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PC-SIG Diskette Library (Disk #1371)
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Information about “QUICKTRAN”
QUICKTRAN is a telecommunications file-transfer program which
compresses files as they are sent across phone lines, providing
savings in time and money.
In standard file transfer protocols (like Xmodem), the computer spends
a great deal of time waiting to send or receive data. QUICKTRAN puts
this time to use, compressing and decompressing data as it comes in or
goes out. A comparison of QUICKTRAN to Xmodem demonstrated that
QUICKTRAN is, on the average, almost twice as fast.
The program is fully documented, easy to install and use. A copy is
required by both the sending and receiving computer.
FILE1371.TXT
Disk No: 1371
Program Title: QUICKTRAN
PC-SIG version 1
QUICKTRAN is a telecommunications file-transfer program which compresses
files as they are sent across phone lines for saving in time and cost.
In standard file transfer protocols (like Xmodem), the computer spends a
great deal of time waiting to send or receive data. QUICKTRAN puts this
time to use, compressing and decompressing data as it comes in or goes
out. A comparison of QUICKTRAN to Xmodem demonstrated that QUICKTRAN
is, on the average, almost twice as fast.
The program is fully documented, easy to install and use. A copy is
required by both the sending and receiving computer.
Synopsis: Telecommunications program that compresses files before
transmission resulting in a savings of both time and phone bills.
Usage: Telecommunications.
Special Requirements: Hayes compatible modem.
How to Start: Type GO (press enter).
Suggested Registration: $19.95
File Descriptions:
QT EXE Main program.
QT DOC Documentation file.
PC-SIG
1030D E Duane Avenue
Sunnyvale CA 94086
(408) 730-9291
(c) Copyright 1989 PC-SIG, Inc.
GO.TXT
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║ <<<< Disk No 1371 QUICKTRAN >>>> ║
╠═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ To start the program, type QT (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ To view the documentation on you screen, type VIEW (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ To copy the documentation to your printer, type MANUAL (press enter) ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
QT.DOC
Eidolon Technologies presents:
QUICKTRAN(tm) - as seen in Byte, Online Today, PCM and PC Week
Copyright 1988 Adrian Burton - All Rights Reserved
QuickTran is a new telecommunications file transfer program
which compresses files as they are sent across phone lines. In
standard file transfer protocols (like Xmodem), the computer spends
a great deal of time merely waiting to send or receive data.
QuickTran puts this time to use - compressing and decompressing
data as it comes in or goes out. QuickTran uses a variety of
state-of-the-art compression techniques, and picks the one it
thinks is best suited to the file being transferred. Head to head
comparison of QuickTran to Xmodem demonstrated that QuickTran is,
on the average, almost twice as fast. A 1200 baud modem transfers
files at the functional equivalent of 2000 baud, a 2400 baud modem
at 4000 baud. With certain files, such as spreadsheet and database
files, QuickTran is even faster - up to five times as fast as
Xmodem. Regardless of what kinds of files are transferred, using
QuickTran will result in substantial savings in time and on phone
bills.
A sophisticated 16 bit CRC block error detection method is
used to protect against bad connections or random noise during the
transmission, thereby insuring error free transfers.
QuickTran also offers convenience and simplicity. With
QuickTran, it's easy to pause during a phone conversation in order
to transfer one or more files. The complete file transfer can be
invoked with a single short command line. In most cases, it is as
simple as "qt s FILENAME" to send a file, and "qt r FILENAME" to
receive a file. Sending and receiving multiple files is also
supported. QuickTran can be called directly from DOS or from
within a terminal program which has a DOS shell feature.
This version of QuickTran is the shareware version. You may
distribute copies of it freely provided that both the program and
documentation are distributed together in their original unmodified
state. The only permissible distribution fee is a reasonable fee
charged by a business which distributes shareware programs. You
are granted a limited license to use this version of QuickTran on a
trial basis - solely to determine whether or not it will be useful
to you. Any subsequent unregistered use of QuickTran is
prohibited.
