Page 1
®
FALCON
DOS Portable Data Terminals
Advanced User’s Guide
Page 2
PSC Inc
959 Terry Street
Eugene, Oregon 97402
Telephone: (541) 683-5700
Fax: (541) 345-7140
Copyright ©2002 PSC Inc. An Unpublished Work - All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this documentation or the pro-
cedures described therein may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of
PSC Inc. or its wholly owned subsidiaries ("PSC"). Owners of PSC products are hereby granted a non-exclusive, revocable
license to reproduce and transmit this documentation for the purchaser's own internal business purposes. Purchaser shall not
remove or alter any proprietary notices, including copyright notices, contained in this documentation and shall ensure that all
notices appear on any reproductions of the documentation.
Should future revisions of this manual be published, you can acquire printed versions by contacting PSC Customer Administra-
tion. Electronic versions will either be downloadable from the PSC web site (www.pscnet.com) or provided on appropriate
media. If you visit our web site and would like to make comments or suggestions about this or other PSC publications, please let
us know via the “Contact PSC” page.
Disclaimer
Reasonable measures have been taken to ensure that the information included in this manual is complete and accurate. How-
ever, PSC reserves the right to change any specification at any time without prior notice.
PSC is a registered trademark of PSC Inc. The PSC logo is a trademark of PSC. All other trademarks and trade names referred
to herein are property of their respective owners.
Falcon® is a registered trademark of PSC Inc. or one of its wholly owned subsidiaries.
PhoenixCARD Manager Plus © 1993, 1994 Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
This product may be covered by one or more of the following patents: 4603262 • 4639606 • 4652750 • 4672215 • 4699447 • 4709195 • 4709369
• 4749879 • 4792666 • 4794240 • 4798943 • 4799164 • 4820911 • 4845349 • 4861972 • 4861973 • 4866257 • 4868836 • 4879456 • 4939355 •
4939356 • 4943127 • 4963719 • 4971176 • 4971177 • 4991692 • 5001406 • 5015831 • 5019697 • 5019698 • 5086879 • 5115120 • 5144118 •
5146463 • 5179270 • 5198649 • 5200597 • 5202784 • 5208449 • 5210397 • 5212371 • 5212372 • 5214270 • 5229590 • 5231293 • 5232185 •
5233169 • 5235168 • 5237161 • 5237162 • 5239165 • 5247161 • 5256864 • 5258604 • 5258699 • 5260554 • 5274219 • 5296689 • 5298728 •
5311000 • 5327451 • 5329103 • 5330370 • 5347113 • 5347121 • 5371361 • 5382783 • 5386105 • 5389917 • 5410108 • 5420410 • 5422472 •
5426507 • 5438187 • 5440110 • 5440111 • 5446271 • 5446749 • 5448050 • 5463211 • 5475206 • 5475207 • 5479011 • 5481098 • 5491328 •
5493108 • 5504350 • 5508505 • 5512740 • 5541397 • 5552593 • 5557095 • 5563402 • 5565668 • 5576531 • 5581707 • 5594231 • 5594441 •
5598070 • 5602376 • 5608201 • 5608399 • 5612529 • 5629510 • 5635699 • 5641958 • 5646391 • 5661435 • 5664231 • 5666045 • 5671374 •
5675138 • 5682028 • 5686716 • 5696370 • 5703347 • 5705802 • 5714750 • 5717194 • 5723852 • 5750976 • 5767502 • 5770847 • 5786581 •
5786585 • 5787103 • 5789732 • 5796222 • 5804809 • 5814803 • 5814804 • 5821721 • 5822343 • 5825009 • 5834708 • 5834750 • 5837983 •
5837988 • 5852286 • 5864129 • 5869827 • 5874722 • 5883370 • 5905249 • 5907147 • 5923023 • 5925868 • 5929421 • 5945670 • 5959284 •
5962838 • 5979769 • 6000619 • 6006991 • 6012639 • 6016135 • 6024284 • 6041374 • 6042012 • 6045044 • 6047889 • 6047894 • 6056198 •
6065676 • 6069696 • 6073849 • 6073851 • 6094288 • 6112993 • 6129279 • 6129282 • 6134039 • 6142376 • 6152368 • 6152372 • 6155488 •
6166375 • 6169614 • 6173894 • 6176429 • 6188500 • 6189784 • 6213397 • 6223986 • 6230975 • 6230976 • 6237852 • 6244510 • 6259545 •
6260763 • 6266175 • 6273336 • 6276605 • 6279829 • 6290134 • 6290135 • 6293467 • 6303927 • 6311895 • 6318634 • 6328216 • 6332576 •
6332577 • 6343741 • AU703547 • D312631 • D313590 • D320011 • D320012 • D323492 • D330707 • D330708 • D349109 • D350127 •
D350735 • D351149 • D351150 • D352936 • D352937 • D352938 • D352939 • D358588 • D361565 • D372234 • D374630 • D374869 • D375493
• D376357 • D377345 • D377346 • D377347 • D377348 • D388075 • D446524 • EP0256296 • EP0260155 • EP0260156 • EP0295936 •
EP0325469 • EP0349770 • EP0368254 • EP0442215 • EP0498366 • EP0531645 • EP0663643 • EP0698251 • GB2252333 • GB2284086 •
GB2301691 • GB2304954 • GB2307093 • GB2308267 • GB2308678 • GB2319103 • GB2333163 • GB2343079 • GB2344486 • GB2345568 •
GB2354340 • ISR107546 • ISR118507 • ISR118508 • JP1962823 • JP1971216 • JP2513442 • JP2732459 • JP2829331 • JP2953593 •
JP2964278 • MEX185552 • MEX187245 • RE37166 • Other Patents Pending
Falcon® DOS Portable Terminals
Page 3
CONTENTS
About this Guide ..........................................................................................ix
Overview................................................................................................................x
®
Falcon
Radio Frequency Interference...............................................................................xii
Style Conventions............................................................................................... xiii
Technical Support...............................................................................................xiv
Chapter 1: Using Falcon DOS Portable Terminals ............................................ 1-1
Overview............................................................................................................1-2
Programming the Laser Triggers.........................................................................1-2
Programming the Enter Keys..............................................................................1-3
Using PC Cards..................................................................................................1-4
The Serial Port ...................................................................................................1-8
The IR Serial Port ..............................................................................................1-8
The Disk Drives .................................................................................................1-9
Configuring the Falcon.....................................................................................1-10
Transferring Files..............................................................................................1-11
Model Numbers .......................................................................................x
Document Conventions.............................................................................. xiii
Keys and Keystroke Conventions ................................................................xiii
Opening the PC Card Slot Cover................................................................1-5
Inserting a PC Card.....................................................................................1-6
Card Recognition and Configuration ..........................................................1-7
Removing a PC Card ..................................................................................1-8
An Example...............................................................................................1-12
Advanced User’s Guide i
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Contents
Chapter 2: The Falcon Configuration Utility .......................................................2-1
Overview ............................................................................................................2-2
Installing the Falcon Configuration Utility .........................................................2-2
Using the Falcon Configuration Utility ..............................................................2-3
Main Menu ................................................................................................ 2-3
The Custom Configuration Menu.............................................................. 2-5
The File Configuration Windows............................................................... 2-9
The Program Settings Windows ............................................................... 2-16
The Comm Settings Dialog Box............................................................... 2-20
The File Transfer Window ....................................................................... 2-21
Chapter 3: Using File Transfer Programs .............................................................3-1
Using XFER32...................................................................................................3-2
XFER32 Setup........................................................................................... 3-2
General Tab................................................................................................ 3-3
Transfer Tab............................................................................................... 3-5
Logging Tab ............................................................................................... 3-7
Host Mode .........................................................................................................3-8
Sending and Receiving Data ...............................................................................3-8
Send File (to Portable)................................................................................ 3-9
Receive File (from Portable)........................................................................ 3-9
Using XFER .....................................................................................................3-10
Syntax and Parameters.............................................................................. 3-11
The XFER_ARGS Environment Variable................................................. 3-26
Multiple-Option Blocks ........................................................................... 3-27
The Modem-Initialization File.................................................................. 3-29
Performance ............................................................................................. 3-32
Error Codes .............................................................................................. 3-34
Chapter 4: The Falcon 4-Slot Dock ......................................................................... 4-1
Overview ............................................................................................................4-2
Operating Modes................................................................................................4-2
The 4SLOT.SYS Device Driver..........................................................................4-3
Transferring Files with XFER .............................................................................4-4
Setting the Baud Rate .........................................................................................4-5
Chapter 5: Disk Drives, Organization, Software, & Configurations ............5-1
Overview ............................................................................................................5-2
Disk Drives and Files..........................................................................................5-2
Structure..................................................................................................... 5-2
Drive A....................................................................................................... 5-3
Drive B....................................................................................................... 5-4
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DOS Portable Terminals
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Contents
Drive C....................................................................................................... 5-6
Drive D ...................................................................................................... 5-6
Additional Drives........................................................................................ 5-7
Other System Software...................................................................................... 5-7
BIOS and DOS .......................................................................................... 5-7
PC Card and RF Networking Software.......................................................5-8
System Configurations ....................................................................................... 5-8
Default Configuration ................................................................................ 5-8
I/O PC Card Support Configuration.......................................................... 5-9
Chapter 6: System Utilities .........................................................................................6-1
Chapter Conventions......................................................................................... 6-2
CFGDEV.SYS ................................................................................................... 6-3
CFGIO.EXE...................................................................................................... 6-4
COMIO.COM.................................................................................................. 6-5
DECODE.SYS .................................................................................................. 6-6
FLASHDSK.SYS ............................................................................................... 6-7
FORMAT.COM ............................................................................................... 6-8
LOCK.COM..................................................................................................... 6-9
ORGANIZE.COM ......................................................................................... 6-10
PM.COM........................................................................................................ 6-11
VDISK.SYS ..................................................................................................... 6-13
XFER.EXE....................................................................................................... 6-14
Chapter 7: Resetting the Falcon ...............................................................................7-1
Overview............................................................................................................ 7-2
Warm Boot........................................................................................................ 7-2
Cold Boot .......................................................................................................... 7-3
Safe Boot............................................................................................................ 7-4
Hardware Reset.................................................................................................. 7-5
Chapter 8: Using PC Cards ..........................................................................................8-1
Overview............................................................................................................ 8-2
Uses of PC Cards........................................................................................8-2
PC Card Drivers ................................................................................................ 8-3
Appendix A: Connector Configurations .................................................................. A-1
Overview............................................................................................................A-2
Falcon Portable Terminals .................................................................................A-2
Laser-Scanner Connector............................................................................A-2
Serial Port Jack............................................................................................A-3
Advanced User’s Guide iii
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Contents
Serial IR Port..............................................................................................A-4
Falcon Dock ......................................................................................................A-5
25-Pin Connector.......................................................................................A-5
Falcon 4-Slot Dock............................................................................................ A-6
Host-Interface Cable ..................................................................................A-7
Dock-Network Cable Jacks.........................................................................A-7
Appendix B: ROM-DOS Commands ..........................................................................B-1
Command Overview.......................................................................................... B-2
ROM-DOS vs. MS-DOS .................................................................................. B-4
Command Descriptions..................................................................................... B-5
ATTRIB............................................................................................................ B-6
BUFFERS.......................................................................................................... B-7
CHKDSK.......................................................................................................... B-8
COMMAND .................................................................................................... B-9
DELTREE....................................................................................................... B-11
DIR ................................................................................................................. B-12
FCBS............................................................................................................... B-14
FIND .............................................................................................................. B-15
HELP .............................................................................................................. B-16
NEWFILE....................................................................................................... B-16
PRINT ............................................................................................................ B-17
SHARE............................................................................................................ B-19
SWITCHES .................................................................................................... B-20
TREE .............................................................................................................. B-20
VER................................................................................................................. B-21
XCOPY ........................................................................................................... B-22
Appendix C: Programming Parameters .................................................................. C-1
Overview ...........................................................................................................C-2
Code 39............................................................................................................C-3
Interleaved 2 of 5..............................................................................................C-3
Matrix 2 of 5.....................................................................................................C-3
Standard 2 of 5 .................................................................................................C-3
Code 11............................................................................................................C-4
Codabar/Ames..................................................................................................C-4
MSI ..................................................................................................................C-4
Code 93............................................................................................................C-4
Universal Product Code-A (UPC-A).................................................................C-4
Universal Product Code-E (UPC-E).................................................................C-5
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DOS Portable Terminals
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Contents
European Article Numbering (EAN) /
Japan Article Numbering (JAN)........................................................................C-5
UPC, EAN, JAN Extensions.............................................................................C-5
Code 128 ..........................................................................................................C-5
Labelcode 4/5....................................................................................................C-5
Other Controls .................................................................................................C-5
Appendix D: Bar Codes .................................................................................................. D-1
Predefined Defaults........................................................................................... D-2
Code 39 ............................................................................................................ D-2
ENABLE ...................................................................................................D-2
MINIMUM LENGTH.............................................................................D-2
MAXIMUM LENGTH ............................................................................D-2
ENABLE CHECKSUM............................................................................D-2
SEND CHECKSUM ................................................................................D-2
FULL ASCII MODE ................................................................................D-2
Interleaved 2 of 5 ............................................................................................. D-3
ENABLE ...................................................................................................D-3
MINIMUM LENGTH.............................................................................D-3
MAXIMUM LENGTH ............................................................................D-3
ENABLE CHECKSUM............................................................................D-3
SEND CHECKSUM ................................................................................D-3
USE LENGTHS 6 AND 14 ONLY (case code) ........................................D-3
Matrix 2 of 5 .................................................................................................... D-3
ENABLE ...................................................................................................D-3
MINIMUM LENGTH.............................................................................D-4
MAXIMUM LENGTH ............................................................................D-4
Standard 2 of 5 ................................................................................................ D-4
ENABLE ...................................................................................................D-4
MINIMUM LENGTH.............................................................................D-4
ENABLE CHECKSUM............................................................................D-4
SEND CHECKSUM ................................................................................D-4
MAXIMUM LENGTH ............................................................................D-5
ENABLE CHECKSUM............................................................................D-5
SEND CHECKSUM ................................................................................D-5
Code 11 ...........................................................................................................D-5
ENABLE ...................................................................................................D-5
MINIMUM LENGTH.............................................................................D-5
USE 2-BAR START/STOP.......................................................................D-5
Codabar/Ames ................................................................................................. D-6
CODABAR ENABLE ............................................................................... D-6
AMES ENABLE........................................................................................ D-6
Advanced User’s Guide v
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Contents
MINIMUM LENGTH............................................................................. D-6
MAXIMUM LENGTH ............................................................................ D-6
MAXIMUM LENGTH ............................................................................ D-6
REQUIRE 2 CHECK DIGITS ................................................................ D-6
SEND CHECK DIGIT(S)........................................................................ D-6
MSI ..................................................................................................................D-7
ENABLE................................................................................................... D-7
MINIMUM LENGTH............................................................................. D-7
MAXIMUM LENGTH ............................................................................ D-7
SEND STOP/START............................................................................... D-7
CODABAR-TO-CLSI CONVERSION................................................... D-7
WIDE INTERCHARACTER GAPS ALLOWED ................................... D-7
Code 93 ............................................................................................................D-8
ENABLE................................................................................................... D-8
MINIMUM LENGTH............................................................................. D-8
MAXIMUM LENGTH ............................................................................ D-8
REQUIRE 2 CHECK DIGITS ................................................................ D-8
2ND CHECK DIGIT MOD 11 ............................................................. D-8
SEND CHECK DIGIT(S)........................................................................ D-8
Code 128 ..........................................................................................................D-8
ENABLE................................................................................................... D-8
MINIMUM LENGTH............................................................................. D-9
MAXIMUM LENGTH ............................................................................ D-9
Labelcode 4/5 ...................................................................................................D-9
ENABLE................................................................................................... D-9
CONVERT............................................................................................... D-9
UPC-A (Universal Product Code-A) ....................................................................D-9
ENABLE UPC-A ...................................................................................... D-9
ENABLE UCC/EAN 128 ......................................................................... D-9
UPC-E (Universal Product Code-E)....................................................................D-10
USE SYSTEM DIGIT 0 ......................................................................... D-10
USE SYSTEM DIGIT 1 ......................................................................... D-10
CONVERT UPC-E TO UPC-A ............................................................ D-10
SEND SYSTEM DIGIT ......................................................................... D-10
SEND CHECK DIGIT ..........................................................................D-10
SEND SYSTEM DIGIT ......................................................................... D-10
SEND CHECK DIGIT ..........................................................................D-10
CONVERT UPC-A TO EAN-13........................................................... D-10
EAN (European Article Numbering)/ JAN (Japan Article Numbering) ...................... D-10
ENABLE EAN-8/JAN-8 ......................................................................... D-10
UPC/EAN/JAN Extentions ............................................................................D-11
ALLOW 2-DIGIT EXTENSIONS......................................................... D-11
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DOS Portable Terminals
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ALLOW 5-DIGIT EXTENSIONS......................................................... D-11
REQUIRE EXTENSIONS .....................................................................D-11
ENABLE EAN-13/JAN-13 ..................................................................... D-11
CONVERT EAN-13 TO ISBN..............................................................D-11
SEND EAN/JAN CHECKSUM............................................................. D-11
Other Controls .............................................................................................. D-11
AUTOTERMINATOR ..........................................................................D-11
AUTO-OFF TIMER...............................................................................D-11
SEND SYMBOLOGY IDENTIFIER .....................................................D-12
GOOD-READ BEEP TONE (in Hertz) ...................................................D-12
NUMBER OF GOOD-READ BEEPS ................................................... D-12
GOOD-READ BEEP DURATION .......................................................D-12
BEEPER VOLUME................................................................................D-12
ERROR BEEP TONE (in Hertz)..............................................................D-13
LONG-RANGE TRIGGER MODE ......................................................D-13
SPOTTING BEAM ENABLE ................................................................D-13
SPOT BEAM TIMEOUT (in seconds).................................................... D-13
RELEASE SCAN TIMEOUT (in seconds)..............................................D-13
KEYPRESS SOUND............................................................................... D-13
ENABLE CTL-ALT-DEL REBOOT......................................................D-13
ENABLE TRIGGER PROGRAMMABILITY........................................D-14
BACKLIGHT AUTO-OFF TIMEOUT................................................. D-14
DOUBLE KEY ACTION MODE..........................................................D-14
DOUBLE KEY ACTION TIMEOUT .................................................. D-14
Index...............................................................................................................xv
Advanced User’s Guide vii
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Contents
NOTES
viii Falcon
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DOS Portable Terminals
Page 11
Preface:
About this Guide
PREFACE CONTENTS
Overview ................................................................. viii
®
Falcon
Radio Frequency Interference......................................x
Style Conventions...................................................... xi
Technical Support .................................................... xii
Model Numbers......................................... viii
Document Conventions......................................... xi
Keys and Keystroke Conventions............................ xi
Page 12
About this Guide
Overview
This manual is a supplement to the Falcon® DOS Portable Terminals User’s
Guide. It contains the following technical information on Falcon portables:
z System configuration
z Disk drives
z Using PC cards
z Resetting the Falcon
z Using the 4-Slot Dock
z DOS commands
z Utilities
z Connector configurations
z Programming parameters
z Bar codes for setting parameters
This book is provided as a reference guide for System administrators,
Developers, and Programmers who want to create end-user solutions for Falcon
DOS portable terminals. It is not intended for use by first-time Falcon users.
