TcpLink 3000 CS
INAC Computer
Innovative Netzwerkanwendungen
 Benutzerhandbuch TcpLink 3000 CS in englischer Sprache


Chapter 8

Miscellaneous Topics



8.1 The protocol file

Most of the messages printed by the TCP program are also stored in a protocol file called prot.tcp. This is a text file that can be listed using the ADAKOS list command, or viewed using a text editor. The protocol is particulary useful if the text overflows the screen or LED display, for example if you make directory listings. Please note that with each call of TCP the previous protocol is overridden, and you must make a copy before if you want to save it.

8.2 The filelist file

Some commands, e.g. fetching files from a host computer or from an archive using wildcard file specifications, first build up a list of these files and store it under the name filelist.tcp. This file is never deleted from the ASPECT disk by TCP , and you can always examine the last list built using the ADAKOS list command.

8.3 A warning

Since the program TCP can be employed from DISNMR as well as from the ADAKOS command level, and ADAKOS provides two timesharing regions, it is possible that a data transfer is initiated from one region while a tranfer is already in progress in the other region. This would cause a conflict, and none of the tranfers would perform correctly but return with an error. Please avoid such situations.

8.4 Aborting a transfer

A file transfer may be aborted at any time by typing CTRL/E (if started from ADAKOS level) or CTRL/K, CTRL/E, or CTRL/Q (if started from DISNMR). The TCPLINK or \meg unit will then become inaccessible during a period given by its internal timout time (default 20 sec, see also the next section). The next data transfer will not start before this time.

8.5 Timeout conditions

When a file transfer is initiated by starting the program TCP , or when a file transfer is in progress, TCP will print out a timeout error message and abort if the connection with the TCPLINK or SCECSTORE unit gets lost for one of the following two reasons. Firstly, the communication path between the ASPECT and the unit could be disturbed by a hardware or software error. Secondly, the communication of the unit with the TCP network (or with a particular station on the network) could have failed. The first possible error can be easily verified. If the command TCP N prints out the serial number, software version, date, and time, the connection between the ASPECT and the unit is working properly. If nevertheless a transfer fails due to a timeout message, for some reason the TCP connection could not be established (e.g. the station is down or the network is overloaded).

TCP waits for a connection to become established for a certain time that can be controlled by the operator. It is given by the first timout constant (see also the section Changing/printing default configuration parameters). It is set to 30 seconds by default. If the unit does not respond within this time, a timeout error is produced.

A special situation arises if a file transfer with TCP is aborted by typing CTRL/E (if started from ADAKOS) or CTRL/K, CTRL/E, or CTRL/Q (if started from \dis). Then the internal timeout time (default 20 sec) of the TCPLINK or SPECSTORE unit becomes valid. Only after this time the unit will be ready again for data transfers. You can already set up the next transfer by entering the corresponding TCP command, but it will not really start before this time has elapsed. The internal timeout time of the unit is given by the second timeout constant. On heavily loaded Ethernet networks, or on ASPECT disks with thousands of files causing long ADAKOS directory search times it might be necessary to set the two numbers to a larger value.

8.6 Trouble shooting

If each invocation of TCP results in a timeout error, re-boot the unit (make sure the operation diskette is inserted). Such a behaviour can occur if you have, for example, given the command TCP FLOP:X del a:*.*. This means, you wanted to delete all files from a DOS device. DOS generates a prompt message in such a case (are you sure?), which makes the del command an interactive command in this particular case. Remote command execution, however, does not support interactive commands.

There is another critical situation: TCP hangs while a transfer is in progress, or does not even start the transfer. After the timeout time, it returns with an error message. If it does not do this, you can abort the transfer with CTRL/E, CTRL/K etc. as already described, except for one case: TCP encountered a disk dropout which is not in the ADAKOS dropout list. In this case you must type CTRL/G to force the program to continue.

Please check the following items if there are frequent hangups:

  1. If TCP often fails during a tranfer already in progress, increase the timeout constants.
  2. If you start a transfer and you do not get any response, and TCP hangs or returns with a timeout error, re-boot the TCPLINK or SPECSTORE unit and retry. Make sure the operation diskette is inserted while booting. Turn the power of the unit off for some seconds before booting. In certain cases it might also be necessary to turn the power of the ASPECT off for a few seconds. Check also if the cable between the ASPECT and the unit is plugged in properly. Execute the command TCP N that should print the serial number, software version, date, and time of the unit. If you get a printout, the communication between ASPECT and unit is established.
  3. If the communication ASPECT -- unit is working as proved via the TCP N command, but there are problems with TCP ip, you should try whether the host is responding (command TCP P or TCP destinationfile:P. If the host is not responding, but can be accessed from other network nodes, there might be a problem of TCP ip configuration, either of TCPLINK or the host, or of the Ethernet hardware.
  4. If you fetch a file from TCP ip, and the file is larger than 512K data points, make sure that the program extract is installed on the host computer or that you install a memory extension in your unit (see extra section in this manual on extract).
  5. If all that fails, one of the following components is defective: the cable, the TCPLINK unit, or the operation diskette.


© 1999 INAC Computer GmbH    Gestaltung: Dr. Lutz Schneider    Letzte Änderung am 11.01.99