Registration entitles you to continue using QuickTran - but
only on one computer at any given time. Although great effort has
been taken to insure the proper functioning of QuickTran, Eidolon
Technologies and the author do not make any guarantees as to the
fitness of QuickTran for any particular purpose and disclaim
liability for losses of any kind or nature, incurred or alleged to
have been incurred as a result of the use or misuse of QuickTran.
This shareware version of QuickTran is for the IBM PC series and
compatibles. It requires 144K of memory and a Hayes or Hayes
compatible modem.
As a possible alternative to registering the shareware version,
you may want to consider ordering the commercial version of
QuickTran described at the end of this document. Although it is
more expensive, it offers a number of advantages and features not
present in the shareware version.
----------------------------------------------------------------
To register your copy of the shareware version of QuickTran,
send your name, address and $19.95 to:
-----------------------
Eidolon Technologies
Department E5
P.O. Box 20680
Columbus Circle Station
New York, N.Y. 10023
-----------------------
Since QuickTran is needed on both ends of a file transfer
(sending and receiving), both users will need to register
their copies of the program.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Trademark acknowledgements:
Hayes is a trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.
IBM PC is a trademark of International Business Machines Corp.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The complete documentation for the shareware version of QuickTran
can be found on the following three pages.
The documentation is divided into five sections:
Installation
Overview
Command Line Switches
Multiple File Transfers
During The Transfer
INSTALLATION:
QuickTran is supplied as a single executable program file,
"qt.exe". QuickTran needs to be installed before it can be used
properly. The first step in the installation procedure is to
copy "qt.exe" from your original program disk to a work disk (or
to your hard drive). Your work copy should also be called
"qt.exe". Keep the original program disk as a backup copy.
Since QuickTran modifies itself during the installation
procedure, the work copy of "qt.exe" must not be write protected
during the installation process. From the directory of your work
copy, at the DOS prompt, enter "qt install" - executing QuickTran
with the 'install' parameter. QuickTran will present menus
asking for your modem type, your default com port, and your
default baud rate. Your default com port should be your modem's
com port, and your default baud rate should be the baud rate you
use most often. If you should want to change these settings
later on, you can do so by entering "qt install" and answering
the questions again.
If you have a hard drive, it is a good idea to place
"qt.exe" in the DOS command path. This way, QuickTran can be
used from any directory on your hard drive. This can be
accomplished by using the DOS 'path' command.
OVERVIEW:
If QuickTran is executed without supplying any command line
parameters, it will respond with an information screen. The
screen displays, among other things, the selections you made
during the installation process. It also displays the following
line describing QuickTran's usage:
qt [install] [/ac] [/bRATE] [/cN] s|r FILE1 [FILE2 FILE3 ...]
As the above line suggests, QuickTran can be executed with
one or more command line parameters which are separated by
spaces. The square brackets indicate that the enclosed parameters
are optional. A bar (such as the one in 's|r') indicates that
one of the two (not both) separated parameters should appear on
the command line. Parameters that start with '/' are known as
'switches'. We have already seen how the first parameter,
'install', is used (in the installation process). The three
switches are not always used and will be considered later on.
The 's|r' parameter is used to indicate whether you want to
send or receive the file in question. Either 's' or 'r' should
appear on your command line. For example, "qt s FILENAME" is
used to send a file, while "qt r FILENAME" is used to receive a
file. 'FILENAME' is, of course, not to be taken literally - it
is the equivalent of 'FILE1' in the one line usage description,
and represents the name of the file you want to send or receive.
The receiver and sender can but do not have to use the same file
names. Using QuickTran without switches or multiple file names
presupposes that you are using the default com port and baud
rate, that you want to transfer only one file, and that you are
presently in the voice mode of communication.
COMMAND LINE SWITCHES:
Any combination of the three switches, '/ac', '/bRATE', and
'/cN', can appear in any order on the command line, but they must
all be before the 's' or 'r'.
The '/ac' switch is known as the "already-connected" switch.
