PROGRAM FEATURES
TABLE OF TOPICS
Hang-Up
Pressing Alt-H will make Telix attempt to hang-up the modem. Unless
this is disabled in the configuration Menu, Telix first attempts to
hang up the modem by turning off a signal on the RS-232 port called
the DTR line. This works with most modems. If this doesn't work, Telix
then sends the hang-up string defined in the Configuration Menu to the
modem. If this still doesn't work and Telix detects that you are still
online, Telix will warn you. If Telix is consistently telling you that
hang-ups fail even when they work, your modem is almost certainly
overriding the Carrier Detect signal. See the appendix on common prob-
lems for the solution to this.
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Capture File
Telix allows you to capture (record) data coming in from the comm port
and printed on the terminal screen, to a disk file. To open the cap-
ture file, press Alt-L. You will be prompted for the filename to save
the log to. Press Return to use the default filename. All data is
added to the end of the file if it exists already. To turn off the log
press Alt-L again and select the "Close" option. To temporarily pause
capturing data to the file, press Alt-L and select the "Pause" option.
While capturing is paused, any characters received are not saved to
the file. To then un-pause capturing, press Alt-L and select the
"Unpause" option.
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Printer
The printer may be toggled on and off by pressing Ctrl-@ to record in-
formation coming in from the comm port and printed on the terminal
screen. If Telix hangs when printer logging is turned on, the printer
is turned off, and should be turned on to proceed.
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Usage Log
Telix allows a usage log to be opened, which keeps track of calls you
make and file that you transfer. This is handy for keeping a record of
your long distance calls, for example. The Usage Log is toggled on and
off with the Alt-U key. If it is currently closed, you are prompted
for the name to open it to (TELIX.USE is the default). If it is cur-
rently opened, then it is closed. You may also set the Usage Log to be
opened by default at Telix start-up (via the Configuration Menu).
Following is a sample portion of a log:
91-03-17 00:12:41 Telix Usage Log Created.
92-12-24 00:12:41 Telix Usage Log Opened.
92-12-24 00:13:06 Connected with : TBoard
92-12-24 00:13:06 ++ At phone # : 241-0241
92-12-24 00:13:06 ++ Settings : 2400,N,8,1
92-12-24 00:14:53 Hangup command selected.
92-12-24 00:16:25 Connected with : Telix Support BBS
92-12-24 00:16:25 ++ At phone # : 1-919-481-9399
92-12-24 00:16:25 ++ Settings : 2400,N,8,1
92-12-24 00:17:17 Download using Telink protocol.
92-12-24 00:17:19 ++ File : D:\DL\ZTC100.ZIP
92-12-24 00:41:09 ++ Chars per second : 165
92-12-24 00:41:11 ++ File : D:\DL\SRC100.ZIP
92-12-24 00:58:26 ++ Chars per second : 165
92-12-24 00:58:28 ++ File : D:\DL\OPT100.ZIP
92-12-24 01:22:54 ++ Chars per second : 165
92-12-24 01:23:11 Hangup command selected.
92-12-24 01:23:12 Exiting Telix.
92-12-24 01:23:12 Telix Usage Log Closed.
The log is quite simple in form and easy to understand. Lines that
start with '++' are a continuation of previous lines. Here is a
listing of possible entries:
Key Log Entry
---- -----------------------------------------------
Alt-U Telix Usage Log Created.
Telix Usage Log Opened.
Telix Usage Log Closed.
Alt-D Connected with : (entry name)
++ At phone # : (phone number)
++ Settings : (comm settings)
Alt-R Download using (name) protocol.
++ File : (pathname)
++ Chars per second : (CPS)
++ Transfer aborted.
Alt-S Upload using (name) protocol.
++ File: (pathname)
++ Chars per second : (CPS)
++ Transfer aborted.
Alt-H Hangup command selected.
Alt-X Exiting Telix.
The entries on the right are related to the commands shown on the
left. Note that a script file has the ability to stamp text into the
Usage Log, so other entries are possible.
