Worth Data 701 RF manual Sign on

commands are typically used for attached serial printers. Serial commands cannot be combined with other commands in a message to the Base Station/Terminal. Remember, you can only send 231 characters (including the ID + @S + EOT).

SIGN ON

To login to the host computer, the user presses a key on the RF Terminal at power-up to get to the SIGN ON screen. As the user SIGNs ON, the Base Station sends back the following SIGN ON message to the host:

Byte position	Function	Possible values
1	RF Terminal ID	0-9, A-Z, a-z, - =
2+	SIGN ON	SYN (ASCII 22) if 6 line display
		configured as a 6 line display.
		SI (ASCII 15) if 6 line display terminal
		configured as 4 line display.
Last	Termination of	CR (ASCII 13)
	message

After a terminal SIGNS ON, the host should be prepared to acknowledge the SIGN ON and give the terminal instructions, such as:

Standby for Assignment, Press ENTER to acknowledge

Nothing to do, Press ENTER and See Supervisor

Pick Item 1234

If there is something for the Terminal to do, the host should send instruction to the terminal (as in “Pick Item 1234” above). If there is nothing to do at the time of SIGN ON, the host should acknowledge the SIGN ON and tell the terminal to Stand By or See Supervisor (see lines 1 and 2 above). You will notice that in lines 1 & 2 above, there is a request for the operator to press the ENTER key. This is required for the message to be a valid command - remember that all messages must end with a request for data

input. The host should then expect a response from the terminal of Terminal ID + DATA (none if only pressing ENTER key) + CR.

SIGN ON is a good way for the terminal operator who has not received instruction from the host for several minutes to determine if he is still connected and if the host is still functioning. By SIGNing OUT and SIGNing back ON, the operator should receive a message that there is nothing to do. It is also a good idea for the host to keep track of elapsed time that a terminal has not had a message sent out to it. The host should then send a message periodically to re-assure the operator (remember to ask him to press ENTER) that instruction is coming or tell him to see his supervisor for re-assignment (or whatever makes sense for your application).

6-8