Falcon® Model Numbers
Falcon DOS portable data terminals are handheld computers designed for data
collection. The product title, “Falcon” refers to any or all of the DOS portable
models identified in the table below of
Where information in this manual applies only to specific models, those
models are clearly identified by the model icon as shown in the first column.
The Falcon DOS portable line includes 8-line and 16-line models. Both the 8line and the 16-line Falcon models are available in batch and wireless (radio
frequency, or RF) configurations. Wireless models provide instant
communication of data between the unit and a host computer.
x Falcon
Falcon® Portable Models.
®
DOS Portable Terminals
Page 13
Table 1: Falcon® Portable Models
Falcon® Model Numbers
Model
Model
Number
310
315
320
325
330
335
340
345
8-Line
Display
16 - L i n e
Display
Batch
Portable
RF
Portable
The 31X icon refers to both the Falcon 310 and the Falcon 315. As the table
on
page xi notes, the Falcon 310 is a batch portable model and the Falcon 315
is an RF portable model. On the cover of this manual, the Falcon 31X is
represented by the Falcon 315, in the lower left corner, with an 8-line display
screen.
The 32X icon refers to both the Falcon 320 and the Falcon 325. As the table
page xi notes, the Falcon 320 is a batch portable model and the Falcon 325
on
is an RF portable model. The Falcon 32X has many features in common with
the Falcon 31X. These models are often grouped together throughout this
manual. On the cover of this manual, the Falcon 32X is represented by the
Falcon 325, second from the upper left, with a 16-line display screen.
The 33X icon refers to both the Falcon 330 and the Falcon 335. As the table
page xi notes, the Falcon 330 is a batch portable model and the Falcon 335
on
is an RF portable model. The Falcon 33X model has many features in common
with the Falcon 32X model. On the cover of this manual, the Falcon 330
portable is the smaller, ergonomic model shown in the upper right corner of
the grouping.
Advanced User’s Guide xi
Page 14
About this Guide
The 34X icon refers to both the Falcon 340 and the Falcon 345. As the table
page xi notes, the Falcon 340 is a batch portable model and the Falcon 345
on
is an RF portable model. The Falcon 34X introduces the pistol grip. This
model operates in every other way identically to the Falcon 33X. On the cover
of this manual, the Falcon 340 portable is the one with the pistol grip, shown
in the lower right corner of the grouping.
Radio Frequency Interference
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la Classe A est confirme à la norme
NMB-003 du Canada.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with these
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
z Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
z Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
z Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from which
the receiver is connected.
z Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
xii Falcon
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DOS Portable Terminals
Page 15
Style Conventions
Style Conventions
Document Conventions
Formatting conventions are used throughout this guide as a method of
providing consistency for notes, cautions, and warnings.
Notes Notes appear throughout the manual to provide additional information on a
topic, including technical details, exceptions to instructions and other
pertinent information. These notes are identified by the notepad symbol to the
right and bold italics text.
Cautions Cautions appear when there is information for the user that is strongly
recommended. They are identified by the exclamation mark in a triangle and
bold italics text. This text appears in gold bold italics text if the user is
viewing the manual in electronic PDF form on their computer.
Warnings Wa rni ng s appear when there is something of extreme importance for the user
to be know prior to proceeding. They are identified by the exclamation mark in
a triangle and bold italics text. This text appears in red bold italics text if the
user is viewing the manual in electronic PDF form on their computer.
Keys and Keystroke Conventions
Portable keys and keystroke conventions are used throughout this manual to
identify the difference between a key on the portable and keystrokes input by
the user. Brackets such as: “
Data or keystrokes entered by the user are printed in a monospaced
typeface.
Advanced User’s Guide xiii
<Scan>” indicate a key on the Falcon Portable.
Page 16
About this Guide
Technical Support
PSC Website Technical Support
The most comprehensive source for technical support and information for PSC
products is the PSC website:
for technical support. The site offers product registration, warranty
information, answers to frequently asked questions (product FAQs), product
manuals, product tech notes, software updates, patches, demos, and
instructions for returning products for repair.
Reseller Technical support
Another excellent source for technical assistance and information is an
authorized PSC reseller. A reseller is directly acquainted with specific types of
businesses, application software, and computer systems and, therefore, is in the
best position to provide individualized assistance.
E-Mail Technical Support
If the solution to a technical support question is not available through the PSC
website or a local reseller, contact PSC technical support directly via E-mail at
TechSupport@pscnet.com.
www.pscnet.com. Select Support from the sidebar
Telephone Technical Support
For those without E-mail access, please call (541) 984-3092.
PSC Solutions Group
For advanced, cost-effective services, contact the PSC Solutions Group (PSG)
at (888) 583-3008 or
www.pscnet.com/html/psc_solutions_group_psg.htm.
psg@pscnet.com. Or go to the PSG webpage at
xiv Falcon
®
DOS Portable Terminals
Page 17
1
Using Falcon DOS
Portable Terminals
CHAPTER CONTENTS
Overview..................................................................1-2
Programming the Laser Triggers..............................1-2
Programming the Enter Keys...................................1-3
Using PC Cards .......................................................1-4
Opening the PC Card Slot Cover .........................1-5
Inserting a PC Card..............................................1-6
Card Recognition and Configuration....................1-7
Removing a PC Card............................................1-8
The Serial Port......................................................... 1-8
The IR Serial Port.................................................... 1-8
The Disk Drives.......................................................1-9
Configuring the Falcon..........................................1-10
Transferring Files...................................................1-11
An Example........................................................1-12
Page 18
Using Falcon DOS Portable Terminals
Overview
This chapter provides information about advanced features of Falcon DOS
portable terminals. It does not cover Falcon basics, such as use of the keypad
and viewport. For basic information about the Falcon, refer to the Falcon DOS
Portable Terminals User’s Guide.
Programming the Laser Triggers
Normally, the left trigger operates the Falcon laser or another bar code reader
attached to the Falcon, and the right trigger toggles the Falcon in and out of
Alpha mode (models 31x) or Function mode (models 32x). One or both of the
laser triggers can be reprogrammed to act as equivalents of keypad keys.
To turn a trigger into an alias for a keypad key:
1. Hold down the
2. Press the
<FN 1> and <FN 2> keys.
<SWAP> key and the program-trigger cursor ( ) appears in
the viewport.
3. Press the trigger to be changed.
4. Press the key to be assigned to the trigger.The following keys are valid
selections:
<Alpha> <CAPS> <FN 1>
<ALT> <CTRL> <FN 2>
<Backlight> <Enter> <Laser Trigger>
<BKSP> <ESC>
1. First, hold down the
<FN> and <Alt> keys and press the <FLAG> key.
The program-trigger icon ( ) should appear in the viewport.
2. Press the trigger that is to be changed.
3. Press the new key assigned to the trigger.The following keys are valid
selections:
<ALT> <CAPS> <FN>
<Backlight> <CTRL> <INTL>
<BKSP> <Enter> <Laser Trigger>
<ESC>
1-2 Falcon
®
DOS Portable Terminals
Page 19
Programming the Enter Keys
For example, to turn the right trigger on a model 32x into an alias for the
<Enter> key:
1. Hold down the
<FN> and <Alt> keys and press the <FLAG> key to
enter program-trigger mode.
2. Then press and release the right trigger.
3. Press the
<Enter> key.
The right trigger now works as a second
To change a reassigned trigger back to a laser trigger:
1. Put the Falcon into program-trigger mode.
2. Press the trigger twice.
Falcon 33x and 34x models do not have programmable laser triggers. The <Scan>
key is only key for operating the laser.
Programming the Enter Keys
Falcon 33x and 34x models allow reprogramming of one of the <Enter> keys.
One
<Enter> key may be reprogrammed from a list of available keys. There is
no option for swapping the function of the
is reprogrammed, the other key automatically becomes the
<Enter> key.
<Enter> keys. However, if one key
<Enter> key.
This features only is only available on a 38-key keypad.
Figure 1-1: Location of the Enter keys on the Falcon 33X and 34X
Advanced User’s Guide 1-3
Page 20
Using Falcon DOS Portable Terminals
To program an <Enter> key:
1. Hold down the key sequence
key to re-program.
Press the <Alt> key then the <Fn> key, not the <Fn> key then <Alt> (or <Intl>)
key.
2. The Program Trigger Icon ( or ) appears on the right of the
LCD, indicating which <Enter> key is to be reprogrammed.
3. Select the key sequence to reprogram the
keys are valid sections:
<Backspace> <Enter> <Tab>
<Caps> <Intl>
All of these functions, except the <Enter> character are the <Fn> shifted state of
another key. When selecting the key, do not enter <Fn> mode first. To assign the left
<Enter> key to <Caps>, press <Alt>-<Fn>-<Left Enter>-<Ctrl>. Falcons 33x
and 34x automatically translate the <Ctrl> keypress into the <Caps> key.
Using PC Cards
<Alt>-<Fn> and press the desired <Enter>
<Enter> key. The following
The Falcon has a slot for plugging in PC cards, and each unit is factoryequipped with PhoenixCARD Manager Plus PC card drivers. PC cards provide
such features as network connectivity, modem connectivity, and wireless
capability. Their primary purpose in the Falcon is to provide additional
memory storage by functioning as a disk drive. (See page
information about the Falcon’s drives.)
The PC card slots of the Falcon 33x and 34x are not user accessible, but function in
the same manner as the Falcon 32x for software installation, use and general features.
1-4 Falcon
page 1-9 for
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Page 21
Opening the PC Card Slot Cover
The PC card slot is located near the bottom on the back of the Falcon (refer to
Figure 1-2). The slot is protected by a cover. Detach the elastic hand strap on
the back of the Falcon by pulling its hook out of the holder near the base. If the
slot cover is secured by a screw, loosen the screw. Then, while pressing the
round button above the slot cover, slide the cover out and away from the
Falcon.
Figure 1-2: Removing the PC Card Slot Cover on a Falcon 310
Using PC Cards
1. Remove the hand strap hook
from the holder (hand strap
not shown).
2. Loosen the locking screw.*
3. Press the round button to
release the cover.
4. Pull the cover out.
*The locking screw cannot
be completely removed
from the PC card slot cover.
To keep the screw from
catching on the unit, turn
Advanced User’s Guide 1-5
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Using Falcon DOS Portable Terminals
Inserting a PC Card
All PC cards have two rows of small sockets on one end (refer to Figure 1-3).
The cards also have face-up and face-down sides. The card manufacturer’s label
is usually on the face-up side.
Turn the Falcon off before inserting or removing a PC card.
Figure 1-3: A Typical PC Card
To insert a PC card into a Falcon complete the following steps:
1. Start with the Falcon face down and the PC card face up.
2. Insert the end of the card with the sockets into the card slot (refer to
Figure 1-4).
3. Use the tracks inside the slot to help guide the card.
4. Push the card firmly into the slot until the ejector tab slides out.
5. Replace the PC card slot cover.
1-6 Falcon
Sockets
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Page 23
Figure 1-4: Inserting a PC Card into the Slot
Do not force the card
into the slot. It should
slide in easily.
The PC card slot on the Falcon is designed so a card cannot be inserted upside down
or backward. If the card does not push into the slot easily, make sure the card is
positioned properly. Put the end with the sockets into the slot first. Then flip the card
upside down and try to insert it again.
