The Synchronet Virtual Device Driver (sbbsexec.dll) for Windows NT-based operating systems (i.e. WinNT/2K/XP/2K3/Vista) has been updated with a major new (somewhat experimental) feature:

*** Virtualization of the physical "COM1" UART (serial port) ***

This should allow you to run DOS programs (e.g. door games, transfer protocol drivers, BBS utils) that access the serial port (COM1) directly. i.e. the program does not need to support the "FOSSIL" standard interface.

Some programs that support FOSSIL *may* actually run better if re-configured to use UART/COM1 instead (depends on the program).

The programs must be configured to access "COM1" (I/O address 3f8, IRQ 4). Multiple programs can be running (on multiple nodes) simultaneously, all using their "virtual" COM1, without conflict.

This is a brand-new feature, available as a downloadable patch for Synchronet v3.xx-Win32:

ftp://vert.synchro.net/Synchronet/dosxtrn.exe (not required, but recommended) ftp://vert.synchro.net/Synchronet/sbbsexec.dll

Download these files into your Synchronet "exec" directory (after making a backup of your current versions of these files).

Let me know what you find (in the Synchronet support discussion groups)!

digital man

Snapple "Real Fact" #47:
Giraffes have no vocal chords.
Norco, CA WX: 68.1øF, 62% humidity, 0 mph NE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

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þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Synchronet Virtual Device Driver update (rev 1.19)
By: Digital Man to All on Wed May 10 2006 07:52 pm

The Synchronet Virtual Device Driver (sbbsexec.dll) for Windows NT-based operating systems (i.e. WinNT/2K/XP/2K3/Vista) has been updated with a major new (somewhat experimental) feature:

*** Virtualization of the physical "COM1" UART (serial port) ***

This component has been updated (now rev 1.27), along with the 16-bit FOSSIL driver counter-part (dosxtrn.exe, rev 1.18) for better performance and compatibility with more programs (e.g. more accurate UART/COM port emulation).

You can download this update as ftp://vert.synchro.net/Synchronet/sbbsexec.zip

After upgrading to this update, the "yield" control is handled in exec/sbbsexec.ini (not in SBBSCTRL->Telnet->Configure->External Yield) and can be tuned on a per-program/application basis (see sbbsexec.ini for details).

Again, if you find any BBS programs (e.g. door games) that don't work with this driver (in either FOSSIL or UART/COM mode), please let me know!

Thanks,

digital man

Snapple "Real Fact" #180:
The first VCR was made in 1956 and was the size of a piano.
Norco, CA WX: 60.6øF, 78% humidity, 0 mph N wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

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þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Synchronet Virtual Device Driver update (rev 1.19)
By: Digital Man to All on Wed May 17 2006 11:56 pm

Re: Synchronet Virtual Device Driver update (rev 1.19)
By: Digital Man to All on Wed May 10 2006 07:52 pm

The Synchronet Virtual Device Driver (sbbsexec.dll) for Windows NT-based operating systems (i.e. WinNT/2K/XP/2K3/Vista) has been updated with a ma new (somewhat experimental) feature:

*** Virtualization of the physical "COM1" UART (serial port) ***

This component has been updated (now rev 1.27), along with the 16-bit FOSSIL driver counter-part (dosxtrn.exe, rev 1.18) for better performance and compatibility with more programs (e.g. more accurate UART/COM port emulation

This component has been updated again (sbbsexec.dll rev 30 and dosxtrn.exe rev 21). This update is compatible with more programs (in both virtualized UART and FOSSIL modes) and "tames" even more CPU-sucking door games (e.g. BRE).

You can download this update as ftp://vert.synchro.net/Synchronet/sbbsexec.zip

digital man

Snapple "Real Fact" #109:
Smelling apples and/or bananas can help you loose weight.
Norco, CA WX: 76.8øF, 51% humidity, 0 mph SSW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

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þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Synchronet Virtual Device Driver update (rev 1.19)
By: Digital Man to All on Wed May 17 2006 11:56 pm

Re: Synchronet Virtual Device Driver update (rev 1.19)
By: Digital Man to All on Wed May 10 2006 07:52 pm

The Synchronet Virtual Device Driver (sbbsexec.dll) for Windows NT-based operating systems (i.e. WinNT/2K/XP/2K3/Vista) has been updated with a ma new (somewhat experimental) feature:

*** Virtualization of the physical "COM1" UART (serial port) ***

This component has been updated (now rev 1.27), along with the 16-bit FOSSIL driver counter-part (dosxtrn.exe, rev 1.18) for better performance and compatibility with more programs (e.g. more accurate UART/COM port emulation

The VDD has been updated again (rev 32) - with better UART interrupt emulation!

ftp://vert.synchro.net/Synchronet/sbbsexec.zip

digital man

Snapple "Real Fact" #169:
The first human-made object to break the sound barrier was a whip.
Norco, CA WX: 64.2øF, 74% humidity, 0 mph WNW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

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þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Synchronet Virtual Device Driver update (rev 1.19)
By: Digital Man to All on Wed Jun 07 2006 01:22 am

Re: Synchronet Virtual Device Driver update (rev 1.19)
By: Digital Man to All on Wed May 17 2006 11:56 pm

Re: Synchronet Virtual Device Driver update (rev 1.19)
By: Digital Man to All on Wed May 10 2006 07:52 pm

The Synchronet Virtual Device Driver (sbbsexec.dll) for Windows NT-bas operating systems (i.e. WinNT/2K/XP/2K3/Vista) has been updated with a new (somewhat experimental) feature:

*** Virtualization of the physical "COM1" UART (serial port) *

This component has been updated (now rev 1.27), along with the 16-bit FOS driver counter-part (dosxtrn.exe, rev 1.18) for better performance and compatibility with more programs (e.g. more accurate UART/COM port emulat

The VDD has been updated again (rev 32) - with better UART interrupt emulati

The VDD has been updated yet again (rev 38 now) - now compatible with Windows Vista (x86 only), but you must copy sbbsexec.dll to your Windows/System32 directory!

ftp://vert.synchro.net/Synchronet/sbbsexec.zip

digital man (xbox-live: digitlman)

Snapple "Real Fact" #12:
Emus and Kangaroos cannot walk backwards.
Norco, CA WX: 58.8øF, 73% humidity, 0 mph N wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

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þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ telnet://vert.synchro.net