README.TXT    Page 1




          *** NOTE: USE "INSTALL" or "1STHAND SETUP" to install Hands On ***
              The MAIN manual is HO.TXT; it is available during the setup


          Please pay for this shareware product if you continue to use it



                             _______
                        ____|__     |               (R)
                     --|       |    |-------------------
                       |   ____|__  |  Association of
                       |  |       |_|  Shareware
                       |__|   o   |    Professionals
                     -----|   |   |---------------------
                          |___|___|    Member


          Updated November, 1995

          This document has the following main portions:

          1)  Introduction
          2)  Getting the System Up and Running
          3)  Software Updates - the product history

          1) Introduction

          This Easy Up and Running upgrade of the Hands On remote
          support package for DOS includes a range of tools for a
          variety of purposes.  The 465 modem initialization strings
          will provide information that will help most people setup your
          modems.  The modem database lists the first 50 modems in a
          fairly generic setup, but with fairly elaborate setup strings,
          and the remaining modems with more modem model detail but
          simpler setup strings.


          Please EMAIL or otherwise contact us as you explore the
          product.  We don't normally return long distance phone calls
          to people who have not yet licensed our products.


          1STHAND.EXE         run it first.  Its provides easy
                              setup and access to the manuals.  Use
                              '1STHAND SETUP' for a complete guided
                              setup





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          GATHER.EXE & .TXT   A file management tool & manual
          HO.EXE              The Hands On program for the remote computer
          HO.TXT              Main user documentation in plain text
          HOASK.EXE           Batch file query tool
          HOCHECK.EXE         time checking tool for batch files ...
          HODIAL.EXE          Dialer for the host, with optional callbacks
          HOEXTR.EXE          Enables file reception with DSZ
          HOEXTS.EXE          Enables file sending with DSZ
          HOHOST.EXE          The Hands On program for the host computer
          HOHOSTC.EXE         Runtime hohost configuration (in memory)
          HOHOSTIN.EXE        Configuration for the core programs
          HOMENU.BAT          Main sample batch file
          HOMINS.EXE          Simplified core configuration program
          HOMISC.BAT          secondary batch file
          HOMNU.EXE & TXT     DOS menu program & manual
          HOMODSET.EXE & DAT  Modem configuration
          HOREMOVE.EXE        Removes hohost.exe from ram
          HOSZ.BAT HORZ.BAT   batch file send/receive with DSZ
          HOSPEED.EXE         sets screen update speed
          HOSTATUS.EXE        to check hohost runtime status
          HOTALK.EXE          chat or online talk tool
          INSTALL.EXE & TXT   installer and manual
          MANUALS.TXT         list of manuals - for 1sthand lookup
          OMI.EXE & TXT       Standalone file transfer tool & manual
          OMIGET.EXE          To Get or receive files
          OMIPUT.EXE          To Put or send files
          ON_OFF.BAT          secondary batch file
          PATCH.EXE           File patcher for All kinds of files
          PROMO.TXT           Promotional information
          QUOTES.DAT          A sample for the runt
          README.TXT          this file
          REBOOT.COM          to reboot
          REGISTER.TXT        registration information
          RMTREE.EXE          Removes trees of directories and files
          RUNT.EXE & TXT      Run Timer & callbacks & manual
          SHOW.EXE            Show is a Wizard script debugger
          SHR_WARE.TXT        About shareware
          VENDOR.TXT          Vendor information
          WIZ.EXE             The wizard comms aware 'script' tool
                              It uses keyboard stuffing to automate software.
          WIZARD.TXT          Wizard's manual


          -- file enders --
          tele.ini is a general setup file
          hands on setup files end with .HO
          omni file transfer setup files end with .OMI
          various help files end with .HLP





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          some instruction files end with .DAT
          Xbase files end with .DBF and .DBT
          Wizard script files end with .SCR
          1sthand's built in menu uses the menu.his history
          file and keeps its settings in settings.cfg.  It also
          uses the manuals.txt to intelligently look up information.

          We frequently update the Hands On copies on Compuserve PCCOM
          UTILities LIB 3.  You will normally see monthly updates.

          Please note that other files will be included in the
          distribution from time to time.  Examples are OMI220.EXE and
          its omi220.hlp, hoedit.exe, holog.exe, and holist.exe.



          2) Getting the System Up and Running

          A   Setup       - configuring to your hardware.
          B   Operation   - initial test driving.
          C   Quick Fixes - when the d**n thing doesn't work.  Yikes!


