     ---------   README File  :  SB Series  Utility Diskette   ---------
     -----------------   Revision Date  :  04/24/96   ------------------



Table of Contents
----------------------------------------
   1)   Product Release Information
   2)   Compatibility Issues
	   2.0)   WordPerfect  (DOS)
	   2.1)   Bi-Directional Printers
	   2.2)   Parallel Line Extenders
   3)   Software Utilities
	   3.0)   Notes on SB-TEST.EXE
	   3.1)   Notes on SB-SETUP.EXE
	   3.2)   Notes on SB-POP.COM
	   3.3)   Notes on SB-WIN.EXE
	   3.4)   Notes on SB-ROUTE.EXE
	   3.5)   Notes on SB-LINK.EXE
	   3.6)   Notes on TS-MODE.EXE
	   3.7)   Notes on COM-POP.EXE
	   3.8)   Notes on TS-PRINT.EXE
	   3.9)   Notes on TS-BCAST.EXE
   4)   Miscellaneous Options and Features
	   4.0)   Disabling the LED Blink Pattern
	   4.1)   Appending Header Messages
	   4.2)   Redirecting error messages out port S1
	   4.3)   Placing output serial ports in XOFF state on power-up
	   4.4)   Using a Reverse Channel Character to cause an OUTPUT time-out
	   4.5)   Using a Reverse Channel Character to cause INPUT time-outs
	   4.6)   Broadcasting Reverse Channel data to input Serial Ports
	   4.7)   Redirecting Reverse Channel Characters to an input Serial Port
	   4.8)   Super Fast Parallel Ports  (TURBO version only)
	   4.9)   Sending print jobs to multiple printers with broadcast mode
	   4.10)  User Profile File Options
   5)   Soft Codes
   6)   Memory Upgrades
   7)   Serial Port Issues
	   7.0)   Serial Handshaking
	   7.1)   Troubleshooting with COM-POP
	   7.2)   High Baud Rates in DOS
	   7.3)   High Baud Rates in Windows
	   7.4)   Tricks for AutoCAD
	   7.5)   HP Printer 9-pin Serial ports 

_______________________________________________________________________________

<1.0>   Product Release Information


	SB Turbo version  -  twice as fast              August 1993

	PC card w/ 2 buffered serial ports              March 1994

	Data Logging Boxes (w/ 40 MB to 200 MB)         August 1994

	Windows95 Installation Support.                 October 1995
	SB-Win installation procedure updated. Please
	see section <3.3>

	Updated information about Bi-directional        April 1996
	Printers - please see section <2.1>


_______________________________________________________________________________

<2.0>   Word Perfect     (version 5.1)

    The DOS version of WordPerfect can sometimes lock up your computer when
you are using SB-POP.  The reason for this is that WordPerfect installs its
own extended keyboard handler to allow you to access the F11 and F12 function
keys.  Since SB-POP and many other TSR programs intercept the keyboard as
well, things will occasionally get tangled.

    The solution is to simply tell WordPerfect not to install its extended
keyboard handler.  This is done by adding " /nk" to the WordPerfect command
line.  Thus, you would now type "WP /nk" to start WordPerfect.  The short-cut
operations allocated to the F11 and F12 keys can also be accessed with the
normal function keys (F1 - F10).

________________________________________

<2.1>   Bi-Directional Printer Support In Microsoft Windows

    Many newer printer models feature a "bi-directional" parallel port, which
is capable of relaying information about the printer's status back to the PC.
Because of the multi-user nature of the Smart-Buffer, and the proprietary
nature of the bi-directional communications, our buffer cannot support this
feature.

    Please note that no loss of print quality is involved -- you will simply
be unable to run the "status monitor" program shipped with your printer which
displays information (such as "out of paper" or "paper jam") on your computer.

    Most printers that use bi-directional communication will automatically
detect that bi-directional communication is not available with the
Smart-Buffer and adjust accordingly. Information is listed below for specific
models that must be reconfigured manually. If you are having problems with a
printer that is not listed, please contact your printer manufacturer directly.

 HEWLETT-PACKARD (HP)
 --------------------

  Deskjet Models

    DJ500 series, DJ600 series, DJ800 series:
    -----------------------------------------
    Several lines should be checked in the HP DeskJet initialization file in
    the windows directory. The name of this file is dependent on the model and
    specific driver version as follows:

			hp?djc??.ini
			  |    |
			  |  Two digits. This is currently 02, 03 or 04, but
			  |  may change in the future.
			  |
			Either an "f" or an "r".

    The windows notepad can be used to check and edit this ini file.

    There are two lines in the [common] section of the ini file, and three
    lines in the [lpt#] (# is 1, 2 or 3) section, for a total of five lines.
    Please note that not all of these lines may be present in your ini file -
    it is dependent, once again, on the printer model and driver version.
    Each of these lines, if present, should be set to '0000' to turn off
    bi-directional communications. The five lines follow:

    [common]
    penquery=0000
    0bidi=0000

    [lpt#]
    2CableTest=0000
    2ColorUpgrade=0000
    2DSMEnable=0000


    DJ1600 series:
    --------------
    No user intervention is necessary to use these printers with the
    Smart-Buffer. Because the Status Monitor is no longer functional, it can
    be removed using the selective deinstall program in the HP DeskJet
    Utilities group.


  Laser Jet Models:

    LJ4 series:
    -----------
    To turn off the bi-directional features via the printer's front control
    panel, the "ADV FNCTNS" item in the "Parallel Menu" should be set to
    "OFF."