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Scroll-Back
To review past screens of characters press Alt-B. You will be in the
Scroll-Back display. You will be able to move through the last one
thousand to 64 thousand characters received (depending on the setting
in the Configuration Menu) by using the arrow keys to scroll line by
line, the Home and End keys to go to the beginning and end of the
buffer, and the PgUp and PgDn keys to scroll through the buffer a page
at a time.
To find a certain string in the buffer press 'F'. Telix will prompt
for the string to search for. If the string is found the line contain-
ing it will be placed at the top of the screen. To search for the same
string as last time press Return when asked for the search string.
To save the screen image to a file press 'I'. Telix will prompt you
for the file to save the image to. If the file already exists, the
screen image will be appended to it. To print out a screen image to
your printer press Shift-PrtSc.
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Keyboard Definitions/Macros
Telix will let you assign text to a key so that it is sent to the comm
port when that key is pressed. This is usually called a keyboard
macro, and is useful in saving keystrokes (for example, you can assign
your name to a key). Telix actually keeps two key definitions tables
in memory at all times (each table holds the text assigned to each
key), the user table and the terminal table. The terminal table is
used for terminal emulation key assignments. When Telix is told to
start emulating a certain terminal, it loads into this table defini-
tions specific to that terminal. Therefore, for each terminal there is
a key definition file which is loaded as needed. The user table on the
other hand is relatively constant. You might want to assign your name
to the Atl-1 key for example. This kind of definition would be put in
the user table.
When a key is pressed, Telix follows this procedure: If there is a
definition for that key in the terminal key table, send that text;
otherwise if there is a definition in the user table for that key,
send the text; otherwise if the key represents an ASCII value, send
that value; otherwise if the key is a Telix command (like Alt-D), per-
form that command.
The keyboard definition/macro editor is entered with the Alt-K key se-
quence from terminal mode. Telix will ask you if you want to access
the user or the terminal key definition table. Unless you wanted to
modify the keys for a specific terminal, you would always select the
user table. Telix will present the following menu:
Load Save Clear Display displayKey Edit eXit
To load definitions from a previously saved key definition file into
memory, select the 'Load' option. Telix will ask for the name of the
key definition file (and use the extension '.KEY' if none is speci-
fied). Current key assignments will be cleared. The standard key defi-
nition file is "TELIX.KEY" and is loaded at start-up if it exists.
To save the current key definitions to a disk file, select the 'Save'
option. Telix will ask what file to save them to, and use the exten-
sion '.KEY' if none is specified.
Selecting 'Clear' will clear all the current key definitions in this
table.
Selecting 'Display' will show what text is assigned to each key.
Selecting 'displayKey' will allow you to look at what is assigned to
one specific key, by pressing it when prompted.
To actually enter or edit the text assigned to a key, select 'Edit'.
Telix will print the existing definition and allow you to edit it. En-
ter the characters that you want the key to send when pressed. Control
characters and pauses can be included in the definition in the manner
described previously in the manual under Output String Translation.
Remember that if you make any changes they will be lost when you exit
Telix unless you use the 'Save' option as described above, to save
them to disk.
Telix also allows you to run a script file when a certain function key
is pressed. If a function key definition has an '@' character as its
first character Telix will assume the rest of the definition is the
name of a script file, and will try to execute it. For example press-
ing the function key whose definition is '@logon' would run the script
file called LOGON.SLC. If you really want to send out an '@' character
as the first character in the key definition, then use two of them in-
stead. e.g., the definition '@@Hello' would send out '@Hello'.
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DOS Shell
Pressing Alt-J will let you jump to a DOS shell. You will see the DOS
prompt and will be able execute any DOS command, for example 'dir'. If
there is enough memory left, you can even run programs. There is an
option described later in the configuration section that allows you to
free up most of the computer's memory when shelling to DOS. To exit
the DOS shell type 'exit' and press Return. You will be back in Telix
with the screen undisturbed from before your jump to the shell. In
order to run the DOS shell, there must be enough memory left, and
Telix must be able to find the file called COMMAND.COM. If either of
these requirements is not met, Telix will tell you so. (The file
COMMAND.COM is the DOS command interpreter. It is usually pointed to
by the DOS environment variable COMSPEC. See your DOS manual for more
information). If you run a serial port related program in the shell,
there is a good chance that it will re-initialize the com port and
another piece of information called the com interrupt vector. If this
happens, Telix will notice and re-initialize the port to the old
values when you return from the shell.
