John.Sanfilippo@f608.n107.z1.fidonet.org (John Sanfilippo) (02/06/91)
Index Number: 13558
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
I interface my bns with an IBM PC clone. Here are the batch
files which I use to accomplish this:
TAKE.BAT
Syntax: take filename.ext
What does it do? It uses the dos MODE command to take a transfer
from the bns and put it into filename.ext.
NOTE: Minor but important preparation required:
Sending from BNS to PC, the end of the file, or file portion
which is to be sent MUST be signalled by a control Z (Zebra)
which tells MS-DOS that this is the end of the file. Use X-chord
Z to put this control Z into your file before you do the
Transmit commands.
Here is the batch file:
@echo off
rem Tells dos to shut up while working
mode com1:9600,n,8,1,p>nul
rem sets up communication thru the com1 port, polling the port
forinput. Dos waits for a control Z signaling end of
transfer.
copy com1 %1 >nul
rem puts the info coming from the com port into filename.ext
type %1 >> allfiles.bns
rem Appends FILENAME.EXT to a collecting file, ALLFILES.BNS.
Noting the last line above, if i "Take" three files from bns to
the separate files file 1, file 2 and file3, I will end
up with file1, file 2 file3 and allfiles.bns. Allfiles.bns will
contain file1 2 and 3 combined. I usually edit the combined file
in QEdit, farming out portions of allfiles.bns to whereever I
may want them to go. In the meantime, I have the separate
files, 1, 2 and 3 for backup.
Now, here's the complimentary batch file for sending a file from
PC to BNS:
GIVE.BAT
Syntax: GIVE FILENAME.EXT
What does it do: Copies FILENAME.EXT into the currently open BNS
file.
Here is the batch file:
@echo off
mode com1:9600,n,8,1>nul
rem Silently prepare com1 for output.
copy %1 com1 > nul
rem Send FILENAME.EXT out to BNS.
Note to Soft Vert users (or anyone similarly affected):
I found that if SV was using com1, the batch file would just
send the file directly to speech and bypass BNS. I solved this
problem by putting SV on com2 and BNS on com1. It probably could
have been done just as well the other way, but since I got this
to work just fine, and since another problem prevented my doing
it the other way, this is what I use.
Many thanks to Mickey Quenzer of Arkenstone for helping me with
the basic I/O concepts here.
Enjoy,
jjcs
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