perry@madnix.UUCP (Perry Kivolowitz) (04/05/89)
We've recently finished the DOS side of our multiple serial port support
for the Amiga. In this message I'd like to give an overview of this
support in the hopes that we'd can gather some quality feedback prior to
the impending shipping of our new consumer priced DSB (Dual Serial
Board).
First, a quick word on how things currently work with the Amiga's own
serial port. A buffered serial device is presented by ser:. An unbuffered
serial device is provided by aux:. Both devices are obliged to use the
serial line parameters specified in Preferences. There's no way to override
these.
We will provide two handlers offering similar functionality. SERX-Handler
is buffered while SERXI-Handler is not. These correspond to ser: and aux:
respectively.
Where we break new ground is how we provide total control over serial line
parameters. First, we provide two levels of default serial characteristics.
The lowest default (or...the default default) is, of course, Preferences.
That is, if no serial line characteristics are specified ANYWHERE ELSE then
the line will be configured to match that of Preferences.
The second level default is provided in devs:mountlist. In this way all
serial line characteristics can be provided a default value *different*
from Preferences, and perhaps, from each other. Any characteristic
*not* specified in the mountlist entry will fall back to Preferences
defaults.
On the command line, we've provided the ability to set serial line
characteristics completely on the fly in the device specification.
For example, if Mickey: refers to DSB serial port line 4 then:
copy s:startup-sequence to mickey:76800//7E2
will output your startup-sequence onto port 4 at 76800 baud with 7
data bits, even parity and 2 stop bits. The ``//'' shows that a
parameter (in this case: size of serial receive buffer) can be left
out. The values used will be taken from the two levels of defaults.
Of course, simply refering to Mickey: would be fine too. In this case
you'd get all default values.
While I've been purposely vague here, I think this is enough to give
you the idea of how we're doing things. We think we've come up with
a workable and quite usable protocol for integrating multiple serial
ports into the DOS environment. Given our EXEC side support which is
perfectly compatible with serial.device, I think we've touched all
the bases. If there's something you can see we've overlooked, please
let us know.
We're on track for the DSB. I suppose I might remind the net about
the business end of this product:
The DSB is a Zorro II card providing two high speed IBM-PC-AT style
nine pin serial ports. The MSL price is $299. As a preshipping sales
incentive we're offering this board for $220 including shipping in
the U.S. This offer, of course, expires when the board ships to dealers.
DSB has confirmed compatibility with ATALK-III as advertised on page
53 or so of the April AmigaWorld. DSB also has confirmed compatibility
with every program we've ever tried on it including: DECNET, DNET, VT100
COMM, ACCESS, WHAP, JRCOMM, and a lot of others.
Thanks,
pk
--
Perry Kivolowitz, ASDG Inc.
ARPA: madnix!perry@cs.wisc.edu {uunet|ncoast}!marque!
UUCP: {harvard|rutgers|ucbvax}!uwvax!astroatc!nicmad!madnix!perry
CIS: 76004,1765 (what was that about ``giggling teenagers''?) papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (04/06/89)
Perry, a question: If all three methods are defined, is it true that: 1. a command line specification overrides 2. a mountlist specification which overrides 3. a Preferences specification? Also, will an "incomplete" mountlist specification, pick up the remaining parameter values from Preferences? -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
perry@madnix.UUCP (Perry Kivolowitz) (04/15/89)
In article <16338@oberon.USC.EDU> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >Perry, a question: >If all three methods are defined, is it true that: >1. a command line specification overrides >2. a mountlist specification which overrides >3. a Preferences specification? >Also, will an "incomplete" mountlist specification, pick up the remaining >parameter values from Preferences? >-- Marco Papa 'Doc' Yes. And Yes. -- Perry Kivolowitz, ASDG Inc. ARPA: madnix!perry@cs.wisc.edu {uunet|ncoast}!marque! UUCP: {harvard|rutgers|ucbvax}!uwvax!astroatc!nicmad!madnix!perry CIS: 76004,1765 (what was that about ``giggling teenagers''?)