Serial Fix c 1992
by Medical Designs Software
Version 1.00
Written by: Bill Penner
Icons created by: Bruce D. Noonan, M.D.
This program may be distributed and used, free of charge,
provided that the program is distributed in complete form and
UNmodified. This software is not to be sold, however, may be
included on disks which are sold for a small handling fee.
Medical Design Software retains all copyright exclusive rights
except exclusive distribution. This software consists of the
following files: SERIALFX.PRG, SERIALFX.CPX, and SERIALFX.DOC
(this file).
PURPOSE
Serial Fix was written as an upgrade to the old TurboCTS
program, written by Bill Penner, long ago, as an attempt to fix
the old RTS/CTS problem. The problem the ST/STe/TT has, occurs
when a high speed modem is used in conjunction with ZMODEM or any
near-continuous flow transfer program is used to send data. The
ST/TT sometimes has problems properly recognizing when the modem
deasserts CTS (telling the ST/TT that the buffer is full and don't
send any more data), resulting in the ST overflowing the modem's
buffer. This results in bad data being sent which results in CRC
errors, packet size problems, and other data transmission errors.
TurboCTS was only a partial fix of the problem. TurboCTS did
manage to speed things up to the point where CTS response was
generally ok, however, that program did not work on the TT, did
not support XBRA programming requirements, and only worked for
RTS/CTS handshaking.
Serial FIX is a replacement for TurboCTS and will work with
all versions of TOS (1.0 through 3.06). Serial FIX supports FOUR
forms of handshaking: (1) XON/XOFF, (2) RTS/CTS, (3) BOTH RTS/CTS
AND XON/XOFF, and (4) NONE. The desired handshaking mode is set
from the RS232 control panel or other program as you currently do
now. The new fix is a REAL fix to the RTS/CTS problem. Previous
fixes (like TurboCTS) only fixed the symptoms of the problem.
NOTE: Although documented as legal in official Atari bindings,
TOS normally will NOT allow both XON/XOFF and RTS/CTS to be set
simultaneously. Serial FIX DOES support this option, however.
INSTALLATION:
Serial FIX is composed of two parts, a program for the AUTO
folder and a CPX file to be used with the extensible CONTROL
(XCONTROL.ACC) panel.
SERIALFX.PRG is the heart of the Serial FIX solution.
SERIALFX.PRG is intended to be installed in your AUTO folder,
although it can be ran from the desktop, and replaces the current
serial routines for the ST compatible port. The ST compatible
port is the only port on the ST and STe machines, or the Modem 1
port (ONLY!) on the MegaSTe and TT machines.
SERIALFX.CPX is a control panel to be used with the
Extensible Control Panel (XCONTROL.ACC). The CPX is used to lock
the serial routines into using at least RTS/CTS handshaking,
regardless of the desires of a program to the contrary. The file
SERIALFX.CPX is to be placed in in your folder of CPX files (often
called 'CPX').
OPERATION:
SERIALFX.PRG: Once the program has been started (either
booted in the 'AUTO' folder or run from the desktop), no special
operations are needed. The program replaces the system routines
and the port speed and handshaking are set just as they are now,
either by terminal software, CONTROL panel, or the Extensible
Control Panel.
SERIALFX.CPX: This program will allow you to lock the
handshaking in RTS/CTS mode. This is often needed because a
number of programs have been written to ignore RTS/CTS mode (like
FLASH). If the CPX is not used to lock the mode on, and RTS/CTS
mode is SET from the control panel, AND a terminal program is
started, very likely, the program would turn off RTS/CTS. With
the mode locked, the program will be unable to disable RTS/CTS.
The CPX will give you the option to save the current lock setting.
Saving the setting will cause the selected mode to be entered
every time the CPX boots up. NOTE: to be able to lock the
RTS/CTS mode on, you must use BOTH THE SERIALFX.PRG AND THE
SERIALFX.CPX.
PROGRAMMING INFORMATION:
This version of the software should now be fully XBRA
compliant. When the software starts and installs the replacement
routines, the TOS version is checked to determine the best method
of installation (read for maximum speed). Under TOS 1.0, traps 1,
13, and 14 are intercepted and processed. Under TOS 1.2, 1.4, and
1.6 (non-Bconmap() compatible machines after 1.2), the xcon vector
table is used, and only trap 14 is used to receive Rsconf() calls.
Under Bconmap() compatiable systems, bconmap (port 6) and xcon
vectors are modified so that no trap interception is necessary.
Other software can be used to lock or unlock the serial
routines. To perform this function, look in the cookie jar for a
'MDSa' cookie. The long data byte is a pointer to the following
data structure:
struct {
int lockfg; /* RTS/CTS locked flag (bit 1 =
locked) */
int (*setlock)() /* Routine to set lock status
*/
} serfx;
The lock status is set by pushing an integer with the value of
either 0 (to disable lock) or 1 (to enable) and then jsr'ing the
setlock routine (i.e. (*serfx->setlock)(1) to enable the lock).
The call can be made in user or super mode. That is all there is
to it.
WRAP UP
As normal, PLEASE let me know if you have any problems with
the program. I have attempted to make the program as compatible
with other software as possible.
Bill Penner, IAAD Member
3235 Wright Avenue
Bremerton, WA 98310-4753
Phone: (206) 373-4840 (before 9pm Pacific)
GEnie: BPENNER