The CONVERSE command sets up a two-way communications connection between a peripheral device and your terminal. CONVERSE is frequently used with dial-out modems.
Format
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CONVERSE line |
Parameter(s)
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line |
Line you want to attach to your process. |
Description
The connection between two lines is established in the following way. Line 1 of the connection is the line currently linked to your process. Line 2 of the connection is the line you attach to your process, using the CONVERSE command. Thus, when you have successfully created the connection, your process is linked to line 1 and attached to line 2, and your process is put into a pass-through mode. Characters received from the device connected to the attached line are sent, through your process, to the line linked to that process (i.e., to your terminal). Similarly, characters sent from your terminal over the linked line are sent through your process to the device connected to the attached line.
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NOTE |
CONVERSE accesses data one character at a time. Therefore input to this command cannot be stacked in a Proc or an mvBASIC program. |
For CONVERSE to attach a line to your process, the line must first be unlinked and detached from any other process—that is, the line must be made available. Set transmission characteristics correctly up for both the attached and the linked lines.
When the line is successfully attached, the following message displays:
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LINE ATTACHED! |
and your process will be in CONVERSE mode. To exit CONVERSE mode and return to TCL, press the ESC key, then type X. The following message displays:
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LINE DETACHED! |
If another process is already linked or attached to the specified line, the following message displays:
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[8011] LINE IN USE. |
If you specify a line that doesn’t exist, this message displays:
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[8015] ILLEGAL LINE NUMBER. |
Sending BREAK and ESC Characters to the Attached Device
To send a BREAK signal:
Press ESC.
Type D.
To send an ESC character:
Press ESC twice.
To exit:
Press ESC.
Type X.
Setting Up a Communications Connection
The following example shows the procedure for first unlinking and detaching line 7 from another process, and then attaching it to your current process.
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>UNLINK-LINE 7 [8012] LINE 7 UNLINKED.
>CONVERSE 7 LINE ATTACHED! |
Two-way communication is now possible between your terminal and the device connected to line 7.
Use of mvBase Licenses
Commencing with Release 1.3.01, the CONVERSE command no longer consumes an mvBase license when conversing with an unlinked line. Thus, when connecting to a line that is not linked to a process (note, this does not mean not attached), the process is license-free. All processes have a single linked line and no attached lines as default.