          A   Setup

          First run INSTALL.EXE or "1STHAND SETUP".  They guide you
          through a common initial setup and configuration process.  The
          guided or directed installation process includes ongoing help
          and access to the manuals (*** You should always look first in
          HO.TXT ***).  Also, please make minimal changes at first.  The
          changes that you make for one pc have to be matched at the
          other end, and the fewer changes the more likely you are to
          make changes that match on the two ends.  Hands On is a full
          featured product and you can easily get confused and setup up
          incompatible settings.  If things "just don't work" and you
          have made quite a few changes, just erase everything and
          reinstall.  We definitely cannot diagnose your problem if you
          have made quite a few changes that possibly do not match on
          the two pcs.

          There are some scenarios described in the main manual HO.TXT.
          Please browse HO.TXT then mimic the scenario that best matches
          your situation.  Its best to do a basic setup and get it
          working then add nifty features later.  If you try to do
          several changes at once, you MUST keep accurate records of the
          settings on the two computers.  Later, once you have build
          some comfort with Hands On, you might explore some of the more
          advanced features that help when configuring multiple





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          computers.


          2 Operation - initial test driving.

          You will quickly discover that Hands On's automatic menuing
          dialing and the like are designed to be very flexible.

          There are two main reasons for this flexibility:


          1) The usage range is from 1 user to very large numbers.  Many
          users only ever call one number and can include the number in
          the HO.HO file (or HODIAL.HO for HOHost).  On the other hand,
          there are a number of outfits that use databases of thousands
          of phone numbers to call (Well, actually the most we know of
          claims around 2000 numbers).

          2) The usage ranges from very simple to quite sophisticated.
          As an example, there are some phone callback options.  One
          relies on the length of time a phone RING takes to detect the
          caller, then calls back to a specified number.  The second has
          the caller run a batch file scheme to setup the callback.  The
          third uses industry standard dBASE files to store a database
          of names, passwords, and phone numbers and allows the user to
          specify the callback time.  Naturally, you can store many
          thousands of people's names in dBASE files.  The fourth, using
          HODIAL directly, allows you to call in, and run it directly or
          via a batch file.

          Hands On requires MORE INITIAL SETUP, and then provides a more
          productive, and easier, low memory, usage than conventional
          retail competitors.  You are more likely to be successful if
          you keep the initial setup simple to minimise setup
          frustrations.  Then, activate more options on a step by step
          basis.  Also remember that the HO.TXT manual has quite a bit
          of useful reference information.




          3 Quick Fixes - when the d**n thing doesn't work.

          The most basic and common problems that you are likely to bump
          into are related to the modem.  The following advice should be
          considered like a sandwich, with general advice like this
          above and below and various likely materials in between.
          Dvorak's Guide to PC Telecommunications has a list of the most





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          common problems, which has been interpreted and amplified
          below.  Remember that modems are NOT completely standardized
          and do NOT provide useful clues to less experienced users.

          First, run HOMODSET and see what it reports about the modem.
          If it fails to report OK results on the screen, the setup or
          the modem are bad.  The actual instructions that tell HOMODSET
          what to do are in the editable HOMODSET.DAT text file.

          Next go through the following list of likely problems:

          1) Call waiting has not been cancelled.  You can often dial
          70# or *70 or try setting both modems to ATS10=255 for a long
          wait to bypass call waiting.  Try such long delays if you are
          using a cellular phone.

          2) An external modem cable is bad or loose.  Symptoms vary but
          include behaviour that may lead you to check that ANSI.SYS is
          installed.

          3) The phone line is disconnected at the wall or the modem.
          Test push the connections together.  We know someone who took
          days to realise that putting new insulation into the
          building's walls wrecked the phone line extension.

          4) The communications software is incorrectly setup.  Try
          N81.  It has to be trying to work with the correct port,
          preferably COM1 or COM2.  Try changing ports.  A fair number
          of P.C.s cannot use COM3 or COM4 for communications (or
          anything else that matters).  See 10) below.

          5) Modem switches or jumpers are incorrectly setup.  Is the
          modem switched on?  (Our most common problem is leaving the
          external modem turned off for the first call of the day).

          6) The modem is competing with another device for a COM port.
          No you cannot physically attach a mouse and a modem to the
          same port, but you can do so with software.  Test by
          deactivating the mouse, or scanner, or whatever software it
          might be.  Look at the back of the machine to see what is
          attached to which port.  Try another COM port.

