Query Modem with the Click of a Button

[bhaydon]

I was wondering if it was possible for me to create a button on my desktop to query a modem everytime I double click it; like a batch file or a shortcut. I have a 56K ext USR which has troubles dialing out to a specific payroll program unless the modem is initialized first, and for each check this could become quite time consuming. Thank you for any help.

 

[InnoTech]

i'll save this one for you, pansophic. "Jack of all trades. Master of none."

 

[bhaydon]

I have made some progress, but now am more confused than ever. I found an old program called "ATsend.exe" that works through DOS. The commands are atsend [string] [com port] (example C:\atsend H0 3). I created a batch file to run all query strings and placed it on the customer's desktop. It works fine, although that did not fix the problem. For some reason there is something about querying the modem that "wakes it up" which this program doesn't do.

***Simple layout of my problem***
software 1 tranfers and receives from time clocks and can transfer at any time.

modem string from software 1 holds open modem port and does not free up for software 2.

software 2 cannot transfer if software 1 has transfered at all until modem has been queried or the machine has been rebooted.

Turning off the modem for awhile and turning it back on does not help.

...confused yet? Thank you for any help guys, I know this is a whopper

 

[InnoTech]

i don't have a fix or even what you're asking for but it looks to me that it may be easier for the problem to be fixed though the software vendor verses windows.

"Jack of all trades. Master of none."

 

[bhaydon]

The software vendor's tech support has not been any help to us. The have given us modem strings to fix the problem, but not one of them have worked. Okay, let me break it down even more if you can't understand.

Modem holds port open...need to stop modem from holding port open.

thanks

 

[InnoTech]

yeah, i understand whats going on but i'm not sure what would resolve it. i don't think a modem string used in the conventional way would do that.

i'm sure there is a VB code that would do it for ya, but thats not where i come in.

is it possible to install a 2nd modem useing 1 for one program/task and so on? just trying to help! "Jack of all trades. Master of none."

 

[bhaydon]

you know that is a great idea. I'll try that out and let you know what happens.

 

[pansophic]

It sounds to me as if the time clock program is not properly releasing the modem when it is done. Have you checked in Taskmanager to see if there are any TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) programs spawned by the time clock software?

Check to see what processes get launched when you start that program, and then check to see what gets shut down when the time clock software gets shut down.

If you can kill that process manually with the Taskmanager and then use your payroll software, you have found the culprit. There is probably a way to shut down that process at the press of a button, but I can't think of any way off-hand.


pansophic

 

[bhaydon]

Two modems did the trick. I could not figure out any other soultions to my problem. Thanks for your help.