In asynchronous communication, a host computer is synonymous with the server in a client/server relationship. The host accepts requests for data or services from one or more client PCs/workstations. The host computer controls access by requiring the client PC to supply a valid user ID and password and by specifying which direction communications may flow between the host/server and the client.
To set up a pfs/Async communications host, you must perform the following steps:
Define the communications channel, choosing pfs/Async as the communications type. You must provide the user ID and password information on the Host tab of the Comm Channel – New window. These are the values that will be used by asynchronous communications clients when they log onto the asynchronous communications host.
Enter setup information for the pfs/Async communications type. If the asynchronous communications host will allow data only to be sent and not to be received, the direction must be Receive. If the asynchronous communications host will allow data only to be received and not to be sent, the direction must be Send. If the asynchronous communications host will allow data to be both sent and received, the direction is Both.
Start pfs/Async using the DOS command line. Command line entries and switches can be entered manually or stored in a batch file. Generally, pfs/Async is invoked with a command line batch file that is automatically run at startup. After it is started, pfs/Async runs in the background, listening for asynchronous communications clients to call in.
Use a text editor to replace the default messages in the following text files with customized messages - welcome.txt, goodbye.txt, nomailbox.txt, and nodir.txt. These text files are displayed on the window of an asynchronous communications client that logs onto an asynchronous communications host. The welcome.txt message (welcome window) appears just after the opening pfs/Async window when a user logs onto the host from a client. The goodbye.txt window appears when a user logs off the welcome window (by choosing Goodbye (G)). If a user logs on to the host from a client and the mailbox is set up incorrectly, the nomailbox.txt window appears and terminates the communication session. (The user is logged off because an incorrectly configured mailbox will cause the system to malfunction.) The nodir.txt message displays if the directory does not exist.