It is used to tell QuickTran that a data connection has already
been established (i.e. the modems are already connected). This
switch can be used to transfer files over a 'null-modem' cable,
but is most often used in conjunction with the DOS shell feature
of a terminal program. In other words, you can connect your
modem from a terminal program, temporarily exit to DOS, transfer
files using QuickTran, and then resume communication in your
terminal program - all without ever disrupting your carrier. For
example, the sender would, after temporarily exiting to DOS,
enter "qt /ac s FILENAME". If the '/ac' switch is not used,
QuickTran will assume that you are presently involved in voice
communication and will automatically perform the steps necessary
to begin data transmission.
The '/bRATE' switch is used when you want to communicate at
a baud rate other than your default baud rate. Valid baud rates
are 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, and 19200 baud. One of
these rates should replace the 'RATE' in '/bRATE' - leaving no
spaces after the 'b'. You need only specify the first two digits
of the baud rate. For example, "qt /b24 s FILENAME" and
"qt /b2400 s FILENAME" both do the same thing - send a file using
2400 baud.
The '/cN' switch is used to specify a com port other than
the default com port. Either '1' or '2' should replace the 'N'
in '/cN' - leaving no spaces after the 'c'. For example,
"qt /c2 s FILENAME" would send a file using com port 2.
As mentioned earlier, multiple switches can be used on the
same command line. For example, "qt /b300 /c2 /ac s FILENAME"
specifies that 300 baud and com port 2 should be used to send a
file between already connected modems.
MULTIPLE FILE TRANSFERS:
QuickTran can be used to send and receive multiple files.
This is accomplished by listing the files at the end of the
command line. The one line usage description describes this as
'FILE1 [FILE2 FILE3 ...]'. You can specify as many files as will
fit on your command line. The sender and receiver can use
different file names, but both should specify the same number of
files. For example, the sender can use "qt s letter.wp data.dbf"
while the receiver uses "qt r letter.doc stats.dat". After the
transfer the corresponding files will be identical - although
their names differ. Before sending multiple files QuickTran
checks to make sure that all the files exist. Before receiving
files, QuickTran checks for already existing files of the same
name and, if it finds matches, asks you for overwrite permission.
DURING THE TRANSFER:
When one party (either the sender or receiver) initiates a
file transfer his QuickTran will wait for the other party to get
started. If the other party does not enter an appropriate
QuickTran command line within 90 seconds, the originating party's
QuickTran will automatically abort the transfer. Users can
initiate an earlier abort with Alt-A (Pressing the 'A' key while
holding down the 'Alt' key). Alt-A can also be used to abort at
other times during a transfer.
QuickTran provides a variety of status information
throughout a transfer. At the beginning QuickTran supplies an
"Estimated transfer time" (in minutes) and an "Estimated number
of blocks in transfer". This is meant to provide a rough
estimate of how long the transfer of the specified file will
take.
If you are using QuickTran from a voice connection, you will
be reminded to '[Enable mute or hang up handset]' at the
beginning of the transfer and '[Disable mute or pick up handset]'
at the end. The idea is to prevent extraneous noise from
interfering with your transfer. These steps are usually
optional, though some modems (eg. EV-920) will not connect with
an off-hook handset.
Once the transfer of blocks (of data) begins, QuickTran lets
you know which block is presently being transferred and how many
times it has tried to send that block. QuickTran will abort
after unsuccessfully sending or receiving a given block nine
times. For long files, QuickTran will occasionally have to pause
to save or reload its buffer. QuickTran tells you how many bytes
it has saved or loaded.
After the entire file is transferred, QuickTran gives you a
"Percent saved (vs. Xmodem)". This figure tells you how much
more efficiently the data was sent (when compared to Xmodem).
You thus get an idea of how much time you saved.
When the transfer of all file(s) is completed, QuickTran
will beep three times.
QuickTran(tm) - Commercial Version
The latest commercial version of QuickTran comes complete with a
printed manual and user support. It maintains compatibility with
the shareware version yet offers a number of advantages and
features not present in the shareware version. The enhancements
are not trivial - they add the power and ease of use which makes
the commercial version of QuickTran a complete turbo file
transfer system.
