                                FYI
Note:  The origin of this information may be internal or external
to Novell.  Novell makes every effort within its means to verify
this information.  However, the information provided in this
document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only.  Novell makes no explicit or
implied claims as to the validity of this information.)

          TITLE:  Using a PC as a Terminal
   DOCUMENT ID#:  FYI-M-1903
           DATE:  28DEC92
        PRODUCT:  DR Multiuser DOS
PRODUCT VERSION:  5.x
     SUPERSEDES:  13APR92

        SYMPTOM:  Problems with PCTERM

  ISSUE/PROBLEM:  

        DOCUMENTATION REFERENCES
- Chapter 1 in the DR Multiuser DOS User Guide
- Chapter 3 in the DR Multiuser DOS User Guide
- Appendix B in the DR Multiuser DOS User Guide

        HARDWARE
- Host machine must be running DR Multiuser DOS, and have a free
serial port.

- PC to be used as a terminal must have at least 256K of RAM, a
monochrome or color display, and a free serial port (COM1 or COM2).

        CABLE
- The cable that will connect the serial port on the host to the
serial port on the PC must be an RS-232 Null Modem cable.  As there
is no industry-wide specification, the cable must be wired EXACTLY
as outlined in FYI-M-1900.

        SOFTWARE
PCTERM
Since the setup procedure is clearly outlined in Chapter 3 of the
DR Multiuser DOS User Guide, these points are to be used only as
enhancement to that documentation:

- The program that runs PCTERM is called PCTERM.COM.  It is stored
in the OSUTILS subdirectory on the hard disk, and is on the DR
Multiuser DOS installation disks.  The first time PCTERM is run, it
will create a file (in the same directory as itself) called
PCTERM.CON.  Every subsequent time PCTERM is run, it will write the
changes to PCTERM.CON.

- To run PCTERM, get to the C:\> prompt, and type PCTERM.  The user
will see the main PCTERM menu.  To see or alter the terminal
specifications, press F2.  Most parameters will not need to be
changed.  Keep in mind that all these parameters refer to the
CLIENT machine (the PC which is connecting as a terminal).  These
parameters are as follows:

F1 - Into which serial communications port (ON THE PC, not the
host) will the cable that is going to the host machine (from
the PC) be plugged?

Note:     For parameters beginning with an asterisk '*', PCTERM and
SETUP need to agree.

*F2 - What is the speed at which these two machines will
communicate? For trouble|shooting purposes, use a baud rate of
9600.  Once everything is working perfectly, one might be able to
run the terminal at 19200 baud or 38400 baud.

*F3 - Leave Parity at NONE.

*F4 - Leave Word Length at 8 (this is DATA BITS in Setup).

*F5 - Leave Flow Control at DTR (this is PROTOCOL in Setup).

F6 - Leave Color Scroll Mode at FAST.  If the PC has an older color
adapter, this may need to be changed to Slow or Very Slow, if there
is "snow" on the screen at FAST speed.

F7 - Leave Display Initial Menu at Yes, the first time that PCTERM
is run.  After the PC terminal is running perfectly, if the user
wishes for the PC to act as a terminal on the host every time it
boots up (rather than use the PC locally), this can be changed to
No.

F8 - Leave Wrap-around at OFF.

F9 - Leave this at LPT1, to print to the local printer (off the
printer port of the PC).

*F10- If the PC being connected has a monochrome display, choose
PCTerm.  If the PC being connected supports graphics, choose
PC/CGA. (This corresponds with "Terminal supports graphics" in
Setup.)

Once all the parameters have been set, press ESCape to return to
the PCTERM menu.  Answer Y to the prompt "Update the configuration
file?".
- At this point, the file PCTERM.CON has been created, with the
parameters needed for the PC to act as a terminal.  Copy PCTERM.COM
and PCTERM.CON from the hard disk onto a floppy disk, and bring the
floppy disk over to the PC.  If the PC has a hard drive, these two
files should be copied into the root directory of drive C on the PC
(or into any other subdirectory which is addressed by the PATH
statement in the PC's AUTOEXEC.BAT file).  At this point, one
should be able to turn on the PC, get to a C:\> prompt, type
PCTERM, and see the main menu for the PCTERM program.

SETUP
Keep in mind that the options in the SETUP program refer primarily
to the main console and the host machine.  To run the SETUP
program, get to a C:\> prompt, and type SETUP (enter).  The screens
are the same as those seen during the initial DR Multiuser DOS
installation.

- Choose SERIAL PORTS as the area to configure in SETUP. 

- Choose the appropriate multiport card, if applicable.

- Choose VIEW PORT SUMMARY from the port configuration menu.

- Choose the port into which the null modem cable is plugged.

- Choose PC TERMINAL for this port's function.

* Set Baud Rate to 9600.

* Set Parity to NONE.

* Set Data bits to 8.

- Set Stop bits to 1.

* Set Protocol to DTR/DSR.

* If the PC has a monochrome monitor with no graphics card, answer
NO to "Terminal Supports Graphics".  If the PC has a Hercules (or
compatible), CGA, EGA, or VGA card, answer YES.

- If the PC has an older, 84-key keyboard, change the keyboard
default to be 84.

- Save all options, and finish Setup without any other changes.

At this point, the user will be able to boot the host computer,
with the PC turned on, and get to a C:\> prompt on the PC by typing
PCTERM, and choosing F1 to emulate a terminal.  This C:\> prompt is
coming from the Host Machine, and at this point the PC is nothing
more than a terminal connected to the host.  To return to the
PCTERM menu (so that you can ESCape to the PC's own C:\> prompt),
type Control-Alt-F10.