Using PC Cards
Ejector tab
Card Recognition and Configuration
Once the card is inserted into the slot complete the following steps:
1. Turn the Falcon on. The Falcon will attempt to recognize and configure
the card.
2. If the Falcon responds with one beep, the PhoenixCARD Manager Plus
drivers successfully recognized and configured the card.
3. If the Falcon does not beep, the drivers might not be loaded in the
Falcon, or the beeper may be disabled.
In some cases, drivers provided by a specific card’s vendor are responsible for
configuring the card. If one of these cards is being used, there may be no audio
signals for card configuration. See the configuration instructions that came with the
card.
Advanced User’s Guide 1-7
Page 24
Using Falcon DOS Portable Terminals
Removing a PC Card
A tab inside the PC card slot ejects the installed card (refer to Figure 1-4). Push
the end of the ejector tab into the Falcon. The PC card should slide partway
out of the slot. Hold the card by the edges and pull it the rest of the way out.
The Serial Port
Falcon models 31x and 32x have a port for serial communications with a PC.
The serial port is located at the base of the Falcon 31x and 32x (refer to
Figure 1-5). Designated as COM1, it is a 10-pin telephone-style jack providing a
standard RS-232 connection.
With a serial cable connected to it, the port allows communications with a host
computer or any serial device, such as a printer or modem. The serial port also
provides a connection for communications and battery recharging in the
Falcon Dock and Falcon 4-Slot Dock.
Figure 1-5: The Serial Port on a Falcon 320
For the wiring configuration of the serial port, refer to Appendix A, on page A-1.
The IR Serial Port
The serial port of the Falcon 33x and 34x is a half duplex IR port. Refer to
Figure 1-6. Through software commands, the port may be setup for IR or a
modified RS-232 serial communication.
1-8 Falcon
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z In IR mode, all physical communications meet the IrDA physical layer
specification.
z In the modified RS-232 serial mode, the IR port is used to transmit RS-
232 level data out the IR port. The third pin along the bottom of the
Falcon 33x and 34x is used to receive RS-232 level data.
z In general, the IR mode is used when communicating to other IR devices
(printers, computers, etc.) and the modified RS-232 mode is used to
communicate with the dock for host communications.
z The Falcon 33x and 34x do not propagate the RS-232 hardware signals
such as RTS, CTS, DTR, DSR, RI, and DCD.
When using Zmodem, flow control must be the same on both sides of the
transmission. Normally, XFER defaults to RTS/CTS flow control. On the Falcon 33x and
34x, it defaults to Xon/Xoff. When transferring files between a 33x or 34x and the host
PC, make sure the PC is also using Xon/Xoff. See the
more details.
Figure 1-6: The IR Serial Port on the Falcon 33x and 34x
The Disk Drives
/F option on page 3-18 for
The Disk Drives
The Falcon contains four logical disk drives that provide storage for system
files, applications, and data.
Drive A Drive A is a read-only drive. Its contents cannot be changed.
Drive B Drive B is a read-only drive used to store system utilities and to initialize the
boot process. Its contents cannot be changed.
Advanced User’s Guide 1-9
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Using Falcon DOS Portable Terminals
Drive C Drive C is a flash disk drive that allows full read and write access. This drive
contains DOS command files, PC card drivers, Falcon utilities, and executable
files and associated files for applications. It may also contain additional
config.sys and autoexec.bat files to configure the Falcon to run
applications.
Drive D Drive D is a
RAM disk drive. The RAM disk is used primarily for data storage.
Programs that need to be loaded into memory and then quickly removed from
memory can also be placed here. Drive D can also be used for scratch disk space
or temporary files.
Additional
Drives
Additional RAM disk drives may be configured using VDISK.SYS. This can
be done using the configuration utility (refer to
CONFIG.SYS (refer to
The Falcon may also be configured to use PC ATA flash cards. The PC Card is
identified as a hard disk drive by the operating system. This drive may be used
for safe and permanent storage of data.
The Falcon may have other additional logical drives that are network drives
accessed via wireless access points.
The drive letters for the additional
assigned at loading. The drive letters will begin at Drive E.
Configuring the Falcon
If the Falcon is not already configured, use the Falcon Configuration Utility to
install applications and set options for bar code scanning. The Falcon
Configuration Utility operates under Windows
Windows
using the utility, refer to
®
2000, Windows® ME, and Windows® NT. For instructions on
page 6-13.)
Chapter 2.
page 2-12) or directly in
RAM, ATA, and network drives will be
®
95, Windows® 98,
Bar codes can also be used to change settings in the Falcon.
the bar codes for most common settings.
1-10 Falcon
Appendix D contains
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Transferring Files
To transfer data or program files, connect the Falcon unit to the host computer
with any of the following accessories:
z Falcon serial cable
z Falcon Dock
z Falcon 4-Slot Dock (Only available for Falcon models 31x and 32x.)
The Falcon application may have simple file-transfer options, or use the Falcon
XFER utility.
Transferring Files
When using the Falcon Configuration Utility to transfer files (refer to
2), the configuration utility runs XFER automatically. If the configuration
Chapter
utility is not used, XFER requires entering commands at the DOS command
line on both the Falcon and the PC.
Falcon and the PC.
The XFER utility is loaded into the Falcon at the factory and placed on drive
B. If the PATH statement has not been changed, XFER can be run from any
drive on the Falcon. However, before running XFER32 on a PC, install the
Falcon Configuration Utility onto the hard drive. By default,
XFER32xfer32 is placed in the directory: \PDTFiles
The command line syntax for XFER is as follows:
XFER [/option1 [/option2] . . .] filename
Use a slash (/) or a hyphen (-) to denote options, and use uppercase or
lowercase letters. Options can be placed before or after the filename on the
command line. A sample command line appears at the end of this section.
Transfer a single file by using XFER with the Xmodem protocol (the default
protocol) or transfer multiple files with the Xmodem or Zmodem protocol.
Basic options for Xmodem protocol are listed and described in
page 1-12. The “Default” column indicates whether the option is used (“On”)
Ta bl e 1 -1 o n
or ignored (“Off”) if not included in the command line. For options that have
two or more possible values, the default value is given.
Advanced User’s Guide 1-11
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Using Falcon DOS Portable Terminals
Table 1-1: XFER Options (Xmodem Protocol)
Option What It Does Default
filename Identifies the file to be transferred or received. None
Specifies the communication port to use. Replace the #
#
B#
D#
H or ? Displays help for the XFER command. Off
symbol with the desired setting:
1 = COM1 2 = COM2
Specifies the baud rate. Replace the # symbol with the
desired setting:
2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600
115200
Specifies the number of seconds for XFER to wait for
activity before cancelling the transfer. Replace the #
symbol with the desired number of seconds for the
timeout delay. Acceptable values are 0 (no timeout)
through 65,535.
1
19200
60
O
R Receives the specified file. Off
T Transmits the specified file. On
Overwrites an existing file with a new file having the same
name.
An Example
To transfer a file named foo from a PC to a Falcon using Xmodem protocol,
use the following command lines.
On the PC: . This command causes the computer to send the
specified file using XFER’s default settings.
On the Falcon: . This command causes the Falcon to receive
the specified file transmitted from the PC.
For more information about XFER, including Zmodem options, refer to Chapter 3.
1-12 Falcon
xfer foo
xfer /r foo
Off
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2
The Falcon
Configuration Utility
CHAPTER CONTENTS
Overview..................................................................2-2
Installing the Falcon Configuration Utility .............2-2
Using the Falcon Configuration Utility ...................2-3
Main Menu ..........................................................2-3
The Custom Configuration Menu........................2-5
The File Configuration Windows.........................2-9
The Program Settings Windows..........................2-16
The Comm Settings Dialog Box.........................2-20
The File Transfer Window..................................2-21
Page 30
The Falcon Configuration Utility
Overview
The Falcon Configuration utility provides a simple way to change the
Falcon’s settings for bar code symbologies and serial communications. It can
also be used to load programs and files into the Falcon. The utility runs under
Windows
Windows
®
95, Windows
®
NT. This chapter describes how to install the utility and use it to
®
98, Windows® 2000, Windows® Me, and
configure the Falcon.
Installing the Falcon Configuration Utility
To install the Falcon Configuration utility complete the following steps:
1. Insert the CD labeled
Falcon Utility Software and Manuals into the
PC’s CD drive.
2. Wait for the autoplay to open. If the autoplay does not come up, access
the CD using Windows Explorer. Go to the install directory and run
setup.exe.
3. At the autoplay menu, select the
Falcon Configuration utility.
4. Copy the file to your desktop or run it from the CD.
5. In the
Installation Options window, select the radio components to be
installed, if any.
6. Click on the
7. In the
Next button to continue.
RF Installation Options window, uncheck the check boxes for
any components not to be installed.
8. Click on the
9. In the
to place the
10 . Click on the
11. Specify the directory in which to place the
Next button to continue to the next dialog box.
Select a Group Name window, select a program group in which
Falcon Configuration utility icons.
Next button to continue.
Falcon Configuration
utility files in the next window.
12 . Click on the
Next button to continue.
2-2 Falcon
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Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
13. Continue following the instructions in the dialog boxes, replacing the
first disk with the second, and then the third disk.
14 . When the installation is complete, click on the
final window.
Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
To start the Falcon Configuration utility, double-click on the FA LCON icon
in the program group. The first screen that appears is the main menu.
Main Menu
This menu provides access to all the configuration settings for the Falcon
Figure 2-1 on page 2-4).
(
Default 1. Select this option to load the original factory configuration into the
Falcon unit. The Configuration utility prepares files to be transferred to
the Falcon and opens the
2. Check the file lists in both sections of the dialog box to see if they are
correct and complete.
3. To add, delete, or rename files, select
4. Use the
(Refer to
Custom selection in the main menu to build custom lists.
page 2-5 through page 2-8 for instructions to create custom
configurations.)
5. If the file lists in the dialog box are correct, make sure the Falcon unit is
properly connected to the serial port specified in the
dialog box (refer to
Important dialog box (Figure 2-2).
Cancel from the dialog box.
page 2-20).
Finish button in the
Comm Settings
6. Run the ld.bat file on the Falcon.
Advanced User’s Guide 2-3
Page 32
The Falcon Configuration Utility
Figure 2-1: The Falcon Configuration Utility Main Menu
7. Click on the OK button in the Important dialog box (Figure 2-2 on page
2-5).
Custom Select this option to choose or modify configuration files or program files to be
loaded into the Falcon unit. See the next section for information on the
Custom Configuration menu.
Comm
Settings
Select this option to modify settings for the computer’s serial port. Refer to
page 2-20 for information on the Comm Settings dialog box.
Transfer Files Select this option to transfer data files between the Falcon and the host
computer. Refer to
Transfer
window.
2-4 Falcon
page 2-21 through page 2-24 for information on the File
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Figure 2-2: The Important Dialog Box
Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
Select Product:
being configured:
Select the appropriate radio-button for type the Falcon model
31x, 32x/33x/34x, or 51x.
The Custom Configuration Menu
1. Select Custom from the main menu.
2. An
3. Use this dialog box to select a configuration file from the Configs
Advanced User’s Guide 2-5
Open dialog box appears (refer to Figure 2-3 on page 2-6).
folder.
z The configuration file contains the information presented when
selecting the
Configuration
File Configuration button on the Custom
menu.
Page 34
The Falcon Configuration Utility
Figure 2-3: The Open Dialog Box for Selecting a Configuration File
If the Open as read-only check box is selected and changes are made to the
configuration settings, use a new file name to save the changes.
4. When the configuration file is finished loading, a second Open dialog
box appears.
5. Use this dialog box to select a program-settings file from the Progsets
folder.
6. The program-settings file contains the information that will be presented
when selecting the
Configuration
Program Settings button on the Custom
menu.
7. After the program-settings file is loaded, the
menu appears (Figure 2-4 on page 2-7).
File
Select this option to choose application files to be loaded into the Falcon. Refer
Configuration
page 2-9 through page 2-16 for information about the File Configuration
to
windows.
Configure Files Using: This field shows the configuration file that will be used
to specify the files that will be loaded into the Falcon. Select the check box to
load the files. Deselect it to turn this option off.
2-6 Falcon
Custom Configuration
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Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
Figure 2-4: The Custom Configuration Menu
Program
Settings
Select this option to view or change settings for bar code symbologies and other
programmable Falcon options. Refer to
information about the
Program Settings Using: This field shows the program-settings file that will
Program Settings windows.
page 2-16 through page 2-20 for
be used. Select the check box to load the program settings. Deselect it to turn
this option off.
Comm
Settings
Select this option to view or change serial communications settings for the
Falcon. See
page 2-20 for information about the Comm Settings dialog box.
Download When finished customizing the Falcon configuration, select this option to load
the custom configuration into the Falcon.
1. When selected, the configuration utility prepares files to be transferred to
the Falcon and opens the
Important dialog box (refer to Figure 2-2).
Advanced User’s Guide 2-7
Page 36
The Falcon Configuration Utility
2. Make sure the Falcon unit is properly connected to the serial port
specified in the
3. Then run the ld.bat file on the Falcon, and select
Important dialog box.
Select Product: Select the appropriate radio-button for type the Falcon model
being configured:
Comm Settings dialog box (refer to page 2-20).
OK in the
31x, 32x/33x/34x, or 51x.
Done Select this option to return to the main menu. If changes were made to the file
configuration or program settings, one or both of the following prompts
appear:
Figure 2-5: The Prompt for Saving Changes to the Current File Configuration
Figure 2-6: The Prompt for Saving Changes to the Current Program Settings
Ye s Select this option to save the changes. A Save As dialog box will open. Use the
dialog box to specify the location and name of the new configuration or
program-settings file.
No Select this option to discard the changes.
Cancel Select this option to return to the
Custom Configuration menu without
saving or discarding the changes.
2-8 Falcon
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The File Configuration Windows
1. Select File Configuration from the Custom Configuration Menu
Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
2. The first of three
Figure 2-7: The First File Configuration Window
File Configuration windows appears. (Figure 2-7)
3. Use these windows to choose application files to be loaded into the
Falcon.
Configuration File: This field shows the configuration file used to specify the
files that will be loaded into the Falcon.
Save After adding, editing, or deleting files in the
Save to save the revised list in the current configuration file or in a new one.
Browse 1. Select
2. An
Browse to use a different configuration file.
Open dialog box appears.
Application Files list, select
Advanced User’s Guide 2-9
Page 38
The Falcon Configuration Utility
3. Use the Open dialog box to choose a configuration file from the
Configs folder.
4. If
Figure 2-8: The File Selection Dialog Box for Adding an Application File
Browse is selected after making changes in this or any other File
Configuration
shown in
window and the changes are not saved, the prompt
Figure 2-8 appears.
Main Application:
This field identifies the default application that will run on
the Falcon after completing the installation.
Application Files: This field lists the files associated with the main application.
Add Select this option to include other files to be installed on the Falcon unit. The
File Selection dialog box opens.
Enter path and filename on host PC: Use this field to specify the file to be
transferred to the Falcon.
Enter path and filename on portable: Use this field to specify the location
and name of the file to be transferred to the Falcon. The name can be the same
as the original file or it can be given a new name.
Download File To: Select this check box to have the specified file downloaded
to the specified Falcon models.
Main Application: Select this check box to have the specified file be the main
application on the specified Falcon models.
2-10 Falcon
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Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
Only one file can be selected as the main application for a Falcon model family. To
select another file as the main application, highlight the current one in the
Application Files list in the File Configuration window, select Edit, and turn off
the Main Application switch for that file.
