ACEterm Documentation for version 1.01 [December 17, 1995] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. INTRODUCTION This is a simple VT-100 terminal-emulation program. To start it up, type: term at the command-line prompt. When it starts, it will bring up a screen with 24 display lines and a status line. (You will see slightly different things depending on the number of display lines that the window you start the terminal program in; an 27-row VDC screen gives the best results). The status line will display the program name and version (the official name is "ACEterm"), the baud rate, the parity (et al.) setting, the terminal emulation type, and the capture buffer-size and modification status, the amount of dynamic memory free, and which key to press for help. The capture buffer, when active, stores every byte received from the serial port verbatim (including escape sequences, etc.) and can grow to be as large as the amount of free "dynamic" memory you have available. My system has 12.5 Megs of the stuff available, and that is how large my capture buffer can get. The size of the capture buffer is reported in bytes on the status line (as is the amount of dynamic memory free). The capture buffer uses "dynamic memory" exclusively for storing data (it doesn't use any memory in the program area for this), so you will not have much luck trying to use this feature on an unexpanded C64, which will only give you a little bit of dynamic memory to use (more if you disable the Soft-80 display or decrease the program-area limit). Also, this feature will drop lots of characters if your modem doesn't have RTS/CTS hardware flow control. If your modem has hardware flow control but you lose characters anyway, then try fiddling with the "RTS activation delay" field in the system configuration. You can check if you are losing characters by pressing Ctrl-O and checking the overrun count. The program currently has only one capture buffer, but the design allows for multiple capture buffers (if such a thing whould be useful). The capture buffer is the only real "feature" of the terminal program, other than the VT-100 emulation. There are three terminal-emulation modes supported: VT-100, GlassTTY, and Verbatim. GlassTTY will not interpret any of the escape sequences that it receives, and Verbatim mode will display every character that it receives and will not even interpret control characters like carriage return. In this mode, the characters will be shown in reverse according to the ASCII character (printable characters will be translated as normal). All of the important VT-100 escape sequence are supported (including the Insert-Line and Delete-Line sequences of the VT-102), so you shouldn't have too many problems. One thing to note: the scroll-region doesn't work exactly like it does on a VT-100: if the cursor is moved outside of the scroll region, then the scroll region will be reset to the entire screen. (I don't know if this restriction is of any practical consequence; most full-screen programs just use scroll regions temporarily to insert and delete lines). This program has been tested and works perfectly with "vi", "emacs", "pine", and "lynx". In normal operation, you type characters on the keyboard and they are sent to the modem, and the characters from the modem are displayed on the screen. This is "full echoplex", and the program doesn't support "half echoplex". The program also doesn't support menu-oriented auto-dialing/ etc. features, so you're going to have to send your own "AT" commands to your modem by hand (which really isn't much of a bother if you have an intelligent modem and it is set up properly (it doesn't take me very long to type "atds")). 