8.   Operation

8.1.   Any-to-Any Mode

Any-to-Any Mode Ports can be connected to other Any-to-Any, Passive, Buffer, or Modem Mode Ports by accessing Command Mode and issuing the /C Command. All ports can be configured for the Any-to-Any Mode.

8.1.1.   Port Connection and Disconnection

The APS provides communication between devices without the requirement that both devices use the same communication parameters. This allows you to connect devices that use dissimilar baud rates, parity, handshake, and etc. The APS converts data rates and other parameters, eliminating the need to select common parameters for all connected devices.

8.1.1.1.   Connecting Ports

Two different types of connections can be made between APS ports; Resident Connections and Third Party Connections.

• Resident Connections:  Your resident port issues a /C command to connect to a second port. For example, Port 4 issues the /C command to connect to Port 5.



• Third Party Connections:  (Supervisor Mode Only) Your resident port issues a /C command to create a connection between two other ports. For example, Port 1 is your resident port, and Port 1 issues a command to connect Port 2 to Port 3.

Notes:

• Third Party Connections can only be initiated from a port with Supervisor Level command capability.
• If a port has accessed Command Mode using the Port Password (User Mode), then that port will only be able to connect to other ports that share the same port password.

To Connect ports, proceed as follows:

1. Access the Command Mode as described in Section 5.1. If the Password Prompt is displayed, enter your Supervisor Password or Port Password.



2. Invoke the /C command to connect the desired ports.



1. Resident Connect:  To connect your resident port to another port, type /C xx  [Enter]. Where xx is the number or name of the port you want to connect. The APS will display the numbers of the connected ports, along with the command sequence that will be required in order to disconnect the two ports.
   
   Example:  To connect your resident port to Port 8, type /C 8   [Enter].



2. Third Party Connect:  (Supervisor Mode Only) To connect any two ports (other than your resident port), type /C xx XX  [Enter]. Where xx and XX are two port names or numbers. The APS will display the numbers of the two connected ports.
   
   Example:  To connect Port 5 to Port 6, invoke the following command at a port with Supervisor Level command capability: /C 5 6  [Enter].

When the /C command specifies the port name, it is only necessary to enter enough letters to differentiate the desired port from other ports. Type an asterisk (*) to represent the remaining characters in the port name.  For example, to connect your resident port to a port named "SALES", the connect command can be invoked as /C S*, providing no other port names begin with the letter "S".

8.1.1.2.   Disconnecting Ports

There are three different methods for disconnecting ports, the Resident Disconnect, the Third Party Disconnect, and the No Activity Timeout. Providing the Timeout feature is enabled, a No Activity Timeout will disconnect resident ports or third party ports.

Note:  When Any-to-Any Mode, Buffer Mode, or Passive Mode are selected, Option 74 in the Port Parameters Menu determines how the DTR signal will react when the port disconnects. The DTR signal can either be held low, held high, or pulsed and then held high.

1. Resident Disconnect:  Disconnects your resident port from another port. For example, if you are communicating via Port 3, and Port 3 is connected to Port 4, a Resident Disconnect would be used to disassociate the two ports. The APS offers two different Resident Disconnect command formats; the One Character Format and the Three Character Format (for more information, please refer to Section 5.5.3.):



1. One Character (Default):  When the One Character Disconnect Sequence is selected, simply enter the selected Logoff Character once (Default = ^X ([Ctrl] plus [X])). Note that it is not necessary to enter a carriage return before or after the Logoff Character.



2. Three Characters:  Uses the format "[Enter]LLL[Enter]", where L is the selected Logoff Character. For example, if the Logoff Character is defined as "+", then the three character disconnect sequence would be [Enter]+++[Enter].



3. If the default Resident Disconnect Sequence is not compatible with your application, both the command format and Logoff Character can be redefined via the Port Configuration menus, as described in Section 5.5.



2. Third Party Disconnect:  (Supervisor Mode Only) The /D command is issued from your resident port to disconnect two third party ports. For example, if your Resident Port is Port 1, a Third Party Disconnect would be used to disconnect Port 3 from Port 4.



