rat@madnix.UUCP (David Douthitt) (05/26/90)
Here is the documentation file for the Answering Machine. Have fun!
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Message Central
===============
Message Central (MC) is a freeware program to turn your AppleCat into
an answering machine which, in many respects, rivals those commercially
available. Of course, no other answering machine is reprogrammable
either!
Distribution
============
Message Central is freeware. This means you can give the program
away to your friends, and you can use it and keep it for free. However,
I still retain all copyrights to this program - so you may not change
it and redistribute it (for example).
However, the Tiger Toolbox is shareware. This means that, while the
program is not free, you can give the program away to your friends.
However, if you keep the Tiger Toolbox and use it on a regular basis,
you should send in your $25 shareware fee.
Send it to:
David Douthitt
1910 East Washington Avenue
Madison, WI 53704
InterNet: rat@madnix.uucp
UUCP: uwvax!astroatc!nicmad!madnix!rat
Remember, shareware is sucessful only if you send in your shareware fee
($25). Please do your part. Thanks!
Requirements
============
Apple II+
DOS 3.3 (Diversi-DOS supplied)
AppleCat modem (with tape recorder attached)
The Tiger Toolbox (supplied)
The Software-Assisted Mouth (supplied)
TimeMaster H.O. clock
Message Central should work with the Apple Clock, since the TimeMaster H.O.
has an Apple Clock mode.
Message Central has been tested with ProntoDOS (Beagle Bros) and it
works fine. In fact, ProntoDOS is the one I use.
Since Message Central requires an AppleCat to run, it will not run
in the Apple IIc or IIc+.
Starting Message Central
========================
Place the Message Central disk into a disk drive and turn on your Apple.
The first time, MC should come up with a Setup Menu.
After the first time, Message Central will automatically go into the
main menu. If MC is setup to answer the phone on powering up, it will
then be ready to answer the phone.
Setup Menu
==========
AppleCat Slot
-------------
This is the slot which contains the AppleCat modem. Communications
cards such as the AppleCat are normally (but not necessarily) installed
in slot 2.
TimeMaster H.O. Slot
--------------------
This is the slot which contains the TimeMaster H.O. Clock. Clock
cards such as the TimeMaster are usually installed in slot 4.
Time Zone
---------
This is the three-letter abbreviation for the time zone at the answering
machine's location. Only US time zones are available. The default value
is Central Standard Time (CST), since that happens to be the time zone where
I am.
Phone Number
------------
This is your phone number - the phone number to which the answering machine
answers. Only US telephone number format is accepted. Numbers are the
only characters allowed in the phone number - no dash is necessary: it
will be automatically be taken care of.
Answer Mode
-----------
If yes, Message Central will be ready to answer the phone after booting
the disk. Message Central will respond to non-touchtone remote access
calls, regardless of the state of this option.
Extended Time Stamps
--------------------
If yes, the date will be put on the message tape along with the time before
each message. This is useful if Message Central answers your phone for
longer than a single day. Otherwise, you would know when the message
was received, but not what day.
Rings to Answer On
------------------
This is the number of rings before the phone is answered. However,
the presence of a TouchTone Decoder chip (and its associated option
setting) affects this option.
If a TouchTone Decoder is present, the number given in this setting
is the number of rings to answer on for the first caller. After the
first call, Message Central will answer immediately. This way,
if there are no messages, it won't answer and you can save toll
charges. This is sometimes refered to as a "Toll-Saver" option.
If no TouchTone Decoder is present, the number given here represents
the number of rings to answer on for every call. The "Toll-Saver"
option is still available, but in a different way (see Remote Access).
Valid numbers are from 1 ring (answer immediately) to 30 rings.
TouchTone Decoder
-----------------
If a TouchTone Decoder chip is present in your AppleCat modem, set this
option to yes.
Remote ID
---------
This is only effective if you have set the TouchTone Decoder option.
This is your access code that you need to enter before being able to
give Message Central any commands over the phone.
VOX Control
-----------
This option should almost always be yes. I put it in because my personal
AppleCat started failing (it would not detect voice). There's no real
good reason to use this option otherwise that I can think of.