          7) Its the wrong type of cable.  Sorry you cannot tell
          visually.  Direct connection and modem cables look alike, but
          are wired differently.  We're experts because we also use the
          Little Big Lan network with serial connections (highly
          recommended for basic networking).  Just because XYZ software
          DOES work with the cable does NOT mean that the cable is





               HANDS ON  Remote Control    README.TXT    Page 6



          'ok'.

          8) Switches inside the computer are set incorrectly.
          Conflicting computer interrupts can cause significant hair
          loss in people trying to solve the problem.  The original
          settings can all be fine, but some other software zonks the
          interrupts.  Microsoft's MSD.exe program is commonly available
          for interrupt checking.

          9) There is a BIOS problem.  AMI bios's have problems with
          16550 chips.  P. C. Softsmith has found common problems with
          16550 chips user inserted into cards.  Many cards are really
          designed to work with older chips and do not let a 16550 chip
          activate properly.  Normal diagnostics (and technicians) will
          pass everything, but a separate test will find the 16550
          acting like an older chip.  If you buy the card with a factory
          inserted 16550, they should match and work fine.  We can
          supply, or you can download, software from a BBS that 'fixes'
          the AMI bios to 16550 problem.

          10) The software is incompatible with the modem.  Their two
          features sets fail to overlap in some crucial area.  Try some
          other software, even a simple dialer, to make sure you have
          correctly isolated the problem.  We find this problem when
          people upgrade from something like a 2400 baud modem to a
          14400, or return to using their spare 2400 baud modem.  Change
          the settings to match the modem.

          11) The modem is broken or defective.  We have found some
          modems that overheat then gradually fail are very good tools
          for detecting problems with telephone lines.  Voice checking a
          phone line does not indicate its condition for a modem, but
          your 'phone company can likely check it remotely from their
          office.

          12) There are missing portions on the screen when running the
          remote control/access software over 19200 baud.  Use a tool
          like MSD to check if the COM chips are 8250's, and upgrade to
          16550's if they are.  Or slow down.  Other software can also
          interfere, so check your crop or fleet of resident or TSR
          software and prune it judiciously.  We generally find that we
          can use Hands On at 38400 over any direct link including XT's
          to 386's, but your situation will be different.  We use 115200
          baud daily between two development machines.

          13) A modern high speed modem will work fine, but may not be
          able to 'talk' to an older 2400 modem if the initialization
          strings are not compatible.  Use a SIMPLE initialization





               HANDS ON  Remote Control    README.TXT    Page 7



          string on the high speed modem.

          14) We have noticed problems with a 14.4K modem on a 386-40
          using an older 8250 chip.  Its ALWAYS a good idea to upgrade
          to 16550 chips.

          15) There are some manuals of various kinds included in the
          default HANDS ON distribution.  Some judicious grubbing about
          will drag out a range of other tests and tools.

          Try to get anything working, then steal its
          settings/information for the other things that you want to get
          running.  If you have the system basically working, then keep
          changing small portions out from the working core until they
          work.  As an example, we often just erase the setup file and
          restart when a problem continues, then rebuild with
          HOHOSTIN.EXE (which is available via 1sthand.exe if you
          wish).  Many problems disappear once everything is reset to
          original defaults.

          Above all smile and keep trying.  Its a challenge not a
          problem.




          3) Software Updates - the product history

          Note that some of the utility programs have their own version
          number and update information in the matching .txt file.  An
          example is HOMNU.EXE and MNU.txt.

          5.61 November 16, 1995 Added -F to force dialing, and
          -Dminutes for delay before dialing, with hodial.

          5.60 November 14, 1995 1sthand now accepts the Up and Down and
          the PageUp and PageDown arrow keys while reviewing the modem
          database.  Improved the runt's manual for callback setups.
          Revised this manual.

          5.50 October 1995 added the S0=?  command to the modem
          initialization string for improved call management.  Using F9
          at the modem screen removes all of the S0=1 entries from the
          database.  Fixed Hohostin's handling of incoming
          initialization strings.  Improves 1sthand's handling of new
          users, some other tinkering, and adds PATCH.EXE.

