NOVATERM 9.6 Documentation pages Contents | Introduction | Getting Started | Getting Familiar | On-line Activities | Configuration | Disk Utilities | Scripts | Utility Modules | Appendices ___________________________________________________________ 1. GETTING STARTED This section shows you how to start up Novaterm, goes through the initial configuration, and explains various basic concepts. 1.1 Starting up the program If you are starting Novaterm for the first time, the program will help you configure your copy of the software by leading you through a series of questions. In any menu, use the cursor keys to move the highlight bar, and press RETURN to make a selection. 1.1.1 Selecting a modem type The first item in the configuration asks for your modem type. If you are not using a 1650, 1660, or 1670 (old-style Commodore modems), you must select Hayes compatible as your modem type. Most consumer-grade modems today are Hayes-compatible. Other modem types are not supported at this time. 1.1.2 Specifying your modem's maximum speed If you selected Hayes compatible as your modem, you will be asked to specify the maximum speed of your modem. 1.1.3 Selecting a serial device Next, the configuration program asks you to specify a serial device. Novaterm uses a device-independent interface to implement serial communications. A "serial device", as described here, is any set of hardware connected to the Commodore 64 that provides an interface to a serial port. In general, the serial port itself (usually a 9-pin or 25-pin male RS232 connector) is also a part of this hardware in some way, so the serial device is the bridge between the computer and the port. For information on where to obtain these devices, see Appendix C, Vendor information. Novaterm currently has drivers for the following devices: SwiftLink: This driver uses the SwiftLink cartridge. The SwiftLink cartridge plugs into the cartridge port, and can operate at speeds up to 38,400 bps. CommPort: This driver uses the CommPort cartridge. The CommPort cartridge plugs into the cartridge port, and can operate at speeds up to 38,400 bps. HART: This driver uses the HART cartridge. The HART cartridge plugs into the cartridge port, and can operate at speeds up to 57,600 bps. UP9600: This driver, written by Daniel Dallman, uses a modified RS232 interface to achieve 9600 bps through the user port. If you select "I have no serial cartridge", Novaterm uses the User port driver: User port: This driver uses the Commodore 64's built-in user port. It should be used if you have a modem directly connected to the user port (such as a 1650, 1660, or 1670), or if you are using a standard RS232 interface that plugs into the user port. The user port can only operate at speeds up to 2400 bps. Higher speeds are not allowed when using this driver. 1.1.3.1 Selecting a CommPort/SwiftLink address If you specified a SwiftLink or CommPort as your serial device, you must specify its memory address. A SwiftLink is shipped with an address of $DE00, but it may be moved by physically altering the cartridge, or by using an AddressFixer device (see Appendix C, Vendor information). A CommPort is shipped with an address of $DF00, but it may be relocated in a similar manner. The following addresses are available: $DE00: This address should be selected for a standard SwiftLink, or for a CommPort mapped to $DE00. $DF00: This address should be selected for a standard CommPort, or for a SwiftLink mapped to $DF00. $DE20: This address should be selected for a SwiftLink or CommPort mapped to $DE20. $DF20: This address should be selected for a SwiftLink or CommPort mapped to $DF20. $D700: This address should be selected for a SwiftLink or CommPort mapped to $D700. This can only be used on a C128 in 64 mode. 1.1.4 Selecting a dialing method Select whether you wish the modem to dial with tone or pulse. 1.1.5 Selecting a C128 VDC screen driver (C128 in 64 mode only) If you are running a C128 in 64 mode, and if you have an 80-column RGB monitor, you have the option of using the C128's 80-column screen. You can choose either a 25-line display or a 28-line display. If you choose 28-line mode, you may need to enter terminal mode later and adjust your monitor to bring all the lines onto the screen. If you can't use the C128's 80-column mode, just select "Give me the regular screen". If you are running a C64, this option will not be presented to you. 1.1.6 Specifying colors and fonts If you did not or were not able to select a C128 80-column screen above, you are presented with the following options to configure Novaterm's bitmapped 80-column mode. The next item allows you to set the default screen colors. Pressing RETURN repeatedly on any of the three options toggles through the 16 colors. After the screen color menu, the configuration program asks you to choose between two types of 80-column printing styles. Choose whichever is easier to read. The "normal" font has characters three pixels wide, which may be hard to read but do have space between them. The "wide" font has characters four pixels wide, which may be easier to read but are crammed together because there is no space between each character. The following item allows you to choose a color combination for 80-column mode from a predefined set of choices. Choose the one that is easiest for you to read. 1.1.7 Specifying device settings If you have more than one disk drive, you are asked to specify which device should be used for the following operations (see section 4.7.2, Device settings): * File transfers (uploading and downloading) * Buffer file copy operations * Printer and secondary address 1.1.8 Specifying the memory device Finally, the configuration program asks you to specify a memory expansion device for the buffer, if you have one. Novaterm has a device-independent interface for accessing memory, which means that Novaterm can use a variety of memory expansion devices for the buffer with the appropriate driver. Each driver uses all of the available memory in the device (except for the RAMLink/RAMDrive driver; see below). Each driver also has a maximum directory size (number of files) that may be stored in the buffer directory. For information on where to obtain these devices, see Appendix C, Vendor information. internal: Uses the internal memory of the Commodore 64. With this driver, your buffer is limited to 4.5K of internal memory (the RAM located under the kernal ROM). The maximum size of the directory is 22 files. VDC+internal: Uses the internal memory of the Commodore 64 as well as the Commodore 128's VDC memory. This driver only works if you are using a Commodore 128 in 64 mode. It uses the 16K or 64K of RAM assoicated with the VDC chip (the driver detects how much is available), as well as the internal memory