Enhancements found only in the commercial version of QuickTran:
- Faster Transfers
- Unattended Transfers: Auto-answer and Auto-dial
- Wildcard Support
- Transfer of Filename Along With Data
- Unique Filename Generation
- Combined Sending and Receiving
- Transfer Log
- Password Protection
- Increased Resistance to Line Noise
A description of each enhancement follows:
FASTER TRANSFERS:
Refinements in compression algorithm selection make it more
likely that the compression technique used is the one best suited
to the file being transferred. The result is that transfers can
be up to 30% faster than those with the shareware version.
UNATTENDED TRANSFERS - AUTO-ANSWER AND AUTO-DIAL:
When auto-answer mode is specified, QuickTran waits for an
incoming phone call, answers it, and then sends or receives
files. The other end of the transfer uses the auto-dial feature
to dial in. If so desired, it is possible to tell QuickTran to
wait until a certain time before dialing out. This makes it easy
to take advantage of lower off-peak phone rates.
The automatic, unattended file transfers made possible with auto-
answering and auto-dialing make QuickTran ideal for sending
and/or receiving files to or from travelling businessmen or
scattered corporate sites.
WILDCARD SUPPORT:
The sender may now use wildcard file specifications to specify
which files are to be sent (eg. qt s *.*). The sender may provide
multiple file specifications - as many as will fit on his command
line. Using wildcards makes sending multiple files much easier.
TRANSFER OF FILENAME ALONG WITH DATA:
The receiver can, as before, specify names of files he wants to
receive on his command line - but now does not have to. If
filenames are not supplied, the receiving end will automatically
obtain them from the sender. Thus, if the receiver is satisfied
with the filenames used by the sender, he or she needs not
specify any filenames on the command line (e.g. "qt r"). This
makes receiving files much simpler.
UNIQUE FILENAME GENERATION:
In case receiving a certain filename would result in overwriting
an existing file, QuickTran no longer prompts the user for
overwrite permission. Instead, QuickTran generates a unique
filename by changing the file's extension.
COMBINED SENDING AND RECEIVING:
One can combine both sending and receiving into a single short
command. Thus just one auto-dialed call can handle a complete
interchange of files.
TRANSFER LOG:
Invoking the log option causes QuickTran to keep a complete
record of the transfer. Information stored in the log file
includes file name, file size, and time and date of transfer.
The log feature is especially useful for keeping track of
unattended transfers (eg. auto-answer or delayed auto-dial).
PASSWORD PROTECTION:
If one end of the transfer specifies a password the other needs
to match it - otherwise the file transfer will not take place.
This feature is most often used in conjunction with auto-answer
mode to insure that the person who calls in to send or receive
files has clearance to do so.
INCREASED RESISTANCE TO LINE NOISE:
Refinements make certain types of line noise even less likely to
cause an error during the transmission.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The commercial version of QuickTran described above is for the
IBM PC and PS/2 series and compatibles. It requires 196K of
memory and a Hayes or Hayes compatible modem.
The commercial version of QuickTran is available
from Eidolon Technologies for $39.95
N.Y. residents please add sales tax.
The program is, upon request, available on a 3.5" floppy disk.
-----------------------
Eidolon Technologies
Department E5
P.O. Box 20680
Columbus Circle Station
New York, N.Y. 10023
-----------------------
Since QuickTran is needed on both ends of a file transfer
(sending and receiving), both users will need to order a copy.
Directory of PC-SIG Library Disk #1371
Volume in drive A has no label
Directory of A:\
FILE1371 TXT 1155 5-02-89 10:17a
GO BAT 38 4-24-89 4:39p
GO TXT 694 5-02-89 10:19a
MANUAL BAT 148 5-02-89 10:21a
PAGE COM 325 1-06-87 4:21p
QT DOC 19719 10-27-88 2:08p
QT EXE 46418 10-01-88 2:38a
VIEW BAT 38 5-02-89 10:20a
8 file(s) 68535 bytes
89088 bytes free