    LJ Series 5 Models:
    --------------------
    A two part procedure is needed to turn off the bi-directional features
    of the LJ Series 5 printers. The first part is independent of the 
    version of Microsoft Windows that you are using, while the second part
    is different for Windows 3.1 and Windows95.

       Part I
       ------
       First, delete the LJ drivers using the deinstallation program in the
       HP LaserJet program group if they were previously installed. Next, run
       the LJ driver installation program and select 'Custom Install.'
       Install all desired features, but do not install the Status Window
       program. 

       Part II
       -------
	  Windows 3.1
	  -----------
	  From the Main program group, run the Control Panel. In the Control
	  Panel, double click on Printers. In Printers, select the printer
	  that you installed in Part I above, and click on 'Connect.' In this
	  window, scroll down the list of ports and select 'LPT1.DOS' [If
	  your printer is attached to a different port, select the associated
	  item from the list, e.g. 'LPT2.DOS' for LPT2.] Click on the OK
	  button, then exit and restart windows for your changes to be
	  recognized.

	  Windows95
	  ---------
	  From the Start Menu, go to Settings->Printers. Select the printer
	  that you installed in Part I, and select Properties from the File
	  menu. In the Properties window, select the Details tab, then click
	  on 'Spool Settings.' In the Spool Settings window, Select 'Print
	  directly to the printer,' and if it is not greyed out, 'Disable
	  bi-directional support for this printer.' Click on OK.

	  Back in the Properties window, click on 'Port Settings.' Disable
	  both 'Spool MS-DOS print jobs' and 'Check port state before
	  printing,' then click on OK, then OK again in the properties window.

________________________________________

<2.2>   Parallel Line Extenders

    These devices will not operate properly with the supplied utilities
(SB-TEST, SB-SETUP, SB-WIN, and SB-POP) because they only support the data
lines.  The error lines driven by printers or our device are not fully
supported.

    These devices will however allow you to print normally, and no data loss
or corruption will occur as a result of their use.  Many of these devices are
non-powered; some of these may need to be equipped with their own power
supply to operate correctly.  If you must switch between printers and are
using one of these devices, it will be necessary to use SB-LINK or one of
the Soft Codes  (both of which are discussed below).


_____________________________________________________________________________
<3.0>   Notes on SB-TEST

    SB-TEST can be used to verify that your PC can communicate with the Smart
Buffer.  If problems occur, check the following:

	- the SB port must configured as an INPUT (when you first use the
	  Smart Buffer, all ports except P1 are INPUTS)
	- parallel cabling must be "straight-through" type (Laplink cables do
	  not work !)
	- parallel line extenders will not allow communications.

    Optional command line parameter "speed:n", where n is an integer, is used
to adjust the speed of the program. This option was added in later versions
for those who experienced a "divide by zero" failure when running SB-SETUP
or SB-TEST on faster machines (such as a Pentium III 800 Mhz). 

    For other command line options, type "SB-SETUP /?"

    SB-TEST is just a subset of the SB-SETUP utility.  In fact the two files
are identical.  If SB-TEST is renamed SB-SETUP, it will perform exactly like
SB-SETUP.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<3.1>   Notes on SB-SETUP

    When you run SB-SETUP, you must supply the program with the communications
port on the PC that is connected to the buffer.  The main menu screen will
appear, hit the first letter of the option you want to use.  You will generally
select the 'Modify Existing Setup' option.  This will display the buffer's
current settings.

    You can move around this screen by using the cursor keys.  Some fields
may not be accessible to you; this is because they cannot be changed.  For
example, you can only edit the label for a port when it has been selected as 
an output port.  Scrolling in any one direction will take the cursor to every 
field that is available.  If you want to alter some field, you may scroll 
through the legitimate options by hitting the space bar while that field is 
highlighted.  In the case of the output port labels, you may change them simply 
by typing in the new label and hitting the ENTER key when finished.

    It is wise to change the input/output status of any/all ports before
beginning to alter other fields on the screen.  The program performs error
and validity checking as you move about.  If there is only one output port
listed you cannot access/change any of the input ports' destination fields
(as the program only sees one valid destination).  In like fashion, you
cannot edit the output port label field for a selectable port when it is
listed on screen as an input. 

    We strongly recommend that you label your output ports with meaningful
names, as it will save you time and add clarity each time you use SB-POP or
SB-WIN to switch printers.

    To get a brief list of the command line options, type SB-SETUP /?


________________________________________

<3.2>   Notes on Installation of SB-POP

    For the vast majority of people, the DOS-INST program provides a simple
way to install the program SB-POP in a minimal amount of time.  However, if
you would like to install the program manually, the process for doing so is
detailed below:

    Manual Installation of SB-POP:
	1)  Copy SB-POP.COM from the utility diskette onto your hard
		drive.  It should be placed in either the root directory
		or a directory listed in the PATH statement of your 
		AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
	2)  Make a backup copy of your existing AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
	3)  Edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, appending the appropriate
		command line for SB-POP.  (described below)  Be sure that
		the command line is after the PATH statement and before the
		command line of any application program which your computer
		normally boots-up into.  (i.e. Windows, a DOS Shell or a
		menu program)
	4)  When you return to a DOS prompt, re-boot your computer, so
		that the changes above take effect.  You should now be able
		to summon SB-POP by hitting the "hot-key" you specified.


