

                           FNOS Install Notes
                              Version 1.7
                                02-12-98

                              Marc Blakely
                           Fidonet: 1:138/146
                Internet: lookglas@adrift.harbornet.com
                http://www.harbornet.com/folks/lookglas


1.  Create a subdirectory (I use \fnos) to act as a home directory.
    Extract all the files in the release archive into this directory.
    Create a subdirectory off this directory called 'help', ie.:

            \fnos\help

    Extract the files from the help.zip archive contained in the release
    archive into this subdirectory. These files can be accessed either
    with an text viewer directly or from the Fnos command prompt by
    entering 'help <topic>'. The <topic> is the name of the help file.

2.  Fnos uses various config/script files to operate. These are usually
    located in the Fnos home directory, unless a full path is specified
    when refering to them. Most of the configuration and script
    filenames or extensions are not hardcoded. By convention, primary
    confirguration files are given a .nos extension, secondary script
    files are given .scr extensions, dialer command files are given .dil
    extentions, and ftp scripts given .ftp extensions.

    There are three file names which are hardcoded:

        autoexec.nos:

            This is the default configuration filename executed if an
            alternate filename is not given on the command line. The
            default directory is either the root directory of the
            current drive, or the directory named with the -d command
            line parameter.

        onexit.nos:

            This file is a series of commands executed when Fnos exits.
            It can be used to send final commands to an attached modem,
            ie. reset the modem, take it off-hook, etc. Any command
            available from the Fnos command prompt can be used. The
            location of this file follows the same convention as the
            autoexec.nos file.

        ftnalias.lst:

            This is the sitename, username, & password lookup file used
            by the 'open' command during FTP sessions.

    The extension naming convention for sample files in this package are:

        *.nos   -   Primary configuration script file. The default is
                    autoexec.nos, unless overridden on the command line.
                    (Also used is onexit.nos - the commands contained in
                    this script file are executed when Fnos exits.)

        *.scr   -   Secondary script file containing additional commands.
                    Usually called via the 'source' command from another
                    script, ie. autoexec.nos.

        *.dil   -   Dialer script file. This file contains the
                    commands used by the dialer to call and connect to
                    the local ISP.

        *.ftp   -   FTP script file. This file contains the commands
                    used by the ftp client to automate file transfers.

    Program flow in the sample scripts contained in the archive goes
    something like this:

        .nos            used at startup, calls the .scr file via the
          |             'source' command
          |
          |--> .scr     contains the commands to start the dialer and
                 |      the ftp session
                 |
                 |--> .dil      used with the dial command
                 |
                 |--> .ftp      used with the ftp client session

3.  The basic command line to start things is:

        nos [-d<homedirpath>] [alternate_startup_config_file]

    The '-d' path sets where Fnos looks for config and script files when
    a full path is not given. This should include the drive, ie.:

        -dC:\FNOS

    The 'alternate_startup_config_file' is the name of an alternate
    config file to be read on startup. This can include a full path,
    otherwise the home directory will be used. The default file name, if
    not given on the command line, is 'autoexec.nos'.

4.  Lines in configuration or script files beginning with the
    octothorpe, or pound sign (#), in column one, are comment lines and
    are ignored during processing.

5.  Edit the 'attach' line in the .nos file to use the appropriate comm
    port and the edit the port speed. Fnos can be used with port speeds
    up to 115k. A 16550afn or equivalent UART is recommended and the
    fifo UART buffer will be used.

6.  Edit the 'domain addserver' line(s) with the DNS address(es) from
    your ISP. This is usually different than the address you actually
    connect to. This address is used as a lookup host for translating
    domain names into IP addresses.

7.  Edit the 'domain suffix' line to your ISP's domain name. NOTE: the
    trailing period is required!

8.  The rest of the .nos file should probably work for the majority of
    users without further editting. If you want to play with them, read
    the associated help file for further explanations. (Additional
    commands available are in the full.nos file.)

9.  Edit the autoexec.scr file (by uncommenting the appropriate lines)
    to either a tty type login using the sample tty.dil file or a PAP
    type login using the sample pap.dil file. If using PAP type logins,
    edit the 'ppp pp0 pap' line with your user name and password. Also
    edit the pap.dil file for your ISP's phone number. If using the
    tty.dil file, edit the phone number, login name, and password to
    send.

    NOTE: **** Don't forget to uncomment the appropriate lines after
    editting. ;-)

10. Now it's time to try connecting with your ISP. Create a batch file
    with the appropriate command line to start Fnos:

    Example:

    nos -dc:\fnos autoexec.nos

11. Depending on the type of login used (TTY or PAP), when the dialer
    finishes, the screen will return to the command session (The second
    status line will show '0: Command'). If a PAP login is used, then a
    second screen will appear shortly after the dialer session screen
    finishes showing the PAP negotiation/verification and will then
    return to the command session screen.

12. To determine if the ppp negotiation with the ISP is working, type
    'ip address' from the 'fnos>' command prompt. It should show
    something other than '0.0.0.0'! If this is not the case, then
    something is not configured correctly. Look for typos in any editted
    lines and make sure editted lines are uncommented! If things seem to
    be correct, check the Fnos.Faq file for some other items which may
    apply. If using the tty type login, try using the PAP style login.

13. Fnos is a multitasker. Like DV, Win3.x, Win95, and OS/2, several
    sessions can be active at a given time. Session switching is done
    using the F-keys. F10 is always mapped to the command session. The
    rest of the F-keys correspond to like-numbered sessions. ie., to
    switch to session number 1, hit F1. Active sessions are indicated on
    the top status line. If the session number is blinking, then the
    internal screen buffer is full and the session should be made
    current by hitting the appropriate F-key to allow the screen buffer
    to clear itself.

14. To exit Fnos, enter 'exit' from the command prompt.

15. The 'onexit.nos' script is used to execute commands when Fnos is
    terminating. This is useful for closing the connection to the dialup
    ISP and resetting the modem prior to Fnos's return to Dos. (Note:
    the 'detach' command in the ftp client from prior versions has been
    deactivated in version 1.6c1 and later !!!)

16. For help setting up FTP sessions, see the ftp.faq file.
    For help with POP3/SMTP, see the email.faq file.
    For help with NNTP, see the nntp help file contained in the help\
        subdirectory or help.zip archive.

                     Thu  02-12-1998  21:17:29   MB
                                 <EOF>
