The Renex Async Protocol (RAP) driver allows the connection of BlueZone to SEAGULL TMS and RPad Series Communications Controllers using the RAP 2 protocol. The driver provides a user interface to control a modem, store dial strings, and provide prompt/response scripting. Existing RLink for Windows users using the RAP 2 protocol need only install BlueZone, select the RAP driver and connect as usual, using the Rlink4 terminal type. No reconfiguration of the TMS Communications Controller is necessary other than turning on the BlueZone feature bit when it is purchased.
Renex Async Protocol configuration consists of setting up the PC’s Communications settings, RAP and Compression Setup, and Auto-Script configuration.
Connect:
This combo box is used to select the type of physical connection necessary
for communication. Select Modem if you are using a modem to remotely connect
or select Direct if a communications controller is connected directly
to the computer's serial port.
The default connect is Modem.
Port:
This combo box is used to select the serial port that will be used
for connection with the communications device. The Comm Port selection
must agree with where the device is physically connected.
The default port is COM1.
Baud
Rate:
This combo box is used to select the async port baud rate.
The default baud rate is 1200 bps.
CAUTION! Keep in mind the distance limitation of RS-232C, which is fifty (50) feet. Typically, as the distance of the cable increases, the corresponding speed should decrease to ensure proper signal strength. As a general rule, if the cable length doubles then the speed must be halved. For example, if you are communicating at 9600 baud over a fifty (50) foot cable, and you increase the cable length to 100 feet, then you should decrease the speed to 4800 baud.
Parity:
Parity is a basic form of error-checking on an asynchronous link. It
uses one (1) bit of each character to aid in error-detection. This combo
box is used for indicating the choice of parity. The selections are None,
Odd, Even, Mark, and Space.
None: Indicates that no parity is being used. If this is the case then eight (8) data bits should also be specified.
Odd: Indicates odd parity.
Even: Indicates even parity.
Mark: Indicates that the parity bit will always be set to 1.
Space: Indicates that the parity bit will always be set to 0.
The default Parity is None.
Data
Bits:
Use this option to determine the number of data bits contained in each
ASCII character. In most cases, seven (7) bit words (if parity is required)
or eight (8) bit words (with no parity) are used. The selections are 5,
6, 7, or 8.
The default Data Bits is 8.
Stop
Bits:
Specifies how many bits are used to indicate the end of any asynchronous
character. The options are 1, 1.5, and 2.
The default Stop Bits is 1.
Flow
Control:
In addition to buffering capabilities, a flow control setting is available
to prevent data loss. The handshaking options are XON/XOFF and RTS/CTS:
XON/XOFF: Also referred to as software flow control, the ASCII characters DC1 (HEX 11) and DC3 (HEX 13) will be used to signal the host to stop and resume data transmission as needed.
RTS/CTS: Known also as hardware flow control (Request To Send/Clear To Send), if this option is enabled then the driver will drop RTS when it can no longer receive data and raise it again to resume. Also, the driver will cease to send data if the modem drops CTS and resumes sending data when it is raised again.
The default Flow Control is RTS/CTS.
Auto-Script:
The Auto-Script group box is used to determine whether auto-scripting
will be used during the host connection process.
Enable: Select to enable Auto-Script. The Auto-Script tab will appear at the top of the property sheet.
Disable: Select to diaable Auto-Script. The Terminal Window will be used to manually connect to the host system.
The default Auto-Script is Disabled.
NOTE It is a good idea to first connect to the host system with the Auto-Script option disabled and write down any prompts received and any responses given during the process. This information can then be used to fill in the Prompt and Response edit boxes. Once this process is complete, select the Enable radio button to turn on Auto-Script. During the next session connection the RAP Driver will scan the incoming data stream for any prompts and respond with the appropriate response string.
RAP (Renex Asynchronous Protocol) is a full-duplex, packet communications protocol developed and implemented by SEAGULL for use on asynchronous links. It allows for error-free terminal emulation and data transfer between a SEAGULL Communications Controller and an attached PC implementing the protocol.
