[comp.mail.uucp] Getting MS-DOS to poll in backgroun

tneff@bfmny0.BFM.COM (Tom Neff) (09/13/90)

In article <1990Sep13.113358.13864@news.clarkson.edu> ahd@kendra.kew.com (Drew Derbyshire) writes:
>Unless you run something like Desqview or Windows, there really isn't a
>good background way to this.  Nor do a lot of boxes have the horsepower
>to run a timing dependent application like a UUCICO program in
>background even with the multitasking shell.

I don't have the setup handy to test this, but I'm wondering: can UUPC
run in the background under Windows 3.0?  This would be a real useful
thing to have.

-- 
"We must never forget that if the war in Vietnam    \ $   Tom Neff
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ahd@kendra.kew.com (Drew Derbyshire) (09/13/90)

From article <200@srchtec.UUCP>, by mra@srchtec.uucp (Michael Almond):
> 	However, due to MSDOS's inability to run multiple processes, how
> or what is a good way to pool a site or have your site polled.
> 
> 	I've located some software that will execute a command at a given
> time (runtime3).  It is similar to cron under Unix.  But, the program
> runs the programs it executes in the foreground.  I haven't run into a 
> case where I'm running something else and it tries to run callout, but
> I imagine the results will not be good.
> 
> 	How are other people handling this?

Unless you run something like Desqview or Windows, there really isn't a
good background way to this.  Nor do a lot of boxes have the horsepower
to run a timing dependent application like a UUCICO program in
background even with the multitasking shell.

UUPC/extended, for example, has an auto-poll program, but takes the
easy way out: it runs foreground.  Persoanlly, I run kendra in poll
mode whenever I am not using it (her?); this is enough for my needs.

Note: FSUUCP is not my package, I am only commenting because it is a
general problem with DOS applications that run all the time.  Chris may
have additional insight, so listen to him.  

Drew Derbyshire

Internet:  ahd@kendra.kew.com            Snail mail:  108 Decatur St, Apt 9
Voice:     617-641-3739                               Arlington, MA 02174

cambler@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (Fubar) (09/15/90)

ahd@kendra.kew.com (Drew Derbyshire) recently informed us:
>Unless you run something like Desqview or Windows, there really isn't a
>good background way to this.  Nor do a lot of boxes have the horsepower
>to run a timing dependent application like a UUCICO program in
>background even with the multitasking shell.
>
>Note: FSUUCP is not my package, I am only commenting because it is a
>general problem with DOS applications that run all the time.  Chris may
>have additional insight, so listen to him.  

Everybody send me all your money and the pink slip to your porsche. Well,
he *did* say to listen to me! :-)

Ahem. reality check. Sorry. moral imperative. had to be said.

Running fsuucp in the background is not reccomended, really. I have made no
provisions for keeping it well-behaved. If you can get it to run under
desqview, I'm not surprised, but then if it barfs, I'm not surprised either.
If anyone has any specific problems doing this, drop me a line, and I'll
see what I can do to help out.

As for automated polling, the only 2 ways I can see to do this are either
get another package that executes commands at a specific time, or write one
yourself. Actually, it's quite trivial to write a time watcher with an
exec() or spawn() in it.

Some users have fsuucp running under their BBS systems and use the BBS's
internal scheduler to run it. FSBBS, for example, has a UNIX flavoured
crontab processor. I've heard of other BBS systems which have similar
features. (before anyone asks, FSBBS is still in beta).

The callin unit has a timer to exit after a specific length of time has
elapsed, if that is any help. I added that at the request of a BBS sysop
who wanted callin to die after an hour. He wanted a 1 hour window for
the system that polled him to call. As for callout, release 5 supports
the L.sys time entry for time restricted calling, but does not have an
internal timer to sit and wait until a specific time to call. This may
be remedied.



-- 
++Christopher(); --- cambler@polyslo.calpoly.edu --- chris@fubarsys.slo.ca.us
---
Ever get the feeling that there is someone out there who understands you
completely?

time@ice.com (02/20/91)

In article <15851@bfmny0.BFM.COM>, tneff@bfmny0.BFM.COM (Tom Neff) writes:
> >Unless you run something like Desqview or Windows, there really isn't a
> >good background way to this.  Nor do a lot of boxes have the horsepower
> >to run a timing dependent application like a UUCICO program in
> >background even with the multitasking shell.
> 
> I don't have the setup handy to test this, but I'm wondering: can UUPC
> run in the background under Windows 3.0?  This would be a real useful
> thing to have.

uAccess runs in the background under MultiFinder on the Macintosh
without many difficulties. On a IIfx (68030 x 30Mhz) I do Telebit
speeds in the background all the time and get roughly 1330 cps
throughput (please no cps-rate wars). On the lowly MacPlus (68000
x 8MHz) I can do 2400 baud rates without a hitch, but I have no info
on Telebit speeds for the MacPlus.

Therefore, I would think with the proper horse power, one could do
Windows UUCP in the background.

tim.

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throop@aurs01.UUCP (Wayne Throop) (02/22/91)

> time@ice.com (Tim Endres)
>> tneff@bfmny0.BFM.COM (Tom Neff) writes:
>>> ???

>>> [..background comm can be done with..] Desqview or Windows [...]
>>> [..but not many..] boxes have the horsepower
>>> to run [...] a UUCICO program in background
>> can UUPC run in the background under Windows 3.0?
> uAccess [...] On the lowly MacPlus [...] 2400 baud rates without a hitch

Using Desqview and UUPC on a lowly 8088 laptop I can run
connections at 9600 bps in the background.  I presume it could
go faster, but I haven't bothered for uucp connections.

Using the same setup but various other comm protocols, I've run 
connections between my laptop and desktop at up to 38400bps reliably.

Effective throughputs a little slower due to handshaking overhead
and such, but even so, I don't think horspower per se is really
a problem.

( I don't know about Windows, though... it might present
   a different set of problems. )

Wayne Throop       ...!mcnc!aurgate!throop

mathew@mantis.co.uk (mathew) (02/25/91)

throop@aurs01.UUCP (Wayne Throop) writes:
> Using Desqview and UUPC on a lowly 8088 laptop I can run
> connections at 9600 bps in the background.  I presume it could
> go faster, but I haven't bothered for uucp connections.

The critical thing is how good the serial port is on the PC concerned.
Laptops tend to have quite good serial ports, because they are designed to be
used a lot. Most people with desktop PCs don't use the RS232C, and so lots of
clones have serial hardware and BIOS routines which are dodgy to say the
least.

We run a 9600 connection, and found that in order to get it running reliably
on the appropriate machine we had to use a FOSSIL driver.


mathew.

pozar@kumr.lns.com (Tim Pozar) (03/01/91)

In article <59595@aurs01.UUCP> throop@aurs01.UUCP (Wayne Throop) writes:
>> time@ice.com (Tim Endres)
>>> tneff@bfmny0.BFM.COM (Tom Neff) writes:
>>>> [..background comm can be done with..] Desqview or Windows [...]
>>>> [..but not many..] boxes have the horsepower
>>>> to run [...] a UUCICO program in background
>>> can UUPC run in the background under Windows 3.0?
>> uAccess [...] On the lowly MacPlus [...] 2400 baud rates without a hitch
>Using Desqview and UUPC on a lowly 8088 laptop I can run
>connections at 9600 bps in the background.  I presume it could
>go faster, but I haven't bothered for uucp connections.

   GNUUIO runs in the background under DESQview.

        Tim

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