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DOS Command
Pressing Alt-V allows you to enter one DOS command or filename to run.
This command is then executed and control is returned to Telix. As can
be seen this is similar to the DOS shell, but is useful when you have
only one command to enter. There are many uses for this command. For
example, if your file viewing utility is called 'List', you could
press Alt-V and then enter 'List TELIX.DOC'. This would load your file
view utility and let you look at the TELIX.DOC file. After you termi-
nated this program you would be back in Telix. Any DOS command is le-
gal, for example 'copy a:*.ZIP c:', or 'ren data dat1'. If for some
reason you might want Telix to pause after the command is finished,
add a ';' character to the end of the command string, for example
'type TELIX.DOC;'. This stops the last screen-full typed from
scrolling by too quickly when control returns to Telix.
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Editor
Pressing Alt-A will allow you to run your favorite editor from within
Telix. In order to do this you must go to the Configuration Menu and
supply the full name and path of your editor in the 'Filenames and
paths' area. As well, there must be enough memory left, and if you
specified a batch file to be run, Telix must be able to find the DOS
command processor COMMAND.COM.
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DOS and File Functions
Pressing Alt-F will display a menu of some common DOS operations. For
convenience, a few commands available elsewhere have been included.
Jump to DOS Shell
This performs the same function as the Alt-J command.
Files Directory
Telix will prompt you for the optional filespec, for example,
*.DOC. If you want to list all the files in the current directory
then just press Return. Telix will then do one of two things. If
you have defined a directory program to use (in the Configuration
Menu), Telix will run it. Otherwise Telix will use its own inter-
nal directory program, which is similar to the DOS 'dir' command
but also displays the time it would take to transfer each file
shown. The time is correct for the current default upload file
transfer protocol.
Change Drive/Directory
The current directory is displayed and you are asked to enter a
new one. You can enter a new drive, a new directory, or both.
This will become the current directory. Note that this is
slightly different from the DOS 'chdir' command.
Delete File
You are asked to enter the filename of the file to delete.
DOS Command
This performs the same function as the Alt-V command.
Run Editor
This performs the same function as the Alt-A command.
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Screen Image
Pressing Alt-I saves an image of the screen to the Telix Screen Image
file. This file is usually called TELIX.IMG, but can be renamed in the
Configuration Menu. If the file exists, the image is added to the end
of it.
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The Translate Table
Sometimes it is necessary for certain incoming or outgoing characters
to be changed to another value or stripped altogether. For this pur-
pose, Telix keeps in memory an incoming and an outgoing character
'translate table'. For every character in the ASCII set, the table de-
fines what it should be changed to. By default, no character transla-
tion is performed, as for each character, the new value is defined to
be the same as the old one. The translate table facility is entered by
pressing Alt-W while in terminal mode. Telix will ask whether you want
to work with the incoming or outgoing table, and then display the
translate table screen with the following menu at the bottom:
Load Clear Save Edit Other eXit
Most of the screen is used to display translation values. Each column
holds on the left the original character (ASCII value), and on the
right the new character. Only half the ASCII set can be displayed on
one screen. Select the 'Other' option to toggle the display to show
the other half of the character set.
The 'Load' option is used to load a previously saved translate table
definition file. Telix will ask for the filename, including extension.
The 'Clear' option is used to reset all values in the translate table
in memory, so that no translation is performed.
The 'Save' option is used to save the current translate table defini-
tion to a disk file. Telix will ask for the file name to save the
table to. You must include the extension if needed (a common extension
for this purpose is '.XLT").
