This file was put together from two files that are in this DL and were written to assist those who had purchased a communications package, but later found out that it would not permit them to download any of the programs that they found here in the CBMCOM Forum. The best they can do is to capture text files to be read. The following programs will permit you to utilize your existing communications equipment, maybe modify your software if necessary, and download a better communications program then you now have. These programs are called "Bootstrap" programs because they provide you with the barest of necessities in terms of capabilities. In some cases you will have to manually dial the phone to make the connection to CompuServe and in all cases you will have to use pulse dial instead of touch tone. This isn't so bad as it only has to be done once. ======================================================================= Ya say you can't download because you only have a dumb terminal program. Ya say if you could download, that you would download a new terminal program that could download. (Catch 22!) Well! I tell ya what I'm gonna do... Step right up and copy down the following SHORT program. Type it in and save it to disk. The program is a simple Bootstrap XMODEM Downloader, and if the wind is blowing right, will permit you to download from Compuserve's CBMCOM Forum, the full featured Xmodem terminal program > CBTERM/C64. Once you have CBTERM/C64, you can up or download anything to/from CIS and any Xmodem BBS systems. Step closer young man, and I'll tell you how it works..... The program (which I will call BXD.BAS) is a short routine to only download a file in xmodem. It is used in conjunction with your present terminal program. You use your present dumb terminal program to go on line and connect with CIS. You then goto the CBMCOM Forum, (GO CBMCOM at the ! prompt) and go to the DL12 data library. There you find the latest version of CBTERM/C64. You must get the .BIN version of CBTERM, (not the .IMG version) You instruct CIS to Download the CBTERM program using XMODEM protocol. CIS will respond that it is begining the download. BXD will then do an XMODEM download of the file and write it to disk. If all works well, in 15 mins. you should have a brand spanking new copy of CBTERM/C64 on your disk. (note: only run your dumb terminal program and BXD.BAS at 300 baud.) BXD.BAS does the following: When RUN, will handshake to CIS to start the transfer. A disk file is opened and is called CBTERM into which the incomming data is written. BXD then waits to recieve data blocks of 132 bytes long. Each block has a checksum that is matched and if found to be wrong, the block is rejected and cis sends it again. (note: the first block is offen rejected on the first try by BXD, but gets through the second time around.) If the checksum is ok the block is written to the disk and the next block is recived. This continues untill the end of data marker is sent. BXD will say "DONE" and you should have a good copy of CBTERM/C64 now on your disk. Reset your computer and load CBTERM and use that as your new SMART terminal program. Trying to keep BXD brief, many shortcuts were taken. There is no time out check or block number check as would be included in a full featured XMODEM program. If you suffer from noisey phone lines, you may be in trouble trying to use BXD. BXD expects to recieve 132 bytes in a block, if for some reason, a bute is dropped, BXD will sit in its loop and hang. Each byte that is recieve is marked by a "." displayed on the screen. and when a full block is recieve this is stated also. If you see BXD stop for longer than 60 seconds without recieveing any more bytes then you could try this: Press <STOP> to break the program. The enter: GOTO 50 This will reject the last block recieved and restart looking for the block. If you coninualy get CHECK SUM BAD errors, then log off and reload your dumb terminal program and try the process again. Don't forget to Verify the disk you were using as the opened file will not be good. Here is the code for BXD.BAS: Enter it carefully, don't forget the ;'s and other easyly overlooked things. If all goes well, you will be able to download a very fine terminal program that you can then use to up and down load just about anything else. If you have any questions, pleas leave them in a message to SYSOP in CBMCOM. No EMAIL please. HAVE FUN ! BXD.BAS (C) 1985 by Chrisdos .+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ . Version 1.1 of BXD.BAS . This includes a small terminal routine in the program itself, and may work directly witout the need for an external terminal program. . Fill in lines 40 - 90 with a routine to dial your modem, or manually connect with your phone. 