          5.50/5.3 August 24, 1995 resurrected the June 13 release with





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          some changes.  The installer has being updated and is now
          common with the Teleshare installer.  Hohostin now allows
          command line production of a text file showing the current
          settings.  1sthand.exe has continuing user friendliness
          changes during the 'guided' or combination installation using
          "1sthand setup".

          5.30 August 14, 1995 upgrades the dialing portion of
          1STHAND.EXE and other small changes.  Some of these changes
          were scheduled to arrive after version 5.50.

          5.20 July 26, 1995 contains an upgraded RUNT program as a
          third callback option, as well as a generic RUN Timer
          program.

          5.20 June 15, 1995 a subset of the features in the withdrawn
          5.50 release.  These include HOSTATUS.EXE, the HOCHECK.EXE
          changes and some other minor changes.

          5.50 June 13, 1995 This release was compiled with the wrong
          compiler, and has been withdrawn to ensure reliability.  Most
          of the features will be available in restricted releases to
          lower our support costs.  Local users can obtain 5.50 on
          request.

          5.50 June, 1995 Added the HOSPEED and HOSTATUS tools.  HO now
          ignores control-break;  strips the parity bit before
          displaying data while acting as a dumb terminal at the start
          of a session.  HOCHECK now has a day of week check.  The
          HOHOSTIN IRQ detection scheme has been improved.  Changed the
          HOHOST exit from RAM scheme.  Improved the product's overall
          awareness of OS/2.  Improved the internals of the keyboard
          lockout scheme.  Changed HOMODSET to work better with some
          modems that need a delay before each command is issued.
          Changed the call length limiter to avoid hangup on reboot
          (this can be done in the autoexec.bat).  HO can now accept
          embedded requests as user prompts (eg passwords) in .ho
          files.  HOHOST repeats the modem initialization string after
          the end of a session to fix some wonky modems that would
          otherwise refuse to accept further calls.  OMIGET and OMIPUT
          now automatically terminate the transfer if carrier detect is
          enabled and carrier is lost.  Other minor (depending on your
          point of view and usage) changes.


          5.10 March, 1995 Changing files ending in DOC to TXT to
          minimise complaints about conflicts with Microsoft Word
          files.  Tidied HOMINS.EXE arrangement, so HOHOSTIN.EXE no





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          longer tries to write to HOMINS.EXE.

          5.10 February, 1995 Fixes and improvements for modem init
          strings.  Added over 400 simple modem initialization
          settings.  Added the optional (but recommended) HOMINS.EXE
          simplified setup utility.  The installer now forces you to
          install in the current directory if you have the BBS version.
          Hopefully, this will cut down on the complaints on the
          proliferation of files.  1STHAND is now aware of the simple
          installer HOMINS.EXE in various ways, and checks for the
          installers in the current directory.

          5.01 February, 1995 Minor changes to help make configuration
          easier.  For example, more prompting in HOHOSTIN to re-create
          HO.HO and HOHOST.HO.  Matching changes in the manuals.

          5.00 September, 1994 By far the most common feedback is that
          BBS people only put part of Hand On on their BBS.  The default
          BBS distribution has been shrunk in reaction.  We have also
          significantly improved the ease of getting Hands On up and
          running, mainly in 1sthand.exe.  This is the first EASY UP AND
          RUNNING release for Hands On.  This includes a large number of
          minor changes including a more reasonable dialing setup using
          1sthand.  1STHAND.EXE is now up to version 2 with numerous
          'easy use' changes, including more command line parameters..


          5.00 July, 1994 Added PSL registration option.  Cosmetic
          changes to 1sthand.exe, telemenu.exe and telemenu.hlp.
          Ongoing changes to the manuals based on user feedback.
          HOASK.EXE was inadvertently compressed with DIET in the
          initial 5.00 release and has now been restored to a normal
          .exe. (Testing shows that HOASK.EXE will normally run fine
          when DIETed, but that change made the difference) Changed
          HOHOSTIN.EXE so it leaves the INIT file on disk for further
          configuration uses.

          5.00 June, 1994 Started this section.  This is the first
          distribution where new users have significant likelihood of
          being less skilled.  You should expect ongoing 'updates' as we
          discover better ways to get new users going.  Its likely that
          the main changes will NOT provide enhanced help, but will
          instead improve the initial setup and automatic telephone
          connections.

          Reworking documentation and internal messages.  The design
          goal is a more user friendly interface.  Changed the name to
          HANDS ON.  Now includes the telemenu.  Reworked the names





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          below to a generic name wherever appropriate.  The version
          number reflects a clean break that is building on previous
          work.