2. COMMAND KEYS The following hot keys are supported ("Co-" means "Commodore-" and "Ct-" means "Ctrl-"): Co-A : decrease baud rate Co-B : increase baud rate Co-E : exit and save capture buffer if modified Co-I : help information (also, the HELP key) Co-N : name the capture buffer Co-O : show operating status of modem driver Co-P : change parity: 8N1/7E1 Co-Q : quit (won't work if buffer is modified)-+ Co-S : save the capture buffer | Co-T : set terminal-emulation type | Co-Z : pause terminal flow v Co-\ : toggle capture-buffer modification status Co-_ : compose ISO-8859-1 character Co + and Co - : enable(+)/disable(-) the capture buffer Ct-1 : clear the capture buffer Ct-3 : enter hexadecimal ASCII character code F1,F3,F5,F7,Ct-@ to Ct-_ : PF1,PF2,PF3,PF4, ASCII Ctrl codes CLR : clear screen (nothing sent to modem) DEL,HOME,BACKARROW : BS,DEL,_(128) / BS,DEL,ESC(64) RVS,RVSOFF : reverse screen (128 VDC only) STOP : nothing(128) / send TAB character(64) The capture buffer is named "capturebuf" by default but you can change this by using Commodore-N. You will be prompted to enter a filename on the status line. This name can be a full pathname if you wish. If the filename already exists, then the old file will automatically be overwritten when you save the capture buffer. If the capture buffer has unsaved characters in it, then an asterisk (*) will be displayed before the "buf/BUF" field on the status line. When the capture buffer is active, the field will be named "BUF" and when it is inactive, "buf". The contents of the buffer will be retained between activations and deactivations. To clear the capture buffer, use Ctrl-1. You cannot clear the capture buffer nor exit from the terminal program if the buffer has unsaved characters in it, so you can use Ctrl-\ (british pound) to toggle the modification status (or save the buffer with Ctrl-S or Ctrl-E). The Ctrl-O "operating status" of the modem includes the number of characters dropped, send, and received. The Ctrl-Z key allows you to stop the flow of the display immediately. When this key is pressed, ACEterm will stop pulling characters from the modem device and will wait for you to press another key. If the receive buffer for the modem fills up, then the device driver will assert hardware flow control. If you have a hardware-flow-controlled connection all the way back to your remote host, then no characters will be lost. For modern remote hosts, this mechanism will give you much faster response than the now-pretty-much-useless Ctrl-S / Ctrl-Q (Xoff/Xon) mechanism. The keys DEL, HOME, BACKARROW, and STOP send special characters, depending on whether you are using a C128 or C64 keyboard (extended or basic keyboard). The DEL and HOME keys send BackSpace ($08) and Delete ($7f), respectively on both keyboards. The BACKARROW sends an underscore and STOP is ignored on a C128 while BACKARROW sends an Escape and STOP sends a Tab on the C64. To get an underscore on a C64, you can press either Shift-BACKARROW or Commodore-SPACE. These keys are not currently user-definable (except by modifying and re-assembling the terminal program--it is written for the ACE-assembler and the stuff to change is near the bottom of the source file), so you'll have to live with these settings for the time being. 3. CHARACTER COMPOSITION ACEterm has two command keys for composing characters: Ctrl-3 (with the # symbol on top) and Commodore-_ (BackArrow). After pressing the former, you will be prompted to enter the two-digit hexadecimal number for the ASCII code that you want to send. After entering the digits, the code will be sent just as if you had typed it on the keyboard. For your convenience, a table of all of the ASCII codes (including the ISO-8859-1 codes) is included in Appendix A of this document. Note that in order to display the ISO-8859-1 characters, you have to load that characterset into the kernel. You can do this by either typing: chrset acechr-iso8859-1 on the command line or by changing the "default character set" field in the system configuration to be the string "acechr-iso8859-1". The factory-set default is to use "acechr-commodore" for hysterical raisins (though I personally use the ISO set at all times). The Commodore-BackArrow command will prompt you for a special two-character code that represents the ISO-8859-1 character that you want