1. The /D command uses the following format:  /D xx XX [Enter], where xx and XX are the numbers of the ports that you wish to disconnect.



2. The /D (Disconnect) command can only be invoked by a port with access to Supervisor Level commands.



3. The /D command can specify both connected ports, or either of the two ports. For example, if Port 1 is your resident port, any of the following commands can be used to disconnect Port 3 from Port 4:


/D 3 4  [Enter]
or
/D 3  [Enter]
or
/D 4  [Enter]

3. No Activity Timeout:  Providing the Timeout feature is enabled at either connected port, the No Activity Timeout can disconnect Resident Ports, or Third Party Ports.



1. RS232 Ports:  To configure the Timeout Feature for the RS232 Ports, invoke the /P command to display the Port Configuration Menu for the desired port as described in Section 5.5.3. Option 11 enables and defines the Timeout Feature.



2. When the Timeout Feature is enabled, the port will automatically disconnect if no data is received for the defined Timeout Period.

Notes:

• When connected ports time out, both ports will exit command mode after disconnecting.
• When an unconnected port is left in Command Mode and no additional data activity is detected, the port will automatically exit Command Mode when its defined timeout value elapses.

8.1.2.   Defining Hunt Groups

A Hunt Group creates a situation where the APS will scan a group of ports and connect to the first available port in the group. Hunt Groups are created by assigning identical or similar names to two or more ports. Hunt Groups can be defined using Any-to-Any, Passive, Buffer, or Modem Mode Ports.

1. Access the Command Mode. If the password prompt is displayed, enter the Supervisor Password.



2. Invoke the /P command to access the Port Configuration Menu for the desired Port(s) as described in Section 5.5.3. For example, to configure Port 4, type /P 4  [Enter].



3. From the Port Configuration Menu, select item 1 to define the Port Name.



4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 above to assign identical names to the other ports in the Hunt Group. For example, a series of ports in a group could all be named "SERVER".



5. To connect to the next available port in the hunt group, invoke the /C command using the port name to specify the desired group. For example, /C SERVER  [Enter].



6. Your port will be connected to the first available port in the group. If all ports are presently connected, the APS will respond with the "BUSY" message.



7. It is only necessary to enter enough letters of the port name to differentiate the Hunt Group ports from other ports. Type an asterisk (*) to represent the remaining characters in the port name. For example, to connect your resident port to the first available port in a group of ports named "SALES1", "SALES2", and "SALES3", the connect command can be invoked as /C S*  [Enter], providing no other port names begin with the letter "S".

Hunt Group port names must be unique. Otherwise, ports with similar names will also be included in the Hunt Group.

Hunt Group Example 1:

1. Ports 1 and 2 are configured as Modem Mode ports, and external modems are installed at both ports. Port 1 is named "MODEM1" and Port 2 is named "MODEM2".



2. Your resident port is Port 4. To connect to the first available external Modem, access the Command Mode and type /C MODEM*  [Enter].

Hunt Group Example 2:

1. Ports 3, 4, and 5 are Any-to-Any Mode ports. All three ports are named "SERVER".



2. Your resident port is Port 1, and you want to connect Port 2 to the first available server, access the Command Mode and type /C 2 SERVER  [Enter].

8.2.   Passive Mode

Passive Mode Ports function the same as Any-to-Any Mode Ports, but do not allow access to Command Mode. A Passive Mode Port can communicate with other ports, but cannot enter Command Mode, and therefore cannot invoke commands to redefine port parameters, display status, and etc.

Passive Mode Ports can be connected by accessing the Command Mode from a free Any-to-Any Mode or Modem Mode Port, and invoking the Third Party Connect or Resident Connect Command as described in Section 8.1.1. Passive Mode ports will not buffer data, except during baud rate conversion.

Notes:

• A Passive Mode Port is not allowed to access the Command Mode.
• In order to ensure supervisor access to important command functions, the Passive Mode is not available to Ports 1 and 2 (SetUp Ports).
• Port 8 (Internal Modem Port) cannot be configured as a Passive Mode Port.

8.3.   Buffer Mode

Ports configured as Buffer Mode ports will collect data from the connected device and store it in the APS's statically allocated memory. Each APS port features a fixed length, fixed position data buffer.