OK Select
Cancel Select
Browse 1. Select
OK to return to the File Configuration window. The specified source
file will appear in the
Cancel to return to the File Configuration window without adding a
file to the
2. An
3. Use the
Application Files list.
Browse to use a different configuration file.
Open dialog box appears.
Open dialog box to choose a source file to be included in the
Application Files list.
custom configuration.
Edit Select a file in the
source path or destination path for the file. The
Application Files list and then select Edit to change the
Edit File Properties dialog
box opens.
Figure 2-9: The Edit File Properties Dialog Box for an Application File
Delete To delete a file from the Application Files list, select the file in the list and
then select
Select Product: Select the appropriate radio-button for type the Falcon model
being configured:
Delete.
31x, 32x/33x/34x, or 51x.
Advanced User’s Guide 2-11
Page 40
The Falcon Configuration Utility
Next Select Next to view or change additional file-configuration options for the
custom installation.
Done 1. Select
Done when finished setting file-configuration options for the
custom installation.
2. The second
File Configuration window (Figure 2-10) appears if Next is
selected in the first window.
Figure 2-10: The Second File Configuration Window
Configuration
This field shows the configuration file used to specify the files that will be
File
loaded into the Falcon.
Save After changing selections in this window, select
the current configuration file or in a new one.
Browse 1. Select
Browse to use a different configuration file.
2-12 Falcon
Save to save the revisions in
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Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
2. An
3. Use the
Open dialog box appears.
Open dialog box to choose a configuration file from the
Configs folder.
4. If
Add a 2nd VDISK: Select to add a 2nd VDISK in the extended memory area
on the Falcon. (Refer to
Select Size: Use this drop down list box to select the size of the 2nd disk.
ATA Memory Cards: Turn this switch on to transfer drivers for ATA memory
Browse is selected after making changes in this or any other File
Configuration
shown in
window and the changes are not saved, the prompt
Figure 2-5 on page 2-8 appears.
page 1-10.)
cards to the Falcon.
I/O Cards: Turn this switch on to transfer drivers for fax/modem cards to the
Falcon.
Vendor Specific: Turn this switch on to transfer drivers for other types of PC
cards.
This option loads PC Card drivers for Card and Socket Services only. Generic
client drivers such as ATA or I/O Card drivers are not loaded if this is the only
card switch turned on.
Use this for RF cards that have their own specific client drivers that will be
loaded using application files in the first file configuration window. (refer to
page 2-9)
DOS Files: Turn this switch on to transfer files for DOS commands and
utilities to the Falcon.
More Select
More to add or remove DOS files from the custom installation. The
Select DOS Files dialog box appears (Figure 2-11 on page 2-14).
Highlight DOS files to download to portable: This field lists DOS files that
are available. Files that are highlighted are currently selected to be included in
the custom installation. Click on a file to select it or deselect it.
Advanced User’s Guide 2-13
Page 42
The Falcon Configuration Utility
Figure 2-11: The Select DOS Files Dialog Box
Directory on portable to store DOS files:
DOS files should be placed in the Falcon unit.
Done Select
Prev Select
Next Select
Done to return to the File Configuration window.
Select Product: Select the appropriate radio-button for type the Falcon model
being configured:
Prev to return to the previous file-configuration window.
Next to move on to the next file-configuration window.
The third
File Configuration window (Figure 2-12) appears if Next is selected
31x, 32x/33x/34x, or 51x.
in the second window.
2-14 Falcon
Use this field to specify where the
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Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
Done Select
Done when finished setting file-configuration options for the custom
installation.
Figure 2-12: The Third File Configuration Window
Configuration File:
This field shows the configuration file used to specify the
files that will be loaded into the Falcon.
Save After selecting options in this window, select
Save to save the revisions in the
current configuration file or in a new one.
Browse 1. Select
2. An
3. Use the
Browse to use a different configuration file.
Open dialog box appears.
Open dialog box to choose a configuration file from the
Configs folder.
Advanced User’s Guide 2-15
Page 44
The Falcon Configuration Utility
4. If Browse is selected after making changes in this or any other File
Configuration
shown in
AUTOEXEC.BAT: Select this option to insert new commands into the
autoexec.bat file that will be transferred to the Falcon.
CONFIG.SYS: Select this option to insert new commands into the
config.sys file that will be transferred to the Falcon.
Text File: Select this option to view or modify any text file that will be
transferred to the Falcon.
Select Product: Select the appropriate radio-button for type the Falcon model
being configured:
window and the changes are not saved, the prompt
Figure 2-5 on page 2-8 appears.
31x, 32x/33x/34x, or 51x.
Prev Select
Done Select
Prev to return to the previous file-configuration window.
Done when finished setting file-configuration options for the custom
installation.
The Program Settings Windows
1. Select the Program Settings from the Custom Configuration Menu
and the first of six
2. Use these windows to view or change settings for bar code symbologies
and other programmable options.
z The first window is shown in Figure 2-13 on page 2-17.
z The next four windows are similar, and so are not shown.
Program Settings File: This field shows the program-settings file that will be
loaded into the Falcon.
Save After selecting options in this window, select
current program-settings file or in a new one.
Browse 1. Select
2. The
Browse to use a different program settings file.
Open dialog box appears.
Program Settings windows appears.
Save to save the revisions in the
2-16 Falcon
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Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
3. Use the dialog box to choose a configuration file from the Progsets
folder.
Figure 2-13: The First Program Settings Window
4. If Browse is selected after making changes in this or any other Program
Settings
Figure 2-6 on page 2-8 appears.
On/Off Switches: The smaller white boxes are on/off switches. Click in the
window and the changes are not saved, the prompt shown in
box to toggle a switch.
Input Fields: Enter specific settings for parameters in the larger white boxes.
(Refer to
Select Product: Select the appropriate radio-button for type the Falcon model
being configured:
Appendix C for a table of parameters and settings.)
31x, 32x/33x/34x, or 51x.
Advanced User’s Guide 2-17
Page 46
The Falcon Configuration Utility
Prev Select Prev to return to the previous program-settings window.
Next Select
Done 1. Select
Next to move on to the next program-settings window.
Done when finished making program settings for the custom
installation.
2. The sixth
Program Settings window (Figure 2-14) appears if Next is
selected in the fifth window.
Figure 2-14: The Sixth Program Settings Window
Program Settings File:
This field shows the program-settings file that will be
loaded into the Falcon.
Save After selecting options in this window, select
current program-settings file or in a new one.
Browse 1. Select
Browse to use a different program settings file.
2-18 Falcon
Save to save the revisions in the
®
DOS Portable Terminals
Page 47
Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
2. The
Figure 2-15: The Last Program Settings Window
Open dialog box appears.
3. Use the Open dialog box to choose a configuration file from the
Progsets folder.
4. If
Spotting Beam Enable: Select to enable the Spotting Beam. This feature is
Browse is selected after making changes in this or any other File
Configuration
shown in
window and the changes are not saved, the prompt
Figure 2-6 on page 2-8 appears.
reviewed in the Falcon DOS Portable Data Terminal User’s Guide on page
58.
On/Off Switches: The smaller white boxes are on/off switches. Click in the
box to toggle a switch.
Advanced User’s Guide 2-19
Page 48
The Falcon Configuration Utility
Input Fields: Enter specific settings for parameters in the larger white boxes.
(Refer to
Double Action Key Mode: Select Double Strike or Press and Wait as the
page C-3 for a table of parameters and settings.)
Double Action Key Mode. Both selections in the Falcon DOS Portable
Terminals User’s Guide on page 38.
Double Action Key Delay: Select Double Action Key delay. This feature is
reviewed in the Falcon DOS Portable Terminals User’s Guide on page 38.
Drop-Down Lists: Click on the list to view the options, and select the desired
option.
Radio Buttons: Select the desired setting by clicking on it.
Prev Select
Done Select
Prev to return to the previous program-settings window.
Done when finished making program settings for the custom
installation.
The Comm Settings Dialog Box
1. Select Comm Settings from the main menu or the Custom
Configuration
2. The
Comm Settings dialog box (Figure 2-16 on page 2-21) appears.
3. Use this dialog box to view or change settings for serial communications
with the Falcon.
2-20 Falcon
menu.
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DOS Portable Terminals
Page 49
Figure 2-16: The Comm Settings Dialog Box
Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
Comm Port:
Select the desired serial port for the PC to communicate with the
Falcon. The default port is COM1.
Baud Rate: Select the baud rate for serial communications between the PC
and the Falcon. The default is 9600.
The File Transfer Window
1. When selecting Transfer Files from the main menu, the File Transfer
window appears (
2. Use this window to select data files for transfer between the Falcon and
the computer.
List File: This field shows the name of the file-list file, when selected.
Transfer files can be selected without using or creating a list file.\
Save After making changes in the
revisions in the current file-list file (if any), in another existing file, or in a new
file.
Figure 2-18 on page 2-22).
Files to Transfer list, select Save to save the
Browse 1. Select
2. An
Browse to use a different file-list file.
Open dialog box appears.
Advanced User’s Guide 2-21
Page 50
The Falcon Configuration Utility
Figure 2-17: The File Transfer Window
3. Use the dialog box to choose a configuration file from the Filelist
folder.
4. If
Browse is selected after making changes in this or any other File
Transfer
window and the changes are not saved, the following prompt
appears:
Figure 2-18: The Prompt for Saving Changes to the Current File List
Ye s 1. Select this option to save the changes.
2-22 Falcon
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Using the Falcon Configuration Utility
2. A
Save As dialog box will open.
3. Use the dialog box to specify the location and name of the new file-list
file.
No Select this option to discard the changes.
Cancel Select this option to return to the
File Transfer window without saving or
discarding the changes.
Files to Transfer: This field shows the files that will be included in the transfer
between the Falcon and the PC.
Add Select
Figure 2-19: The File Selection Dialog Box for Adding a Data File
Add to include additional data files in the transfer. The File Selection
dialog box open (
Figure 2-19 on page 2-23.)
Enter path and filename on host PC:
Use this field to specify the location of
the file on the PC.
Enter path and filename on portable: Use this field to specify the location
and name for the transferred file on the Falcon.
OK Select
Cancel Select
Browse 1. Select
OK to return to the File Transfer window. The specified data file will
appear in the
Cancel to return to the File Transfer window without adding a file to
Files to Transfer list.
the
2. The
Files to Transfer list.
Browse to view the files on the computer.
Open dialog box appears.
3. Use the dialog box to choose a a data file to be included in the transfer.
Advanced User’s Guide 2-23
Page 52
The Falcon Configuration Utility
Edit 1. Select a file in the file list and then select Edit to change the source path
or destination path for the file.
2. The
Figure 2-20: The Edit File Properties Dialog Box
Edit File Properties dialog box opens (Figure 2-20).
z The fields and buttons in this dialog box are the same as in the File
Selection
dialog box above.
Delete To delete a file from the list, select the file and then select
Receive Select
Receive to begin a file transfer from the Falcon to the PC
1. When selected, the configuration utility prepares files to be transferred to
the PC and opens the
Important dialog box (Figure 2-2 on page 2-5).
2. Make certain the Falcon unit is properly connected to the serial port
specified in the Comm Settings dialog box (refer to
3. Then run the ld.bat file on the Falcon, and select
Important dialog box on the computer.
4.
Send Select
Send to begin a file transfer from the PC to the Falcon.
1. The configuration utility prepares files to be transferred to the Falcon
and opens the
Important dialog box (refer to Figure 2-2 on page 2-5).
2. Make certain the Falcon unit is properly connected to the serial port
specified in the
Comm Settings dialog box (refer to page 2-20).
3. Then run the ld.bat file on the Falcon, and select
Important dialog box.
Done Select
Done when finished selecting and transferring files.
Delete.
page 2-20).
OK in the
OK in the
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3
Using File Transfer
Programs
CHAPTER CONTENTS
Using XFER32.........................................................3-2
XFER32 Setup......................................................3-2
General Tab..........................................................3-3
Transfer Tab..........................................................3-5
Logging Tab..........................................................3-7
Host Mode...............................................................3-8
Sending and Receiving Data ....................................3-8
Send File (to Portable) ..........................................3-9
Receive File (from Portable)..................................3-9
Using XFER...........................................................3-10
Syntax and Parameters........................................3-11
The XFER_ARGS Environment Variable ...........3-26
Multiple-Option Blocks......................................3-27
The Modem-Initialization File............................3-29
Performance........................................................3-32
Error Codes ........................................................3-34
Page 54
Using File Transfer Programs
Using XFER32
When you start XFER32, the XFER32 interface, opens ().
Figure 3-1: . XFER32 User Interface
XFER32 Setup
To prepare for data transfer between the PC and the PT40, click on the Setup
button to open the
The settings in these dialogs can be modified or customized to meet your
communications requirements.
Setup dialog box, which contains three tabbed sections.
3-2 Falcon
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General Tab
Figure 3-2: File Transfer Setup Definition Form: General Tab
XFER32Using XFER32
Connection Enter the Connection port for file transfers. Select from the list of
detected serial ports or modems.
Baud Rate Select a Baud Rate for serial communications
from the pull-down list. The default value is
19200.
Advanced User’s Guide 3-3
Page 56
Using File Transfer Programs
Protocol Select the file transfer Protocol to use for
XModem XModem does not allow multiple file transfers.
ZModem ZModem allows multiple file transfers.
ACK/ NAK ACK/NAK does not allow multiple file transfers. Do not use ACK/
Maximum Errors Enter the maximum number of Errors permitted before a file transfer is
Flow Control Select the mechanism used to control the flow
None No flow control used.
XON/XOFF Software flow control using XON and XOFF characters to
RTS/CTS Hardware flow control that uses Ready to Send (RTS), and Clear to
Window Size Specifies the amount of data transmitted before
sending and receiving files. The Protocol
depends upon what the Host system requires.
The default value is ZModem.
Refer to <cross-ref>“XModem vs. ZModem” on page -267 to select the
correct protocol for your application.
NAK with PSC Falcon DOS units.
aborted. Range: 1 to 50. 0 specifies no limit to the number of file
transfer errors.
of data. Sender and receiver must agree on the
flow control method.
communicate when to suspend and resume data transfer. Only
available with Z-Modem protocol.
Send (CTS) serial port lines to communicate when to suspend and
resume data transfer.
receiving a response from the receiver.
Streaming Sender does not wait for a response before sending all the data.
1024-4096 Causes the sender to wait for a response after sending the specified
amount of data.
Crash Recovery Specifies whether or not an attempt is made to
complete a file transfer at the point of failure.
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Never Never attempts to recover from a file transfer.
Follow
Sender
Always Forces an attempt to recover from a file transfer.
Follows the sender’s Crash Recovery and Overwrite options.
Transfer Tab
This tab establishes file transfer settings. Select the Transfer tab.
Figure 3-3: Transfer Tab of the File Transfer Utility
XFER32Using XFER32
Sender Timeout
(Seconds)
Receiver Timeout Enter the maximum number of seconds to wait for a connection
Enter the maximum number of seconds to wait for a connection
when sending files. A value of 0 waits indefinitely.
when receiving files. A value of 0 waits indefinitely.
Advanced User’s Guide 3-5
Page 58
Using File Transfer Programs
Path/Filename
Transmission
Strip Path Sends only the filename (no path) to the receiver.
Send Path Sends the filename with path to the receiver.
