ÚÂÄÄ¿ ÂÂÄÄ¿ ÚÂÄÄ¿ ÚÄÂÂÄ¿ ÚÂÄÄ¿ ÚÄÂÂÄ¿ ÚÂÄÄ¿ ³³ ³ ³³ ³³ ³ ³³ ³³ ³³ ³ ³³ ³³ Version 4.01B ³³ ³ ÀÁÄ¿ ³ÃÄÂÙ ÀÁÄ¿ ³³ ³ÃÄÄ´ ³³ ÀÁÄ¿ ³³ ³ ³³ ³³ ³ ³³ ³³ ³³ ³ ³³ ³³ 7/2/95 ÀÁÄÄÙ ÀÄÄÁÙ ÁÁ ÁÄ ÀÄÄÁÙ ÁÁ ÁÁ Á ÁÁ ÀÄÄÁÙ General Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ This document provides general information about the entire "family" of USRSTATS software. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ What is it? ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ USRSTATS is a collective name for a small group of software applications which complement USRobotics modems. USRSTATS is actually comprised of several different programs, each filling a specific application need. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ What does it do? ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ The programs generate a multi-page report of all of the diagnostic information available in the modem. This report can be saved to a log file, posted as a message, displayed on the screen, etc. etc. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Why would I want to do that? ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ The information contained in the Link Diagnostics of the USRobotics modems can reveal important information about connection problems and modem performance. However, the modem presents this data in a form that is difficult to interpret. USRSTATS organizes and presents this data in a manner that is more understandable, useful, and even educational. BBS Sysops will note that this information now becomes available to all callers while on-line, regardless of the brand or model of modem the *caller* is using. Note further that callers can now view the diagnostics *from the BBS end*, which has not previously been possible. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ What does it work with? ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ USRSTATS can be used with a wide variety of general-purpose communications programs and BBS systems. Its modular design allows installation as a standard BBS "door", or it may be called through the "external" file transfer protocol mechanism of a communications program like Telix or Qmodem. It can be used in connection with your software's scripting or macro language. You can even use it right from the DOS prompt, to create reports from data captured to a file on disk. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ How does it work? ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ The heart of the software is the USRSTAT2.EXE program. This DOS executable program reads an input file containing captures of the diagnostic data from the modem, and generates the formatted output report file. This is the *only* function of the USRSTAT2.EXE program. Retrieving the data from the modem and storing it in a file on disk is the responsibility of the STPCB, STGEN, and FTT programs, or of the comm program script file or macro that you create. This "host" program then performs a "shell" to USRSTAT2.EXE with the proper command-line options. USRSTAT2.EXE reads the input file that is passed to it, and creates the formatted report in the specified filename. Control is then returned to the host program, which is responsible for displaying the completed report on the screen, saving it in a message, saving it to disk, etc. Refer to USRSTAT2.DOC for more details. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³Please read the above "How does it work?"³ ³ section again, it is VERY important ³ ³ that you understand this point! ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ USRSTATS Applications for BBS software ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ STPCB - This is a PCBoard PPE program which acts as the "host" for USRSTAT2.EXE on PCBoard systems. It is highly configurable, very Sysop-friendly, and allows capturing the reports into the PCBoard message base. See the STPCB file for further details. STGEN - This is a DOS executable program which functions as a "door" program for using USRSTAT2.EXE with virtually any BBS software. It is similar to the STPCB program in appearance and operation, but does not have the ability to *directly* import the reports into a message base. See the STGEN file for further details. FTT - This is a PCBoard PPE that combines STPCB with a special file transfer door to allow controlled, repeatable modem throughput testing. See the FTT file for further details. USRSTATS Applications for communications software ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ If your software cannot use any of these programs as an interface, you may be able to use its scripting or programming language to create the needed "host" program. Several sample scripts are included in this archive. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Now we need to know how to create this input capture file in the first place. If using USRSTATS with PCBoard, the STPCB program handles this automatically. The STGEN "door" program does the same, but is designed to work with virtually any BBS software. STGEN will also work with most communication software, like Procomm, Qmodem, or others that allow shelling to DOS or use of external protocols. If none of these apply to you, you'll need to do it manually: Use the "Capture Buffer" function in your comm software to create a file containing the output of the I6, I7, I11, Y11, and (optionally) I4 commands while in online command mode. As an example, Procomm Plus for DOS uses ALT-F1 to open a capture file. You provide a file name, and PCPlus then copies everything that comes in on the screen out to that disk file. Now you need to get the modem into Online Command Mode by issuing the +++ escape sequence. Allow a slight pause, then type the three plus signs. The modem should respond with "OK". You may now issue commands to the modem even though the connection is still up. (If the connection drops when you hit the 3 pluses, you have DIP switch #9 in the wrong position.) The next step is to issue the modem diagnostic commands so they can be captured to the disk file. The USRSTAT2.EXE program is capable of processing the information from the following commands: ATI4 ATI6 ATI7 ATI11 <-- These 2 commands are only available on ATY11 <-- the V.34 and V.FC modems! After issuing the commands, we need to put the modem back into Data mode so you can resume your connection. This is done with the ATO command. NOTE That's the letter "O", NOT the number 0! Just type ATO and hit the key, and the modem should respond with the same connect message