We want to connect a piece of EAS equipment to our BeOS computer so that it logs to a text file. The equipment documentation says to use a Windows computer running Hyperterminal, but the the connection looks pretty basic (serial port, log file is a simple .TXT file), so am wondering if BeOS or Haiku has a program that will do the same thing. I’d hate to have to set up a separate computer just to use the logging function. The instructions are below:
These instructions are for Windows-95 and up-based computers
only. If you do log to your computer, it's still a good idea to
print out the log. The log file certainly should be backed up
every day.
1. Use your Windows Explorer to locate the Hyperterminal problem
or reach it through your Start menu. If using Windows Explorer,
open it. If going through the Start menu, open this (usually in
the lower left-hand corner of your screen). With either one, in
the window that appears, next open the Programs folder. Then open
the Accessories folder. Next, open the HyperTerminal folder.
Then open HyperTerminal, which may be labeled HYPERTRM.
2. The HyperTerminal program will next prompt you for a new
connection. The message box that appears will have a space for
you to name the new connection. This is what you're going to call
your logging connection. EASLOG is a good name. You also may
select an icon from the group that appears. If you wish to use a
different icon from those available, then you must do this later.
You may do it in the box that appears in step 5.
3. The next box that appears will have the header Log To, and will
have four data fields. Go only to the fourth field, labeled
Connect Using and in the popup menu, select Direct to Com1 (or
whatever comport you're going to use). This will blank out the
other three fields, which you may ignore. Then click OK.
4. Next, the COM1 Properties box will appear with a tab headed
Port Settings and featuring five fields. The easiest thing to do
is to first click on the Restore Defaults key, then open the popup
menu for Flow control and choose None. Your settings, then,
should be:
Bits per second: 9600
Data bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop bits: 1
Flow control: None
Ignore the Advanced... key. Finish by clicking OK.
5. Now you'll have the open window for your connection. But
first, go to the File menu in the menu bar, and select Properties.
You'll get a Properties box with two tabs. Ignore the first one
(Connect to) and click on the Settings tab. In the popup menu for
Emulation:, select "TTY." Then, in the Backscroll buffer lines:
field, go to the maximum, 500 lines. Ignore the Terminal setup...
and ASCII setup... keys. Click OK.
6. Next, go back to the Files menu in the menu bar and select
Save. Then you may, if you wish, go to the Connections menu and
choose Capture to Printer.
7. Next, use Windows Explorer or the Start menu (RIGHT-click on
the Start menu to open it in this case) to locate the EASLOG file
(or whatever you named it). Unless you specified a different
directory path, you'll find it by a) Programs, b) Accessories, c)
Communications, d) HyperTerminal. Right-click on the EASLOG icon
(or whatever you named it) to bring up the popup menu. If you
have Windows 95, then select Create Shortcut after which you'll
have to use the mouse to drag the shortcut to the desktop. If you
have Windows 98 or better, you may select Send to..., then
Desktop.
8. You now have the fully-configured HyperTerminal icon on your
desktop for EAS logging. The program must be running, however, to
be logging. Also, in your power-saving features, the system
should be always on, never on standby. The monitor, however, may
go to a turnoff mode.