Specify
Receiver’s File
Path/Name
Overwrite Select to determine the action the receiver takes when a received
Source Longer or
Newer
CRCs Don’t
Match
Append Appends the received file to the existing one.
Always Overwrites the existing file with the one received.
Source Newer Overwrites the existing file if the received file is newer.
Date/Length
Don’t Match
Never Skips the transfer if the received file already exists.
File Transfer Default Enter the File Transfer Default folder for storing received files.
Enter a Path/Filename Transmission to control how the sender
processes the paths and filenames of files to be sent. Only applies
to Z-Modem.
Allows both the filename and path for each file to be altered prior
to being sent to the receiver.
file already exists.
Overwrites the existing file if the received file is longer or newer.
Overwrites the existing file if the CRCs of both files don’t match.
Overwrites the existing file if the dates or lengths of both files don’t
match.
Use the Browse button to locate a new location.
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Logging Tab
This tab establishes settings for the communications log. Click the Logging tab.
Figure 3-4: Logging Tab of the File Transfer Utility
XFER32Using XFER32
Log To File Specifies that the log is to be written to a text file.
Log To Screen Specifies that the log is displayed on screen.
Append to Log This option becomes available when you select Log to File. When
enabled, Append to Log adds log information to the end of the log file.
If not enabled, new log information replaces the previous log file.
Log Path/
Filename
Browse Use the Browse button to locate a new log file.
Specify the location for storing the communications log.
If a path is not given, the file is stored in the Default File Transfer
folder.
Advanced User’s Guide 3-7
Page 60
Using File Transfer Programs
Host Mode
Host Mode is a method of receiving files using the Z-Modem protocol. It
continuously waits for files and receives them using the filenames specified by
the sender. Once files have been received, it goes back to waiting for additional
files. Select
Figure 3-5: Host Mode Window
Transfer Files > Host Mode from the menubar.
Sending and Receiving Data
UPG uses the File Transfer Manager to transfer data (collection, validation, and INI
files) between a portable data collection unit and the host PC. It is possible to send
and receive files with the File Transfer Manager without switching between utilities.
Send and receive files only works with direct connections between a host PC and
portable data collection unit. To receive data from a portable via modem, use a
communications utility that supports a modem (XFER32 or UPG Runtime or
commercially available communications programs). Use the same protocol as selected
in the Communication Settings window to receive a file via modem using the external
communications package; see the documentation for the communication package for
more information.
Verify that the portable is properly attached to the host PC. If the portable uses
a dock, make sure that the dock is properly attached to the PC. Many docks
require the use of a null-modem with a serial cable and power supply. Check
the portable/dock documentation for more information.
3-8 Falcon
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Send File (to Portable)
1. Select Transfer Files > Send File from the menubar.
Figure 3-6: Send File to Portable Window
2. Select the file(s) to send.
z You can select multiple files if you are using the ZModem protocol.
Sending and Receiving Data
3. Click
If the Path/Filename Transmission is set to Specify Receiver’s File/Pathname, the file
names may be altered prior to being sent to the receiver. A Send File As... dialog is
displayed to permit the changing of the path/name of each file. The dialog contains a
list of each file to be sent. The left column displays the path/name of each file as it
exists on this computer. The right column displays the same file as seen by the
receiver. To change the path/name assigned to a file, select the filename to change,
and then click Edit. Or, double-click the filename from the list.
Open to send the file to the data collection terminal
z Press Cancel to not send any files
Receive File (from Portable)
When receiving files from a data collection terminal, a prompt appears. Enter
the name of the incoming file.
1. Select
Advanced User’s Guide 3-9
Transfer Files > Receive from the menubar.
Page 62
Using File Transfer Programs
Receive File from Portable Window
2. Select (or enter) a filename for the file.
z You can select multiple files if you are using the ZModem protocol.
z Filenames are assigned to files in the order listed in the File Name
z You can also use the filename(s) supplied by the sender. Press Cancel
3. Click
z Press Cancel to not receive any files.
field.
to select this option.
Open to begin receiving the file.
Using XFER
XFER (xfer.exe) is a DOS utility that directs the serial transfer of ASCII
and binary data between two computers. This chapter provides information for
advanced users and system administrators who want to use XFER to transfer
files between a Falcon and a PC. For basic information about XFER, refer to
page 1-11.
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XFER runs on Falcon portables using DOS. Use XFER32XFER32 on the Host PC with
Win32. Use the native on-help with XFER32.
When using Z-modem, flow control must be the same on both sides of the
transmission. Normally, XFER defaults to RTS/CTS flow control. On the Falcon 33x
and 34x, it defaults to Xon/Xoff. When transferring files between a 33x or 34x and the
host PC, make sure the PC is also using Xon/Xoff. See the /F option on
more details.
XFER supports Xmodem and Zmodem transfers at speeds up to 115200 baud.
Modem support is provided via an initialization file that specifies option
settings for the modem. Option settings can be specified on the command line
or with an environment variable called XFER_ARGS.
XFER supports RTS/CTS handshaking for Xmodem protocol and both XON/
XOFF and RTS/CTS handshaking for Zmodem protocol.
Syntax and Parameters
The command line syntax for XFER is as follows:
Using XFER
page 3-18 for
XFER [/option1 [/option2]...]filename(s)
Use a slash (/) or a hyphen (-) to denote options, and use uppercase or
lowercase letters for them. Options can be placed before or after filenames on
the command line.
Basic options and their defaults are listed and described in
Default column indicates whether the option is used (On) or ignored (Off) if it
Ta bl e 3 - 1. The
is not included in the command line. For options that have two or more
possible values, the default value is given.
A page number for each option indicates where a full explanation can be
located in this manual.
Advanced User’s Guide 3-11
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Using File Transfer Programs
Table 3-1: XFER Parameters
Option Description
Default
Xmodem Zmodem
filename(s)
(
page 3-14)
@file
page 3-15)
(
#
(
page 3-16)
B#
(
page 3-16)
C#
(
page 3-16)
D#
(
page 3-17)
E#
page 3-18)
(
F#
(
page 3-18)
H or ?
(
page 3-19)
Identifies the file to be transferred or received.
(Zmodem only) Specifies a response file consisting of two or more
names of files to be transferred. Replace
the response file to use.
Specifies the communications port to use. Replace the # symbol
with the desired setting:
Specifies the baud rate. Replace the # symbol with the desired
2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600
setting:
1 = COM1 2 = COM2
file with the name of
115200
(Zmodem only) Specifies how the retransmission of a file should be
handled if a previous transfer was interrupted. Replace the # symbol
with the desired setting:
1 = Never recover (start transmission from the beginning of the file)
2 = Follow sender (use the sender’s crash-recovery options; ignore
the receiver’s)
3 = Always recover (send data from the point where transmission
was interrupted)
Specifies the number of seconds for XFER to wait for activity before
cancelling the transfer. Replace the
number of seconds for the timeout delay. Acceptable values are
(no timeout) through
Specifies the maximum number of times XFER should attempt
retransmission of a packet after an error occurs. If the final attempt
fails, XFER aborts the transfer. Replace the # symbol with the
desired maximum number of attempts. A setting of
unlimited attempts.
Specifies the type of flow control to use for data transfer. Replace the
# symbol with the desired setting:
65,535.
# symbol with the desired
0
0 allows for
0 = No flow control
1 = XON/ XOFF (Zmodem only)
2 = RTS/ CTS
Displays help for the XFER command.
None None
N/A None
11
19200 19200
N/A 1
60 60
00
1 = Falcon
33x or 34x
0
None None
2 = all other
Falcon
models
3-12 Falcon
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DOS Portable Terminals
Page 65
Option Description
Using XFER
Default
Xmodem Zmodem
Ifile
(
page 3-19)
Mcommand
page 3-19)
(
N
(page 3-20)
O#
(page 3-20)
Q
(
page 3-22)
R
page 3-22)
(
S#
page 3-23)
(
T
page 3-24)
(
Specifies the modem-initialization file. Replace
name of the file to use.
Sends a command to the modem before beginning the data transfer.
Replace
command with one of the following:
file with the
A = Auto answer
ATstr = Send ATstr commands
D#x = Dial memory #x (0–9)
Dstr = Dial phone number str
Forces XFER to ignore all previously specified option settings,
including filenames and options specified in the
environment variable. All XFER options are set to their default state.
Overwrites an existing file with a new file having the same name.
Replace the # symbol with the desired setting:
XFER_ARGS
1 = Overwrite if source is longer or newer (Zmodem only)
2 = Overwrite if CRCs don’t match (Zmodem only)
3 = Append to existing file (Zmodem only)
4 = Always overwrite
5 = Overwrite if source is newer (Zmodem only)
6 = Overwrite if dates or lengths don’t match (Zmodem only)
7 = Never overwrite
Toggles quiet mode on and off. In quiet mode, only the filename and
“Transmitting...” or “Receiving...”
a
message is displayed. When quiet mode is off, additional information
is displayed. Each use of this option reverses the quiet-mode state.
Receives the specified file or files.
(Zmodem only) Specifies how paths and names should be handled
when sending files. Replace the # symbol with the desired setting:
0 = Strip paths
1 = Send paths
2 = Send new paths/filenames
Transmits the specified file or files.
modem.ini modem.ini
None None
Off Off
77
Off Off
Off
N/A 0
On
On if no file
is specified
On if file
is specified
Advanced User’s Guide 3-13
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Using File Transfer Programs
Option Description
Default
Xmodem Zmodem
W#
(
page 3-25)
X
(
page 3-26)
Z
(
page 3-26)
Window size (Zmodem only):
x = Packet size, in bytes
0 = Streaming
Uses Xmodem protocol for the transfer.
Uses Zmodem protocol for the transfer.
N/A 0
filename(s) Name(s) of the File(s) to Send or Receive:
Xmodem Only one file can be transferred at a time. The entire path can be specified,
including the drive letter. If the path is not specified, the file is sent from or
received into the current directory. If the directory or file doesn’t exist on a
send, or the directory doesn’t exist on a receive, the transfer will fail, with a fileopen error.
The filename must be included on the command line when receiving a file. If
multiple files are specified for Xmodem, only the first file will be transferred.
All other file names will be ignored.
Zmodem Zmodem allows up to 256 files to be transferred in one session. The entire path
for each file can be specified, including the drive letter. If a path is not
specified, the file is sent from or received into the current directory. If the
directory or the file doesn’t exist on a send, or the directory doesn’t exist on a
receive, the transfer will fail, with a file-open error. DOS accepts only 128
characters on the command line, but a response file can be used to get around
this limitation. (Refer to the @file option on
page 3-15.)
When receiving, the filename does not need to be specified for Zmodem.
Zmodem transfers the name of the file to be sent before sending the file. (See
the S option on
page 3-23 for information on controlling how Zmodem sends
the filename.) Any filename specified on the receiving end will override the
default name that is sent by the sender.
When multiple files are sent, a one-to-one correspondence is established. For
example, if ten filenames are specified on the sender’s side and five filenames are
specified on the receiver’s side, the first five files transferred will be received
with the names specified on the receiver’s command line, while the last five files
3-14 Falcon
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Using XFER
will be received with the names specified on the sender’s command line
(assuming all the files exist). Each filename on the command line can include
its own path.
XFER also recognizes the wildcard characters ? and *. Normal DOS patternmatching rules for these characters apply. Be careful about using wildcards
when receiving: XFER expands the wildcards of the specified filenames and
then searches for any matching patterns in the specified directory. If no
matching files are found (in an empty directory, for instance), then no
filenames will be sent to the Zmodem receive procedures. This may or may not
be what was intended. Also, DOS does not store files in alphabetical order, and
so using *.* to both send and receive files may result in files being renamed
because they are loaded in a different order. This can occur even if the file lists
on both sides of the transfer are the same.
@file
Response File (Zmodem only): The @file option allows use of a “response
file” for specifying filenames when conducting Zmodem transfers. This option
allows circumvention of the DOS limitation of 128 characters on the
command line when sending many files in a single transfer session.
When using a response file, fill the file with the filenames to be sent or received.
The filenames may include drives and paths. One filename should appear on
each line of the response file. Up to 256 files can be specified in this way.
The following is a sample response file, named response.txt:
autoexec.bat
c:\programs\theprog.exe
c:\data\file1.dat
c:\data\file2.dat
c:\data\file3.dat
Not all the filenames need to be specified in the response file. For example, the
following command would send seven files, including the five in
response.txt above.
xfer /z c:\default\config.sys /@response.txt c:\data\file4.dat
In this case, each filename is read in as it appears on the command line. The file
c:\default\config.sys would be the first one sent, the
autoexec.bat file specified in the response.txt file would be the
second file sent, and the c:\data\file4.dat file specified on the
command line would be the seventh file sent.
Multiple response files can be specified. Regardless of the number of response
files used, the 256-file limitation for a single transfer session is always in effect.
Advanced User’s Guide 3-15
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Using File Transfer Programs
If a response file is included in the XFER_ARGS environment variable (refer to
page 3-26), the N option can be used to ignore the response file and start from a
default condition (refer to
page 3-20).
Response files can be used with the S2 option (refer to
page 3-23). In this case,
the format for the response file would be:
autoexec.bat c:\autoexec.bat
c:\programs\theprog.exe c:\prog.exe
c:\data\file1.dat d:\data1
c:\data\file2.dat d:\data2
c:\data\file3.dat d:\data3
In this case, the first filename on a line specifies the file on the sender’s side.
The second filename on the line specifies the filename the sender will pass to
the receiver.
The receiver’s filename is separated from the sender’s filename by a single space. If
more than one space is used, the additional spaces will be included as part of the
receiver’s filename. Because a space character is used as a delimiter, Windows 95 and
Windows NT filenames with spaces as part of the filename will not be parsed correctly
and should not be used. Placing quotes around the filename will not help in this
situation.
The @file option can be used only in Zmodem transfers. The Z option must
be specified before the @file option. If a response file is used with the S2
option, the S2 option must be specified before the @file option.
All other rules governing filenames apply to response files.
#
COM Port: This option specifies the communications port to use for the file
transfer. Replace the # symbol with the desired setting:
1 =
COM1 2 = COM2
B# Baud Rate: This option specifies the baud rate to be used for the file transfer.
Replace the # symbol with the desired setting:
2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600 115200
Crash Recovery (Zmodem only): Crash recovery refers to the ability of
C#
Zmodem protocol to detect that a file transfer was not completed and to
attempt to recover at the point of failure (instead of recopying the entire file).
For instance, if the communications link is severed during the transfer of a 10K
file, with only 5K of data successfully transferred, crash recovery can be used to
send the remaining 5K without resending the entire 10K file.
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Using XFER
This option is supported by Zmodem protocol only. Xmodem will never attempt to
recover a file after a crash.
Crash recovery uses the CRC of the sender’s and receiver’s files to ensure that
the portion of the file that was successfully received in the first transfer is
identical to that portion of the sender’s copy of the file. If this is true, then the
receiver instructs the sender to begin sending data beginning at the point in the
file that corresponds to the end of the file on the receiver’s side.
By default, crash recovery is turned off. To use the C option, replace the #
symbol with the desired setting:
1 - No crash recovery
2 - Follow sender
3 - Always use crash recovery
If the C option is used without including a number, then the 1 setting is
assumed. An invalid setting will result in an error on the command line.