    Command Line for SB-POP:
	LOADHIGH  SB-POP  -h Ctrl+Alt+Z  -p LPT1  -f 0 -b 7
	---1----          ------2------  ---3---  ----4----

	1)     Begin the command line with this word only if you are using
	    DOS Version 5.0 or later.  You may omit it even then if you
	    do not wish to have the TSR loaded above the 640 kB DOS
	    boundary.  Loading it high is useful because it leaves more
	    memory available for your applications programs.  In DOS
	    Version 6.0 and later "LOADHIGH" may be abbreviated as "LH".
	2)     You must include this parameter.  This string must include
	    the CTRL and/or ALT key as well as an alphanumeric key.  This
	    keystroke combination will summon the TSR to life.  Be sure
	    to type out "Ctrl"; pressing the CTRL key will not result in
	    proper installation of the program.
	3)     You must include this parameter.  This string should be the
	    PC communications port which is connected to the Smart Buffer.
	4)     Include these parameters only if you are using a monochrome
	    display.  The effect of these lines is to cause the TSR to
	    output black & white characters to the screen instead of its
	    normal colors.  You may experiment with the numbers in this
	    string in order to get alternate colors, but the results are
	    typically unappealing.



    The DOS mode command mentioned in the manual applies only to Smart Buffers
using serial ports on the PC; it is not relevant to parallel units.

    If you have any *.SYS utilities listed in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, be sure
that they precede the SB-POP command line, as many of these have portions of
their code which become memory-resident.  A known culprit of this type is the
KEYBUS.SYS driver often found on IBM PS/2 computers.

    If you have other memory-resident programs or utilities installed on your
computer, it is probably safest to install SB-POP last (i.e. above or on top
of them).  You may have to experiment with the loading order before all TSRs
operate correctly; some TSRs are very touchy in this regard.

    Also, please see the notes regarding WordPerfect in the Compatibility
Issues section above if are using this program.

________________________________________

<3.3>   Notes on SB-WIN

**** NOTE: The installation procedure for the Microsoft Windows based 
utilities for the Smart Buffer line has been updated to an entirely Windows 
based program. Both the installation and the Smart Buffer utilities now fully 
support Windows95.

    To install the utilities, please start Windows and run the 'setup.exe'
program from the installation disk. This procedure is detailed below:

    For Windows 3.11 and below, select the Run command from the File menu in
	Program Manager. Enter 'a:\setup.exe' in the run: box, and press enter.

    For Windows95, select the Run command from the Start menu on the Task Bar.
	Enter 'a:\setup.exe' in the run: box, and press enter.

    One possible source of trouble during installation stems from the presence
of Program Manager replacements (software packages like Norton Navigator or 
Dashboard). SETUP uses Program Manager to perform the final phase of SB-WIN
installation. Thus you will need to have enabled or run Program Manager before
proceeding with the installation process from within Windows.

    When you start a new Windows session, the SB-WIN program icon will appear
at the bottom of the screen. The program has not attempted to communicate
with the Smart Buffer or installed its "hot-key" handler at this point. To
summon it the first time, you will need to double-click on its icon.  After
this you may use its "hot-key" or double-click on it.

    In the future, if you want to change any of the settings for the SB-Win
utility, you have two choices. First, you can rerun the 'setup.exe' program
from the installation disk. Or second, you can simply edit the SB-WIN.INI file
located in your Windows directory.

_______________________________________

<3.4>   Notes on SB-ROUTE

    SB-Route is a Microsoft Windows utility designed for use in three major
situations:

	- Bi-directional communication with the Smart Buffer is unavailable. 
	  For example, when a parallel line extender is used between the 
	  Smart Buffer and the computer.

	- The Smart Buffer is being used in a network. SB-ROUTE can be used to
	  switch destination ports over the network. 

	- Five or more output ports are being used. Because of the hardware
	  design of the Smart Buffer, a maximum of four output ports can be
	  given lables using the SB-SETUP utility. By using SB-ROUTE, this
	  limitation can be bypassed.

Please see SB-LINK <3.5> for a DOS utility that handles the same functions.

    To install SB-ROUTE in your system, you need to copy the SB-ROUTE.EXE
executable from the utility disk to a directory on your hard disk. Additionally,
VBRUN200.DLL must be located in your windows\system directory. If needed, a 
copy of this file is available on the utility disk.

    Because of the lack of bi-directional data flow to the Smart Buffer, the
destination table must be set up by hand in the SB-ROUTE.INI file. This file
must be located in your Windows directory. A sample SB-ROUTE.INI file is
available on the utilities disk.

    The first line of the initialization file determines what port on your PC is
connected to the Smart Buffer. It will look like ONE of the following lines:

	  PCPort=LPT1
	  PCPort=COM1
	  PCPort=COM4

The remaining lines consist of label & output port pairs separated by an '='.
For example:

	  P01=HP Laser Printer
	  P04=Dot Matrix
	  S10=Plotter

    Note that you must first run SB-SETUP to initially configure the Smart 
Buffer output ports before using SB-ROUTE. Reminder: SB-SETUP DOES require a 
bi-directional connection with the Smart Buffer.

_______________________________________

<3.4>   Notes on SB-LINK

    SB-LINK is a DOS utility designed for use in two major situations:

	- Bi-directional communication with the Smart Buffer is unavailable. 
	  For example, when a parallel line extender is used between the 
	  Smart Buffer and the computer.

	- The Smart Buffer is being used in a network. SB-ROUTE can be used to
	  switch destination ports over the network. 

Please see SB-ROUTE <3.4> for a Windows utility that handles the same functions.

    To use SB-LINK, the PC communications port and the destination port on the 
buffer must be specified on the command line.  The proper syntax for using this
program can be obtained by typing 'SB-LINK ?'.