The Buffer Mode allows collection of data from various devices without the requirement that all devices use the same communication parameters (e.g. baud rate, parity, etc.).

Notes:

• Buffer Mode Ports cannot access the Command Mode.
• In order to ensure supervisor access to important command functions, the Buffer Mode is not available to Ports 1 and 2 (SetUp Ports).
• Port 8 (Internal Modem Port) cannot be configured as a Buffer Mode Port.

8.3.1.   Reading Data from Buffer Mode Ports

To retrieve data from Buffer Mode Ports, you must first determine which port buffers contain data. To check port buffers for stored data, access the Command Mode and type /S  [Enter] to display the Port Status Screen.

To retrieve data from buffer memory, go to a free Any-to-Any or Modem Mode Port, access the Command Mode (Supervisor Level), and issue the /C command using the following format:

Where xx is the number or name of the port buffer to be read.

If the port's buffer is empty, the APS will send a message which reads "Connected xx, Buffer Empty"; where "xx" is the port number. If the buffer contains data, the APS will display a prompt that offers four options:

• Next Screen:  To scroll through data one screen at a time, press the [Space] bar. Each time the space bar is pressed, the next full screen of data will be sent.



• Scroll All:  To send all data without pausing, press [1].



• Skip/Connect:  To connect to the buffer port without sending stored data, press [2].



• Erase/Connect:  To connect to the buffer port and erase stored data, press [3]. Note that buffered data will be erased immediately and will not be sent.

Note:  All four of these options also allow pass-through communication with the device connected to the Buffer Mode port.

To clear data from the buffer, use the Erase/Connect option, or go to a free Any-to-Any or Modem Mode Port with Supervisor Level command capability, and issue the /E (Erase Buffer) command using the following format:

Where xx is the number or name of the port buffer to be cleared.

8.3.2.   Port Buffers

The Status Screen lists the amount of Buffer Memory currently used by each port. The APS uses buffer memory in two different ways, depending on the user-selected port mode.

• Any-to-Any, Passive, and Modem Mode Ports:  When two ports are communicating at dissimilar baud rates, the buffer memory prevents data overflow at the slower port.



• Buffer Mode Ports:  Stores data received from connected devices. The user issues a connect command (/C) from an Any-to-Any Mode or Modem Mode port to retrieve data.

If the Status Screen indicates an accumulation of data, the /E (Erase Buffer) command can be invoked to clear the buffer.

8.4.   Modem Mode

In addition to allowing data transfer, the Modem Mode also provides additional functions specifically related to modem communication. A Modem Mode Port can perform all functions normally available in Any-to-Any Mode. The Modem Mode is available to all APS RS232 ports. In addition to allowing configuration of the APS-8M's internal modem, the Modem Mode also simplifies the process of connecting an external modem to Ports one through seven.

Note:  Port 8 (the internal modem port) is always configured for the modem mode. Port 8 cannot be configured as an Any-to-Any Mode, Buffer Mode or Passive Mode port.

When the Modem Mode is selected, the port configuration menu (command /P) will display three additional prompts, which allow the user to re-define the modem reset string, initialization string, and hang-up string. When the Modem Mode is selected for a port with Supervisor Level command access, the Supervisor Password should be defined. This will discourage unauthorized access to higher command functions.

When a call is received, the unit will prompt the caller to enter a password. The APS allows three attempts to enter a valid password. If the correct password is not entered in three attempts, or if the user does not respond to the password prompt within 30 seconds, the modem will disconnect. The password can be defined and enabled by invoking the /P command as described in Section 5.5.3.

Notes:

• When a Modem Mode Port exits Command Mode, or the DCD line is lost while the Command Mode is active, the APS will pulse the DTR line to the modem. The unit will then send the user-defined modem command strings to make certain the modem is properly disconnected and reinitialized.
• All APS-8M RS232 ports can use both the unit's internal modem and external modem(s) installed at another RS232 port, providing that the port password allows access to the desired modem port. To call out, invoke the /C command to connect to the port, and then access the modem as you normally would.