520 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
520 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
TIC - Talk is Cheap
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Copyright 1987
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By Donald Elton
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Carolina System Software
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Documentation:
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--------------
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This is an abbreviated documentation file intended to give you enough
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information about TIC to let you try it out while you decide if you
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want to buy the full package that includes the complete 40 page user's
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guide. It is not all inclusive and the package you downloaded isn't
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all inclusive either but is there to let you 'try before you buy'.
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Features:
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---------
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TIC is a ProDOS based terminal program for the Apple //e and Apple //c
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personal computers with an Apple Super Serial card or equivalent in
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slot 2 and an optional printer attached to slot 1.
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TIC also supports the new Apple IIgs with either an Apple Super Serial
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card plugged into slot 2 or using the built-in IIgs serial port.
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This program supports a standard TTY terminal mode along with several
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terminal emulations and file transfer protocols:
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xmodem, xmodem crc, ymodem, ymodem crc, turbo xmodem/ymodem and
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Ascii Express (tm USII) protocol for ProDOS file transfers. Ascii
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text uploads are also supported using x-on/x-off protocol with user
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selectable prompt, character, and line delays.
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A copy buffer can be used to record an online session or to download
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a file where protocol modes are not available. The copy buffer may
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be saved to disk either automatically when the buffer fills or manually.
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Getting Online:
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---------------
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TIC automatically places you right in terminal mode as soon as you leave
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the title screen. You can dial your modem either manually by typing in
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the commands that your modem recognizes (see your modem manual) or under
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the control of command/macro files (described below). It's usually best
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to get comfortable with the manual method before venturing to use the
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command files. For Hayes compatible modems you can dial the phone by
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typing ATD followed by the phone number and then hit the RETURN key.
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Hardware Set-up:
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----------------
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Note that in order to use this program with the Apple Super Serial card
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you must have switch 6, block 2 turned to the ON position thus enabling
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interrupts.
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If you are using this program with the Apple IIgs port then you need to
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set your Control panel to select MODEM PORT for slot 2. Depending on your
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cable you may need to set the modem port to DCD HANDSHAKE OFF. The other
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options on the modem port screen should be left at their default values
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as TIC will control them directly.
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About Shareware:
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----------------
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This is a Shareware program. This means that it is distributed primarily
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electronically via bulletin board programs and information systems. You
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may distribute this program freely with the stipulation that users of the
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program are advised of the shareware nature of this product. I ask that
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if you use this program that you send me $30 to help support me in writing
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programs like this. Given that competitive products for the Apple
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generally sell for twice this amount I think this is a fair thing to ask.
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In return for the $30 you get a nice manual, technical support, update
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notices, and a good feeling inside for helping to keep down the high
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cost of quality apple software. If this product gets good user support
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via the shareware agreement then it will continue to be updated with
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new features, largely at the suggestions of users. Shareware distribution
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has the potential of being a great way to distribute great apple software
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at minimal prices because of the minimal distribution costs. Help keep
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a good thing going and send your check today to:
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Don Elton
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3207 Berkeley Forest Drive
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Columbia, SC 29209-4111
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803 776 3936 (300-2400 baud)
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If you'd like to make any comments or suggestions concerning TIC please
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feel free to send them to me at the above address.
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Commisions:
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-----------
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Oh yeah, new idea. The copy of TIC that you are using has a Serial number
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affixed to the title screen. This is the serial number of the user who
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registered the copy you are using. If this serial number is 0 then you
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got this copy directly from me. When you register TIC you should list
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the serial number of the copy of TIC you were using so I can send a $5
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finder's fee to the person who actually registered the copy you first tried
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out. This will work the same for you too... This means that if you give
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10 copies of TIC away to friends and all 10 of them register the program
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by paying the $30 shareware fee then I'll mail you a check for $50.
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If you upload the program to a bulletin board and 100 people register
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and give your serial number with their order then I mail you $500. Just
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another incentive for you to register the program yourself and to encourage
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others to do the same. Thanks for your support.
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Terminal Emulation:
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-------------------
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TIC can now do screen emulation of many popular terminals. This
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is accomplished by the loading of special termcap definition files
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which contain the necessary translation tables to do the particular
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emulation. The default is TTY (no emulation). You may specify the
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termcap definition file you want to use from the OA-M menu. From this
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entry (9) you enter the pathname required to reach the termcap file
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assuming that the prefix is set to the root directory. You may
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optionally use a full pathname at this entry. You may also specify a
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termcap file using the EMULATE statement from a command file. Note that
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ZOOM mode is only available from TTY mode.
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You may use the supplied DEFTERM basic program to define your own
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terminals. You need to have some idea of what makes up a terminal
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emulation to use this program so do so at your own risk.
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Note that TIC can only emulate terminals that are based on binary
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codes. This leaves out the VT-100/VT-200 series since they are based
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on ascii codes. They may be supported in a future version of TIC.