   Perhaps the easiest way to use this program would be to create a batch
file for each printer on the smart buffer.  In each batch file, there would
only be a single command line for SB-LINK that would give the correct
linking parameters to switch to the printer.

   For example, you could create a batch file called EPSON.BAT which has the
line 'SB-LINK P1 LPT1' to access the Epson printer attached to Port P1 of the
buffer. You would then repeat the process and create another file like HP.BAT
containing 'SB-LINK P4 LPT1' in order to access the HP LaserJet on Port P4 of
the buffer.


________________________________________

<3.5>   Notes on TS-MODE

    This program is a utility intended as a supplement or replacement to the
standard DOS mode command.  Its basic purpose is the same: namely, to set-up
the serial port on the PC.  Enhancements over the standard DOS command include
the ability to set the serial port at baud rates above 9600 and support for
COM5 through COM8.

    The primary use for this utility is to bump the baud rate of a PC serial
port beyond 9600 baud.  This will dramatically increase the data transfer
rate of the serial port and allow you to take maximum advantage of the Smart
Buffer.  We recommend 57600 baud for most printing/plotting applications. 

    Further discussion of this program and its applications can be found in
section 7.2 and 7.3.


________________________________________

<3.6>   Notes on COM-POP

    COM-POP is included on this diskette for the purpose of assisting with
troubleshooting serial cabling.  It is a TSR program that will display the
current settings of a serial port on the PC as well as the perceived state
of all handshake lines on that port.

    Since it is a TSR, it may be used from within an application program, 
which may be especially useful if things work from DOS but not from a certain
program.  It will pop up in any text screen but not while a graphics mode
screen is in use.  It consumes roughly 12 kB of memory.  We do not recommend 
loading it into high memory as it is difficult to uninstall from there.


    Command Line for COM-POP:
	COM-POP  COM3  /h:Ctrl+Alt+Z  /c:71  
		 --1-  ------2------  --3--

	1)     You must include this parameter.  You should specify COM1,
	    COM2, COM3 or COM4.
	2)     This parameter is optional.  If omitted, the TSR will use
	    CTRL+ALT+U as the hot-key.  This string must include the CTRL 
	    and/or ALT key as well as an alphabet key.  This keystroke
	    combination will summon the TSR to life.  Be sure to type out 
	    "Ctrl"; pressing the CTRL key will not result in proper
	    installation of the program.
	3)     This parameter is optional.  If omitted, the TSR will use
	    a monochrome color scheme.  You may experiment with the number
	    after the colon to get alternate colors.  A few good choices
	    are 31 (blue/white), 71 (red/gray), and 111 (brown/white).


    In addition, the TSR may be un-installed by placing a "/u" after the 
program name on the command line.  Thus to un-install, you would typically
type "com-pop /u" to remove the TSR from memory.


________________________________________

<3.7>   Notes on TS-PRINT

    This program is a utility intended as a supplement or replacement to the
standard DOS print command.  Its basic purpose is the same: namely, to send
a file to the parallel port.  It is much faster than the standard DOS 'PRINT'
command or the 'COPY' command.  It is capable of moving data from a 
hard drive file to a standard parallel port at 100 KBytes per second using 
a 486 class machine.  This assumes your printer or buffer can accept the 
data at these high rates.  It is a very useful test utility because it will 
give you the actual transfer rate upon conclusion of the transfer.  
Our TURBO class ports can support these high transfer rates.

Type   TS-PRINT /?   to get a list of options.

Also see Section 4.7  "Super Fast Parallel Ports"

________________________________________

<3.8>   Notes on TS-BCAST

    TS-BCAST is used to control the broadcast features of the SmartBuffer. 
When broadcast mode is initially invoked, port p1 is the only output port that
is active. To control which ports print jobs are broadcast to, you can use 
either TS-BCAST, or send the soft code directly.

    The format for the TS-BCAST command is:

		TS-BCAST        X,X,X,X,X       

    The Xs represent ports 1, 4, 7, 10, and 13, and are each replaced with 
a 'Y' or an 'N' to either turn an output port on (Y) or off (N) during 
broadcast mode.

    See section (4.9) for further details on broadcast mode, as well as the 
soft codes used.
_______________________________________________________________________________

<4.0>   Disabling the LED Blink Pattern

    This feature is accessed via the  'Display/Alter Option Settings - Seldom 
Used'  sub-menu of SB-SETUP.  Select the  'LED FLASH DISABLE' option from the 
list of available options.

    The effect of this option is to cause the buffer LEDs to appear in their
"idle" pattern at all times.  There would be no red/green flicker when data
was being received, and no blinks to relate the fullness of the buffer.  You
would merely see the Power LED green, and the Status LED off.


________________________________________

(4.1)   Appending Header Messages
    
    (PLEASE NOTE: This option is ONLY AVAILABLE on SB units with serial ports)
 
    This option will cause a user defined message to appear at the beginning
of each and every print job. For example, it can be used to produce a banner 
page, to send escape codes to a printer, or to simply identify the source of 
data. 
   
    Header messages are activated by a two step process:

	1. In the 'Display/Alter Option Settings - Seldom Used' sub-menu of 
	   SB-SETUP, select the  'APPEND HEADER MESSAGE' option from the list 
	   of available options.

	2. Change the header message by using the 'Edit Header' menu from the 
	   main menu of SB-SETUP.

The following is a list of special characters that can be included in the
header string, and a description of their functions.

?   Port ID Number. When the header prints, the '?' will be replaced with
    a three character port ID number. The port ID number will appear in form 
    of 'S02' or 'P12' and identifies the input port that the data was 
    received on.

