From: dburr@sbphy.physics.ucsb.edu (Donald Burr)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm,comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.hardware,comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Hermes 2.0, Hardware Handshaking, and a Mac Classic -- HELP!!!!
Date: 27 Aug 92 05:11:37 GMT
Reply-To: dburr@sbphy.physics.ucsb.edu
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.comm
Organization: UCSB Physics Department

I have a Mac Classic, running system 7.0.  I am rying to get a BBS
started, using Hermes 2.0.  I have their Cable #3 (a hardware
handshaking cable) and have the Hardware Handshaking option turned on.
HOWEVER, though the handshaking works, if a user connects, the bbs does
not recognize that a user is on.  This is because the DCD (carrier
detect) line isn't even being used.

Here's the story: Hermes offers three ways of checking for carrier.

They are "CTS pin" (for non-hardware handshaking modems), "DCD Pin
7/Chip" (according to the manual, this will only work on machine above a
mac Plus) and "DCD Pin 7/Driver" (according to the manual, only for
NuBus multiport card ports)  When I turn on hardware handshaking, the
nly selection available to me is "DCD Pin 7/Driver", and it doesn't
work.

However, a friend of mine told me that the circuitry in the Classic has
been totally redesigned (or at least majorly updated) and it SHOULD
support the "DCD Pin 7/Chip" option.

Is this true?  If not, is there _ANY_ way of using Hardware Handshaking
with hermes?  (I am using a high speed modem, so this is incredibly
critical for me -- XON/XOFF will totally thrash the file transfer rate)

a while ago, I posted a message about hardware handshaking on a Mac
Classic.  The message I posted looked like this:
 
-----
Is it possible?  I read in the manual that, if you are running system
7.x, the node prefs... dialog will tell you if it is or not.
According to the manual, if the "hardware handshaking" check box is
dimmed, then that means you CAN'T use it.  but, on mine (a 4MB Classic
running 7.01) it ISN'T dimmed.  Hardware handshaking has worked OK for
me in the past, using ZTerm and other comm programs.  But apparently
Hermes adds complications.  The only selection available for Carrier
Detect is "DCD Pin 7/Driver"  This DOES NOT WORK; a user can connect
to the BBS, but the BBS won't know that, and will keep trying to query
the modem, but will fail.
 
Is there any way around this?  Please, I absolutely NEED hardware
handshaking or else file transfers will be real lousy and all.  Thanks.
-----
 
Anyway, I also posted a copy of this to a few local BBS's.  A friend
of mine responded as follows:
 
-----
MESSAGE #2171            DATE: 08-23-92     TIME: 20:10    STATUS: P
CONFERENCE: Apple/Mac          (30)
FROM: BOB BLAYLOCK                TO: DONALD BURR              
SUBJECT: RE: RE: MAC WITH USR DUAL                          REF. #2167    
 
DB> One note: If you are running Hermes, Hardware flow control on a
DB> "compact Mac" (i.e. Classic, etc.) WILL NOT WORK.  Well, it WILL
DB> work, but it somehow fails to recognize the CTS (Clear To Send)
DB> line, which Hermes uses for carrier detection.  I have not been
DB> able to come up with a fix for this, and have not gotten any
DB> response from the authors of Hermes (AOC Software).
  
  Someone should tell them that on any Macintosh that is more
recent than a Plus, pin 7 on the each serial port goes to the DCD
line on the SCC.  If all cables were wired to take the modem's
DCD line into this pin, and host software, such as Herpes, was
written to look there for this signal, then there'd be no
conflict problem between using hardware flow control, and
detecting the carrier.  Of course, anyone using a Mac Plus to run
such software, which is the most recent model to not support pin
7, is outa luck.
-----
 
To which I replied:
 
-----
Yeah.  That's actually sort of my fault.  I failed to mention that Hermes
DOES support DCD on pin 7, except here is how it is.  They have two
versions:
 
DCD Pin 7/Chip
DCD Pin 7/Driver
 
According to the Hermes manual, the "Chip" is the one to use if you are run-
ning off a Mac serial port, but will not work on anything above a Plus.
But the "Driver" one is what to use if you are using a Nubus card port.
It _LOOKS_ though, from what you say, that the DCD Pin 7/Chip SHOULD be
available if you are running on a Classic.  Looks like it's time to don the
asbestos underwear, grab the flamethrower, and aim it at AOC, eh?
Anyway, I have it queued up for the next time I call the support BBS.
Thanks for the response.
-----
 
Now, my question: IS THIS TRUE?  I am pretty sure that you cannot do
this sort of hardware handshaking on a Plus, but I heard that the
Classic has greatly different circuitry, and it MIGHT be possible.
Is this true?  If so, could you PLEASE release an updated version of
Hermes to fix this?
 
Anyway, I sent AOC the above message, and also posted it to the BBS.
This is the reply I got, which was (IMHO) rather snappish and perhaps
uncalled-for.  It mentions that the question I posed "had been replied
to long ago", in fact I never saw this reply (Maybe it was not addressed
to me, so my Newscan didn't pick it up though...)

(1/1): Message
Name: AOC Software #1 Last on: 8/26/92
Date: Tue, Aug 25, 1992 9:19:07 AM
 
Your message was replied to long ago int he public message bases here.
Therefore, your post was deleted.
 
AOC Software, Inc.

If anyone could shed some light on this, it would be greatly
appreciated.  CAN Hermes use the DCD line on pin 7, on a Classic?

Anyway, many thanks for the help.  Please send replies BY MAIL to
dburr@sbphy.physics.ucsb.edu.  May the Schwartz be with you!

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