The 'Edit' option is used to actually edit the translate table. Telix
will ask for the old ASCII value, and the new one. If the new value of
a character is defined as 0, that character is completely striped.
It is sometimes useful to have an incoming and/or outgoing translate
table load automatically when Telix is run. If the file TELIXIN.XLT
exists at Telix start-up, it is assumed to be a default incoming char-
acter translate table, and is loaded into that slot. Similarly, if the
file TELIXOUT.XLT exists at start-up, it is assumed to be the default
outgoing translate table, and loaded.
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Chat Mode
Normally while using Telix with a remote host, your characters are not
echoed by Telix. When you type a character, it is sent to the remote
host, which checks it and then sends it back to you, and only then is
it printed on your screen. However if two users want to chat with each
other this becomes a problem, because each user's software expects the
other side to echo the characters back, and since it doesn't, nothing
is printed. Telix has a special Chat Mode to deal with this.
When you press Alt-Y Telix enters Chat Mode. Any characters you type
are printed on your screen immediately, without having to be echoed by
the other side. As well, it takes only a Carriage Return to advance to
a new line, a Line Feed character is not needed immediately af-
terwards. Telix also splits the streams of text. Any characters you
type are displayed on the bottom half of the screen, while the char-
acters coming from the remote side are displayed on the top half of
the screen. When you wish to exit Chat Mode, press the Esc key.
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Clear Screen
To clear the screen press Alt-C. The screen will be cleared to the de-
fault colors, and the cursor will be placed in the upper left-hand
corner.
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Local Echo
Pressing Alt-E will toggle local echo on and off. If local echo is on,
characters you type are printed on the screen. If local echo is off
characters you type are not printed on the screen, they must be sent
back to you by the remote host to be printed by the screen. Most hosts
are set up so that local echo should be off; they will do the echoing.
This is called a full duplex host. Often however when talking to an-
other user, or when talking to a half duplex host, local echo must be
turned on to see the characters you type.
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Add Line Feeds
When a line of characters is received from a remote system, it is usu-
ally terminated by a Carriage Return followed by a Line Feed charac-
ter. If the Line Feed character is missing lines will overwrite each
other. If this seems to be happening when you are connected to a re-
mote host then you must make Telix add Line Feeds to each incoming
Carriage Return. Pressing Shift-Tab will toggle the adding of Line-
Feed characters. If this option is on, every time a Carriage Return is
received, a Line Feed is added immediately after it.
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Break Signal
Some hosts require the use of a special modem signal called a Break
signal, to do certain tasks like end transmissions. To make Telix send
a Break signal to the remote host press Ctrl-End.
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DOORWAY Mode
Pressing Alt-= while in Terminal Mode will toggle DOORWAY mode on/off.
DOORWAY mode is used by the DOORWAY utility by Dudley Marshall, and
several other applications. While in DOORWAY mode, when a key is
pressed Telix simply sends its raw scan code out the serial port, as
returned by the PC's BIOS keyboard function. Note that since for any
key except Alt-=, Telix just sends the value to the serial port, you
must first switch out of DOORWAY mode to perform any Telix function.
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Miscellaneous Functions
Pressing Alt-M while in Terminal Mode will cause Telix to display the
Misc. Functions menu
Sending Modem Strings
To re-send the Modem Init string defined in the Modem and dialing page
of the configuration Menu, select the first option of the Misc. Func-
tions Menu.
To send the Modem Auto-Answer string defined in the Modem and dialing
page of the configuration Menu, select the second option of the Misc.
Functions Menu. If this string is properly defined, the modem will be
placed in auto-answer mode.
Setting the Screen Size
The third through fifth options of the Misc. Functions Menu deal with
setting the screen size (height). These options are valid only on EGA
and/or VGA systems. Note that a standard EGA system can switch only
between 25 and 43 lines, and can not handle 50. Note that some VGA
cards can switch only between 25 and 50 lines, and can not handle 43.
Trying to use one of these options on a system not equipped with an
EGA or VGA video card is not allowed.
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