~   Form Feed. When the header prints, the '~' will be replaced with a form
    feed (Hex 0C). This would cause the paper to advance to the top of
    the next page.

ENTER   Carriage Return / Line Feed. When entered in the SETUP program ENTER 
	will appear as an arrow pointing left. When the header prints, this
	will be replaced with a Hex 0D and a Hex 0A which will cause the 
	paper to advance to the beginning of the next line.

^   Escape Character. When the header prints, the '^' will be replaced with
    a Escape character (Hex 1B).  Printer 'escape codes' are useful for 
    changing printer settings. Please refer to your printer manual for more 
    information on printer escape sequences.

#   Port Number MOD 8.  When the header prints, the '#' will be replaced with
    a number 0 through 7. This is very similar to the '?' except the "#" is
    replaced with a single character (0-7) to identify the source port 
    number.    
    Examples: Source port was S3,  prints a '3'
		  Source port was P3,  prints a '3'
		  Source port was S7,  prints a '7'
		  Source port was S8,  prints a '0'
		  Source port was P9,  prints a '1'
		  Source port was P14, prints a '6'
		  Source port was S16, prints a '0'
    
%   Port Label. When the header prints, the '%' will be replaced with a
    4 character label defined by a previously sent soft code (LABELxxxx^). 
    (See section 5.0 for more information on soft codes.) 
    The label that appears can be unique for each input port. If no label 
    has been defined for an input port, four question marks (????) will 
    be printed.

________________________________________

(4.2)   Redirecting error messages out port S1

	(This option is only useful on SB units with serial ports)
    
    This feature is accessed via the  'Display/Alter Option Settings - Seldom 
Used'  sub-menu of SB-SETUP.  Select the  'S1 MESSAGE DESTINATION' option 
from the list of available options.

    This option will force all error and diagnostic messages generated by the
SB unit to be sent out port S1 as opposed to port P1.

________________________________________

(4.3)   Placing output serial ports in XOFF state on power-up

	(This option is only useful on SB units with serial ports)

    This feature is accessed via the  'Display/Alter Option Settings - Seldom 
Used'  sub-menu of SB-SETUP.  Select the  'XOFF OUTPUTS @ POWER-UP' option 
from the list of available options.

    This option will cause the SB unit to power up with all serial ports 
that are configured as 'OUTPUT' in an XOFF state. Serial ports configured 
as 'INPUT' will not be affected. Serial ports configured as 'OUTPUT' will 
not transmit data until an XON is received. Each port will operate 
normally after that point.

_________________________________________

(4.4)   Using Reverse Channel Character to cause an OUTPUT time-out

	(This option is only useful on SB units with serial ports)

    This feature is accessed via the  'Display/Alter Option Settings - Seldom 
Used'  sub-menu of SB-SETUP.  Select the  'CAUSE OUTPUT TIMEOUT VIA RC 
CHAR.' option from the list of available options.

This option causes the currently printing job to time-out upon receipt of the
Reverse Channel Trigger character. The next job in the queue for that output
port is then activated and printed.

Note that all other Reverse Channel data sent to the output port is routed
out the input port from which the currently active print job originated. When
the RC Trigger character is received, the RC data flow is rerouted to the
input port associated with the newly active job.

The time-out value is accessed through the 'Options - Seldom Used' menu of
SB-SETUP. Select the  'PLOTTER/OUTPUT Pause' option from the list of
available options.

The trigger character can be any value and is user selected by editing the
'Enter RC Trigger Value' box. This box is activated any time a '1' is typed
in the option field or the option value is toggled to '1'. The RC Trigger
Value is shared between the 'INPUT Time-outs' and 'OUTPUT Time-out' options.

A Reverse Channel is defined as data flowing into an 'Output' serial port.

________________________________________

(4.5)   Using Reverse Channel Character to cause INPUT time-outs

	(This option is only useful on SB units with serial ports)

     This feature is accessed via the  'Display/Alter Option Settings - Seldom 
Used'  sub-menu of SB-SETUP.  Select the  'CAUSE INPUT TIMEOUTS VIA RC CHAR.' 
option from the list of available options.

     This option will cause all serial 'INPUT' ports to time-out upon receipt
of a Reverse Channel Trigger character. The trigger character can be any 
value and is user selected by editing the 'Enter RC Trigger Value' box. 
This box is activated any time a '1' is typed in the option field or 
the option value is toggled to '1'. The Reverse Channel Trigger Value is
shared between the 'INPUT Time-outs' and 'OUTPUT Time-out' options.

     A Reverse Channel is defined as data flowing into an 'Output' serial port.

_______________________________________

(4.6)   Broadcasting Reverse Channel data to input Serial Ports

	(This option is only useful on SB units with serial ports)
    
    This feature is accessed via the  'Display/Alter Option Settings - Seldom 
Used'  sub-menu of SB-SETUP.  Select the  'BROADCAST RC DATA TO INPUTS' 
option from the list of available options.

    This option will cause all reverse channel (RC) data to be broadcast 
out all 'Input' serial ports.

    A Reverse Channel is defined as data flowing into an 'Output' serial port.

    For Example,  ports S1 through S7 are 'INPUT' ports with a destination of
S8 which is a 'OUTPUT' port.  All data flowing into any 'INPUT' port will
be spooled up and eventually sent out port S8.  If the broadcast option is 
NOT enabled, any data sent into port S8 will be transmitted out only one 
'INPUT' port (S1 through S7).  The data will be transmitted out the 'INPUT'
port that originated the current print job that is being sent out port S8.
If no data is currently being sent out S8, then the last print job sent out 
S8 will determine where Reverse Channel data is routed.
With the option enabled, any data sent into port 8 will be sent out ALL
seven 'INPUT' ports.