The C option can be used in conjunction with the O option. If C2 (follow
sender) is specified on the command line, the receiver will use the sender’s crash
and overwrite options. Any overwrite options local to the receiver will be
ignored. This is useful if a default crash-recovery command is specified in the
XFER_ARGS environment variable (refer to
page 3-26) and crash recovery for
the current transfer is temporarily disabled.
Delay Before Terminating Transmission: This option allows specifying a
D#
timeout. If the specified number of seconds elapse with no characters received
by either the sender or the receiver, the program aborts the transfer session.
This option is supported by Zmodem protocol only. Xmodem will never attempt to
recover a file after a crash.
To use the D option, replace the # symbol with the desired number of seconds
for the timeout delay. Acceptable values are 0 (no timeout) through 65,535;
the default is 60. A value of 0 disables the timeout feature, meaning that the
transfer session will never be aborted because of inactivity. If the D option is
used without specifying a number, an error will occur.
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E# Maximum Number of Errors Before Aborting Transfer: The E option is
used to specify the maximum number of times the receiver will request a
retransmission of a packet before aborting the transfer session.
For multiple file transfers in Zmodem, the entire session is aborted, not just the
transfer of the current file.
The default is 0, meaning the transfer will never be aborted because of errors. If
the E option is used without specifying a number, an error will occur.
F# Flow Control: This option is used to specify what type of flow control to use
for the file transfer.
Flow control is the ability of the receiver to detect that data is coming in faster
than it can receive and to issue a command to the sender instructing it to stop
sending data. When the receiver is again able to handle new data, it issues
another command instructing the sender to resume the transfer of data.
XFER supports two types of flow control: software (XON/XOFF) and
hardware (RTS/CTS). Only one type can be used at a time. The sender and
receiver should have this option enabled similarly.
To use the F option, replace the # symbol with the desired setting:
0 - No flow control
1 - XON/ XOFF (Zmodem only)
2 - RTS/ CTS
If the F option is used without specifying a number, it is assumed to mean F0,
or no flow control. This is useful in the case where flow control is specified in
the XFER_ARGS environment variable (refer to
turned off for the current transfer session. An invalid setting will result in an
error on the command line.
The RTS/CTS flow control option is only available when using XFER with the Falcon
31x and 32x.
Flow control defaults and capabilities differ depending upon the protocol
(Xmodem or Zmodem) being used.
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Xmodem: If the F option is not included in the command line, no flow
control is used. XON/XOFF cannot be used with Xmodem protocol, because
Xmodem protocol sends raw binary data and cannot distinguish between the
XON/XOFF characters and file data. Attempting to specify XON/XOFF with
Xmodem protocol will result in an error.
Zmodem: On the Falcon 33x and 34x, the default flow control for Zmodem
is Xon/Xoff. For all other portables and host PCs, the default is RTS/CTS. On
a Falcon portable, flow control should be used when transferring with
Zmodem, especially if Zmodem is in streaming mode. In streaming mode, the
Zmodem sender does not wait for acknowledgements to packets but
continuously sends a stream of data. Often this can overwhelm the receiver
especially if it is receiving at high data rates or receiving to the C drive or to a
PCMCIA ATA card, which writes data to disk much slower than the D drive.
H or ?
Ifile
Mcommand
Help: This option displays a brief description of the XFER syntax, options, and
settings.
Modem-Initialization File: This option specifies the file that contains modem
setup and control commands. Refer to
page 3-29 for complete information about Ifile.
Modem Command: This option allows commands to be sent to the modem
The Modem-Initialization File on
before the start of the file transfer. To use the M option, replace command with
one of the following commands:
A = Auto answer
ATstr = Send ATstr commands
D#x = Dial memory #x (0–9)
Dstr = Dial phone number str
Specifying XFER /MA instructs the modem to go into auto-answer mode. In
this mode the modem will wait for the timeout period specified in the modeminitialization file for another modem to dial into it. On detection of a ring-in
signal, XFER will answer the line and attempt to start a file transfer.
Specifying XFER /MATstr allows a string of AT commands to be sent to the
modem. These commands will be sent to the modem after the initialization
string from the modem-initialization file and can be used to specify a different
configuration. Since only one modem command can be specified on the
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command line, any commands to auto-answer or dial must be included in the
AT string.
There are two methods for dialing numbers. The first method uses the format
XFER /MD#x, where x is a number from 0 through 9. This number
corresponds to a directory number from the modem-initialization file, which
identifies a number that should be dialed for this transfer (see the NUMBER#
keyword on
used.
The second dialing method is to use the XFER /MDstr format, where str is
a dialing command to be sent directly to the modem. This string can be any
recognizable phone number text, such as (555) 444-3333 or
5554443333.
The last M option on the command line or in the environment variable is the
one used for controlling the modem. All earlier modem-command settings are
ignored.
If the M option is used without specifying a command, the modem will be
disabled for that transfer session. This is useful in the case where modem
commands are specified in the XFER_ARGS environment variable (refer to
page 3-26) but are transferring files without a modem for the current transfer
session.
page 3-31). If a number is not specified, directory number 0 is
Ignore Previous Option Settings: This option causes XFER to ignore
N
previously specified options and return to a default state. All options specified
in the XFER_ARGS parameter and on the command line preceding the N are
ignored. All options that XFER supports are returned to the default state, and
all filenames, response files, modem-initialization files, and modem commands
that are specified before the N (including the XFER_ARGS environment
variable) are discarded.
The N option is useful when the XFER_ARGS environment variable is used to
redefine defaults for XFER. It isn’t always obvious that the XFER_ARGS
parameter is controlling the behavior of XFER, and it is often the case that
several parameters have been redefined. Instead of having to set each option
back to its default, use the N option to return XFER to a known state.
O#
Overwrite Existing File(s): The O option specifies what action the receiver
should take if the file being transferred already exists on the receiver’s side.
When using this option, replace the # symbol with the desired setting:
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1 - Overwrite if source is longer or newer
2 - Overwrite if CRCs don’t match
3 - Append to existing file
4 - Always overwrite
5 - Overwrite if source is newer
6 - Overwrite if dates or lengths don’t match
7 - Never overwrite
By default, XFER operates in O7 mode—existing files are never overwritten.
For Xmodem, the only valid options are O4 and O7; all other settings resolve to
O7 (never overwrite). All settings for the O option are available with Zmodem
protocol.
To remain compatible with previous versions of XFER, the O option used
without a setting resolves to the O4 setting (always overwrite). This differs from
most other XFER options, where specifying the option without a setting
usually resolves to the default condition for that option. To use the default
condition for the O option, specify the O7 setting.
An invalid setting will result in an error on the command line.
XFER does not prompt to specify whether a file should be overwritten in the default
mode. If no overwrite option is specified, the file will never be overwritten. Under
Xmodem, the session will abort. Under Zmodem, the file will be skipped and the next
file will be transferred.
For the O6 setting under Zmodem, XFER does not set the date or time of a
received file to match the original date or time of the sender’s version of the file.
Instead, the date and time are taken from the receiver’s operating system when
the file is received and created. Because of this, it is highly unlikely that a file
transferred with XFER will have the exact date of the original file. Since the
resolution of times for files under DOS is in two-second increments, it is
unlikely the timestamps will be the same, even if the times on the receiver and
sender are calibrated frequently. Also, DOS doesn’t report the seconds field
when displaying the modification time of a file during a file listing. So, two
files may appear to have the same timestamp when in fact they don’t. The
tendency with the O6 option is for files to be overwritten, because times usually
do not match exactly.
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The O3 setting is unique in that it causes the transferred file (binary or ASCII)
to be appended to the end of the old file rather than overwriting it.
With Zmodem, the O option can be used with the C option setting for crash
recovery (refer to
line, then the receiver will use the sender’s crash and overwrite options. Any
options local to the receiver will be ignored.
Quiet Mode: This option toggles quiet mode. When quiet mode is enabled,
Q
minimal information is displayed about the file transfer in progress. Generally,
only the name of the file being transmitted is displayed. When not in quiet
mode, XFER will display a copyright message, the filename, and file statistics,
including a running count of bytes transferred.
Running XFER in quiet mode on the Falcon can significantly improve serialtransfer performance, especially at high speeds. At 115200 baud, transfers are
four times faster if quiet mode is enabled on the Falcon than if it is disabled,
owing to the delay inherent to writing a running byte count to the screen.
Since the Q option is a toggle switch, each occurrence of it in the command line
inverts the quiet-mode state. By default, XFER has quiet mode off. The first
occurrence of the Q option turns quiet mode on, the next turns it back off, and
so on. This is most useful if the option is specified in the XFER_ARGS
environment variable (refer to
in the current transfer session quiet mode will be deactivated.
page 3-16). If C2 (follow sender) is specified on the command
page 3-26) to activate quiet mode by default but
Receive File(s): This option specifies that files are to be received. With
R
Xmodem protocol, the option must be specified whenever receiving a file. The
option can be included in the XFER_ARGS environment variable (refer to
page 3-26), forcing Xmodem protocol to default to receiving instead of sending
files.
With Zmodem, receive is the default if no file is specified on the command line
(for example, XFER /z). The name of the file is sent by the transmitting side
before the file is transferred, and the file is received with that path and name.
To receive a file under Zmodem with a different name from the sender’s, use
the R option to force Zmodem into receive mode. Specify the new filename
after the R option on the receiver’s command line (See the filename(s)
option on
page 3-14 for information on specifying file-names.) When
Zmodem has been specified, using the R option without a filename is the same
as not using the option at all—the sender’s filename (and path) is used.
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The last transfer option, R or T, on the command line controls whether to transmit or
receive for the session.
S
Specify Sender’s Path-and-File Handling (Zmodem only): The S option
controls how the sender handles the paths and filenames of the files that it
sends. This option is available only with Zmodem protocol. The Z option must
be specified before using the S option. Use one of the following settings
described individually below:
0 - Strip paths
1 - Send paths
2 - Send new paths/filenames
If the S option is not included in the command line, the default setting (0) is
used. If the S option is used without specifying a setting (for example, XFER /
S), it is assumed to mean S0. This is useful in the case where another option is
specified in the XFER_ARGS environment variable (refer to
page 3-26) but
during the current transfer session, the paths will be stripped.
An invalid setting will result in an error on the command line.
0
Strip Paths: In this mode (the default), the sender will remove any paths that
are specified with a filename before sending the filename to the receiver. The
new filename will be transmitted to the receiver without any path information.
The file will be stored by the receiver in the current directory.
Send Paths: This option performs no processing on the filenames specified on
1
the sender’s side. Any drive and path information that is specified is transmitted
to the receiver. If a path is specified and it does not exist on the receiver’s side,
the transfer will abort with a failure.
Send New Paths/Filenames: When the S2 setting is used, all filenames are
2
treated as filename pairs. This provides the ability to specify dual filenames
during a transfer. The first filename (optionally including a drive and path) is
the one that the sender uses to open the file. The second filename is used by the
sender when it transmits the filename to the receiver. This provides the ability
to transfer a file and have it renamed on the receiver’s side. It also allows
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transfer of a file from one directory on the sender’s side to another directory on
the receiver’s side.
Multiple filename pairs may be specified, which may be separated by other
XFER options.
The following conventions must be observed when using the S2 option.
Failure to conform may result in errors.
z The S2 command must be specified ahead of any filenames.
z When specifying dual filenames, the filenames must be separated by a
single space. The first filename in the pair is what the sender uses, and
the second filename is what the sender will transmit to the receiver. If
more than one space is used, all spaces after the first will be included as
part of the receiver’s filename.
z The drive and path may be specified for components for either filename
in a pair. The actual name of the file must be included in both filenames
along with the drive and the path.
Correct examples:
C:\> xfer /zs2 file1 file2
C:\> xfer /zs2 c:\data\file1 d:\file2
C:\> xfer /zs2 c:\data\file1 d:\file1 c:\yourfile myfile
C:\> xfer /zs2 file1 data1 /b115200 file2 data2
Incorrect examples:
C:\> xfer /zs2 file1 /b115200 file2
C:\> xfer /zs2 file1 file2
C:\> xfer /zs2 file1[TAB]file2
C:\> xfer /z file1file2 /s2
C:\> xfer /zs2 file1d:\
In the second incorrect example, the additional spaces would be included in the
receiver’s filename. This is generally wrong, but it may be correct if that is the
intended result. The third incorrect example is invalid because the filenames
must be separated by a single space; no other white-space character can be used.
This mistake most often occurs when using response files (refer to
page 3-15).
If a filename is specified on the receiver’s side, that filename will override whatever
filename the sender transmits to the receiver.
Transmit File(s): This option specifies that files are to be sent. For Xmodem
T
protocol, this is the default; that is, typing XFER foo on the command line
would send the file foo.
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For Zmodem protocol, transmit is the default when specifying a file on the
command line. So, for example, the command XFER /Z foo is equivalent to
the command XFER /Z /T foo.
The T option is most useful if the XFER_ARGS environment variable (refer to
page 3-26) includes the R command and a file is also being sent.
The last transfer option, R or T, on the command line controls whether to transmit or
receive for the session.
Window Size (Zmodem only): This option controls the use of windowing
W
with Zmodem protocol. By default, Zmodem is a streaming protocol, and
windowing is disabled. “Streaming” refers to the method by which Zmodem
transfers data. In streaming mode, the sender forms 1K data packets and sends
one packet after another in a continuous stream. The sender does not wait, and
does not expect, to get acknowledgments from the receiver for any of the
packets it sends. Instead, the sender assumes the file transfer is going normally
unless it gets an error indication from the receiver.
This works fine in robust, error-free environments. But the receiver can get lost
or disconnected without the sender realizing it. Windowing provides a way in
noisy environments to give some level of packet acknowledgment to Zmodem
protocol. With windowing, the sender will send up to the number of bytes
specified by the size of the window and then stop transmitting data until the
receiver acknowledges that it has received all of the packets that have been sent.
The sender then sends more packets, up to the size of the window, and so on.
Waiting for acknowledgments slows down transfer speeds, but XFER allows a
dynamic compromise between speed and robustness. XFER allows specifying
the window size with any value from 0 to 65535. Use W0 for streaming mode.
For a 1K window, use W1024. Values below 1024 are used exactly as specified
and should be the size of the transmitted packets. Values above 1024 should
be multiples of 1024 (1024, 2048, 4096, etc.). Values above 1024 that are
not multiples of 1024 are rounded up to the nearest multiple of 1024.
If the W option is not included on the command line, streaming is used. If the
option is used without specifying a setting, W0 (streaming) is used by default.
This is useful in the case where a window size is specified in the XFER_ARGS
environment variable refer to
page 3-26) but streaming will be used for the
current transfer session.
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Always place the W option after the Z option, or a parsing error will occur. See the
information about the
X Xmodem Transfer: The X option instructs XFER to transfer all files in that
session using Xmodem protocol. Because this is the default file-transfer
protocol, it does not normally need to be specified.
Zmodem Transfer: The Z option instructs XFER to transfer all files in that
Z
session using Zmodem protocol. The Z option should come before all other
options that are valid for Zmodem only (such as the C option). This is required
because Xmodem is the default protocol for XFER, and option parsing will fail
if an illegal setting is specified under Xmodem.
In addition, specifying the Z option resets the Zmodem window size for that
session, making it necessary for the Z option to come before any use of the W
option.
The last protocol option in the command line specifies the protocol that will be used
for the file transfer; that is, Xmodem would be used for the transfer ordered by
/Z /X foo, and Zmodem would be used for the transfer ordered by XFER /X /Z
foo.