to send. For example, if I wanted to enter Marko Makela's name in the proper way, I would enter (angle brackets around keystrokes): < ><"><"> The following character-composition sequences are accepted for generating ISO-8859-1 characters. This table was derived from the VT-220 character- composition table, but a few extensions are made because the VT-220 table didn't include all of the ASCII codes between $A0 and $FF (plus, a couple of VT characters are in different positions). ASC SEQUENCE ASC SEQUENCE ASC SEQUENCE --- --------------- --- -------- --- -------- $a0 $c0 `A $e0 `a $a1 !! $c1 'A $e1 'a $a2 C/ or C| $c2 ^A $e2 ^a $a3 L- or L= $c3 ~A $e3 ~a $a4 XO or X0 $c4 "A $e4 "a $a5 Y- or Y $c5 *A $e5 *a $a6 || $c6 AE $e6 ae $a7 SO or S! or S0 $c7 C, $e7 c, $a8 "" $c8 `E $e8 `e $a9 CO or C0 $c9 'E $e9 'e $aa A_ $ca ^E $ea ^e $ab << $cb "E $eb "e $ac ~~ $cc `I $ec `i $ad -- $cd 'I $ed 'i $ae RO or R0 $ce ^I $ee ^i $af __ $cf "I $ef "i $b0 0^ $d0 D- $f0 %o $b1 +- $d1 ~N $f1 ~n $b2 2^ $d2 `O $f2 `o $b3 3^ $d3 'O $f3 'o $b4 '' $d4 ^O $f4 ^o $b5 /U $d5 ~O $f5 ~o $b6 P! $d6 "O $f6 "o $b7 .^ $d7 ** $f7 // $b8 ,, $d8 O/ $f8 o/ $b9 1^ $d9 `U $f9 `u $ba O_ $da 'U $fa 'u $bb >> $db ^U $fb ^u $bc 14 $dc "U $fc "u $bd 12 $dd 'Y $fd 'y $be 34 $de PP $fe pp $bf ?? $df ss $ff "y You don't have to worry about typing each of these sequences exactly as-is, since four transformations are applied in trying to match a two-character sequence to an ASCII code: (1) try to match as-is; (2) swap the order of the two characters and try to match; (3) swap the order back and alter the case of the two characters (letters) and try to match; and (4) swap the altered- case characters into reverse order again and try to match. The first match wins, and if no matches work then an error is displayed and nothing is sent to the modem. 4. THE FUTURE Future plans for this terminal program include fixing perfecting the emulation implementing a scrollback viewer for the capture buffer, and allowing the program to call external programs like the command shell, ZED, and file-transfer programs. The intended file-transfer programs are: Raw-Text transfer, FX, and Z-Modem. The terminal program will be made to accept the following commands in its configuration file, ".termrc" (currently no support exists): - Implement some kind of user-configuration mechanism into ACEterm. Functions: getline, getword, locaseWord, lookupWord. - script ".termrc": - key del $08 - key home $7f - key backarrow $5f - key stop null - term vt-100 - baud 38400 - parm 8N1 - string 1 hello there how are you? - readbuf 768 - chrset filename - number 1 38400 8N1 886-1234 ccnga - hangup ~~~ATH^m~~~ - dial ATDT - call-external yes - Extra features for ACEterm: send break, drop DTR, force flow control. - Extend the configuration file to 512+ bytes and add new configuration items, including the keymaps, a temporary directory, and a config directory list for ".xxxxrc" files (or use exec path?). Type of C128 internal memory expansion, type of C64 internal memory expansion, type of clock to initially set time from. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ APPENDIX A. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Craig's Handy ASCII Guide (ISO-8859-1) 0/00 ____NUL____ 64/40 _____@_____ 128/80 ___________ 192/c0 _A`_grave__ 1/01 ____SOH____ 65/41 _____A_____ 129/81 ___________ 193/c1 _A'_acute__ 2/02 ____STX____ 66/42 _____B_____ 130/82 ___________ 194/c2 _A^_circum_ 3/03 ____ETX____ 67/43 _____C_____ 131/83 ___________ 195/c3 _A~_tilde__ 4/04 ____EOT____ 68/44 _____D_____ 132/84 ___________ 196/c4 _A"_dieres_ 5/05 ____ENQ____ 69/45 _____E_____ 133/85 ___________ 197/c5 _A__ring___ 6/06 ____ACK____ 70/46 _____F_____ 134/86 ___________ 198/c6 _AE________ 7/07 ____BEL____ 71/47 _____G_____ 135/87 ___________ 199/c7 _C,cedilla_ 8/08 ____BS_____ 72/48 _____H_____ 136/88 ___________ 200/c8 _E`_grave__ 9/09 ____TAB____ 73/49 _____I_____ 137/89 ___________ 201/c9 _E'_acute__ 10/0a ____LF_____ 74/4a _____J_____ 138/8a ___________ 202/ca _E^_circum_ 11/0b ____VT_____ 75/4b _____K_____ 139/8b ___________ 203/cb _E"_dieres_ 12/0c ____FF_____ 76/4c _____L_____ 140/8c ___________ 204/cc _I`_grave__ 13/0d ____CR_____ 77/4d _____M_____ 141/8d ___________ 205/cd _I'_acute__ 14/0e ____SO_____ 78/4e _____N_____ 142/8e ___________ 206/ce _I^_circum_ 15/0f ____SI_____ 79/4f _____O_____ 143/8f ___________ 207/cf _I"_dieres_ 16/10 ____DLE____ 80/50 _____P_____ 144/90 ___________ 208/d0 _D-_Eth_lr_ 17/11 ____DC1____ 81/51 _____Q_____ 145/91 ___________ 209/d1 _N~_tilde__ 18/12 ____DC2____ 82/52 _____R_____ 146/92 ___________ 210/d2 _O`_grave__ 19/13 ____DC3____ 83/53 _____S_____ 147/93 ___________ 211/d3 _O'_acute__ 20/14 ____DC4____ 84/54 _____T_____ 148/94 ___________ 212/d4 _O^_circum_ 21/15 ____NAK____ 85/55 _____U_____ 149/95 ___________ 213/d5 _O~_tilde__ 22/16 ____SYN____ 86/56 _____V_____ 150/96 ___________ 214/d6 _O"_dieres_ 23/17 ____ETB____ 87/57 _____W_____ 151/97 ___________ 215/d7 __multiply_ 24/18 ____CAN____ 88/58 _____X_____ 152/98 ___________ 216/d8 _O/_slash__ 25/19 ____EM_____ 89/59 _____Y_____ 153/99 ___________ 217/d9 _U`_grave__ 26/1a ____SUB____ 90/5a _____Z_____ 154/9a ___________ 218/da _U'_acute__ 27/1b ____ESC____ 91/5b _____[_____ 155/9b ___________ 219/db _U^_circum_ 28/1c ____FS_____ 92/5c _____\_____ 156/9c ___________ 220/dc _U"_dieres_ 29/1d ____GS_____ 93/5d _____]_____ 157/9d ___________ 221/dd _Y'_acute__ 30/1e ____RS_____ 94/5e _____^_____ 158/9e ___________ 222/de _cap_thorn_ 31/1f ____US_____ 95/5f _UNDERLINE_ 159/9f ___________ 223/df _Es-sed_B__ 32/20 ___SPACE___ 96/60 _____`_____ 160/a0 _req space_ 224/e0 _a`_grave__ 33/21 _____!_____ 97/61 _____a_____ 161/a1 _!_invertd_ 225/e1 _a'_acute__ 34/22 _____"_____ 98/62 _____b_____ 162/a2 ___cent____ 226/e2 _a^_circum_ 35/23 _____#_____ 99/63 _____c_____ 163/a3 ___pound___ 227/e3 _a~_tilde__ 36/24 _____$_____ 100/64 _____d_____ 164/a4 __currency_ 228/e4 _a"_dieres_ 37/25 _____%_____ 101/65 _____e_____ 165/a5 ____yen____ 229/e5 _a__ring___ 38/26 _____&_____ 102/66 _____f_____ 166/a6 _|_broken__ 230/e6 _ae________ 39/27 _____'_____ 103/67 _____g_____ 167/a7 __section__ 231/e7 _c,cedilla_ 40/28 _____(_____ 104/68 _____h_____ 168/a8 __umulaut__ 232/e8 _e`_grave__ 41/29 _____)_____ 105/69 _____i_____ 169/a9 _copyright_ 233/e9 _e'_acute__ 42/2a _____*_____ 106/6a _____j_____ 170/aa __fem_ord__ 234/ea _e^_circum_ 43/2b _____+_____ 107/6b _____k_____ 171/ab _l_ang_quo_ 235/eb _e"_dieres_ 44/2c _____,_____ 108/6c _____l_____ 172/ac ____not____ 236/ec _i`_grave__ 45/2d _____-_____ 109/6d _____m_____ 173/ad _syl_hyphn_ 237/ed _i'_acute__ 46/2e _____._____ 110/6e _____n_____ 174/ae _registerd_ 238/ee _i^_circum_ 47/2f _____/_____ 111/6f _____o_____ 175/af _overline__ 239/ef _i"_dieres_ 48/30 _____0_____ 112/70 _____p_____ 176/b0 __degrees__ 240/f0 _o^x_Eth_s_ 49/31 _____1_____ 113/71 _____q_____ 177/b1 ____+/-____ 241/f1 _n~_tilda__ 50/32 _____2_____ 114/72 _____r_____ 178/b2 _2_supersc_ 242/f2 _o`_grave__ 51/33 _____3_____ 115/73 _____s_____ 179/b3 _3_supersc_ 243/f3 _o'_acute__ 52/34 _____4_____ 116/74 _____t_____ 180/b4 ___acute___ 244/f4 _o^_circum_ 53/35 _____5_____ 117/75 _____u_____ 181/b5 ____mu_____ 245/f5 _o~_tilde__ 54/36 _____6_____ 118/76 _____v_____ 182/b6 _paragraph_ 246/f6 _o"_dieres_ 55/37 _____7_____ 119/77 _____w_____ 183/b7 __mid_dot__ 247/f7 __divide___ 56/38 _____8_____ 120/78 _____x_____ 184/b8 __cedilla__ 248/f8 _o/_slash__ 57/39 _____9_____ 121/79 _____y_____ 185/b9 _1_supersc_ 249/f9 _u`_grave__ 58/3a _____:_____ 122/7a _____z_____ 186/ba __mas_ord__ 250/fa _u'_acute__ 59/3b _____;_____ 123/7b _____{_____ 187/bb _r_ang_quo_ 251/fb _u^_circum_ 60/3c _____<_____ 124/7c _____|_____ 188/bc ____1/4____ 252/fc _u"_dieres_ 61/3d _____=_____ 125/7d _____}_____ 189/bd ____1/2____ 253/fd _y'_acute__ 62/3e _____>_____ 126/7e _____~_____ 190/be ____3/4____ 254/fe _sm_thorn__ 63/3f _____?_____ 127/7f ____DEL____ 191/bf _?_invertd_ 255/ff _y"_dieres_ ------------------------------------------------------------------------END---