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Command File Documentation:
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--------------------------
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Talk is Cheap (TIC) versions 0.27 and above support a powerful Command
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file feature that allows a user to automate most functions internal to TIC.
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This document is a supplemental user's guide to describe how the Command file
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feature works and to specify the language of statements used within Command
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files. There are also several new features, not related to Command files that
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have been added to TIC as a result of user suggestions.
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Note: OA-X refers to the Open Apple plus "X" key combination. CA-X refers to
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the Closed Apple plus "X" key combination. Note that the newer Apple
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IIgs and //e keyboards substitute "OPTION" for the Closed Apple key.
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TIC now supports powerful Command files. These Command files, if properly
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named, are automatically executed when you press the Closed Apple key together
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with a letter key or they may be specified manually using the OA-X command
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described above. If the user presses the CA-A combination then TIC will look
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for a file named "TIC.KEY.A" to execute as a command file. Command files that
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are executed as keyboard Macros are called Macro Command Files. In order for
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TIC to find its Command files, TIC keeps up with the concept of a Root
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directory. The Root directory is the directory that TIC resides in when it is
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run. All Macro Command Files must reside in the Root directory.
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At startup time, if a file named "TIC.STARTUP" is found in the Root
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directory then TIC will execute it as a Command file automatically. If you are
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using a program selector such as the Extended Command Processor (ECP) then you
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may specify an alternate startup Command file at run-time by specifying the
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alternate file name after the TIC file name:
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:tic <file>
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The above would start TIC and force TIC to execute <file> as the startup
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Command file.
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In order to invoke Macro Command files, you must have a text file named
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TIC.MACROS in TIC's Root directory. Each line of this file should begin
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with the letter of a valid Macro key. i.e. if you start a line in
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TIC.MACROS with "A" then you should have a file named "TIC.KEY.A" in the
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same Root directory with TIC. The remainder of the line should start
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immediately after the letter identifier and should be the name of the
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service associated with the particular Macro key. An example TIC.MACROS file
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might contain:
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aApple BBS
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bRadio Shack BBS
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cMy BBS
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fYour BBS
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Most Command file operations can be aborted by pressing the ESC key. There may
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be a short delay in aborting certain Command file functions.
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TIC Command file Syntax:
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TIC Command files are text files created by any text editor. They consist
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of lines of text with a single command per line. Blank lines are ignored as
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are leading and trailing spaces which may be included in the file to improve
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readability. Upper and lower case characters are allowed and will not affect
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parsing. TIC does not check the file type of Command files.
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Command List:
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#
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This is the comment character. It is a command that is ignored. One or
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more blank characters must follow the # symbol. Labels are defined
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as the first word following the # symbol. Thus to encode the label
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'start' in a Command file you would use the following:
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# start <-- this is a label.. "Start"
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BUFFER ON
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Turns on the recording buffer.
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BUFFER OFF
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Turns off the recording buffer.
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BUFFER CLEAR
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Erases the recording buffer.
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BUFFER SAVE
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Saves the recording buffer to the autosave file.
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BUFFER WRITE <file>
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Saves the recording buffer to <file>.
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DISPLAY <string>
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The <string> is displayed to the CRT. <string> may contain imbedded
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control characters or you may encode them by prefixing a letter key
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with the "^" symbol. Thus, "^C" is Control-C. Use "^^" to encode a
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single "^" character literally. Note that the characters displayed
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are sent to the CRT using the communications console driver so
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carriage returns and line feeds must be encoded separately as "^M^J".
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Either single or double quotes are required if <string> contains
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imbedded blanks.
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DO <label>
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Calls a subroutine that begins with the line following <label>. See also,
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RETURN. Note that only one DO procedure may be active at one time.
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EMULATE <pathname>
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Emulate the terminal defined in the termcap file found at <pathname>.
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Specify TTY for no emulation.
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GOTO <label>
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Transfers control to the statement following <label>.
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HANGUP
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Hangs up the telephone connection.
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IF EXISTS <path> <statement>
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If <path> exists then exeucte <statement>. Otherwise, execution continues
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with the statements that follow this statement.
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IF FAILED <statement>
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If the previous statement failed (i.e. a WAITFOR statement didn't find its
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target before the time limit expired) then <statement> is executed.
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Otherwise, control passes to the next statement and <statement> is
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ignored.
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IF KEYBOARD <CHAR> <LABEL>
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If the most recently pressed keyboard character matches <CHAR> then
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continue execution with the statement following <LABEL>.
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PAUSE <seconds>
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Execution pauses for the duration specified in <seconds>. If <seconds> is
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omitted then execution will pause for approximately one second.
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PRINT INIT <string>
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Sets the printer initialization string as specified. Control characters
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can be encoded just like DISPLAY.
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PRINT OFF
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Turns off online printing.
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PRINT ON
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Turns on online printing.
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PRINT SCREEN
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Prints the current screen.
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QUIT
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The ProDOS QUIT MLI call will cause TIC to shutdown and exit to the
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selector program.
