





           DSZ & Microsoft Windows                                 3/14/1988

                        Running DSZ With Micosoft Windows 2.03

           DSZ  can  be an inexpensive alternative to the few (but growing!)
           number of comm programs out there that run under Windows.  As  on
           now, the only comm programs that run under Windows are Palantir's
           InTalk  and the commercial and public domain versions of Proteus.
           Proteus will not even run under Windows  2.03  so  that  is  out.
           Palantir's powerful InTalk is quite expensive, even though it has
           the  ability  to  create  script  files.  You could of course run
           Qmodem or ProComm Plus Test Drive under Windows, in a window, but
           these are DOS applications and therefore will not background  too
           nicely...  Those are out.  The answer?  Windows Terminal combined
           with DSZ!

           This unlikely combination works out very nicely in the  end.  DSZ
           does not take over the screen, so it can run in a window. DSZ has
           Zmodem,  Y-Modem,  and X-Modem protocols implemented in it so the
           flexibility is there.   The latest version can even  act  as    a
           small  terminal  with  auto Zmodem downloading.  Speed?  Well DSZ
           Zmodem is the fastest protocol around.  Even under  Windows  2.03
           you can expect 112 cps & up (at 1200 baud). This speed is perhaps
           5  to  7 cps slower than what you would get with downloading with
           Qmodem and DSZ.  But that is because it must go through  Windows,
           then to DSZ. That's the price you pay for background transfers! I
           would  no  recommend  doing  an  Excel recalc while doing a  100K
           download!

                                Setting up the DSZ PIF

           To  begin,  you must create the DSZ PIF file with the PIFEDIT.EXE
           program included with Windows.  I went ahead and  ARCed  the  PIF
           file with this text file for you.  The key to the PIF file is NOT
           to check the com ports in the "Directly modifies" section. If you
           do,  Windows will give you a   !  message saying that an applica-
           tion is already using COM2 or whatever.  When you use DSZ for an
           upload or download it  "captures"  the  modem  carrier  from  the
           "parent" program.  The parent program does not know what is going
           on while it does this.  Kind of like a TSR,  but not as volatile!
           In  the parameters part of the PIF file type a question mark (?).
           This makes Windows prompt you  for  parameters  when  you  double
           click on the PIF or COM file in the MS-DOS executive. Then in the
           box you can put

                              port 2 rz  (use port 2, receive via Zmodem)
                              port 1 t   (use port 2, talk to host)
                              etc...    (more examples can be found in the
                                         DSZ.DOC file included with DSZ)

           Also,  don't  select the "Close window on exit?" box.  If you do,
           Windows will close the windows before you have a chance  to  read

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           DSZ & Microsoft Windows                                 3/14/1988

           any  error messages.  The DSZ.DOC file states that DSZ can run in
           "a modest window" of 66k under Desqview.  As far as I  know,  I'm
           the  first  one to play with it under Windows so I went ahead and
           used 66k in both of the memory boxes in the PIF file.



                                     Using DSZ.PIF

           Now you can add X-Modem,  Z-Modem,  and Y-Modem to  the  Terminal
           program  included with Windows!  It works very nicely.  To do it,
           just set up terminal to dial your favorite BBS,  on your  correct
           com  port.  Then  connect,  and  through  all  the formalities to
           download.  When the host says ready to download,  double click on
           DSZ.PIF in the MS-DOS Manager.   A small dialog box should pop up
           prompting you for parameters.  If it  does  not,  disconnect  and
           check your DSZ.PIF file to make sure that there is a question (?)
           mark in the prompting box of the PIF file. In the dialog box type
           "port  x"  and  the  necessary  arguments and parameters IN LOWER
           CASE. A DSZ box will pop up, DSZ will print it's information, and
           then proceed to do the file transfer.  I'm not sure  how  Windows
           2.03  uses the DOS environment,  so it may be a good idea to type
           in the port parameter for good measure.  If you don't,  DSZ  will
           default to COM1, which in my case is my mouse. Nothing's going to
           come from there!  It would really be nice if the Terminal program
           had the ability to be closes,  but did not drop  the  carrier.  I
           tried  to  do  a download with DSZ and Terminal.  DSZ was doing a
           Zmodem download so I tried to see if Terminal would drop carrier.
           It promptly did, and froze the computer too.

                                  DO NOT QUIT WINDOWS
                                    TERMINAL WHILE
                                      DOING A DSZ
                                    FILE TRANSFER.
                                  IT WILL FREEZE THE
                                      COMPUTER!!!


                       Using DSZ with other small comm programs

           You can use the "t" (alk) option of DSZ to create  a  small  ter-
           minal by  itself with auto-Z-modem download capabilities.    (The
           registered  version  has  ANSI terminal capabilities.) To do this
           you must have a small utility to talk to your modem from the  MS-
           DOS  command  line.   I used a small pair of utilities by Donavon
           Kuhn  & Jon Niedfeldt called AT.COM and DTR.COM.  These utilities
           are used to control your modem from the DOS command line,  or  in
           our  case,  a window.  To use these you must create PIF files for
           each of the programs.  They do not take over the  screen.  Again,
           place a question mark (?) in the parameters field so that Windows

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           DSZ & Microsoft Windows                                 3/14/1988

           will  ask you for parameters.  (I have included the PIF files for
           you.) Now for the fun part!  DTR.COM allows you to talk  to  your
           modem.  You  MUST run this first so that the modem knows that you
           are trying to talk to it.  When you double click on the PIF  file
           it will ask you for parameters. I put:

                         com2: on        (Turns DTR on in COM2)
                         com2: off       (Turns DTR off on COM2)

           Note,  if  you don't specify any parameter,  DTR will proceed to
           tell you how to use itself.  (Same with AT.COM.) The  AT.COM  PIF
           file is set up the same way. Don't check the com ports in the PIF
           file  for  either of them.  AT.COM allows you to sent commands to
           your modem.  To dial up Hound's Haven in New  Hartford,  CT,  you
           would click on AT.PIF and enter DT  1-203-738-0306 in  the  box.
           The  little  program will dial the number,   then quit.   Now you
           must catch the carrier with DSZ.   Double click on  DSZ,    enter
           "port x t" in the box, and you will now have a very small Z-modem
           terminal  which  you  can use as any other terminal.  You can use
           COMMAND.COM running in a window to dial out also. Just enter

                          ECHO ATDT XXX-XXXX > COMX

           Then run DSZ to pick up the carrier.

                                      Conclusion

           Those are just a few ways of using DSZ with Windows 2.03.  It's a
           quick  and  easy,  assuming  you know how to use DSZ,  way to add
           background file transfer to Windows. It would be interesting if a
           developer took DSZ and built a small Windows interface around it.
           (hint!  Any takers of the project??) You could also add other ex-
           ternal protocols to Windows,  such as CIS QuickB or Megalink, but
           how much memory they use and whether or not  they  can  be  back-
           grounded is up to the author. Please send any suggestions,
           PIF files, applause, or comments to:

           Hound's Haven BBS (The BEST place to find Windows p.d. Software!)
           c/o Bryan Kinkel
           New Hartford, CT
           (203) 738-0306


           DSZ is available from Hound's Haven
           AT.COM and DTR.COM are available from Hound's Haven in  the  file
           DOSMODEM.ARC.


           Bryan Kinkel <grin>
           Simsbury, CT

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