If set to yes, messages can be as long as necessary (or as short as needed!).
Message Central waits for 5 seconds of quiet before hanging up the phone.
Message Length
--------------
This is only useful if VOX is off. Instead of having variable length
messages, each message will be the length specified here. Valid lengths
range from 10 seconds to 60 seconds.
Temperature Probe
-----------------
Message Central will display the temperature if a probe (home-built!) is
attached to Paddle #1. The default is no - how many people have a
temperature probe?
Main Menu
=========
Boot
----
When ready to quit, you can select this option. It will give you another
prompt, which is the slot to boot (or scan). Use left and right (or up
and down) arrows to select the slot to boot from. Select SCAN to let
your Apple scan the slots for the first slot to boot from - just as it
does on power up.
You can select a slot, then hit ESCAPE to return back to Message Central.
The slot selection will be remembered for the next time you use this
option.
Playback
--------
After selecting this option, Message Central enters Playback Mode. In this
mode, the external tape player is released and is operational. Therefore,
be sure it is not on record before selecting this option. Use your
tape recorder as you would normally to listen to your messages.
Press any key to exit Playback Mode. When you hit a key, the tape machine
will no longer respond - so make sure the tape recorder is rewound back
to the beginning first.
Reset Counter
-------------
This will clear all messages off the screen, and de-select this option.
When there are no messages, this option is unavailable.
Stop/Resume Answering
---------------------
This menu item changes depending on whether Message Central is prepared
to answer the phone or not.
If in Answer Mode, the Apple will answer phone calls, activate the tape
recorder when ready, and record phone messages (providing the external tape
machine is ready to record).
If in Off-Line Mode, Message Central will ignore the phone except from
Remote Access calls via ring-counts (see Remote Access).
Extended/Normal Time Stamps
---------------------------
When a message is recorded, the time of day precedes the actual message.
If extended time stamps are active, the date will be recorded also,
before any message is recorded.
Change Setup
------------
This option returns you to the Change Setup Menu you saw the first time
you booted Message Central. Any options you set will be saved on disk.
See the section on Change Setup for more information (above).
Quit to Applesoft
-----------------
This exits to Applesoft. Message Central will not be in memory - it is
available for your programs. However, SAM and the Tiger Toolbox remain
in memory just above the HiMem boundary.
Temperature
-----------
This is not an option, but just a running display of the current temperature
if a temperature probe is installed and the appropriate option in the
Setup Menu has been selected. Both Fahrenheit and Celsius are shown.
Remote Access
=============
TouchTone Decoder
-----------------
If Message Central is answering the phone, and you have a TouchTone
Decoder in your AppleCat, you can use TouchTones to control your machine.
After the initial hello, press '*'. Then enter your id number. If not
correct, it will hang up. If correct, all the commands are available.
Commands are listed farther below in a table.
After executing any command, Message Central will wait for another
command.
If the Apple is not set to answer the phone (Off-Line Mode), you must
use the ring-count method to activate the machine - then call and use
TouchTones.
No TouchTone Decoder
--------------------
If you have no TouchTone Decoder, or your machine is not answering, you
need to use this method to control Message Central.
First, call and let the phone ring just once. Then hang up. After this,
call back and let the phone ring the number of times appropriate to the
command you wish to execute (see below for commands). Then hang
up again. Then call back.
Message Central should pick up on the first ring, and tell you the results
of your command. It will then hang up on you, since your command is
complete.
However, if you are using the "Get Messages" command, Message Central will
not answer if there are no messages. This is another form of the "Toll-Saver"
feature found in other phone-answering machines.
Commands
--------
TouchTone Ring Count Description
* 0 - NA - Hang up
* 1 1 Machine Off
* 2 2 Describe messages received
* 3 3 Extended Time Stamps on/off
* 4 4 Machine On
* 5 5 Clear messages
* 6 6 Temperature
--
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! UUCP: ...uwvax!astroatc!nicmad!madnix!rat ! Madison, Wisconsin
! {decvax!att}! ! === Apple II Forever ===
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