frankh@durin.laguna.sparta.com (Frank Halsema) (03/13/91)
Has anyone developed a CAP application to allow UNIX machines to write to serial devices on a Shiva Netserial. I have a plotter connected to one and would like to be able to spool to it using lpd. Is there a papif papof for a netserial. Thanks! Frank Halsema UUCP: durin!frankh SPARTA, Inc. Internet: frankh@laguna.sparta.com 23041 de la Carlota, Suite 400 Laguna Hills Ca, 92653 (714) 768-8161 EXT 339 (714)583-9114 FAX
geo@moldev.com (George Pontis) (03/14/91)
In <5434@durin.sparta.COM> frankh@durin.laguna.sparta.com (Frank Halsema) writes: >Has anyone developed a CAP application to allow UNIX machines to write >to serial devices on a Shiva Netserial. I have a plotter connected to >one and would like to be able to spool to it using lpd. Is there a papif >papof for a netserial. This posting echoes one that I put on the net several months ago. Since then I've learned more about the situation. The quick answer is "no". First, papif knows how to talk the "PAP" protocol, which stands for "Printer Access Protocol". It's not very useful for communication with devices other than printers. The net serial communicates using "SDSP", which is similar to ADSP, Appletalk Data Stream Protocol. ADSP is a reliable, full duplex communication protocol that includes a flow control mechanism, and is fully described in the Apple book "Inside Appletalk". Last year I asked Shiva Tech support for information on their interface. After reaching an individual that understood my question, the problem was explained to me. It seems that when the NetSerial was in development, Shiva got a pre-release document from Apple describing ADSP. Shiva proceded to develop the product based on this document, only to find that Apple later made some changes that rendered their implementation incompatible. I emailed Shiva a proposal in which I offered to write a NetSerial compatible driver for non-Mac applications. It was stated that in exchange for the documentation for the NetSerial protocol, I would write the Unix side code and either give them a copy of the source or post it to the net for others to use, at the discretion of Shiva. Several months have passed now with out a word from Shiva, so I'm assuming that they weren't thrilled with my offer. But it still seems like a good idea. Would anyone else like to give Shiva some encouragement ? Their phone number for tech support is 617-252-6400; the individual that I spoke with at Shiva was aheath@shiva.com. George Pontis -- George Pontis ( geo@moldev.com )