Customizing Terminal and Printer Type Files with the Workstation Configurator (32022-90031)

Chapter 1 15

Introducing Workstation Conﬁgurator

What Characteristics are Modiﬁable?

Use Workstation Conﬁgurator to specify the following characteristics

for a terminal or printer port:

• The XON/XOFF protocol.

• The read trigger.

• Block mode.

• Special characters.

•Echo.

• Form feed.

• DTC response to backspace.

• Typeahead.

• Printer control.

• Vertical Format Control.

Each of these is described in detail on the following pages.

XON/XOFF Protocol

The XON/XOFF protocol is controlled by the device, rather than by the

device driver. The driver sends data to the device in a continuous

stream. If the device can no longer accept data (because of being put

ofﬂine, ﬁlling its buffer, running out of paper, etc.), it sends the XOFF

character to the driver. The driver then stops sending data to the

device. When the device is able to accept data again, it sends the XON

character to the driver and the driver resumes data transmission.

Use Workstation Conﬁgurator to specify if a timer should be started

when the XOFF character is received. If a timer is started and the

timer expires before the XON character is received, a message is

printed on the system console stating that the device is ofﬂine. The

timer duration can be speciﬁed from 1 to 255 seconds.

Block Mode

Block mode is a method of transferring data from a terminal to the

computer. Instead of sending each character as it is typed, the terminal

buffers a line or more of data and sends an entire block of data when

the terminal user ﬁnishes entering it.

Using Workstation Conﬁgurator, the type (or types) of block mode along

with the block mode alert and block trigger characters can be speciﬁed.