The RAP Setup dialog is used to configure RAP specific operating parameters as well as to invoke the Compression Setup dialog. The RAP Options group box contains controls for the configuration of RAP. Configuration options include Start Flag, End Flag, Shift Out, Retry Timeout, Max Frame Size, Transmit Limit, Transmit Window, RAP EAB/7 Color, Dynamic Parity Adjust, and Protected Data Ranges.
Start
Flag:
The ASCII character (two hex digits) used to begin RAP packets.
The default Start Flag is 02 (ASCII STX).
End
Flag:
The ASCII character (two hex digits) used to signify the end of RAP
packets.
The default End Flag is 03 (ASCII EXT).
Shift
Out:
The first of four (4) consecutive characters used to shift out of binary
mode.
The default Shift Out Flag is 0C (ASCII FF).
Retry
Timeout:
The timeout in seconds after which a retry will be attempted. This
should be the maximum transmission time from the controller to the terminal
under normal operating conditions + 2 seconds.
NOTE Transmission time from the controller to the terminal includes all delays from modems, networks, satellites, etc., but not delays due to abnormal retransmissions.
The default Retry Timeout is 3 seconds.
Max
Frame Size:
Three (3) decimal digits specifying the maximum length of the data
field of a frame. Set to 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, or 2048
The default Max Frame Size is 256.
Transmit
Limit:
The maximum number of data frames which can be sent without acknowledgment.
Any decimal value from 2 frames to 7 frames may be entered.
The default Transmit Limit is 7 data frames.
Transmit
Window:
The number of received data frames after which an unsolicited acknowledgment
should be sent.
NOTE Any value from 1 to 7 frames may be entered, but for efficient operation, the value should not be more than the Transmit Limit value - 1 data frame.
The default Transmit Window is 3.
RAP
EAB/7 Color:
This checkbox should be enabled if the host system utilizes the 3270
Extended Data Stream and supports color attributes.
NOTE The number of different colors and how the colors are displayed are largely dependent upon the host application. Enabling this option if the host does not support the 3270 Extended Data Stream will have no adverse effect.
The default EAB/7 Color is Enabled.
Dynamic
Parity Adjust:
To establish a RAP session, the driver and the SEAGULL Communications
Controller must be set for the same parity and number of data bits. If
this checkbox is enabled then the driver will automatically adjust its
parity and data bits to match that of the controller's. If this option
is disabled then no adjustment occurs.
The default Dynamic Parity Adjust is Enabled.
NOTE Dynamic Parity Adjust will only work if the driver is set for 7 data bits and the SEAGULL Communications Controller is set for 8 data bits. This is most useful when using Public Data Networks, such as CompuServe. These networks typically require that you communicate in 7 bit, even parity mode.
NOTE When using RAP it is recommended that 8 bit data with no parity be used for the most efficient operation over the data link. Although it is possible to run 7 data bits with a parity bit, the user may notice a slower response time.
Protected
Data Ranges:
Enable or disable these check boxes as necessary. When disabled these
character values will be sent "as is" during communications.
If enabled these character values will be protected.
The default Protected Character Ranges are disabled - OK to send.
Default:
Press the Default button if you would like to reset all of the RAP
options to their recommended, default values.
Compression...:
Press the Compression... button if you would like to modify the host
data compression configuration.
The Compression Setup dialog is used to configure the RAP Driver for inbound and/or outbound data compression. Up to five (5) concurrent host sessions are separately configurable, 1K and 4K buffer sizes are supported.
Host
Session:
The Host Session radio buttons are used to select the active host session
for configuration. The first session is identified by the letter A, the
second session is B, respectively.
Inbound:
This radio button is used to specify the inbound buffer size used for
data compression.
None: Select None to disable inbound data compression.
1K: Specifies that inbound data compression will be used with a buffer size of 1K.
4K: Specifies that inbound data compression will be used with a buffer size of 4K.
Outbound:
This radio button is used to specify the outbound buffer size used
for data compression.