of the Commodore 64, for a total of 20.5K or 68.5K of space. The maximum size of the directory is 64 files. If you chose a C128 80-column screen previously (see 1.1.5), this option will instead configure the VDC-alt+int driver, which avoids using the first 16K of VDC memory (leaving it for the 80-column screen). If you only have 16K of VDC memory installed in your computer, this driver only uses the 4.5K of internal memory. If you have 64K of VDC memory, the driver uses the upper 48K of that memory, for a total of 52.5K of buffer space. REU: Uses a RAM Expansion Unit (1700/1750/1764). The driver detects the size of the REU. (The driver will detect REU's expanded to 2 MB, and even more if it's ever done.) The maximum size of the directory is 144 files. The driver also allocates three pages (768 bytes) of memory for use with the fast-REU 80-column driver (see 4.2.1, 80-column driver). BBG-GEORam: Uses a BBGRam or GEORam. The driver detects the size of the unit (BBGRam cartridges are available in sizes up to 2 MB). The maximum size of the directory is 144 files. RAMDrive: Uses a RAMDrive. This driver searches for a direct access (DACC) partition in your RAMDrive with the name "novaterm". The partition can be any number and any size; the driver detects its size and allocates the memory in the partition for the buffer. The maximum size of the directory is 144 files. RAMLink: Uses a RAMLink. This driver searches for a direct access (DACC) partition in your RAMLink with the name "novaterm". The partition can be any number and any size; the driver detects its size and allocates the memory in the partition for the buffer. The maximum size of the directory is 144 files. 1.1.9 Dealing with a hardware conflict Certain combinations of a serial device and memory expansion device result in a hardware conflict. This means that the two specified devices use the same addresses for access. This will cause problems when Novaterm or another program tries to access one; the other will be accessed at the same time. To help avoid this situation, the configuration program notifies you when a selection of drivers would result in a conflict. It gives you the option of going back to choose a different driver for either the serial device or the memory device. Section 4.8 provides more detail about hardware conflicts. 1.1.10 Selecting a real-time clock device Novaterm provides several methods of setting the Commodore 64's internal clock from an outside source. Select from one of the following choices: CMD-RTC: If you have a hard drive or floppy drive from Creative Micro Designs, Inc., or a RAMLink with a real-time clock installed, choose this method. This driver scans devices 8 through 30 for a CMD drive with a clock using the T-RB disk command. Novaterm reads the time from the first drive that does not report an error from this command. BBRTC-port1: If you have a BBRTC device from Performance Peripherals, Inc. plugged into joystick port 1, choose this method. BBRTC-port2: If you have a BBRTC device from Performance Peripherals, Inc. plugged into joystick port 2, choose this method. Manual: If you do not have any of the above real-time clocks, choose Manual. This method asks you to enter the current time in 24-hour format. All of the above drivers read and set the real-time clock when you start up Novaterm, except for the Manual option. If you have selected the Manual driver, you will not be prompted for the current time when you start up Novaterm; instead, you must select the driver again from Novaterm's Configuration menu. At that time, Novaterm prompts you for the current time. 1.2 Novaterm basics 1.2.1 Using menus All menus in Novaterm work the same way: Use the up/down cursor key to move a highlight bar up and down the options, and press RETURN to select a highlighted option. You may also press a number that corresponds to an item, even though menu items are not labeled with numbers. Pressing the 1 key will instantly select the first item of a menu, pressing the 2 key will select the second item, and so forth. Pressing the numeric key has the effect of moving the bar to the corresponding item and pressing RETURN. If there are more than nine items on a list, then letters are used for the tenth item and beyond; the A key selects the tenth item, the B key selects the eleventh item, and so on. For extra convenience, the F1 key always selects the last item of a menu. Usually, the last item is Quit or Main menu, which leaves the menu. Therefore, you may always use the F1 key to jump out of the current menu. Even if a given menu does not have Quit or some variant as the last item, you may still use the F1 key to leave the menu. 1.2.2 Entering text From time to time, Novaterm will ask you to enter text in response to some command. (For instance, you will often be asked to enter a file name.) When entering text, you may use the DEL key to back up and correct any mistakes. Pressing RETURN finishes your entry. Sometimes, you will see some text already in the area where you want to type. This usually happens when you are asked to change a parameter, and the previous value of that parameter is displayed for you. In this situation, the right-arrow key will function just as you'd expect; it will keep the character that appears under the cursor and make it part of your new entry. 1.2.3 The modular approach Modules are single files all of the same type. They are used to support different hardware, or different features that share the same basic functions. For instance, modems all do the same basic things: they can dial a phone number, send and receive data, detect a carrier signal, and so forth. However, different modems may require different programming to perform the same tasks. With Novaterm, a module may exist for each type of modem. Each function (such as dialing) has a common access point, so the rest of the software doesn't care what type of modem you specify. The other modules behave the same way. Listed below is a summary of all of the different types of modules used by Novaterm. If you don't know what some of the descriptions mean, you'll learn about them in other sections of the manual. Prefix: Description: Manual section: 80col 80-column drivers 4.2.1 asc ASCII translation tables 7.2 font 40-column fonts 4.2.2 font80 80-column fonts 7.3 modem Modem types 4.4.1 nova Utility programs 7 prt File transfer protocols 3.4.3 ram Memory expansion drivers 1.1.7 serial RS232 serial drivers 1.1.3 term Terminal emulations 3.1.1 time Time setting modules 1.1.10 tmod Scripts to load emulations 3.1.1 ___________________________________________________________ Contents | Introduction | Getting Started | Getting Familiar | On-line Activities | Configuration | Disk Utilities | Scripts | Utility Modules | Appendices