Z option on page 3-26 for more details.
XFER
The XFER_ARGS Environment Variable
XFER recognizes the environment variable XFER_ARGS. This variable can be
used to set option settings for most transfer sessions. Even files can be specified
in the XFER_ARGS environment variable. Parsing of the XFER command
line starts with the XFER_ARGS variable and then continues through any
other specified options or filenames.
A slash or hyphen can be used for each option or the options can be merged
into one block following a single slash or hyphen:‘
C:\> set XFER_ARGS = /ZROB57600
C:\> set XFER_ARGS = /Z /R /O /B57600
For each command line in the example, files will be received (option R) using
Zmodem protocol (Z) and a baud rate (B) of 57600 baud, and existing files
will always be overwritten (O).
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Up to ten slashes or hyphens can be used for options in the environment variable.
Refer to section,
Multiple-Option Blocks, on page 3-27 for more information.
Any of the parameters used in the example could be overwritten on the
command line. For example, with following command:
C:\> xfer /x foo
XFER would use Xmodem for the file transfer instead of Zmodem, while still
using the other option settings specified in the XFER_ARGS variable.
There are two precautions for mixing options in the environment variable with
options on the command line. The first is about options that are supported by
Zmodem protocol only. In the following example:
C:\> set XFER_ARGS = /z /w4096 /c3
C:\> xfer /x foo
the environment variable is set up to use Zmodem with a 4K window and crash
recovery turned on. In the XFER command line, Xmodem protocol is
specified. Since Xmodem doesn’t support windows or crash recovery, both
those options are ignored. Another, more troublesome scenario is the following:
C:\> set XFER_ARGS =/z/o5
C:\> xfer /x foo
Here, XFER is set to Zmodem in the environment variable, with an overwrite
setting of 5 (overwrite if source is newer). However, in the XFER command
line, Xmodem protocol is specified. The only overwrite settings that Xmodem
supports are O4 (always overwrite) and O7 (never overwrite); all other O
options resolve to O7 for Xmodem. If the file foo exists, the transfer will
abort. In this case, specify O4 on the command line or do not use the X option.
If a filename is included in the XFER_ARGS environment variable, that file will
always be the first file sent or received. Negate it only by specifying the
the command line (refer to
when including filenames in the environment variable.
page 3-20). For this reason, exercise extreme caution
N option on
Multiple-Option Blocks
XFER supports multiple options after a single slash (/) or hyphen (-) on the
command line and in the XFER_ARGS environment variable. Each of the
following examples is a valid command line:
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C:\> xfer /zrob115200 foo
C:\> xfer /zro /d30 /b115200 foo
C:\> xfer /zrw2 /o5c3f2 foo
Any option can immediately follow another without a separate delimiter (/ or
-) unless the preceding option has a multicharacter setting. The following
options have multicharacter settings:
z B (baud rate)
z D (timeout)
z E (error count)
z I (modem-initialization file)
z M (modem command)
The setting for each of these options must be followed by a space. Except for
the I and M options, the option is ignored during parsing if there is no space
following its setting. For the I option, any extra characters directly following
the initialization-file filename will be treated as part of the filename. Any extra
characters following the M option will be treated as part of the modem
command; this may produce modem-command syntax errors.
Correct examples:
C:\> xfer /zrob115200 foo
C:\> xfer /zo5c3f2b115200 foo
C:\> xfer /z /mA foo
The first two command lines above are valid because the /b115200 setting is
always at the end of the multiple-option block. Also in the second example, the
O, C, and F options all have single-digit settings.
Incorrect examples:
C:\>xfer/zb115200rofoo
C:\> xfer /z /mAro6 foo
In the first command line above, XFER would load and run. However, the R
and O options would not be detected, because the b115200 setting is not
followed by a space. Therefore, XFER would try to send the file foo, not
receive it. The second example is wrong because the R and O6 parameters
would be included as part of the modem command A.
Be careful when specifying the COM port in a multiple-option block. For
example, the following command:
C:\> xfer /zo2 foo
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sets the overwrite option to 2 (overwrite if CRCs don’t match) but doesn’t
cause XFER to use COM port 2. The following commands could be used to do
this:
C:\> xfer /z2o foo
C:\> xfer /z2o2 foo
C:\> xfer /zo22 foo
In the last example, the first 2 is treated as the setting for the O, and the second
2 is parsed as the COM port to use for the transfer.
The Modem-Initialization File
Format The modem-initialization file (modem.ini) contains keyword-and-value
pairs, with each pair on a separate line. Each keyword is separated from its
value by one or more spaces; tabs and other white-space characters are not
valid. Keywords can be in any order within the file.
Lines beginning with a # character or with a space character are treated as
comment lines and are ignored. The # character can also be used to embed
comments within a line. Any characters after a # character in a line are ignored
for that line.
Using XFER
Individual lines cannot exceed 128 characters in length, including comments, or errors
in parsing may occur.
Keywords
ACCESS_DELAY: This keyword specifies the number of milliseconds for
XFER to wait for a response from the local modem when sending a command
to the local modem. The default is 2000 ms (2 seconds).
CARRIER_TIMEOUT: This keyword specifies the number of seconds for
XFER to wait for a carrier signal from the remote end before timing out. The
default is 60 seconds.
COMPRESSION_STRINGS: This keyword specifies a list of response strings
(expected responses from the modem) that indicate that a connection was
made using data compression. Because modems often support various types of
data compression, they may have more than one string indicating that
compression is taking place. Use the COMPRESSION_STRING keyword as
many times as necessary to create the desired list. However, the combined
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length of all the values assigned to COMPRESSION_STRING cannot exceed
115 characters.
DIAL_METHOD: This keyword specifies how the modem attempts to dial
phone numbers. This can be T for tone dial or P for pulse dial.
ECHO: This keyword indicates whether responses received from the modem
should be displayed to the screen. Enable the keyword by setting the value
string to T (for true); clear it by setting the value string to F (for false).
FAI L_ STRI NG S: This keyword is a list of response strings (expected responses
from the modem) that indicate that the connection to the remote end failed.
These strings contain text (such as NO CARRIER and BUSY) that the modem
might return on an error. Using a configurable list of errors allows the serial-in/
out modem run-time library to compensate for differences in messages between
individual modems. Use the FAIL_STRING keyword as many times as
necessary to create the desired list. However, the combined length of all the
values assigned to FAIL_STRING cannot exceed 115 characters.
HANDSHAKING: This keyword controls the type of handshaking the Falcon
will perform with the modem. Generally, RTS/ CTS handshaking is necessary
to support the advanced functions of modems, such as compression and errorcorrecting protocols.
Set this keyword to N for no handshaking, X for Xon/Xoff software flow
control, or R for RTS/CTS hardware handshaking.
The HANDSHAKING keyword in the modem-initialization file takes precedence over
any flow-control options selected on the command line in XFER.
INIT_STRING: This keyword specifies the string to use to initialize the
modem. The initialization-string value should begin with the AT sequence for
Hayes-compatible modems, as the serial in/out modem routines do not attach
these characters to the beginning of the initialization string before sending it to
the modem.
LOCKED_BAUDRATE: When enabled, this keyword indicates that the local
modem is configured to communicate with the PC at a fixed baud rate,
regardless of the speed of the connection between the modem and the remote
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end. This is the normal state of affairs for any modem that supports either data
compression or error-correcting protocols. Having this keyword enabled
implies that the modem is using hardware handshaking.
The baud rate used for a file transfer will be the baud rate set for XFER by the
B option (the default is 19200 baud). If the B option is not set, the baud rate
used is whatever the modem indicates it is using in the CONNECT message
after connecting to the remote end.
Enable this keyword by setting the value string to T (for true). Clear it by
setting the value string to F (for false).
NUMBER#: The NUMBER# keyword specifies a user-defined phone number.
The value string can be any sequence of characters that defines a valid number
for the modem to dial. Up to ten phone numbers may be specified, with each
one assigned a keyword NUMBER0 through NUMBER9. Any number may be
assigned to a keyword (unless the number has already been assigned). It is not
necessary to define all ten NUMBER# keywords, and they do not need to be
defined in numerical order.
See the Mcommand section on
page 3-19 for information on how to access the
NUMBER# strings to dial when using XFER.
PROTOCOL_STRINGS: This keyword is a list of response strings (expected
responses from the modem) that indicate that a connection was made using an
error-correcting protocol. Since modems often support various error-correcting
protocols, they may have more than one string indicating that such a protocol
is being used. Use the PROTOCOL_STRING keyword as many times as
necessary to create the desired list. However, the combined length of all the
values assigned to PROTOCOL_STRING cannot exceed 115 characters.
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Sample
Modem-
Initialization
File
INIT_STRING ATE1Q0V1X4&C1&D2S7=10s9=6s10=20S11=55S0=2
FAIL_STRING NO CARRIER
FAIL_STRING ERROR
FAIL_STRING NO DIALTONE
FAIL_STRING BUSY
FAIL_STRING NO ANSWER
# This is a comment.
So is this.
COMPRESSION_STRING CLASS 5
COMPRESSION_STRING V.42BIS
PROTOCOL_STRIN LAPM
PROTOCOL_STRIN ALT
DIAL_METHOD T # (T)ONE or (P)ULSE dialing
CARRIER_TIMEOUT 60
ACCESS_DELAY 2000
LOCKED_BAUDRATE T # (T)RUE or (F)ALSE
ECHO T # (T)RUE or (F)ALSE
HANDSHAKING R # (R)TSCTS, (X)ONXOFF, or (N)ONE
NUMBER0 9 555-1234
NUMBER9 (111) 555-9999
NUMBER5 (111) 555-7777
NUMBER1 9 555-4321
The keywords are all case-sensitive and must be capitalized. For the
FAIL_STRINGS, COMPRESSION_STRINGS, and
PROTOCOL_STRINGS settings, the value string should also be capitalized. Any
responses from the modem are converted to capital letters before being compared
with the various substrings.
Performance
This section describes issues relating to serial performance on the Falcon.
Although these issues are described in the context of XFER, they apply to serial
transfers in general.
File-transfer speed is severely reduced when byte counts are displayed on the
Falcon screen. Use the Q option in XFER to enable quiet mode and speed up
transfers (refer to
Performance also is diminished when data is transferred to the C drive or to a
PCMCIA ATA card. Both of these devices write data to the disk very slowly.
Problems may arise as the disks become full and loading algorithms are
executed to clean up space for new data. This can become particularly severe
with Zmodem in streaming protocol, because the sender never waits for the
receiver to write data to the disk. To avoid this problem, use Zmodem with
either windowing (refer to
3-32 Falcon
page 3-22).
page 3-25) or flow control (refer to page 3-18)
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Using XFER
enabled. Flow control is generally faster and permits the receiver to operate at
its peak capacity.
Another factor in performance is the presence of other software running in the
background. Card and Socket Services, for instance, use the timer interrupt for
certain functions. Because Card and Socket Services chain into this interrupt
and execute some code with interrupts disabled, the system may become
overburdened when running serial interrupts at high speed (greater than 19200
baud). In this case, overrun, parity, and framing errors become more common,
sometimes resulting in an inability to send a file efficiently. If this occurs, select
a lower baud rate (refer to
page 3-18).
page 3-16) and enable flow control (refer to
Advanced User’s Guide 3-33
Page 86
Using File Transfer Programs
Error Codes
Table 3-2: lists error codes returned by XFER.
Table 3-2: XFER Error Codes
Val ue Mnemonic Description
0 OK All files transferred OK.
ABORT_FILESSKIPPED One or more files were skipped during a
1
ABORT_TIMEOUT The transfer was aborted because of a
2
3 ABORT_KEYPRESS The abort key (
ABORT_LINEERROR A communications line error (e.g.,
4
ABORT_FILEERROR A read, write, open, close, or access error
5
ABORT_FTPERROR An invalid file-transfer protocol option was
6
7 ABORT_CHECKERROR A checksum or CRC error occurred.
ABORT_MEMORYERROR An error occurred while trying to allocate
8
ABORT_RECEIVERERROR The receiver encountered a problem and
9
ABORT_COMERROR An error occurred while opening the COM
10
ABORT_ARGERROR An error in an argument (option setting)
11
20 ABORT_UNKNOWN An unknown error occurred.
MODEM_ABORT_CONNECTION XFER could not establish a connection
31
32 MODEM_ABORT_NORESPONSE The modem did not respond.
MODEM_ABORT_INIFILE The specified modem-initialization file
33
XFER Error Codes
multifile download.
timeout.
<ESC>) was pressed.
OVERRUN) occurred.
occurred on a file.
selected.
memory from the heap.
requested to skip the file.
port.
occurred on the command line.
with the remote end.
could not be found.
3-34 Falcon
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4
The Falcon 4-Slot Dock
CHAPTER CONTENTS
Overview..................................................................4-2
Operating Modes .....................................................4-2
The 4SLOT.SYS Device Driver ................................4-3
Transferring Files with XFER ..................................4-4
Setting the Baud Rate ..............................................4-5
Page 88
The Falcon 4-Slot Dock
Overview
This chapter provides advanced information about using the Falcon 4-Slot
Dock. It is intended for use by system administrators and advanced users who
need to modify the Falcon 4-Slot Dock’s factory-configuration settings.
For basic information about the Falcon 4-Slot Dock, see the Falcon DOS
Portable Data Terminals User’s Guide. For information about programming
the Falcon 4-Slot Dock, see the Falcon DOS Portable Data Terminals
Developer’s Toolkit.
Operating Modes
The Falcon 4-Slot Dock network can operate in either of two modes:
z In terminal-demand mode (the default), the Falcon 4-Slot Dock network
grants access to the communications line to individual portables on a
priority basis.
z In host-controlled mode, the host controls which portable gets access to
the communications line at any time.
For information about setting and using these modes, see the Falcon DOS
Portable Data Terminals Developer’s Toolkit.
XFER, the serial file-transfer utility that comes with Falcon, can access the 4Slot Dock network in terminal-demand mode without any further action from
the user. Use XFER to send and receive files from one or more portables to the
host (refer to
the host at the same time, the 4-Slot Dock network arbitrates between them so
that each portable gets a chance at the line.
4-2 Falcon
page 4-4). If two or more portables attempt to communicate with
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The 4SLOT.SYS Device Driver
To use terminal-demand mode within a custom application or to use hostcontrolled mode, the 4slot.sys DOS device driver should be installed on
the portable. The 4slot.sys driver extends the capabilities of the DOS
COM driver and provides a programming interface so that custom programs
can request, detect, and drop access to the 4-Slot Dock communications line.
For host-controlled mode, the 4slot.sys driver allows the user to assign a
unique name to the portable that the host can use to control that portable's
ability to access the 4-Slot Dock communications line.
The 4slot.sys driver is included in the Falcon Developer’s Toolkit. For information
about purchasing the toolkit, contact a PSC representative.
The xfer.exe program has limited ability to access the Falcon 4-Slot Dock
network when the 4slot.sys driver is not loaded. This allows use of the
Falcon 4-Slot Dock network to download the Falcon 4-Slot Dock device driver
to any portable that doesn’t already have it.
The 4SLOT.SYS Device Driver
The Falcon Configuration Utility can transfer the 4slot.sys driver to the
portable and modify the config.sys file. Complete the following steps:
1. Install the Developer's Toolkit software on the computer. (Follow the
installation instructions provided with the Developer's Toolkit.) Be sure
to include the 4-Slot Dock software during the installation process.
