Short: Let's you write Modem Linkable games easier (Oct 13 1997) Author: yogi@autobahn.mb.ca (Michael Veroukis) Uploader: yogi@autobahn.mb.ca (Michael Veroukis) Version: 36.2 Release 1.2 Type: dev/misc Requires: Amiga OS 2.0 or higher ModemLink Device Mike Veroukis - 1997 Introduction: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ModemLink device was written in an attempt to make modem linkable games easier to write on the Amiga. We've seen hundreds of games on the PC with modem play capabilities, but most Amiga games don't provide this option. This frustrates many Amiga game players, as everyone knows it's much more fun to kill your friends then stupid computer-AI people! It's no secret that most Amiga programmers are not part of some rich company. Therefore, it's easy to understand why many developers don't add modem play to their games. First of all, you may be adding a few months to development time just for the modem link part of the game. For many hobby programmers, they'd rather just finish the game quickly, and move onto new and exciting things. The ModemLink device gives the developer all the code required for a basic modem playable game, therefore saving on development time. Another problem is that you'd need two Amigas, with a modem on each, and preferably two phone lines (although you could always use a null modem as well). Not everyone can have this kind of set up. The ModemLink device makes it a little easier to develope the modem linkable game, since there's less to worry about. You'll still need to test, but it's the sort of thing a friend with an Amiga and a modem can help out with. Since the ModemLink device has been tested, and is known to work, a game developer only needs to worry about how to interface with the ModemLink device. Well, this is all very cool and all, but how does it work??? Although I don't want to get into the finer details of the device, this is a good place to give a rough description of the thing. The ModemLink device provides two important functions; Modem Connectivity and a Reliable Serial Protocol. What does this mean??? Modem Connectivity: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ModemLink device provides standard routines to dial/answer calls. These routines can be used to easily set up a modem connection. They have been designed to be very flexible and provide significant control to the programmer. Reliable Serial Protocol: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once a modem connection is made, data must be sent and received across the phone line. One needs to be sure that the data received is correct, and the data sent has been received. To do this, some kind of protocol must be used, which the ModemLink device provides. Although designed to support more protocols in the future, it currently only supports a single protocol based on what is called the Stop And Wait protocol. Anyway, as you might have guessed, the main point to this entire project is to make it easier for Amiga programmers to make modem linkable games. I offer this package (with source included) free for everyone to use. Release History: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ R1.2 V36.2 (Oct 26 1997): - ModemLink.device would not create the ModemLink Semaphore which is needed to make sure that only one instance of modemlink.device is running for a given Unit. This has been fixed. R1.1 V36.1 (Oct 25 1997): - SendModemCMD now checks to see if modem is OFF only if issued command is never echoed back from modem. This is to be compatible with newer modems which auto power-up when first command is issued. - Cleaned up some documentation. - Changed the scoptions file so that it now sets PARAMS=BOTH. It will now use both registers AND stack for parameters. - Added StormC pragma file in include/StormC_pragmas. R1.0 V36.0 (May 10 1997): - Initial release R0.0 V00.0 (July 4, 1996): - Modemlink Project begins - Mike ============================= Archive contents ============================= Original Packed Ratio Date Time Name -------- ------- ----- --------- -------- ------------- 38552 9820 74.5% 20-Oct-97 23:36:28 +ModemLink.doc 858 342 60.1% 25-Oct-97 11:55:24 +ModemLink.doc.info 10560 6509 38.3% 26-Oct-97 18:10:06 +modemlink_000.device 10540 6515 38.1% 26-Oct-97 17:59:46 +modemlink_020.device 41684 14723 64.6% 26-Oct-97 16:36:24 +ModemLink.guide 840 323 61.5% 19-Mar-97 