| Re .0:
> I have a problem which probably someone(s) can help me with. It's been
> discussed in previous topics, all of which I have read, but I'm so new
> to this that I don't know how to get started in solving it.
>
> Problem: I simply want to access my VAX at work from my A2000 at home.
>
> Has anyone ever used ACCESS and can they help me with a few suggestions
> for getting started -- or -- can anyone layout the basic steps, using
> any available software, for connecting to a VAX.
I've not used ACCESS, but much is the same regardless of which terminal
program one uses. I'll try to accomodate you in a fairly generic way:
1. My first assumption is that you have a 2400 baud modem connected
to the RS232 port on your A2000. I'll assume further that you've
been loaned a DF224 Scholar by your cost center. It should go
without saying that the modem is of little use if it's either
not plugged in or not connected to the telephone system.
2. My second assumption is that you know how to connect to your VAX
(I'll presume VMS) system at work using a REAL terminal. That
includes phone numbers, login sequences, and the like.
3. Boot your system and start the communications program. It may,
like HANDSHAKE, put up an initial screen to welcome you and/or
solicit a shareware contribution.
4. Set up the line characteristics. You'll probably be using one or
more pull-down MENU items that you select by holding the RIGHT
mouse key while you locate the appropriate menu, then run down same
to highlight the desired item. Among the communications options
you'll want to set are the following:
BAUD RATE = 2400 bpi (Assumption #1)
DATA BITS = 8 (or FRAME SIZE = 10)
PARITY = NONE
START/STOP BITS = 1 ea (8+0+1+1=10, the frame size)
5. You can probably defer fooling with the terminal emulation
characteristics until you've logged in and been "surprised" that
some terminal attribute doesn't work the way you'd prefer. At the
least, though, set things up to do VT100 emulation.
6. Get the modem's attention. With a Scholar, type ^B (Control-B)
and it will reply 'Ready'. If it doesn't respond, change your
baud rate to 1200 and try again. If it STILL doesn't respond,
check that the modem is alive (lights on the front are a good sign)
and that it's properly connected to the RS232 port.
7. Tell the modem to dial your system (or TSN or nearby FX� number).
With the Scholar, type T or P (tone or pulse, depending upon your
local phone system) followed immediately by the phone number and
terminated with an exclamation point (!) to cause it to start
dialing. With a Hayes-compatible modem, type ATD followed by
T or P (tone or pulse) and the number and a carriage return.
8. The modem should report the success/failure of its dialing attempt.
It may report that it detected no dial tone, a busy signal, no
answer, or that it actually connected. If the connection is at
a different baud rate than what you are currently set for, it will
report that also. Change the rate to match.
9. Get the system's attention, usually by sending one or more carriage
returns. You should be able to log in as you do at work.
10. If your LOGIN.COM file does a SET TERMINAL/INQUIRE, it should learn
that you're at a "VT100" and set things accordingly. If not, you
can type SET TERMINAL/DEVICE_TYPE=VT100 to force it to treat you
as such. Have fun.
� Don't try an FX number first. There are a number of intracacies that
attend use of such numbers that I'd rather not have to sort out here.
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For the record, Access! doe not emulate a VT* terminal. Youwould do
much better to use HandShake or JR-Comm...
Your best bet is to try to find someone in or near your facility who
can get you a disk with a terminal program on it. If this is not
practical, let me know and I can send you a disk with an excellent
terminal program and other vital goodies, like the ARC ZOO and LHARC
archiving programs that are needed to access software on the DEC
network.
Ed.
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| As someone who very recently went through pretty much the same problems
as yourself, may I just add weight to the previous replies and add
another suggestion just to confuse you.
The Excellent VT200 (for some odd reason also known as Smokey) is great
if you want to stick to 80-column screens. I mainly use it's brilliant
script language (?) for automatically logging in, but its so flexible I
guess anything's possible.
Otherwise, Handshake is probably my second choice - gives *almost* 132
column screens, but only autodials; no scripts (and also strangely
allows me to get 4800 baud connections from a modem that purports to
manage a maximum of 4000!!).
Finally, I started off fumbling around the comms world with Access!. I
like its visual feel, but perhaps because of the lack of VT support,
perhaps because I only had the basic 512K, I hated it.
David.
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