Category : Communication (modem) tools and utilities
Archive   : TAPDO541.ZIP
Filename : TAPDOC.8

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8 - Interactive Mode
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Interactive Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
The Interactive Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

Conference Mode Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3

















































TAPCIS(tm) Documentation Copyright (c) 1991, Support Group, Inc.
800-USA-GROUP, 301-387-4500

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Interactive Mode
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Up to this point we have described primarily the autopilot capabilities of
TAPCIS. This manual started off by telling you that TAPCIS was designed
primarily for forums and CompuServe Mail. That is true. However, TAPCIS can
be used to access the other parts of the vast CompuServe Information
Service, too. This is done in "interactive mode" where you give the
CompuServe computers commands directly. This is also referred to as
"terminal mode."

The nteractive command is given from the main menu. If you want to go to
a specific forum, enter that forum's number at the prompt. Otherwise, press
to connect to CompuServe and be left in your personal file area.

Issue the command GO CIS to get to the top of the CompuServe menu system.
You can tour CompuServe just by following the menus to areas you find
interesting. Watch the elapsed time in the upper right corner though!

[Figure 8-1: Sample Interactive Screen]



------------------------------------
The Interactive Keyboard

Most of the keys when interactive are passed directly through to
CompuServe. Some are interpreted by TAPCIS as commands. A letter preceded
by a caret <^> means to hold the control key and press the letter:

This is perhaps the most reliable way to end an interactive
session. TAPCIS sends a command to CompuServe to logoff and
then immediately drops the connection. However, if you are
in the middle of downloading a file, TAPCIS will wait until
the download is complete to logoff.

Aborts whatever you're trying to do and hangs up the phone.
This is the "bail out" key. You should first try to logoff
normally or use .

If you want to capture what you are doing interactively,
press and then enter the name of the file in which
you want the captured session stored. If you want to stop
the capture at any time press the key again. You can
use PRN as a file name to echo the screen to your printer.
However, this slows transmission down and is much less
economical than capturing the file and printing it offline.

Is used to upload an ASCII file without error checking or to
start the execution of a script. TAPCIS scripts must end
with the file extension .SCR.

Enter the CO mode. In this mode you type in a small six line
window at the bottom of the screen. When you press
twice in a row or you press at the end of the sixth
line, your input is sent to CompuServe all at once. Pressing


TAPCIS Interactive Mode 8-1

twice in a blank send area (all six lines blank)
will send a only.

In a CO this mode is useful so that you can start typing
your response while the other person is still "talking."
When the other person is done you can send your text or
erase it. Remember that in a conference that all CO commands
start with a slash in the first column. All other lines are
sent to all people in the conference.

Scrollback allows you to look at the last 350 lines of text.
Useful for reviewing information that passes too quickly on
the screen. A reminder that you are viewing the scrollback
buffer remains at the top of the screen. You can use the up/
down arrows and PgUp/PgDn to review the text. Scrollback can
also be used while CO mode () is active.

Sends a .

Use an online macro.

There are two pre-defined online macros that can come in handy while online
Interactively. Press at the CompuServe "Top" menu (GO TOP) for
CompuServe Novice Mode (all menus and prompts active). Press at
a "Forum!" prompt for Forum Menu Mode (reactivate forum menus). Both of
these macros only affect the current online session.

You can also tell TAPCIS that you would like to stay online interactively
during a normal session generated by pressing ew or nline. After
TAPCIS logs on you can press at any time to stay online. A "Remaining
online" message will appear on the top line as a reminder. is a
toggle, and if you press it twice, the message will disappear and TAPCIS
will log off automatically.


























8-2 Interactive Mode TAPCIS

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Conference Mode Screen
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[Figure 8-2: Conference Mode]


Figure 8-2 shows several CO commands. The /HELP will give you a full list
of commands. The /UST command gives you a list of users in the forum and
the names of the ones in CO. The /HANdle command lets you change your name
for the CO (you should do this to make your name shorter).

The /EXIT command gets you out of the CO. Notice that the command has not
been transferred to CompuServe since has not been pressed.

A second ^X () switches back to normal terminal mode.

erases the current line.

in the above example would erase the /EXIT command even though it
is on the line above the cursor. (Once the command is sent to CompuServe
these keys would not have an effect).

Macros can also be used to automate many of the conference functions. See
Macros on page 9-7.


































TAPCIS Interactive Mode 8-3