[net.micro] MDM727 Function Keys & Freedom 100

ABN.ISCAMS%usc-isid@sri-unix.UUCP (03/15/84)

Recently I sent out a patch to the net to slightly adapt MDM727's new
Function Key capability for the Freedom 100.

I mentioned there that I wondered what happens to the Carriage Return that
is a fixed part of all the Freedom 100 Function keys, since my patch only
uses the first two characters in the 3-character set the Function key sends out.

Well, I found out -- the doggon CR goes out anyway!  Which means I can't use
Function Key meanings that need the CR omitted.  So I gotta make a little
byte gobbler in the Function Key section (SENDFK, I guess) that'll gobble up
that redundant/unwanted CR from the terminal key -- I'll let you know when done.
Stupid - I should have realized that!  Oh, well...only an apprentice wizard...

Other than that - works great!

One thing - the Function Key routine uses a VERY roundabout way to send the
related string to the destination - LOGLP, which normally sends out your
LOGON command.  It's VERY slow and made the Function Keys almost useless since
I could TYPE commands faster than that!  Any reason why it was made that slow?
Why a tight little get string, check modem ready, check end of string, send
byte, loop routine wasn't used?  I've implemented that and it works VERY fast
with no visible ill effects at all!  Only takes about 6 or 8 more bytes in
SENDFNK, and none of that CALL/JMP all over the program stuff.  If there's a
good reason NOT to send a function key string out fast, well, fine... else
I'll be glad to send out the patch.

Regards,
David Kirschbaum
Toad Hall