Hi Ed, Thanks for the info. One of the items on our to-do list is see how our particular software scheme can be changed to handle this need.
73, Bob -----Original Message----- From: Ed Yoho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sat, 19 May 2007 4:51 pm Subject: Re: {Disarmed} [Repeater-Builder] Re: Macro & Prefix formats for multi site programming Bob, Both LinkComm, Palomar Telecom (out of biz but still being used and supported by many groups), and a few others that support prefixing / pre-access allow the controller to be configured on a per port basis to accept split and/or combined command strings. They all also have programmable pre-access timeout timers and other methods of killing the pre-access authorization period. The 'box' you describe is site and port specific and is controlled by the pre-access authorization period. If any of the stop pre-access conditions are met, the 'box' reverts to idle. The pre-access characters are user definable (not just * or #) and include all sixteen digits (though using 0-9 would be somewhat limiting for follow on commands) in any combination. Command length is not fixed. End of command entry is determined by controller configuration settings (loss of COS, DTMF inter digit time out, forced execution digit if configured - or combination of these). Ed Yoho WA6RQD [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Hi Guys, > > Our design team is following this discussion with great interest > because it'll definitely influence what we offer in the future > regarding controlling multiple sites. > > I will disclose one bias, however: > > >When the prefix is received the prefix decoder generated a telephone > >dial tone back down the link. > > I'm not in favor of "split" commands -- commands that set up > conditions for the next command. Early controllers seem to have > favored them; you'd enter a certain code in order to manipulate > certain things, and while you're in that particular box, you can't > manipulate anything outside of that box. That system is kind of like > a "tree" structure because it's hard to navigate and hard to visualize > without a diagram. > > For example, you could be in some kind of command mode (like > message editing) when you get kicked off, interfered with, or locked > out somehow, and then like the Hotel California, you need to find the > place where you were before. > > I started building controllers in the 70's and was influenced > by the line-by-line programming found in DOS, programmable > controller, and machine tool scripts. The carriage return/line feed > was the command terminator. > > That's why the S-COM programming language looks like it does, little > changed from the beginning. Each command exists as a complete, > stand-alone command, independent of any commands that come before it > or after it. If you want more complex commands, or readily changeable > commands, you use macros -- a concept introduced to the > controller market in my first wirewrapped controllers. > > In addition to no split commands, in S-COM's programming language the > (*) and (#) never show up within a command except as "enter" and > "abort", respectively. They have no effect if entered ahead of a > command; their only effect occurs after other digits are queued. > Requiring them inside commands forces you into a fixed format, stilted > kind of thinking instead of a variable-length, freeflowing kind of > command structure. > > When it comes to the fourth-column characters (A, B, C, D), we seldom > use them in the code due to the fact that some radios and most > telephones don't have them. Customers can use them in passwords and > macro names, if they wish. > > I don't think there's anything in our existing structure that would > keep us from prepending other characters for whatever purposes. We'll > be looking at all of the various ideas presented here and in the archives. > > 73, > Bob > > Bob Schmid, WA9FBO, Member > S-COM, LLC > PO Box 1546 > LaPorte CO 80535-1546 > 970-416-6505 voice > 970-419-3222 fax > www.scomcontrollers.com > > > > See what's free at AOL.com > <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503>. > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by *MailScanner* <http://www.mailscanner.info/>, and is > believed to be clean. ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.
