PCOMM(1)

NAME
pcomm - a telecommunication program

SYNOPSIS
pcomm [ -d directory ] [ -f system name ]

DESCRIPTION
Pcomm is a public domain telecommunication program for Unix that is designed to operate similar to the MSDOS program, ProComm. ProComm (TM) is copyrighted by Datastorm Technologies, Inc.

The -d option is used to specify an additional path to search for the Pcomm support files.

The -f option is used to specify automatic dialing of an entry in the dialing directory. The name field in the dialing directory is checked against the string given on the command line. If a match is found, that entry is automatically dialed.

Whenever Pcomm is in the command mode, a status line is displayed at the bottom of the screen. The eight fields of the status line are:

    • help screen command (or a temporary message)
    • name of the TTY device in use
    • duplex mode (FDX = full duplex, HDX = half duplex)
    • current line settings
    • status of data logging option
    • status of printer logging option
    • incoming CR translation
    • outgoing CR translation

COMMANDS
The following commands are accessible by pressing a user definable ``hot key'' followed by a letter, number, or arrow key. The default ``hot key'' is control-A. The notation ``^A-X'' means control-A followed by the letter X. The dash (-) is for clarity, and is not a part of the command sequence.

^A-0
    Help Screen. Display a brief review of the available commands. Uses the number zero ``0'' not the letter ``O''.

^A-D
    Dialing Directory. The dialing directory screen is used to display and maintain the database of phone number entries, and to select an entry for dialing. To dial an entry, just enter the entry number at the prompt. If the ``script'' field contains valid Unix shell script, that file is used to automatically log the user on to the remote system. See the Pcomm Reference Manual for the format and use of the script files. The following commands are available from the dialing directory:

    R   Revise (or add) a dialing directory entry or a long distance dialing code.

    P   Print (display) the long distance dialing codes.

    up/down
        Scroll the dialing directory up or down 10 lines. Uses the up and down arrow keys.

    M   Manual dial. Prompts for a phone number rather than using a number already in the dialing directory.

    D   Delete an entry or a range of entries.

    L   Print. Send the dialing directory to the printer or a file of your choice.

^A-R
    Automatic redial of selected dialing directory entries. Prompts the user for a list of directory entries to be placed in the queue. Pcomm will dial the numbers in a cycle until one of them answers.

^A-M
    Allows the user to maintain a list of keyboard macros assigned to the shifted number keys. When pressed, the string assigned to that key is sent to the remote system.

^A-P
    Adjust the current communication line settings. Display a menu of baud rate, parity, data bit, and stop bit choices. Allows the new choice to be saved and become the default. After dialing a remote, the line settings in the dialing directory entry are automatically used. The current line settings are shown in the status line.

^A-X
    Exit from Pcomm.

^A-4
    Spawn a Unix shell while still communicating with the remote system. Uses the ``native'' shell as described in the SHELL environmental variable.

^A-I
    Display the program information screen.

^A-S
    Display a choice of setup screens. The following sub-menus are available:

    1   TTY Setup. This setup assigns the TTY ports that Pcomm is allowed to use, and what is attached to each port.

    2   Modem Setup. The modem setup contains the commands to make the modem dial, hang up the phone, etc.

    3   Terminal Setup. The terminal setup contains the definition of the ``hot key'' and the mapping of the end-of-line characters.

    4   General Setup. The general setup contains the default log file name, and the set of character synonyms.

    5   ASCII Transfer Setup. This setup screen contains additional character translations allowed during ASCII file transfers.

    6   External Protocol Setup. This setup screen allows the user to imbed the names of external file transfer programs into the list of available protocols.

    S   Save the changes to disk.

^A-B
    Change the current working directory.

^A-C
    Clear the local screen and home the cursor.

^A-E
    Toggle the duplex mode from full to half, or from half to full. The status line shows the current duplex mode.

^A-H
    Hang up the phone. Disconnect the phone, but remain in Pcomm.

^A-L
    Toggle the printer on and off. Since the printer is accessed through the normal Unix spool program, the output is not sent to the printer until after this feature is turned off.

^A-3
    Toggle the incoming line termination characters between the carriage return and the carriage return line feed pair. This affects the terminal session only, not the file transfers. The current settings are shown in the status line.

^A-7
    Send a modem break. This is not the same as the break key on the keyboard.

^A-up
    Display a menu of file transfer protocols to be used to send files to a remote system. Uses the up arrow key.

^A-down
    Display file transfer protocols to be used to receive files from a remote system. Uses the down arrow key.

^A-F
    Display the contents of a Unix directory.

^A-G
    Dump the contents of the screen to a specified file. Special graphics characters may not be represented accurately in the file.

^A-1
    Begin data logging. Prompts the user for the name of the file that will be used to collect a complete record of the terminal session.

^A-2
    Toggle the data logging option without prompting for a new file name. The status line shows the current data logging mode.

FILE TRANSFERS
Pcomm understands the following file transfer protocols:

    protocol	packet	error	multiple
    name	size	method	files?
    ---------	--------	------------	--------
    xmodem	128	checksum/CRC	no
    xmodem-1k	128/1024	checksum/CRC	no
    modem7	128	checksum	yes
    ymodem	128/1024	CRC	yes
    ymodem-g	128/1024	none	yes
    ASCII	none	none	no
    zmodem	128/1024	CRC	yes
    (external)	?	?	?

Pcomm can use an external program, such as Kermit or a proprietary program, to transfer files. Commonly used external programs (such as zmodem in the example above) can have their names imbedded into the list of available protocols.

CONFIGURATION
Pcomm must have access to the terminfo or termcap data for the terminal being used. The minimum capabilities include a screen size of at least 80 columns by 24 lines and cursor movement capabilities. Running Pcomm from terminals at relatively slow speeds (i.e. 1200 baud) will cause the windows to appear sluggish.

Terminals that don't have arrow keys or systems without the newer versions of curses(3) will require the user to substitute the letter ``U'' for ``up arrow'' and ``N'' for ``down arrow''.

There are four Pcomm support files that contain the dialing directory, the external file transfer programs, the modem/TTY database, and the start-up default parameters. Users may maintain private versions of these files in a directory of their choice. Pcomm also uses normal Unix shell scripts to perform the ``chat'' sequences necessary to automatically log a user onto a remote system. Pcomm uses the environmental variable PCOMM to search for the ``private'' support file and the auto-login shell scripts. The following directories are searched to find the files:

    • directory given with the -d option
    • directory in the PCOMM environmental variable
    • current directory
    • default directory (compiled into Pcomm)

The ``script'' field in the dialing directory serves two purposes. The first use is to identify the shell script to use for auto-login. The second use is to specify a TTY name for a given entry. If the ``script'' is a valid device name, that device is used instead of searching the TTY database for a free port.

FILES
pcomm.dial_dir          the dialing directory
pcomm.extrnl            the external file transfer programs
pcomm.modem             the modem/TTY database
pcomm.param             the start-up default parameters

SEE ALSO
Pcomm Reference Manual, xmodem(1), mdm(1)