________________________________________

(4.7)   Redirecting Reverse Channel Characters to an input Serial Port

	(This option is only useful on SB units with serial ports)
    
    This feature is accessed via the  'Display/Alter Option Settings - Seldom 
Used'  sub-menu of SB-SETUP.  Select the  'RC DEDIRECT VIA SPECIAL CHARS.' 
option from the list of available options.


   This option will allow the SB unit to redirect Reverse Channel (RC) 
Characters to any 'Input' serial port.  The redirection is initiated upon 
receiving a user defined Reverse Channel 'Trigger' character followed by 
the 'Input' serial port number.  The port number is selected as follows:

		      ASCII 1 = S1
		      ASCII 2 = S2
		      ...
		      ASCII 8 = S8
		      ASCII 9 = S9
		      ASCII A = S10
		      ASCII B = S11
		      ASCII C = S12
		      ASCII D = S13
		      ASCII E = S14
		      ASCII F = S15
		      ASCII 0 = S16
    
    A Reverse Channel is defined as data flowing into an 'Output'  serial port.
A Reverse Channel Character can be any value and is defined by the user. You
can enter the character you wish to activate Reverse Channel activities in
'Enter RC Trigger value' box. This box is activated any time a '1' is typed
or the option value is toggled to '1'.

________________________________________

<4.8>   Super Fast Parallel Ports

    The SB TURBO models run twice as fast on all ports and has 2 ports
that are 10 times faster.  These ports (P2 and P3) can be identified by 
the fact that their DB-25 female connectors are white while the other 
parallel ports are always black.

    Both of these ports has its own DMA controller and is capable of data
rates exceeding 100,000 bytes per second.  When you install a TURBO buffer,
be sure to connect your fastest computers to them.  This will allow you to
get the greatest benefit from these ports.

______________________________________________________________________________

<4.9>   Broadcast Mode

    Broadcast mode is a special operating feature of the Smart Buffer that sends
print jobs received from any input port to all output ports. This can be used in
a variety of situations, from printing multiple copies of a single print job to
multiple printers, to sending a common page setup to several printers.

    Because broadcast mode is very specialized, there are a couple of things to
keep in mind if you are interested in using it:

      Broadcast mode is only available on SB models without serial ports. 
	  i.e. The SB-200, SB-300, SB-400, and SB-500.
      
      Broadcast mode requires either 2 Megabytes or 8 Megabytes of memory.
	  (a 1 Meg or 4 Meg unit must be upgraded for this option).

      In broadcast mode, none of the standard features of the Smart Buffer 
	  are available. This includes the use of the SB-POP and SB-WIN
	  utilities. The SB-SETUP program can only be used to turn off broadcast 
	  mode.

    To select broadcast mode, you can either start SB-SETUP with the command
line argument 'BROADCAST,' or instead start SB-SETUP in the normal manner and 
select the 'Select broadcast mode' option from the 'Options - Seldom Used' menu.

    Once the Smart Buffer has been switched to broadcast mode, the status light
on the front of the unit will light up solid green. At this point, only port P1
will be active as an output. To broadcast to other output ports on the Smart 
Buffer, the TS-BCAST program can be used. See section 3.8 for further 
information on this utility.  Alternatively, the broadcast activation softcode
can be used instead of the TS-BCAST program.  See Section 5.0 for further 
information on the softcode.  This softcode will allow you to determine
the number of ports the data is broadcast to.


    To return from broadcast mode to normal operating mode, the command line
argument 'BROADCAST-EXIT' must be used with SB-SETUP. I.e.

		SB-SETUP BROADCAST-EXIT

Doing this will cancel broadcast mode and return the unit to the last set of
options, port labels, etc. that are in the unit. The status light will turn off,
and all will be back to normal.

______________________________________________________________________________

<4.10>   User Profile File Options

    The 'User Profile File Options' menu in the SB-SETUP utility allows you 
to save and restore the setup parameters on the Smart Buffer. This includes
all user editable options, such as port assignments, baud rates, port labels, 
and so on. You can save multiple different setup files and switch between them
at ease.

    Note that to be safe, you should power cycle the Smart Buffer when ever 
you change any options to ensure that they have been reread by the unit in 
the initialization code that is checked when the unit is powered on. This 
should be done AFTER you have finished making changes and completely exited 
the SB-SETUP program.
______________________________________________________________________________

<5.0>   Soft Codes

    The buffer constantly monitors the input data stream looking for certain
character strings.  These strings act as control codes for the buffer; the
most useful of these commands are described below:

*              ************************************************
*              *                                              *                  *
*              *  The spaces used in the following example    *
*              *  soft code strings are for reading clarity   *
*              *  only.   Do NOT use spaces in actual use.    *                 *
*              *                                              *                 
*              ************************************************


    Job Parameters :    @$$$$$TS --> JOBxxyyy^        
	This string allows you to specify the number of copies to be 
	printed and the destination of your next print job.  xx consists 
	of two decimal digits (ex: 04 or 25) specifying the number of copies.  
	yyy is of the form P04 or S12 and specifies the destination port for 
	the next print file.  For example the string  @$$$$$TS --> JOB03P07^
	would cause three copies of your next print file to be printed on 
	the device connected to port P7.
	This softcode is temporary (only the very next print job is affected).
	The LINK softcode is usually a better choice.

