MODEMSTA, version 1.0: Modem status iconic indicator for Windows using 3D animated icon! INTRODUCTION If You have an internal modem or an external modem out-of-sight of Your computer, this is the program for You! Internal modems save space on the table, save some cable mess at the backside of Your machine and generally saves a few $ as they are cheaper. However, there is one drawback, and that is the lack of the status light display, showing what the modem is doing, if it is connected and if data is flowing. ModemSta, the MODEM STATUS ICONIC INDICATOR, will help You operating Your modem by showing a small animated icon replica of a modem's front panel! Two larger indicator display windows are also available. ModemSta offers the following features: * For use with internal and external modems connected to COM1-COM4. * Automatically scans COM1-COM4 at start-up to determine available ports. * Square, horizontal and ANIMATED icon to display status lights of the signals CTS, RI, DCD, DSR, TD and RD. * Red lights/grey background 3D look. * "Always on top" setting or "Auto detect on top" feature. When the auto detect mode is select, ModemSta goes automatically into Always on top mode during Receive/Transmit activity. After a determined inactivity time (user adjustable), Always on top is deactivated until further Receive/Transmit activity. * Can be started after other programs accessing the com ports. Even possible to start during a connected modem session. * Remembers all its settings between sessions. Even if the icon area offers very limited space, I wrote this program to display six status indicators with text indicators using an animated icon because I am sure the You will appreciate the very compact format! I also made the larger square and horizontal views available, so it should cover a number of screen resolution and personal preferences. Test the "Auto detect on top" feature! With this active, ModemSta will only stay on top when the modem is activated and working! INSTALLATION It is very simple: Copy MODEMSTA.EXE to any directory of Your choice. The directory does not have to be a directory in Your PATH, but it will be easier to start the program in a PATH-directory. An initiation file (MODEMSTA.INI) with the Port setting, screen positions etc. will be created in Your Windows directory (e.g. C:\WIN) the first time You start the program. You can add the file name MODEMSTA.EXE (with path name if MODEMSTA.EXE is not located in a directory in Your PATH) to the LOAD= line or RUN= line in Your WIN.INI file or put the icon in Window's start-up group, so ModemSta loads each time You start Windows. ModemSta will always remember its setting between the sessions. Removal: Delete MODEMSTA.EXE (in the directory of Your choice) and MODEMSTA.INI (in the Windows directory, e.g. C:\WIN). THE PROGRAM AND SETTINGS ModemSta will run under Windows 3.x. ModemSta does not have to be started prior to any other application that use the internal modem. ModemSta will check COM1-COM4 and select the first active port# (e.g. COM1) first time You run the program. ModemSta will then remember all its settings from session to session. Settings can be changed using the SYSTEMS MENU: - The available COM ports are enabled at start-up time (COM ports not responding at start-up time are "greyed" in the menu and are not possible to select). Stored port# from last session is tried as default port. - Square and horizontal view can be selected using the menu. Minimizing ModemSta will show an animated icon of the square view. Double click on the icon to restore to square or horizontal view. - Checking "Always on Top" will keep ModemSta always visible. - Checking "Auto detect on Top" will activate ModemSta's auto detected Always On Top feature. ModemSta listens for activity on the Receive/Transmit lines and goes into Always On Top mode when activity is detected. After a predetermined time, ModemSta deactivates the Always On Top mode until further activity on the Receive/Transmit lines. The inactivity time setting can be changed by the user by editing the 'MODEMSTA.INI' file in the Windows directory. Use any text editor (e.g. Notepad), open 'MODEMSTA.INI' and check for the line 'AutoDelay='. Value is inactivity time in seconds. Default value is 60 (1 minute). Checking "Always on Top" will automatically deselect "Auto detect on Top" and vice versa. - "About" selection will show the usual information. ABOUT THE ICONIC INDICATOR AND MODEM STATUS SIGNALS The small icon shows six indicator lights and they are: CTS RI DCD DSR TD RD CTS = Clear To Send. This signal indicates that the modem is ready to accept data from the computer. RI = Ring Indicator. This signal indicates an incoming call. It is an hardware equivalent of the Hayes modem's RING message. DCD = Data Carrier Detect. Indicates that a signal carrier has been detected which usually means that the modem is connected to another modem. DSR = Data Set Ready. Indicated that the modem is active and waiting instructions. TD = Transmit data. Data is transmitted from the computer to the modem. FD = Receive data. Data is received to the computer from the modem. COMMENTS & LIMITATIONS - A normal modem status at computer start-up before trying to connect to another modem would normally be CTS and DSR indicators active. Some modems may also indicate DCD before a connection has been established (my internal modem shows this light after power-on). On Hays-type modems, the command AT&C1 can then be used to initiate the modem to show DCD active only when a connection has been made. - Most data communication is made without any local echo; the host machine (or modem) is echoing the character back to Your screen (the terminal). This means that inputting data from Your keyboard will normally force both the TD and RD signal active. - I have an internal modem on COM1 and the mouse connected to COM3. ModemSta then reports both ports are available, but no information can be detected on COM3, where the mouse is. - If a DOS communication program in a DOS box accesses the com ports, ModemSta will not update the status of the com lines. This limitation is not in itself due to ModemSta, but to Windows communication drivers. ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND THE AUTHOR. ModemSta was written using Borland's Turbo Pascal for Windows (TPW) version 1.5 and is my first Windows programming project. It is distributed as freeware, but if You like it and continue to use it, a contribution of UDS 5 (or equivalent in Your currency) would be appreciated! No registration is necessary and I can not guarantee any support. Send Your comments, problems and bugs to: Ted Johansson, Valborgsmassovagen 25, S-126 37 HAGERSTEN, SWEDEN Internet: eka.ekated@memo.ericsson.se Fidonet: 2:201/236 (Ted Johansson). Ted Johansson, Dr. Tech., is doing R&D at Ericsson Components AB, KISTA, SWEDEN in the area of semiconductor process and device technology, concentrating on high-frequency discrete power devices and circuits for cellular radio applications. He has been writing computer programs for pleasure since high-school and occasionally even writes programs at work. REVISION HISTORY Dec. 21, 1993: Version 1.0 First public release.