23:30:14 +ModemLink.guide.info 841 501 40.4% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +Build.info 2632 1711 34.9% 04-Jul-96 15:15:16 +Debug 831 382 54.0% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +Debug.info 2771 840 69.6% 06-Apr-97 10:49:22 +DeviceStuff.c 600 252 58.0% 11-Mar-97 22:53:16 +DeviceStuff.h 838 541 35.4% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +Edit.info 842 451 46.4% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +Find.info 122 88 27.8% 26-Oct-97 18:10:30 +SCoptions 2954 458 84.4% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +SCoptions.info 990 435 56.0% 25-Mar-97 21:13:16 +smakefile 17400 11053 36.4% 26-Oct-97 18:10:48 +TestML 4673 1402 69.9% 25-Oct-97 09:33:14 +TestML.c 835 392 53.0% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +TestML.info 10584 6625 37.4% 26-Oct-97 18:11:00 +TestMLDev 5251 1533 70.8% 25-Oct-97 09:33:12 +TestMLDev.c 835 395 52.6% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +TestMLDev.info 632 283 55.2% 16-Mar-97 15:24:52 +clib.info 2712 881 67.5% 06-Apr-97 11:51:50 +ModemLink_protos.h 840 329 60.8% 25-Oct-97 11:55:56 +ModemLink_protos.h.info 632 277 56.1% 16-Mar-97 15:23:58 +ModemLink.info 3765 1534 59.2% 26-Oct-97 17:23:34 +ModemLink.h 840 326 61.1% 25-Oct-97 11:55:42 +ModemLink.h.info 632 276 56.3% 16-Mar-97 15:26:04 +pragmas.info 677 217 67.9% 16-Feb-97 12:05:28 +ModemLinkDev_pragmas.h 840 326 61.1% 25-Oct-97 11:55:50 +ModemLinkDev_pragmas.h.info 632 281 55.5% 16-Mar-97 15:25:18 +proto.info 200 134 33.0% 16-Mar-97 14:42:14 +ModemLink.h 840 327 61.0% 25-Oct-97 11:56:04 +ModemLink.h.info 632 282 55.3% 25-Oct-97 11:39:46 +StormC_pragmas.info 1051 391 62.7% 26-Oct-97 16:30:40 +ModemLinkDev_pragmas.h 840 326 61.1% 25-Oct-97 11:56:10 +ModemLinkDev_pragmas.h.info 10688 6138 42.5% 26-Oct-97 18:10:06 +ModemLink_000.lib 10668 6137 42.4% 26-Oct-97 17:59:46 +ModemLink_020.lib 456 252 44.7% 26-Oct-97 18:10:06 +ModemLinkDev.lib 841 500 40.5% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +Build.info 3832 2013 47.4% 24-Oct-97 20:23:58 +CRC.c 98 94 4.0% 28-Dec-96 13:02:04 +CRC.h 2632 1711 34.9% 04-Jul-96 15:15:16 +Debug 831 387 53.4% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +Debug.info 0 0 0.0% 26-Oct-97 18:10:10 + 3032 968 68.0% 24-Oct-97 20:25:32 +DeviceStuff.c 600 252 58.0% 13-Mar-97 21:56:10 +DeviceStuff.h 838 542 35.3% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +Edit.info 842 449 46.6% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +Find.info 0 0 0.0% 26-Oct-97 18:10:10 + 7519 2178 71.0% 24-Oct-97 20:56:24 +Link.c 2987 1170 60.8% 22-Oct-97 19:59:54 +Link.h 827 429 48.1% 24-Oct-97 20:35:24 +LinkDevTags.c 224 165 26.3% 11-Mar-97 22:41:20 +LinkDevTags.h 732 385 47.4% 24-Oct-97 20:36:24 +LinkTags.c 213 156 26.7% 13-Mar-97 20:53:46 +LinkTags.h 9431 2313 75.4% 24-Oct-97 20:40:18 +Modem.c 1802 668 62.9% 25-Mar-97 20:35:08 +Modem.h 1118 466 58.3% 24-Oct-97 20:44:30 +ModemDevTags.c 386 206 46.6% 11-Mar-97 22:41:34 +ModemDevTags.h 835 395 52.6% 26-Oct-97 14:45:14 +modemlink.device.info 1043 495 52.5% 24-Oct-97 21:00:08 +ModemLinkAPI.c 177 126 28.8% 09-Mar-97 18:37:08 +ModemLinkAPI.h 2990 1052 64.8% 26-Oct-97 16:33:48 +ModemLinkDev.c 508 248 51.1% 16-Feb-97 12:00:54 +ModemLinkDev.fd 677 217 67.9% 11-Mar-97 22:33:48 +ModemLinkDev_pragmas.h 2869 790 72.4% 24-Oct-97 20:52:30 +ModemLinkDevAPI.c 521 262 49.7% 25-Mar-97 21:09:52 +ModemLinkDevAPI.h 14317 3308 76.8% 24-Oct-97 20:54:22 +ModemLinkTask.c 681 354 48.0% 26-Jan-97 15:59:42 +ModemLinkTask.h 1042 433 58.4% 24-Oct-97 20:44:28 +ModemTags.c 378 202 46.5% 13-Mar-97 20:53:58 +ModemTags.h 186 115 38.1% 26-Oct-97 18:00:00 +SCoptions 2954 455 84.5% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +SCoptions.info 4768 1256 73.6% 26-Oct-97 16:30:02 +smakefile 628 266 57.6% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 ModemLink.info 632 279 55.8% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 +AutoDocs.info 632 284 55.0% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 +Devs.info 632 283 55.2% 25-Mar-97 21:22:32 +Docs.info 632 283 55.2% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 +Examples.info 632 276 56.3% 25-Oct-97 11:39:14 +include.info 632 280 55.6% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 +lib.info 632 277 56.1% 25-Oct-97 11:38:54 +Source.info -------- ------- ----- --------- -------- 271393 110996 59.1% 27-Oct-97 04:26:24 84 files