None: Select None to disable outbound data compression.
1K: Specifies that outbound data compression will be used with a buffer size of 1K.
4K: Specifies that outbound data compression will be used with a buffer size of 4K.
OK:
The OK button is used to exit and save any changes made to the Compression
Setup dialog.
Cancel:
The Cancel button is used to exit while not saving any changes made
to the Compression Setup dialog.
If Auto-Script is enabled then the TMS / RPAD Service Determination information will be used to access the host. If Auto-Script is disabled then the Terminal Window will be used to manually connect to the host system. Auto-Script configuration consists of entering a connection phone number and adding the prompts and responses needed to obtain a host banner screen.
The Phone Directory group box contains controls for the displaying and editing of phone names and phone numbers for connection.
Phone
Name:
The Name combo box is used to display a description of the phone entry.
A maximum of thirty (30) entries may be saved.
Phone
Number:
The Number combo box is used to display the phone number used for the
currently selected phone entry.
Add
Phone Entry:
Press the Add button to add a new phone entry to the Phone Directory.
The Phone Entry Add dialog will then display:
Edit
Phone Entry:
Press the Edit button to edit the currently selected phone entry. The
Phone Entry Edit dialog will then display. The Phone Entry Edit dialog
works identical to the Phone Entry Add dialog (See Phone Entry Add description
above).
Delete
Phone Entry:
Press the Delete button to remove the currently selected phone entry
from the Phone Directory.
AutoBaud
Negotiation Time (seconds):
This edit box is for determining the number of seconds to pause after
modem connection. Although this number may be as low as two (2) or three
(3) seconds, certain older modems need up to twelve (12) seconds to exchange
protocol information and to determine maximum baud rate throughput.
The default AutoBaud Negotiation Time is three (3) seconds.
Initial
Response on CONNECT (\r=<CR>):
The Initial Response on CONNECT edit box is used to configure the initial
character sequence that will be transmitted once the Auto-Baud Negotiation
Time has expired. Users may enter \r each time that they need to signify
a carriage return. In addition, each time a \p is entered will cause Auto-Script
to pause for one second.
The default Initial Response is a carriage return, \r.
Prompt / Response List Box:
Lists any text prompts received from the X.25 network or the SEAGULL
Communications Controller. To configure the Prompts and Responses press
the Edit... button.
NOTE It is a good idea to first connect to the host system with the Auto-Script option disabled and write down any prompts received and any responses given during the process. This information can then be used to fill in the Prompt and Response edit boxes. Once this process is complete, select the Enable radio button to turn on Auto-Script. During the next session connection the RAP Driver will scan the incoming data stream for any prompts and respond with the appropriate response string.
Case-sensitivity:
A checkbox on the Advanced Options dialog that is used to govern the
type of string comparisons made during the Auto-Script connection process.
If this checkbox is enabled (checked), then case-sensitive string comparisons
will be made with the Prompt strings and the incoming data stream.
Modem
Initialization String:
The Modem Initialization String edit box may be used to enter a user-defined
string which will be sent to the modem before the Dial Prefix is transmitted.
There is no default Modem Initialization String.
Dial
Prefix:
The Dial Prefix edit box is used to enter a sequence of characters
that will be transmitted before the connection number is dialed.
The default Dial Prefix is ATDT.
Trace Options
These parameters specify the interfaces to be traced and the file name to which the trace file will be written. The trace files are in ASCII text format and may be viewed with Note Pad or Word Pad.
Trace Async Interface Specifies whether the data transferred on the Async interface with the host should be traced.
Trace RUI Interface Specifies whether the data transferred on the RUI interface with BlueZone should be traced.
ASCII Format If enabled then the trace file data will be written in ASCII format.
Gemini Format If enabled then the trace file data will be written in Gemini format.
Trace File Specifies the path and filename of the file to receive the trace data.
Start Trace Starts the trace with the specified parameters.
Stop Trace Stops the trace and closes the trace file.
Related Topics: Editing the Translate Tables