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RECEIVE <file>
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Receives <file> from a host computer using Xmodem, Ymodem, or ProDOS
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xmodem protocol.
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RETURN
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This statement returns control back to the next line following the last
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executed DO statement.
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SEND <file> PRODOS
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Transmits <file> to a host computer using ProDOS Xmodem protocol.
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SEND <file> TEXT
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Transmits <file> to a host computer using Ascii protocol using the
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previously defined prompt, line delay, and character delay.
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SEND <file> XMODEM
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Transmits <file> to a host computer using Xmodem protocol.
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SEND <file> YMODEM
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Transmits <file> to a host computer using Ymodem protocol.
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SET APPEND ON
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SET APPEND OFF
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This determines whether automatic buffer saves are appended to the
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original autosave file. The default is SET APPEND OFF which
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means that when each buffer save is done, a new autosave file
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is created with a higher number appended to the end of the
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file name. This limits you to 10 autosave files of about 16K each.
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If you SET APPEND ON then all buffer saves will be appended to the
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end of the current autosave file creating a single large file.
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SET AUTOSAVE <file>
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This sets a new autosave file. The <file> name should be at least 3
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characters in length.
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SET BAUD 300
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SET BAUD 1200
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SET BAUD 2400
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SET BAUD 4800
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SET BAUD 9600
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SET BAUD 19200
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Sets the Baud rate as indicated.
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SET BINARY2 AUTO
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SET BINARY2 MANUAL
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AUTO is the default. This determines whether TIC will automatically
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unpack Binary II files as they are downloaded.
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SET BUFFER AUTO
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SET BUFFER MANUAL
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AUTO is the default. This determines whether TIC will automatically turn
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its copy buffer on and off upon receipt of the Control-R and Control-T signals
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from the host. To disable this feature, use the SET BUFFER MANUAL statement
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within a command file.
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SET CDELAY <0-9>
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SET LDELAY <0-9>
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Sets the Character or Line delay timer for Text file uploads. These
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settings default to 0 if you do not set them and remain set until you
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reset them or re-run TIC.
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SET DFORMAT 8N1
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SET DFORMAT 7E1
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SET DFORMAT 7O1
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SET DFORMAT 7E2
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SET DFORMAT 7O2
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Sets the data bits, parity, and stop bits for the serial port.
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SET DUPLEX FULL
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SET DUPLEX HALF
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SET DUPLEX CHAT
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Sets Duplex to full, half, or chat for terminal mode.
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SET ECHO ON
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SET ECHO OFF
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Enables or disables the display of Command file statements as they
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execute. These statements are used primarily to debug Command files.
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SET PADCR ON
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SET PADCR OFF
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Enables or disables TIC adding a space character to blank lines during
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text mode uploads. The default value is ON.
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SET PORT SSC
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SET PORT IIGS
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Sets the communications driver to Super Serial Card or IIgs internal port.
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This command overrides the initial card identification routine in
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TIC.
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SET PREFIX <path>
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Sets the ProDOS prefix.
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SET PROMPT <character>
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Sets the handshaking prompt for text uploads.
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SET SLOT <1,2,4,5,6,7>
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Tells TIC where to find your Super Serial card (or clone) that you with to
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use for the communications port. Has no effect when used with an internal
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port on the Apple IIgs since its port is fixed at slot 2.
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SET TIMER <seconds>
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Sets the time limit for WAITFOR searches.
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STOP
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The Command file is terminated if this command is encountered. No error
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message is displayed.
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VIEW <file>
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<file> is displayed to the CRT.
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WAITFOR KEYBOARD
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Execution will pause until a key is pressed at the keyboard or until the
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time limit expires. If time expires then FAILED becomes true and can
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be tested by the IF statement.
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WAITFOR STRING <string>
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Execution will pause until <string> is received over the serial port or
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until the time limit expires. If <string> is omitted then execution
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pauses until any character is received over the serial port. Note
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that <string> may contain imbedded control characters just like the
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DISPLAY command.
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WAITFOR TIME '00:00'
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Execution will pause until the specified time matches the ProDOS system
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time. You should not use this command if you do not have a ProDOS
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compatible clock installed. Note that the time string must be
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exactly 5 characters long and must be encoded in 24 hour format.
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XMIT <string>
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The <string> is transmitted out the serial port. Note that imbedded
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control characters may be encoded in <string> just like with the
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DISPLAY command.
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Turbo Xmodem:
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-------------
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Turbo Xmodem is a means of speeding up xmodem or ymodem downloads.
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It works by pre-acknowledging incoming blocks of data to eliminate the
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delay that slows down xmodem transfers between blocks of data. On the
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down side, a single data error will result in an aborted transfer.
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In addition, you can only use this mode when downloading to a ram disk.
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This file transfer protocol can speed up xmodem downloads by as much as
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100% but has limited utility because of the limitations noted above. It
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is included by popular demand.
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