Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!ucsd!sdcc6!sdcc13!cpenrose
From: cpenrose@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Christopher Penrose)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: remote and crontab modem control
Summary: no RTFM, I have read several manuals, zs
Keywords: uucp, zs, cua, modem, cron
Message-ID: <17782@sdcc6.ucsd.edu>
Date: 25 Mar 91 22:42:48 GMT
References: <1991Mar24.231657.21573@cs.ubc.ca>
Sender: news@sdcc6.ucsd.edu
Organization: University of California, San Diego
Lines: 40

I have a 68040 NeXTcube with a hayes compatible 2400 baud modem.
I have configured uucp and I have managed (with os 2.0) to get
my modem to originate connections with cua and to receive connections 
through ttyda.  I do not have a "problem", but I would like to smooth 
out some vicious hacks that I have made to control my modem.

I am using cron to turn the auto-answer feature of my modem on and off
such that I can call home from work during the day and my friends can
call me during the early evening while I am at another job.  The only
way I could get my modem to listen to remote commands was through 
uucp chat scripts.  This is messy.  Even with an explicit hangup in the
chat script, my modem remains locked-up for about five minutes with 
poll.  Here is an excerpt from /private/etc/crontab.local and 
/private/etc/uucp/L.sys:

crontab.local:
0,30 10 * * 1-5 uucp    /usr/bin/uupoll onanism
0,15,30,45 15,17 * * 1  uucp    /usr/bin/uupoll offal
0,15,30,45 14,16 * * 2,4        uucp    /usr/bin/uupoll offal
0,15,30,45 16,18 * * 3  uucp    /usr/bin/uupoll offal
0,15,30,45 15,16,17 * * 5       uucp    /usr/bin/uupoll offal

cron references the dummy uucp host "onanism" to turn auto-answer on.
Likewise, "offal" is called to turn auto-answer off.  "Offal" is called
multiple times each day for two reasons.  First it often fails for 
mysterious reasons.  Second, I have a habit of making connections that 
linger beyond the first "offal" call.  Also, I occasionally transfer files 
to my machine in the middle of the afternoon.

L.sys (excerpts):

onanism Any cua 2400 cua "" \datz\n OK \dats0=2\n OK \dat&w\n OK \dEOT
offal Any cua 2400 cua "" \datz\n OK \dats0=0\n OK \dat&w\n OK \dEOT

These chat scripts work, but I wonder if there is a cleaner method 
available to communicate with my modem.  Any ideas?

Christopher Penrose
jesus!penrose@esosun.css.gov
cpenrose@ucsd.edu