PROBE2 1.4.042 - Read Me

Introduction

Welcome to PROBE2. This program is a serial port data-scope with in-built (very) dumb terminal facilities.

It allows you to monitor communications traffic on more than one serial port at the same time, displaying the information in a similar manner to a dedicated data 'scope machine. In addition, it can capture comms traffic to a file, send data from a file to a comms port and interact with a comms port under script language control.

Requirements

In order to work, PROBE2 requires:

A machine running an MS-DOS compatible operating system.
A fair bit of conventional RAM (the more, the merrier).
At least one free PC comms port.

PROBE2 appears to function correctly under MS-DOS 6.22, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Caldera's OpenDOS and later versions of MultiUser DOS. (We have had a report that it runs under Linux's DOSEMU 0.7 utility, but we cannot confirm that.)

Package Contents

You should have the following:

p2.exe The PROBE2 executable file.

p2.hlp The program's context-sensitive help file.

chat.fth An example script language source.

sys.fth A script language "header" file.

p2tutor.fth A script file that is used in the PROBE2 tutorial.

*.pat Files that contain various diagnostic patterns.

p2ver.htm Change history of the PROBE2 program.

p2tut.htm PROBE2's tutorial document.

p2.htm This introduction to PROBE2.

p2faq.htm A file of Frequently Asked Questions.

p2.exe	The PROBE2 executable file.
p2.hlp	The program's context-sensitive help file.
chat.fth	An example script language source.
sys.fth	A script language "header" file.
p2tutor.fth	A script file that is used in the PROBE2 tutorial.
*.pat	Files that contain various diagnostic patterns.
p2ver.htm	Change history of the PROBE2 program.
p2tut.htm	PROBE2's tutorial document.
p2.htm	This introduction to PROBE2.
p2faq.htm	A file of Frequently Asked Questions.

To actually run PROBE2, only the executable is required . (If you save the PROBE2 configuration, then it will create one or more .INI text files.)

If you are a first-time user of PROBE2, I suggest that you run through the lessons described in the tutorial.

Licence

PROBE2 is a public domain program. You are free to re-distribute PROBE2 to third parties if:

No fee is charged for use, copying or distribution.
It is not modified in any way.

Disclaimer

We'd better get the bottom-covering disclaimer out of the way:

: "The authors disclaim all warranties as to this software, whether express or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, functionality or data integrity or protection."

Copyright

PROBE2 was written by Mark ("Eddie") Edmunds, who wrote the serial comms drivers and timer facilities, and Mark ("Captain ChAoS") Davis who wrote everything else.

By virtue of the fact that ChAoS had a hand in writing this:

This program is a ChAoS Utility

I'm not sure that the terms "public domain" and "copyright" aren't mutually exclusive. Even so, this software is:

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Borland for their "C" compilers and TurboVision software library.

Thanks, too, to the authors of 4tH which we currently use as PROBE2's scripting language. They can be contacted via their web site or their email address.

Contacting The Authors

If you have any bug reports or suggestions, you can contact either of the authors at the PROBE2 email address.

Since ChAoS is the licencee of an amateur radio station (G0KHB), you can contact him by writing to that station's correspondence address.

If you like PROBE2, perhaps you'll like the rest of the ChAoS Utilities - please visit the web site.