(Install the Falcon Configuration Utility at this point, if not already
installed.)
2. Start the Falcon Configuration Utility, and select the
button on the main menu. Find the 4slot.sys file (in the
percon\falcon\dos directory if the default installation was used)
and transfer it to the c:\dos directory on the Falcon unit.
3. Transfer the Falcon’s c:\config.sys file to a temporary location on
the PC. Using a text editor (for example, Notepad), add the following
line to the end of the file:
4. Save the file, and transfer it back to the c:\ directory on the Falcon.
5. Reboot the Falcon.
device=c:\dos\4slot.sys
Transfer Files
Advanced User’s Guide 4-3
Page 90
The Falcon 4-Slot Dock
Save the file list or create a new .cfg file to transfer the 4-Slot Dock driver and
modified config.sys file to multiple Falcons units. For complete information
about the Falcon Custom Configuration Utility, refer to
Transferring Files with XFER
Files can be transferred with the XFER utility on the portable. XFER has the
ability to automatically request access to the communications line from the
Falcon 4-Slot Dock, whether the Falcon 4-Slot Dock device driver is loaded or
not.
To use XFER to transfer a file to the portable, place the portable in a slot on the
Falcon 4-Slot Dock. On the portable, type in the command to receive a file,
which is typically the following:
C:\> xfer /r filename.txt
Chapter 2.
On the host, type the following at a DOS prompt:
C:\> xfer filename.txt
Once the XFER command is executed on the portable, the portable requests
access to the communications line from the Falcon 4-Slot Dock. When access
is given to the portable, the
COM LED for that slot will come on with a green
light. When the XFER command is executed on the host, XFER will transfer
the file from the host to the portable. When XFER exits on the portable, the
COM LED goes out, indicating that the portable has relinquished access to the
communications line.
Xmodem uses no flow control, by default. For Zmodem, the default flow control is RTS/
CTS. To use XFER with Zmodem with the 4-Slot Dock, hardware flow control must be
turned off using the appropriate XFER command line switch (refer to
XON/XOFF flow control should be used instead. This holds true for any
communications software on a Falcon using the 4-Slot Dock.
For complete information about the XFER utility, refer to
page 3-18), and
Chapter 3.
4-4 Falcon
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Setting the Baud Rate
The Falcon 4-Slot Dock is capable of operating at the following baud rates:
z 9600
z 19200
z 38400
z 115200
It is configured for 19200 baud at the factory.
When running in host-controlled mode, the Falcon 4-Slot Dock network must
be informed of the baud rate the host and portables will be using so that it can
set itself accordingly.
To enable the 4-Slot Dock network to detect and set the baud rate, follow the
procedure below. A host-communications software package, such as
ProCOMM or HyperTerminal is required. It does not matter if the portables
have the 4slot.sys driver loaded. However, each portable must have the
4slot.sys driver loaded if the host is to control that portable.
Complete the following steps.
Setting the Baud Rate
1. Set the host-communications package or program to 2400 baud. Send a
single space to the dock network. There will not be any feedback from
any of the Falcon 4-Slot Docks in the dock network.
This step isn’t always necessary, but it ensures that the Falcon 4-Slot Docks will
detect a baud rate error as quickly as possible. It also eliminates concern about what
baud rates the various docks are already in.
2. Now set the host communications package or program to the desired
baud rate and send a plus character (+) to the dock network. This is a
synchronization character that the docks use to verify that they are
correctly getting data from the host on a baud rate change.
3. To verify that the docks are correctly configured, send the Request
Unit IDs command DCRI to the dock network.
Advanced User’s Guide 4-5
Page 92
The Falcon 4-Slot Dock
It is possible to type in the command at a terminal communications program, sending
it out the COM port from an application, or copying it to the COM port device driver
under DOS. For complete information about sending commands to a Falcon 4-Slot
Dock, see the Falcon DOS Portable Data Terminals Programmer’s Reference.
The unit IDs are received in brackets (i.e.,
slots. For each empty slot in the dock network, the Falcon 4-Slot Dock receives a blank
Unit ID (
slot is powered off (models 31x only), the Falcon does not have the 4-Slot Dock driver
(4slot.sys) loaded, or the baud rate of the Falcon is not set to the same baud rate
as the 4-Slot Dock network and host computer.
If any problems occur with a dock, or correct dock configuration cannot be
verified, attach that dock directly to the host computer with an RS-232 cable.
Then repeat the above steps with only the one dock attached to the host. The
dock should send back four unit IDs, with unit IDs of [] for empty slots and
[UNKNOWN] for slots that have portables without the Falcon 4-Slot Dock
device driver loaded.
[Unit ID]) from any portables in dock
[]). A slot returns the reserved Unit ID [UNKNOWN] if the Falcon in the
4-6 Falcon
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5
Disk Drives, Organization,
Software, & Configurations
CHAPTER CONTENTS
Overview..................................................................5-2
Disk Drives and Files...............................................5-2
Structure...............................................................5-2
Drive A.................................................................5-3
Drive B.................................................................5-4
Drive C.................................................................5-6
Drive D ................................................................5-6
Additional Drives..................................................5-7
Other System Software ...........................................5-7
BIOS and DOS ....................................................5-7
PC Card and RF Networking Software.................5-8
System Configurations.............................................5-8
Default Configuration ..........................................5-8
I/O PC Card Support Configuration....................5-9
Page 94
Disk Drives, Organization, Software, & Configurations
Overview
This chapter details the default contents of the disk drives and the organization
of system software on the Falcon. It also includes descriptions of two standard
software configurations.
Disk Drives and Files
Structure
The Falcon DOS portable terminal has the following drive structure:
Drive A is a read-only flash drive. The contents of this drive cannot be
changed.
Drive B is a read-only flash drive that can be updated by using the core-update
program, corexfer.exe, from a host machine. (Normal operation will not
require updating of this drive.)
Drive C is a resident flash disk drive that is accessed with the flashdsk.sys
device driver. Use this drive to store applications and data.
Drive D is a RAM disk accessed with the vdisk.sys device driver. This
drive can be used to store applications as well as data. Take great care in
selecting files for this drive. As with any RAM drive, its contents will be lost if
power is removed.
Additional drives are mapped to ATA flash PC cards or to network drives via
radio frequency (RF).
This organization provides an easy-to-use, extensible system that allows a high
degree of performance, usability, and customization. The following sections
more fully describe the contents and intended uses of each of the Falcon’s
drives.
5-2 Falcon
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Drive A
Drive A is a disk image that is located in flash along with the BIOS and ROMDOS. A read-only drive, it is intended to remain secure throughout the life of
the unit. Drive A contains the following files:
z autoexec.bat, the first file in the startup sequence
z command.com, the DOS shell
z config.saf, the first file in the safe-boot sequence
z config.sys, the first file in the boot sequence
z rev.com, the utility that reports the firmware revision
The config.sys and autoexec.bat files contain only basic commands
that the unit needs to run correctly (refer to
files chain to their respective counterparts on the B drive, as described in the
next section.
Figure 5-1: Config.sys File on Drive A
REM ************************************************
REM Initial CONFIG.SYS file for starting the system.
REM ************************************************
NEWFILE = B:\CONFIG.SYS
Disk Drives and Files
Figure 5-1 and Figure 5-2). Both
Figure 5-2: Autoexec.bat File on Drive A
@echo off
REM **************************************************
REM Initial AUTOEXEC.BAT file for starting the system.
REM **************************************************
VER
PATH=A:\
B:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
The config.saf file (refer to Figure 5-3) is used in the safe-boot sequence.
(For more information about the config.saf file, refer to
information about the safe boot, refer to
Figure 5-3: Config.saf File on Drive A
REM *********************************
REM Initial CONFIG.SYS for safe boot.
REM *********************************
NEWFILE = B:\CONFIG.SAF
page 7-4.)
page 5-5. For
Advanced User’s Guide 5-3
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Disk Drives, Organization, Software, & Configurations
Drive B
Drive B is a disk image that is located in flash. A read-only drive, it is intended
to be used to store mandatory utilities and initialize the boot process. During
normal use this drive will not be updated.
Drive B includes the following files. Where applicable, page numbers tell where
to find more information about specific files.
z autoexec.bat, the second file in the startup sequence.
z cfgdev.sys, the system-parameter-configuration device driver
page 6-3).
(
z comio.com, the utility for redirecting input and output to the serial
port (models 32x, 33x, and 34x only; (
z config.saf, the second file in the safe-boot sequence.
z config.sys, the second file in the boot sequence.
z coreupd.com, the utility that updates the firmware image.
z decode.sys, the bar-code-decoding device driver (page 6-6).
z flashdsk.sys, the resident flash disk device driver (page 6-7).
z format.com, the disk-reformatting utility (page 6-8).
z functest.com, the functional test for system components.
z himem.sys, the device driver for accessing extended memory (models
32x, 33x, and 34x only).
page 6-5).
z ld.bat, the batch file for response.bat processing.
z lock.com, the utility for locking or unlocking the resident flash disk
and RAM disk (
z organize.com, the utility for reorganizing flash disk data
page 6-10).
(
z pm.com, the power-management utility (page 6-11).
z umblink.exe, the device driver for accessing upper memory blocks
page 6-9).
(models 32x, 33x, and 34x only).
z vdisk.sys, the RAM-disk device driver (page 6-13).
z xfer.exe, the serial-transfer utility (page 6-14).
5-4 Falcon
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Disk Drives and Files
B
The config.sys file (refer to
driver to create the C drive and the vdisk.sys driver to create the D drive. It
will then load decode.sys and cfgdev.sys before chaining to its
counterpart on drive C. The autoexec.bat file (refer to
chain to its counterpart on drive C, except during a safe boot.
Figure 5-4: Config.sys File on Drive B
REM ****************************************
REM Standard CONFIG.SYS for building system.
REM ****************************************
REM ***************************
REM Create flash and RAM drives
REM ***************************
DEVICE = B:\FLASHDSK.SYS 4096
DEVICE = B:=VDISK.SYS 4096 /e
REM *********************************
REM Load decode/configuration drivers
REM *********************************
DEVICE = B:\DECODE.SYS
DEVICE = B:\CFGDEV.SYS
NEWFILE = C:\CONFIG.SYS
Figure 5-5: Autoexec.bat File on Drive B
@echo off
REM ******************************************
REM Standard AUTOEXEC.BAT for starting system.
REM ******************************************
PATH=%PATH%;B:\
C:
IF EXIST A:\CONFIG.SAF IF EXIST C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT C:\AUTOEXEC.
The purpose of the config.saf file (refer to Figure 5-6) is to provide a
minimal boot configuration that preserves the flash and RAM drives. When
the safe-boot sequence is initiated (refer to page
file is processed instead of the config.sys file. This prevents chaining into
the drive-C initialization files by omitting the NEWFILE =
C:\CONFIG.SYS command. It also eliminates the loading of the
decode.sys and cfgdev.sys drivers.
Figure 5-4) will load the flashdsk.sys
Figure 5-5) will
page 7-4), the config.saf
Figure 5-6: Config.saf File on Drive B
Advanced User’s Guide 5-5
Page 98
Disk Drives, Organization, Software, & Configurations
REM **********************************
REM Standard CONFIG.SYS for safe boot.
REM **********************************
REM ****************************
REM Recover flash and RAM drives
REM ****************************
DEVICE = B:\FLASHDSK.SYS 4096
DEVICE = B:\VDISK.SYS 4096 /e
Drive C
Drive C is a resident flash disk drive that is accessed via the flashdsk.sys
device driver. By default, this drive is configured to have full read and write
access. The default config.sys and autoexec.bat files reside here.
These files can be modified to customize the system for an application. They
will be called after the config.sys and autoexec.bat files on drives A
and B are processed.
The Falcon Configuration Utility provides the ability to customize what
software tools and utilities are placed on the unit. By default, the utility installs
this software to the C drive. If the unit is intended to be used with PC cards,
then the Phoenix PC card drivers are installed in the PCM subdirectory on the
C drive, and the proper entries will be transferred into the config.sys and
autoexec.bat files. The exact configuration of files and the contents of the
config.sys and autoexec.bat files will change according to the
configuration of the unit.
For RF capability, additional files for network connectivity would be required.
These might include a Telnet program or peer-to-peer networking tools,
depending on what is installed.
If something happens to a unit and data integrity becomes questionable, use
the CHKDSK utility to detect and correct errors on drive C. (Chkdsk.com
does not come installed on the Falcon. Download it using XFER or the Falcon
Configuration Utility.)
Drive D
Drive D is a RAM disk drive. This drive resides in extended memory and is
1MB in size (3 MB for models 31x with 4 MB of RAM).
5-6 Falcon
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Drive D can be used for short-term data storage. Programs that need to be
loaded into memory and then removed from memory quickly can also be
located there. The drive can also be used for scratch disk space or temporary
files.
The Falcon preserves the data on drive D between warm or cold boots by
checking for an existing RAM disk. However, only minimal checking is
performed on any disk that is found; if something happens to a unit and data
integrity becomes questionable, use the CHKDSK utility to detect and correct
errors on drive D. (Chkdsk.com does not come installed on the Falcon.
Download it using XFER or the Falcon Configuration Utility.)
Additional Drives
On Falcon models 32x, 33x, and 34x, additional RAM disks may be created. If
the Falcon Configuration Utility is used for this, it will appear as Drive E.
The Falcon can be configured to use an ATA flash card. The PC card looks like
a hard disk drive to the operating system and the user. More flexible than flash
disk drive C, it can be used for safer and more permanent bulk storage of batch
data than the RAM disk (drive D).
Other System Software
Additional drives could also be a peer-to-peer or client-server network drive
that is accessed through an RF or Ethernet network card link. This option
allows the developer to make many network drives (drives E, F, etc.) available
to applications.
Other System Software
BIOS and DOS
The Falcon uses a modified version of General Software’s BIOS with
Datalight’s ROM-DOS. Both products are burned into system flash in a single
256K image. The A drive is included in the image, physically addressed just
below the BIOS image.
ROM-DOS uses the Datalight command.com processor. This processor is
fully Microsoft 6.2 compatible, except that it occupies about half the space in
Advanced User’s Guide 5-7
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Disk Drives, Organization, Software, & Configurations
memory. In addition, drive C contains Datalight DOS files in a DOS
subdirectory.
PC Card and RF Networking Software
PC card device drivers and utilities as well as RF networking solutions can be
installed to drive C (the flash drive) or drive D (the RAM drive). Use the Falcon
Configuration Utility to download the necessary files to the Falcon.
System Configurations
Several configurations are possible for the system software on the unit,
depending upon the type of hardware that is to be supported. Two standard
configurations are described below, along with directory structures and default
config.sys and autoexec.bat file descriptions.
Default Configuration
The configuration created by default.cfg in the Falcon Configuration
Utility will create a C drive that contains pal2.exe, part of the Percon
Portable Applications Library (PAL). The data files will be stored on drive D.
PC card drivers able to support ATA cards will be loaded.
Figure 5-7: Config.sys File on Drive C for Default Configuration
5-8 Falcon
FILES = 30
REM --------------------------------------------------------REM --- Phoenix Card and Socket services for accessing PC Cards
REM --------------------------------------------------------device = c:\pcm\cnfignam.exe /NORMAL
device = c:\pcm\pcmssit.exe
device = c:\pcm\pcmcs.exe
device = c:\pcm\pcmata.sys
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DOS Portable Terminals
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