==========================================================================

###### #####
## ## ## ## BACKCOMM
###### ## Background Communications
## ## ## ## Version 2.0
###### #####

Quality Public Domain Software Written by PY, 1988.
==========================================================================

This is quality Public Domain software, feel free to copy / distribute it.
If you find this programme to be of any use, please send a donation to the
address below.

BC uses 40K of memory and requires:

A serial card (and modem)
Monochrome or Colour card,
MS DOS 2.0 or greater,
At least 1 disc drive.

==========================================================================
1. STARTING UP BACKCOMM
==========================================================================

Format: BC [d:path\filename.ext] [/R] [/Sx] [/2] [/?]
where
d:path\filename.ext
- name of phone directory to use. If omitted,
PHONE.DIR is assumed. It is recommended
that you include drive and path.

/R - Stay resident, use Alt KEYPAD-Minus to
activate. ANSI standard not supported
in resident mode. Uses 38K of memory

/Sx - Set Serial rate and parity.
x is letter from A to J, see below.

/2 - Use COM2 instead of COM1

/H - Use HAYES commands. You must install BC first.

/? - BackComm Information.


Serial Rates Supported:

A. 300 E,7,1 B. 300 N,8,1
C. 450 E,7,1 D. 450 N,8,1
E. 1200/75 E,7,1 F. 1200/75 N,8,1
G. 1200 E,7,1 H. 1200 N,8,1
I. 2400 E,7,1 J. 2400 N,8,1


(E = Even, N = No Parity; 7,8 = Data Bits; 1 = Stop Bit)

While you are using BC in resident mode, you may come across
a "Too many files open" error. You will need to add 3 to the
value of the FILES= line in your CONFIG.SYS file and re-boot.
If this error "pops up from nowhere" (i.e. downloading in
background) - you've got problems! You will need to return
to DOS and download the file from there.


==========================================================================
2. INSTALLING BACKCOMM
==========================================================================

Format: BC/I d:filename.ext
where
d:filename.ext is name of installation file. The file INIT.BC
has been provided as a sample file for you to see how it works.

The installation file may be modified using any editor, and can
contain any of the following commands, each on a new line. Keywords
can be in upper- or lower-case, and must be separated by a space.


HIT-KEY
-------

Format: HIT-KEY key1 key2

Description: This set the two keys that will activate BC.

Example: HIT-KEY alt minus

This sets the Hit Key to ALT Keypad-Minus

Restrictions: 'key1' must be CTRL, ALT, LSHIFT or RSHIFT.
'key2' cannot be the same as 'key1'.
'key2' must be in the following list:

ESC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 - = BS TAB Q W E R T Y U I O P [ ] RETURN
CTRL A S D F G H J K L ; ' ` LSHIFT \ Z X C V B N M , . / RSHIFT
PRTSC ALT SPACE CAPSLOCK
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 NUMLOCK SCROLLLOCK
SEVEN EIGHT NINE MINUS FOUR FIVE SIX PLUS ONE TWO THREE ZERO POINT
(This last line of keys are the keys on the keypad)


ALT-x
-----

Format: ALT-x "text" [key1] ...
where 'x' is from 0 to 9.

Description: This redefines the keys ALT-1 through to ALT-0.
The Keypad Numbers cannot be used.

Example: ALT-1 "Donald Duck" RETURN "Quack" RETURN

This redefines the Alt-1 key combination so that
the user name "Donald Duck" followed by a cariage
return and his password is typed instead of the
ALT-1 combination

Restrictions: An Alt-x combination cannot be redefined more than
once. There is an overall limit of 319 characters.
When another key is pressed, the Alt-x macro stops.
'text' cannot contain a '"' character - use QUOTE.
'key1' must be in this list:
ESC BS TAB RETURN EIGHT (up) TWO (down)
SPACE QUOTE F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10


window-name
-----------

Format: window-name part [BRIGHT] [FLASH] colour1 [ON colour2]
'window-name' - the name of the window to change
'part' - which part of the window to change
'colour1' - foreground colour
'colour2' - background colour, if omitted, BLACK
is assumed.

Description: This changes the colour of a window (or part of it)

Example: MAIN-WINDOW TEXT BRIGHT BROWN ON BLUE

This will display all main text as yellow (bright
brown) characters on a blue background.

Restrictions: 'window-name' must be from this list:
MAIN-WINDOW HELP-WINDOW SETUP-WINDOW
DIAL-WINDOW SAVE-WINDOW DOWN-WINDOW (download)
BOTTOM-LINE.
'part' must be
BORDER, TEXT, INVERSE or HI-LITE.
'colour1' and 'colour2' must be found in this list
BLACK BLUE GREEN CYAN RED MAGENTA BROWN WHITE.


MODEM-INIT
----------

Format: MODEM-INIT "text"

Description: 'text' is sent to the modem when BC is started.

Example: MODEM-INIT "ATE0 S7=60 S11=55 V1 X1 S0=0!"

Restrictions: as for ALT-x, since this is an extention of the
ALT-x commands. This will only be sent to the
modem when BC is started with the /H option.
If nothing is to be sent to the modem, then omit
this statement. The following keywords will not
be sent to the modem:
EIGHT TWO F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10


DIAL-PREFIX
-----------

Format: DIAL-PREFIX "text"

Description: 'text' is sent to the modem just prior to sending
the phone number.

Example: DIAL-PREFIX "ATDT"
This instructs the modem to use tone dialing.

Restrictions: as for MODEM-INIT.


DIAL-SUFFIX
-----------

Format: DIAL-SUFFIX "text"

Description: 'text' is sent to the modem just after sending the
number to be dialed.

Example: DIAL-SUFFIX "!"

Restrictions: as for MODEM-INIT.


FILENAME
--------

Format: FILENAME filename.ext

Description: Allows you to change the default filename for
XMODEM download and SAVE options.

Example: FILENAME prn
This will send all output to the printer

Restrictions: The filename must be less than 13 characters,
and cannot contain a drive or path.


==========================================================================
3. NOTES ON VERSION 2.0
==========================================================================

FEATURES INCLUDE:
ONLINE HELP
AUTO DIAL for any modem
SPLIT SPEED - 1200/75
FILE DOWNLOADING (XMODEM CHKSUM) in BACKGROUND
ANSI Extended Screen Control
2047 character input buffer
INSTALLATION option

BackComm will not work in any graphics modes.

Changes since version 1.0:
COM2 can be used,
Ctrl-Home-End removes BackComm,
Key Macros,
Installation option,
Hayes Support,
Error with directories fixed.


==========================================================================
4. ANY PROBLEMS?
==========================================================================

Are you having any problems with this programme?
Would you like to see any extra features added?
Any comments you would like to make?

Leave me a note on PACCOM (09)5278703
or RuBoard (09)4103417 Bulletin Boards

Or write to Phil Young
P O Box 49 058
ROSKILL SOUTH

The assembler source code (or parts of it) is for sale.
You can get the lastest version of BC for just $5.00.


==========================================================================
5. PLANNED MODIFICATIONS
==========================================================================

File UPLOAD (XMODEM)
Sound
Full ANSI support in Resident mode - This is not going to be easy.
Data encryption

==========================================================================