5 open5,2,0,chr$(6):dim i%(132) 10 printchr$(14)"[CLS][CRDN][CRDN][CRDN] Bootstrap XMODEM Downloader Ver 1.1" 20 print" Written by Christopher Dunn 30 print"[CRDN][CRDN][CRDN] Use the <F1> key to start the Download" 100 print"[Terminal Mode] 110 get#5,a$:if st=8 goto170 120 a=asc(a$+chr$(0))and127 130 if a=8 then a=157:goto160 140 if a>=65 and a<=90 then a=a+32:goto160 150 if a>=97 and a<=122 then a=a-32 160 print chr$(a); 170 get a$:if a$="" goto110 180 a=asc(a$+chr$(0)):if a=20 then a=8:goto220 190 if a=133 goto 1000:rem do xmodem 200 if a>=193 and a<=218 then a=a-128:goto220 210 if a>=65 and a<=90 then a=a+32 220 print#5,chr$(a); 230 goto 110 1000 rem xmodem download 1010 ack$=chr$(6):nak$=chr$(21):eot$=chr$(4):b=1 1020 print"[CLR] Xmodem Downloader. 1030 print"Enter file name for your disk:";:f$="":input f$:if f$="" goto 100 1040 print"Working! Please standby" 1050 open8,8,8,f$+",p,w" 1060 forx=1to25:get#5,n$:next:q=0:print#5,nak$; 1070 get#5,c$:if st=8 goto 1170 1080 q=q+1:i%(q)=asc(c$+chr$(0)):print"."; 1090 if q=1 and c$=eot$ then close8:print"DONE!":print#5,ack$:goto100 1100 z=0:if q<132 goto1070 1110 print:print"Checking Block" 1120 ck%=0:forx=1to131:ck%=(ck%+i%(x))and255:next 1130 if ck%<>i%(132) then print"Bad Checksum!":goto1060 1140 forx=4to131:print#8,chr$(i%(x));:next:get#5,n$ 1150 print"Block "b" OK.":b=b+1:print#5,ack$;:q=0 1160 goto1070 1170 rem check for time out 1180 z=z+1:if z<500 goto 1070 1190 print"Block time out! Retrying....":z=0:goto1060 A note on this program for first time users. When you are negotiating through CIS to get to the Data Library where the terminal programs reside you might find that as more information is received it will turn to garbage on your screen. DO NOT DISPAIR! This seems to be normal due to the nature of the program. Remember, it is REALLY basic in nature. Watch for the information to stop being printed on your screen and enter your information. After you hit the <CR> the screen information return to normal, until several lines have been received, then its back to garbage. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT THE X-MODEM TRANSFER !! ONLY THE TEXT INFORMATION BEING RECEIVED PRIOR TO YOU HITTING THE NEXT CARRIAGE RETURN ============================================================================= This ends the section on general bootstrapping. The following portion is specific to the Commodore 1660 Modem 300. The program is a little shorter as it utilizes the existing modem program "Autodial Victerm" that came with your modem. This file is for each of you who bought a Commodore 1660 modem (also known as the MODEM/300) with the intention of downloading programs from Compuserve. Included with that modem is a nice terminal program called Higgyterm. When I first got my modem, I sat down and tried to download some programs. What I didn't know is that that version of Higgyterm (there are others) is not capable of downloading. Fortunately, thanks to CHRISDOS, the head honcho of the CB Special Interest Group, it is possible for you to use a simple BASIC program to download "CBTERM", a first class full featured terminal program with downloading capabilities. Now to drop the other shoe. Because the 1660 modem operates differently from most modems, the program outlined in BXD.TXT won't work for you as written. This file will tell you how to modify AUTODIAL VICTERM (a program on the disk included with the 1660) to download "CBTERM", by adding a modified version of BXD.BAS to it. Be sure you also get CBT551.DOC and CBT552.DOC, the instructions for using CBTERM. You can do this with Higgyterm by opening the buffer, (R)eading the file into it, and then saving the file to disk. Don't try to get both files in the buffer at the same time. This documentation printed out at 17 pages for me, and CBTERM has so many features that you will need these files to take advantage of it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: also read the file CBTERM.TIP for additional information ------------------------------------------------------------------------- While I'm at it, I'll give you some information that it took me a while to figure out when I first got on COMPUSERVE. The files you will be looking at will usually be followed by a period and a three letter code. The most common are .BIN, .IMG, .TXT, and .DOC. .BIN and IMG. files are programs, and require an XMODEM or other terminal program to download. They are slightly different, but if you use CBTERM you don't have to worry about that. .TXT and .DOC files are TEXT and DOCUMENT files. These are simply files of written information, and the easiest way to get them is to open your buffer and (R)ead them at the prompt. You'll find that files often come in pairs, with PRGRM.DOC being the instructions for using PRGRM.BIN or PRGRM.IMG But now back to the subject at hand. In order to downl...
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