    Link to Device :    @$$$$$TS --> LINKyyy^     
	This string allows you to redirect all of your print files to a 
	different output device.  The re-direction will remain in effect 
	until power is lost to the buffer or until it is changed again by 
	the same process.  yyy has the same format as above.  This string 
	has the additional effect of canceling any multiple copies which 
	may have been in effect.
	This softcode does not take effect until a timeout occurs.
	This can be assured by also sending the TIMEOUT softcode.

    Force Time-out :     @$$$$$TS --> TIMEOUT^     
	This string will force a time-out event to occur.  If you precede 
	the LINK soft-code with this soft-code, you can be sure that the 
	re-routing will take effect.
	
    Clear Print Jobs:   @$$$$$TS --> CLEAR^ 
	This string will cause all print jobs that came in this 'INPUT'
	to be aborted.  (i.e. all previous print jobs sent by this computer)
	This is useful if you sent the wrong print job and wish to abort it.

    Clear Print Jobs on a specific 'OUTPUT':    @$$$$$TS --> CLEARxxx^
	This string will cause ALL print jobs on a specific output port
	to be canceled.   xxx is of the form S01 - S16 or P01 - P16 that
	specifies which output port to clear print jobs. 
	This will clear all print jobs queued to the 'OUTPUT' designated,
	even if some other computer originated it !

    Reset SB unit:      @$$$$$TS --> RESET^
	This string will cause the SB unit to perform a warm boot reset.
	This will cancel all print jobs and return the SB to it's power
	on defaults.

    Print Diagnostics:  @$$$$$TS --> DIAG0^
	This string will cause the SB unit to print out a diagnostic
	message on output port P1. The message lists the current
	configuration of the SB unit.

    Suspend Time-out Counter: @$$$$$TS --> SUSPEND^
	This string will cause the SB unit to no longer count down on the
	time-out counter. Performing this softcode can be dangerous, as it
	will prevent time-out printing to occur.

    Resume Time-out Counter:  @$$$$$TS --> RESUME^
	This string will cause the SB unit to continue counting down on the
	time-out counter.
    
    Input Port Label:  @$$$$$TS --> LABELxxxx^
	This string will set a label for each input port in the unit. The 
	label can be any characters. The label must be four characters long,
	use spaces before or after to pad length. Labels are set for each 
	input port by sending the LABEL softcode to the input port you wish 
	to label.       See Section 4.1  "Appending Header Messages"

    Select Broadcast Mode: @$$$$$TS --> EE03704000400^ SEE WARNING BELOW!!
	This string will switch the SB unit to broadcast mode. See section 
	4.9 for further information.
** WARNING!!! **  This softcode can ONLY be used on SB models that do not 
	have any serial ports. This includes the SB-200, 300, 400, and 500.
	It also must have either 2M or 8M of memory. DO NOT PUT A 1 OR 4 
	MEGABYTE UNIT INTO BROADCAST MODE !!    DO NOT USE IT ON AN SB MODEL 
	WITH SERIAL PORTS!! This code can completely lock up models with 
	serial ports or models with 1 or 4 Meg of memory and make them unusable. 
	You would either have to ship the unit back to us for a repair, or 
	have us step you through taking the entire thing apart. JUST SAY NO! 
	That said, there is absolutely no problem with using it on an all 
	parallel port model with 2 or 8 Megabytes.

    Turn Broadcast Mode Off: @$$$$$TS --> EXIT-BROAD^
	This soft code will return the SB unit to standard buffering mode. 
	See section 4.9 for further information.

    Broadcast Mode Port Activation: @$$$$$TS --> BROADCAST:XXXXX^
	This soft code is used while in broadcast mode. It defines which 
	output ports are active, and which are not. In broadcast mode, a print 
	job received on any input is sent out to all ACTIVE output ports. Each 
	'X' in the code represents an output port - p1, p4, p7, p10, and p13
	respectively - and should be replaced with either a '1' to activate the
	port or a '0' to deactivate the port.


*              ************************************************
*              *                                              *                  *
*              *  The spaces used in the previous example     *
*              *  soft code strings are for reading clarity   *
*              *  only.   Do NOT use spaces in actual use.    *                 *
*              *                                              *                 
*              ************************************************

    
    Please note that there are no spaces in any command stings, all 
characters are upper case, that leading zeros need to be included for all 
single digit port numbers, and the soft code must end with the caret (^) 
character.  Since these strings consist entirely of printable ASCII 
Characters, they can easily be included in a text file.  


______________________________________________________________________________

<6.0>   Memory Upgrades

   If you wish to increase the amount of memory in your Smart Buffer, you have
two choices.  You may return the unit to your dealer or Technologic Systems,
and they can upgrade the amount of memory for the current difference in price.
This is usually easiest, as the Smart Buffers use discrete memory chips which
have been soldered in to the printed circuit board.

   A fully socketed Smart Buffer can be obtained by specifying the TURBO 
option when ordering.  In these units, memory can be added by simply plugging 
in more or larger memory chips into the sockets.  This option typically 
costs about $35.00 more per unit.  More information about this upgradability 
scheme can be obtained from your dealer.

   The Smart Buffer series uses DRAM chips in a ZIP package (this is not one
of the more common packages found in the PC market).  These are 1 Mbit or 
4 Mbit chips in a by one configuration of 120 nS or faster speed.  These chips
are available from Technologic Systems and/or through some memory chip supply
houses.



