Term/2 for OS/2
Version 2.00 ***BETA*** Built 02/20/97
This utility allows any OS/2 computer that has both tcp/ip connectivity in some form (lan,
SLIP,PPP, whatever) and a available async (rs-232) port to "spawn" a telnet session to this
available port.
What this is useful for? If you're many of the computer users out there, you know that
many terminals have come onto the used market for $20 - $50 range. VT220's, VT420's,
ADM 3A's and other terminals have become available to the everyday OS/2 user.
This can be useful for several situations:
- You are a school and need to provide cheap internet connectivity. With several cheap
terminals and a 28.8 or higher modem, the sessions remain very responsive, requiring
only 1 computer (with several rs-232 ports, but this application uses standard calls,
so Digiboards and the like will work with no problems.)
- Someone wants to read PINE on your $4000 OS/2 superstation. Give him/her their own
machine.
- You'd like several people to work on your OS/2 machine. Setting ifconfig to route
to localhost and running the telnet daemon is a quick fix for "multi-user" OS/2.
- Many other uses .....
*** NEW FEATURES WITH 2.0 ***
Full telnet negotiation. term2 supports full telnet negotiation.
Support any terminal. You can specify in this beta term2 comx VT-100, the last parameter is
passed, however unchecked.
A much more rhobust version all around, knock on wood. This is a beta.....
*** Requirements ***
You must have TCP/IP connectivity *OR* loopback 127.0.0.1 enabled
The terminal needs to be connect and configured with the communications paramters that
will work with the COM port selected. MODE 9600,n,8,1 does no good if your terminal is set
to 1200,7,e,1.
You must configure the communcations for the particular COMM port before you start the program.
*** Usage ***
The application is a command line utiltiy that takes these arguments:
c:\term\term COM1 [OPTIONAL TERMINAL TYPE STRING]
COM1 being the communications port you have setup using the MODE command.
This program assumes that you have setup the communication parameters via a OS/2 MODE statement.
For example, you need to do something like this:
mode com2,19200,n,8,1,,XON=yes
and to test it, just type ECHO TEST >COM2.
If you see "TEST" on the terminal, this is a good indication that the local connection is working.
Once the application is running a command prompt will be seen on the terminal. Press ? for current
help. The text file termtype is a list of valid terminal types for many telnet clients. Remember,
those are just standard names, and does not imply that your terminal is supported by whatever
telnet daemon your trying to connect to.
*** Update History ***
Version 2.00 - BETA This is all new code, from the ground up.
*** Notes ***
99.9% of the problems are with the handshaking (if you see garbled characters) between the PC and the terminal.
MOST modern telnet servers support a "binary" and "terminal" sub-negotiation. If yours doesn't, your
out of luck.(The IBM telnetd servers all seem to support these functions....)
*** Support ***
No warranties, expressed or implied.....
*** Features already suggested and pending ***
CTRL-C will generate a Interrupt Process to the server. Currently in the beta, this isn't supported
Support for OS/2 pipes. For BBS's etc.
Possibly be able to shell to a file transfer program??
PM interface, logging, and general bells and whistles
If you would like to send comments or suggestions for additional features, please email them to tfry@universe.digex.net
or visit the web page http://www.universe.digex.net/~tfry/term.html