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19990728: McIDAS ADDE over dialup

>From: Robert Mullenax <address@hidden>
>Organization: NMSU/NSBF
>Keywords: 199907281715.LAA04632 McIDAS Solaris

Robert,

>We can view/print PDF and PostScript files, but printing takes
>a long time and is hard on our meager inkjet printer(it is 
>a PCL printer but uses Vividata PostShop to print postscript)
>for such large docs.

OK, I understand.

>If you could spare the extra copy we would appreciate it.

I will ask Donna to send you the manual as soon as she has time.

>Thanks!

You are welcome.

>Also, I have a quick McIDAS question that occurred to me.  I have 
>Solaris 7 on my Gateway at home and also have the dial-up PPP
>working to my ISP under Solaris.

I tried for days to get PPP working on my Solaris x86 setup at home,
and never succeeded.  In fact, the machine locks when I attempt to
connect using PPP.  Do you have any sage words of advice for me in
setting this up?

>I know you do the same at home (with Linux I would guess).

Right.  I am using RedHat 5.2 and will upgrade to 6.0 after the workshops
are over.  (I also use NT and will be trying out the McIDAS NT port under
Interix (tm) real soon now).

>Are there any differences between running/setting up
>the ADDE server over the dial-up as opposed to running it via standard
>network?

If you mean where the server is on the non-local end of the PPP
connection, then the answer is no.  I have been doing a lot of
development from home lately and the entire process seems to be really
good.  When I see notices of missing data via the IDD (like McIDAS
imagery), I tend to point at a series of sites running ADDE remote
servers and see if they are seeing the same problems.  This is very
cool and useful.

If you are asking whether or not setting up a remote server on the
local (PC) end of the PPP connection is any different, the answer is I
don't know.  It strikes me that you may be asking whether or not the
machine name/IP address you have to specify in your DATALOC would
change since the IP address used by PPP is dynamic; true?  You may be
able to sidestep this entire issue by using the localhost loopback IP
address (127.0.0.1), but I havn't tried this.  I havn't faced this
issue yet (although I started thinking about it last week) since I
always run as the user 'mcidas' since I am doing system development,
so local data is specified as LOCAL-DATA and remote data is referred
to by the remote machine's name.

The only drawback that I have running from home is that my modem is
only 28.8 :-(.  I will be getting a 56 K modem fairly soon, so I will
be revisiting the Solaris x86 PPP problems that I have been facing.
That is why any advice you can give on the setup would be most
appreciated.

Tom

>From address@hidden  Wed Jul 28 12:24:22 1999
Tom,

I do mean pointing the machine at sites on the non-local end, to psnldm
or wxmcidas.

I studied several links on Solaris PPP and culled through all of them
and came up with a method that works for me.  It is the easiest if the
ISP just has a login, password then connect using PPP.  If it defaults
to a BBS or tries to some PPP auto sensing then there will be
problems.  I have my notes in my hotel room here in Ottumwa and will
type them up and send them to you tonight.  This is usiing the built in
Solaris PPP (asppp).  If you did a complete install it should be
there.

The easiest way to see what type of login procedure your ISP uses is to
use Hyperterminal on NT and dial straight in to the dial-up number and
observe the prompts.  You will need this info.

I will send you the info tonight.

Thanks,
Robert

From address@hidden  Wed Jul 28 19:33:08 1999

Since I don't know your exact setup, I decided it would be best
to give you the links I used, even though I had to modify a few things.
I used an external Supra 56K modem attached to COM1.  An internal
modem complicates things a bit.  I am doing this from my hotel
in Ottumwa on my Solaris 7 machine connected to a local provider.
One tip with the setup suggested my the kempston link is to get
the file permissions correct as he suggest, otherwise root will
be the only one to be able to use the connection.  For obvious
reasons (/etc/init.d/asppp start) the script must be started by root.
The line I use in /etc/uucp/Systems to dial in here is:
mas-ppp Any ACU 57600 9,683-1304 ogin: nsbf word: mypassword
As I mentioned earlier I dialed in using Hyperterminal to observe
the login script to be able to put the correct expect send stuff
in the line above.  I hope this helps.  I found that by looking at the
log file /var/adm/log/asppp.log I could really figure out my problems.
Connecting to the dialup in Palestine at the base, I had to use PAP.
By looking at the asppp.log I saw that it was expecting PAP and
fixed my asppp.cf file.  Here are the links and I hope I have helped.
Robert

Tips on modems in general especially for Solaris x86 internal modems:
http://www.stokely.com/unix.serial.port.resources/

Best source for PPP setup (I used this with some mods):
http://www.kempston.net/solaris/connectanyisp.html

Tips on getting PPP to work correctly with internal modems
http://www.riddleware.com/solx86/internal-modems.html

>From address@hidden  Thu Jul 29 11:31:30 1999

Tom,

I don't know how long it has been since you looked at Stokely's
modem site, but she says that the Solaris x86 internal modem stuff
is new and updated earlier this year I believe.

I did have the internal modem working (using tip) on an x86
machine earlier this year, but never set up PPP on it.  
I do have another machine with an internal modem that I will try
it home when I get back.  

Robert

>From address@hidden  Tue Aug 24 18:24:46 1999

I just got back from our Iowa campaign.  We received
the extra McIDAS 7.6 book you sent us.  Thanks to all of
you for sending it.

Robert