Message COM port Driver

by

Paul Martin

This package includes several programs each described below. Messcom
will allow you to monitor your serial line for messages in the background
under DOS. You will also be able to send messages through the serial line
and await a response.


1) initcom.com [-c] [-b] [-p]
[-d] [-s]
This program sets up com1 or com2 and loads the interrupt driver
for the port. THIS PROGRAM MUST BE RUN FIRST! I suggest to
load from your autoexec.bat. The interrupt driver will
display the line "*** Message Waiting COMx: ***" when it receives
any data from the tower. The defaults are port=1, parity=n,
data bits=7, stop bits=1, and baud=19200.

2) rstcom.com [-c] [-b] [-p]
[-d] [-s]
This program will set the com port back to the state it was
in when initcom1.com was started. This program is useful to
run after kermit, because kermit leaves the com port in a
messy state. This program uses 1 as the default port and the
other settings default to the last setting by this program
or initcom.

3) rdque.com [-c]
This program will read the queue that is in the pc. This queue
is filled by the interrupt driver. This program will read the
queue until it times out. The default setting is port=1. This
is how you read messages that are waiting to be read.

4) rcom1.com & rcom2.com
These programs will pass the rest of the command line to the port.
This is useful for running commangs on an attached computer. Also
this program will wait for the results of the command until it times
out. If it does time out before the program has finished, the
remaining output will be placed on the queue for reading with
rdque. The line sent to the port starts with the character
following the space after the command. I suggest putting these
programs in your DOS path.

Examples
--------
used in the following examples signifies the return or the
enter key. "C>" is the DOS prompt used in these examples.

C>rcom1 Hello There
"Hello There" is sent to the port.

C>rcom1 ATDT555-1212
" ATDT555-1212" is sent to the port.

C>rcom1
"" is sent to the port.


The above programs return the following values to DOS:

0 = success
31 = empty queue (rdque.com only)
63 = initcom already resident (initcom.com only)
127 = initcom not resident (all programs except initcom.com)
255 = bad paramters (all programs except rcom1.com & rcom2.com)

These programs were written in MASM 5.1 and have been tested on DOS 3.x

Feel free to distribute these program and make as many copies as
your heart desires, but you must not alter these programs in any way
and you must distribute this documentaion file and all the programs
together unaltered.

If you find this utility useful, all I ask is that you send me
$10.00 for my effort. This is more than I usually ask for but
I spent quite a bit of time developing this package.

Send checks, money orders, loose diamonds, and of course cash to:

Paul Martin
901-A Ohio Pike
Cincinnati, Ohio
45245

If you find any bugs or have any questions, you can reach me through
USENET at [email protected] or through a local BBS I frequent, called
C.C.C. (513)752-8248, (513)752-1544, (513)752-1542, (513)752-1055,
(513)752-8239, (513)752-0121, (513)752-0730