          4.23 1992 Allowed use of 25x80 text pages other than 0.

          4.22 Changed the version number to stop people thinking that
          version 3.9 was a later version than 3.22!!  4.22 and 3.22 are
          the same!

          3.22 Modified the way HOHOST's private mode works to avoid
          problems with CapsLock, NumLock and ScrollLock. Previously
          some PCs experienced a delay of 20 seconds or so while the
          BIOS waited for a keyboard interrupt that would never occur
          since HOHOST had disabled all keyboard interrupts. Now the
          keyboard interrupt is briefly enabled after any of these keys
          has been pressed.

          Modified the file transfer status window to report throughput
          in characters per second rather than percentage efficiency.

          3.21 Added the capability to limit the length of a session
          (useful for toll-free numbers).

          Increased the buffer size to suit higher speed modems (this
          only affects screen refresh time and only at speeds above 2400
          bps).

          Added to HOHOSTIN the ability to scan the PC's hardware
          looking for installed COM ports and locating the associated
          IRQ lines (from IRQ2 to IRQ15 inclusive). This makes it
          considerably easier to install for things like internal modems
          with non-standard IRQ lines.

          3.20 Moved control of host printer redirection into
          HOHOST,HOHOSTIN, HOHOSTC (this now makes it possible to
          install HOHOST so that print redirection is off by default).

          Corrected a problem that caused \\ to be reduced to just \ and
          then to nothing when strings were being edited in HOHOSTIN.

          Added section 0 to HO.txt to provide a quick path to getting
          the package up and running.

          Made sending an initial "at&f" to the modem optional in
          HOMODSET.






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          3.19 Added support for IRQ8-15 for 16-bit I/O cards.

          Added HOHOSTC.EXE to modify HOHOST parameters during an active
          session.

          Modified HOHOSTIN so that it is possible to redirect input
          into it, and added a sample response file HOSTIN.RES.

          3.18 Corrected a problem with HO failing to detect a loss of
          carrier in the middle of a session.

          3.17 Improved CTS handshaking for use with V42bis modems.

          Increased printer buffer size to cope with faster modems and
          longer propagation delays.

          Added direct support for external file transfer protocol
          programs such as DSZ.

          3.16 Modified HOHOST's ring response code so that the user can
          choose to have a string sent direct to the modem instead of
          having it "typed".

          Added a "private" mode option to HOHOST to allow the host PC
          to run with a dead keyboard and blank screen.

          Added HOASK (a program like ASK but with a timeout) to replace
          HOKEY.

          Modified HOST to cut down memory usage slightly by freeing
          environment space. This could be significant for users who
          have very large amounts of environment text.

          Finally worked out what needed to be done to allow HOHOST to
          be loaded high (by QEMM's LOADHI for example) without hanging
          when the host should have been rebooted!

          3.15 Modified HOHOST so that the "reboot on loss of carrier"
          option only takes effect if there has been a successful HANDS
          ON session at some time in the past (previously the PC would
          reboot when the carrier was lost even if HANDS ON had never
          been active, which sometimes caused rebooting to occur at
          unfortunate moments!).

          3.13 Removed the messages about synchronizing the baud rate
          and sending the password, and replaced them with a beep so
          that line noise does not disturb the screen text so much.






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          Modified the file transfer timeout process so that HO keeps on
          waiting for the transfer to commence until the user presses a
          key, rather than just waiting a specified time period. [Note
          that this eliminated one parameter from the .HO file.]

          3.12 Added a new program, HOREMOVE, to remove HOHOST from
          memory.  Previously this could be done by HOHOSTIN, but having
          a separate program avoided any danger of inadvertently
          modifying HOST parameters...

          3.11 Added remote printing capability. [Note that this
          required an extra parameter in the .HO file.]

          3.10 Changed HO.EXE and HOGET.EXE so that directories were
          created as required during file transfer.

          I hope that parts of the above litany of changes were fun to
          read!

          portions Copyright (C) 1994-5 P. C. Softsmith All rights
          reserved


          Vic Williams
          P. C. Softsmith                               ASP member/author
          606 - 6455 Willingdon Ave                     (604) 433 - 5189
          Burnaby, B. C., Canada                        CIS 75020,2664
          V5H 4E4                    INTERNET:vic_williams@mindlink.bc.ca
