you got when you first connected. (NOTE: If the modem at the BBS end does not have the escape code disabled (as any on-line service should), the BBS will seem to "lock up" after this point. What has happened is that the modem at the BBS end saw the 3 plus signs you typed at your end, and it ALSO went into command mode. The trouble is, once in command mode, the modem no longer passes anything you type, so there's no way to get the BBS side back into Data mode. Send a message to the Sysop of that BBS, and tell him to set *his* S2 register to 255. Just to make it easier, you can run all these commands together like this: ATI4I6I7I11Y11O and the modem will process them all in order, and go right back to Data mode when it's finished. The last step of this process is to close the capture buffer, (ALT-F1 in PCplus) and then, optionally, shell out to DOS to process the file. Has the light bulb over your head turned on yet? YES, that's it! USE A KEYBOARD MACRO! OR EVEN BETTER, USE A SCRIPT TO DO ALL THIS! Imagine, with a little effort, you can write a script for your favorite comm program to do ALL of this for you at the touch of a key! One of our users has written a macro for the {COMMO} program to do just this. This macro and documentation are included in the USRSTATS package, along with a similar QMODEM macro. These examples should give you some ideas and hints about implementing this in your favorite comm program. What you end up with is a USRSTATS report file. What you do with it at this point is up to you. If you use the /A mode, you can just keep collecting them in one giant file. If you are on-line at the time you do this, you could upload that report file back to the BBS, or post it as a message. You could merge it into a text file or database. The possibilities are endless. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ What about support? The home of STPCB and USRSTATS is: The Majestik Moose BBS, 708-843-2871 Only calls at 9600 BPS and faster are accepted. MNP/V42 is required. The latest version of this program is always available as a free download in the Main Board area. First time callers can get immediate free access to these files by bypassing the registration prompt. You will be allowed 30 minutes per call and complete access to the "Free Downloads" area of the BBS. If you need help with STPCB or USRSTATS, you may leave a message for the SYSOP. I'll help you if I can, but I make no promises. After all, the software is free. Do NOT call and ask questions that are already answered in the documentation. You will receive only a very brief answer under those circumstances. STPCB and USRSTATS are available through ftp.usr.com on the Internet. Use anonymous login, and your Internet ID as the password. STPCB and USRSTATS are available (and running) on the USRobotics Customer Support BBS at 708-982-5092. At the present time, there is no registration required for this software. If you really want to pay me a few bucks for the many hours of effort that went into this, I'll be glad to take it from you. Call The Majestik Moose and leave a (C)omment. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Disclaimer Use this software at your own risk. It works fine for me. All product and feature names are trademarks of their respective owners. This software is NOT a product of USRobotics, Inc. Joseph C. Frankiewicz The Majestik Moose BBS 708-843-2871 ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Modem Escape Sequences An "Escape Sequence" is a mechanism or method for forcing the modem into "Command Mode" while it is already connected and on-line. "Command Mode" is normally associated with the OFF-LINE condition, where the modem will accept and act upon "AT" commands entered from the terminal. However, it is also possible to put the modem into this mode DURING a call, WITHOUT disconnecting the call first. This ability is required for making use of certain diagnostic commands which only return valid data when used in this on-line command mode. USRobotics modems offer 2 methods of getting into on-line command mode. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the point of view. The first method is the &D1 setting. When the modem is set to &D1, a momentary "toggling" of the DTR signal (pin 20), from ON to OFF and back ON again, will suspend the data connection and place the modem into command mode. USRSTATS documents refer to this as "DTR switching". The second method is the infamous "Escape Character with Guard Time." A designated ASCII character is defined as the "Escape Character", and when the modem receives three of these characters in a row, with a defined period of inactivity both before and after, it suspends the data connection and places the modem in command mode. The character used for the escape is defined in the S2 register, and the default value is 43, the "+" character. (This is where the often-seen "+++" comes from.) The inactivity or "Guard" time is defined in the S12 register, with a default of 1 second. USRSTATS documents refer to this as "Escape Character switching". When using DTR switching, the remote user does not see the "+++" characters on the screen when the BBS modem is placed into command mode. This provides a professional seamless interface. Also, the BBS modem is not susceptible to entering command mode if the _caller_ is also using Escape Character switching with an identical Escape Character definition. The disadvantage of DTR switching is that software cannot drop connections by simply toggling the DTR pin, it must _also_ send an ATH or ATZ command. It is possible to work around this in PCBoard, however you may be using other software in your system that cannot be altered this way. Using Escape Character switching, your software retains the ability to drop connections by toggling the DTR pin, as normal. The disadvantages are that the remote user will see the "+++" sequence on screen when STPCB runs, and there is a possibility that the remote user may ALSO be trying to use Escape Character switching with the same Escape Character that the BBS is using. This results in the BBS modem going into command mode when the intended target was the remote modem. Since the BBS modem can no longer pass any data to the user, and the BBS software is unaware of what happened, the user has no alternative but to drop the connection and call back. For this reason, avoid using the standard S2 register value of 43. (The "+" character.) A value of 1 (S2=1) usually works well. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ [END]