___________________________________________________________________________

<7.0>   Serial Handshaking

    Input ports :   Handshake Out is deasserted (negative voltage) when the
       buffer is within 1 kByte of being full.  This allows the unit to
       tolerate data overruns of several hundred characters before data is
       lost, which may be very handy when connected to networks or mainframe
       computers.  This line is typically wired to DSR on the PC.  If XON/XOFF
       is enabled on the input port, an XOFF character will also be sent at
       this time.  When space becomes available in the buffer, the Handshake
       Out line will be asserted again (positive voltage) and an XON will
       be sent (if enabled).
	
	The Handshake In line is ignored by SB 'INPUT' ports.


    Output ports :  If Handshake In is driven low (negative voltage), data
	output will be halted until it is returned high.  Handshake In is
	internally biased high if a device is not connected to the port.  If
	XON/XOFF is enabled on the output port, data flow will also be halted
	by receipt of an XOFF character.  It will resume only after an XON
	character is received.

	The Handshake Out line is asserted (positive voltage) when data is
	waiting in the buffer to be sent to the printer/plotter.  When all
	the data for that port has been sent, the Handshake Out line will be
	deasserted (negative voltage).  This behavior allows the Handshake
	Out line to be used as a "Request To Send" signal. In a data
	collection situation, Handshake Out can be checked to see if there
	is data pending in the buffer.


    Standard XON character    =  Hex 11
    Standard XOFF character   =  Hex 13


________________________________________

<7.1>   Troubleshooting using COM-POP

    If you are having difficulty getting your serial connection to the Smart
Buffer working, you may want to install COM-POP for assistance.  See section
3.6 for instructions on installing and using this program.

    COM-POP provides a handy means of taking a snapshot of any serial port
on your PC.  This snapshot can be very useful in determining why the PC
refuses to send data to the buffer.  A few common problems and the symptoms
displayed by COM-POP follow:


   Checking Baud Rates:
       Activate COM-POP to view the baud rate in use while you are at a DOS
       prompt, and then again from within the application program.  Be sure
       that the baud rate and data format match what the Smart Buffer has
       been configured to use.

   Checking Cabling:
       Summon COM-POP in a similar manner to check the handshake lines.  As a
       general rule, you should see DTR, RTS, CTS, DSR asserted (Up Arrow) if
       the cabling is correct.  RI and DCD are not typically driven and will
       generally float to a deasserted (Down Arrow) state.


________________________________________

<7.2>   High Baud Rates in DOS

   The utility program TS-MODE will allow you to set the serial port of the
PC at baud rates higher than those normally allowed by DOS.  This utility is
only effective within the DOS environment; it will not necessarily work
under Windows.

   When using TS-MODE to change the serial port to a higher baud rate, be
sure that ALL application programs you are using will tolerate or support
higher baud rates.  Some programs like AutoCAD will only transfer data at 
one baud rate or require that you specify a baud rate within their program.


________________________________________

<7.3>   High Baud Rates in Windows

   There is a method to allow baud rates higher than those allowed by the
Windows Control Panel.  Follow the steps below to enable your Windows 
applications to transmit data at rates above 9600 baud:

    1)  From within Windows, open the Main program group.  Then open the
	    Control Panel program group.  Next, double-click on the Printers
	    icon.
    2)  Be sure that the "Use Print Manager" box in the lower left-hand
	    corner is checked.
    3)  For each printer driver you will be using, click on its entry in the
	    list box and then click on the "Connect" button.  In this new
	    screen, be sure that the "Fast Printing Directly to Port" box
	    in the lower left-hand corner is checked.   (This tells Windows
	    to use whatever settings DOS was using)
    4)  Close the Printer Setting windows (you should find yourself back
	    in the Control Panel program group) and double-click on the
	    Print Manager icon.  Be sure that Print Manager is enabled.
    5)  Exit Windows.
    6)  Follow the instructions for obtaining higher baud rates in DOS so
	    that Windows will see DOS using the higher baud rates whenever
	    it is run.  (section 7.2 of this README file)


________________________________________

<7.4>   Tricks for AutoCAD

   If you plan to use the serial port of the PC to send plots from AutoCAD
through the buffer, be aware of the following caveats.

   AutoCAD is not a very well-behaved program.  It will initialize the serial
port to its own baud rate and data format every single time it attempts to 
send a plot over the COM port.

   To skirt these problems the simplest thing to do is to have AutoCAD plot to
a file and then use the DOS shell of AutoCAD to issue a "COPY file.plt COMx"
command.  With this method, AutoCAD will not molest the serial port nor will
it expect a response from the plotter.
   
   If you are using Release 11 or earlier, you can usually fool AutoCAD by
giving it the filename "COM1" or "LPT1" when it prompts you.  DOS will figure 
out that you really want to send the data to the serial port or parallel port
and you will not have to resort to using the DOS shell and manually copying 
the file out to the serial or parallel port.

   Using these methods in conjunction with the baud rate utilities found on
the diskette, you can typically realize drastic improvements in overall
plotting time. Going out a parallel port will provide the fastest possible
transfer rate.

________________________________________

<7.5>  HP Printer 9 Pin Serial Ports   

   HP printer 9 pin serial ports are not wired the same as the 9 pin Com 
   ports on PCs.  Special wiring must be used as indicated below.  
	 
	RJ12 Pin #      SB Signal Name          Serial HP 9 Pin 
	
	    1               Logic High                  4    
	    2               Data Out                    3
	    3               Data In                     2
	    4               Gnd                         5    
	    5               Handshake                   6
	    6               Not Connected       

      If you wish to purchase this as a ready made adapter please contact 
      Technologic Systems, Inc.

______________________________________________________________________________

END OF FILE
