W8SDZ@Mit-Mc.ARPA (06/12/84)
From: Keith Petersen <W8SDZ@Mit-Mc.ARPA>
I picked this up on the Sysop Clearinghouse RCPM last night.
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MEX-EASY.DOC 05/20/84 STEVE SANDERS
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So you got MEX10 and can't quite figure out what steps are
necessary to input the phone numbers and such...
Well, you are not alone! I have most of it figured out after a
week of playing with it and will pass on what little I do know.
ENTRY OF PHONE LIBRARY
======================
>From the MEX prompt enter "PHONE id=number", like this:
[MEX] A0>>phone a=1-555-111-1111
or
[MEX] A0>>phone alan=997-0020
The "id" string may be up to twelve characters or as few as one.
By entering "PHONE" now, the following will be displayed:
[MEX] A0>>phone
A = 1-555-111-1111
ALAN = 997-0020
The simplest way to enter a pre-done library is to make up a file
to be "READ" in by MEX. Use Wordstar in non-doc mode and edit a
file called PHONE.PHN, enter the following:
PHONE A=1-555-111-1111
PHONE ALAN=997-0020
PHONE id=numbers
PHONE etc...
Fill in as many as you want up to a maximum of 30 numbers. Then
bring up MEX and enter:
[MEX] A0>>read phone.phn
You will then see MEX "read" in each of the phone command lines
until it reaches the end of the phone.phn file. You may now
check the newly installed phone library by entering:
[MEX] A0>>phone
To make this new library a permanent part of your MEX, just use
the CLONE command now to copy an image of MEX from memory with
the library installed:
[MEX] A0>>clone mex1.com
You will now have a new file called MEX1.COM which will have the
phone library already in it.
WHAT IS INI.MEX ??
===================
When MEX is first brought up, it is pre-set to look for the file
called INI.MEX. This file contains commands to be READ in to MEX
when it is first initialized. This is very similar to the
STARTUP command under ZCPR2 which also holds a multi-command
statement to be executed after a cold boot. You may create
INI.MEX with Wordstar in non-doc mode and include any "legal"
MEX10 command line. Such as:
GLOBAL T;ID "[ MY-MEX ] ";CAL A
The form of the file is: command;command;command
Each "legal" MEX command MUST BE seperated by semicolons.
This would make the return to terminal (T) mode default after a
file "R"eceive or "S"end operation; change the ID string to read
"[ MY-MEX ]" rather than "[MEX]"; and automatically dial the
number associated with the id "A".
... Or, you can forget INI.MEX altogether and just receive a
"Can't find INI.MEX" error message on initialization. Which does
not hurt anything, it just indicates that the file is not on the
current drive/user if SEARCH = 0.
INSTALLING "KEY" STRINGS
========================
Just as MDM7xx has a CTRL-L logon, you can set one up in MEX much
the same way. Once in "T"erminal mode, the only escape back to
command state is with a CTRL-J followed by an "E". A complete
menu of escape "CTRL-J" functions is seen by entering a CTRL-J
followed by a "?" from Terminal mode.
Any other ASCII key character is a "legal" definable key that can
be used in Terminal mode for special functions. To set up the
"L" key the same as the logon key in MDM7xx, enter:
[MEX] A0>>key l="firstname;lastname^M"
NOTE: The carat "^" indicates a CTRL key and ^M is the same as a
carriage return. It MUST be inside the quote marks that
define the keystring entered.
Now once you are connected with the remote system and wish to
send your logon in, simply enter a CTRL-J followed by an "L".
If you attempt to specify one of the characters that is already
used as a Terminal mode command an error is returned. Also note
that MEX will always prompt you with a "Syntax error" message if
the command you are trying to enter is illegal.
USING THE HELP COMMAND
======================
MEX has an extensive on-line HELP facility if the HELP.MEX is on
the current drive/user along with your MEX.COM file. From the
MEX prompt enter:
[MEX] A0>>help ?
The complete list of help files available is displayed. Then
just enter HELP followed by the command name desired:
[MEX] A0>>help call
This would list the help info for the auto-dial command CAL
USING THE SENDOUT COMMAND
=========================
The SENDOUT command is used in .MEX files for automatic operation
of MEX.COM with the remote host system. The SENDOUT command will
send a string out the modem port (hence the name SENDOUT). You
can specify a prefix and a suffix for all SENDOUT strings
allowing real flexibility. Most commonly used would be a null
string for the prefix and a "^M" (carriage return) as the suffix.
The prefix and suffix can be set by INI.MEX at startup or defined
by you after MEX is up and running. Type HELP PREFIX or HELP
SUFFIX for full info on this.
If you know the DIRectory of the system you are calling, you
can build a file like this:
SENDOUT "XMODEM S B5:SD-88.LBR^M";R SD-88.LBR
SENDOUT "XMODEM S B1:MEXNEWS.0Q2^M";R MEXNEWS.0Q2
SENDOUT "XMODEM S A0:RCPM-049.LQT^M";R RCPM-049.LQT
DSC;EXIT
After connecting with the host system, signing in, and entering
the CP/M system - use CTRL-J then E to get to command prompt.
Let's say this file is called AUTO.MEX, use the following:
[MEX] A0>>read auto.mex
MEX will now send the commands to the host system to XMODEM the
three files listed above in the SENDOUT commands and then
initiates the "R"eceive mode and save all 3 files. When it's
done, MEX will disconnect from the host (DSC), and exit MEX to
your CP/M operating system.
I think you can see the possibilities here are endless. The
above sequence could have been performed UNATTENDED. This can
save you a lot of $$$ on long distance charges if you know what
files you want in advance.
There are many more commands than the ones I have described here,
but this should get you started in the right direction. Just
remember that MEX can be as simple as as complicated as you
desire. It is a great program and will get even better.