I have received many messages lately regarding Telemate and 
Windows.  Most often the questions relate to download problems, 
lost characters on ANSI screens, etc, or else are just described 
as "How do I get Telemate to work with Windows."  

Since I use Telemate and Windows I think I have a fix for your
problem.  I was having lost character problems, aborted downloads 
and a generally frustrating time with Windows and our favorite 
Comm Software.  I also have a non standard comm port setup since 
my internal HST is on Comm 3 IRQ 5 in order to not conflict with a 
Multi I/O board in my 386.

I assume that what ever setup for the comm port you are using, you 
have the proper setup in TM.CFG.  Just to review, mine is as 
follows for the port setup:

% Communication

%% Com = base address,interrupt no,IRQ

Com1=3f8,12,4
Com2=2f8,11,3
Com3=3e8,13,5 <==This is my port setting, you would want to set the 
Com4=2e8,11,3    same, or similar for the interrupt for com 2 or 4.
Com5=3f8,12,4
Com6=3f8,12,4
Com7=3f8,12,4
Com8=3f8,12,4

Next the port must be identified to Windows in the System.INI 
file.  A friend that also uses Windows refered me to the 
SysINI2.txt file in the Windows directory for resolution of the 
problem.  I found that it was necessary to setup the comm port in 
order to be recognized by Windows for use with Non-Windows 
Applications.  In order to do so, certain information had to be 
added to the System.INI file Windows uses to identify hardware 
attributes.   I added the following lines to my System.INI file 
under the 386 enhanced section:

[386Enh] .....

COM3Base=3E8h  (use the proper address for your com port)
COM3Buffer=256 (default is 128, I increased it to prevent lost 
                characters)
COM3Irq=5  (use the proper interrupt for your modem port)

I also found that the internal protocols may not be robust enough 
to handle the Windows environment, particularly on uploads, I am 
only getting upload speeds of 800 using Ymodem-G.  DSZ works well 
giving upload speeds of over 1500 cps, but is dependent on the  
COMXBuffers= setting as are the internal protocols.  Set the 
buffers setting to a level that gives the best performanceby 
experimenting a bit with the setting.

Although the internal HST that I have has a NS16550AN Windows 
doesn't recognize the 16550.  I assume that it is running in 16450 
compatablility mode even though it is enabled in Telemate.

See if these settings make any difference,  I do know that if the 
buffers are too large it will slow down transfers, the default is 
128.  Also look at the ComXAutoassign= command in SysINI2.txt.  I 
have mine set to 0 and Never warn under Control Panel, Ports, for 
the modem port.

Windows uses BIOS Calls to arbitrate the comm ports, so make sure 
that your BIOS is recognizing the address of the modem port.  The 
file SETC1234.exe is supposed to do this if the BIOS isn't 
recognizing the comm port, but it didn't work for me on the few 
times that the BIOS acted flakey on me and didn't pick up the comm 
port for the internal modem.  I would run SETC1235.EXE and get an 
error from Windows about system integrity being violated when 
starting Telemate.  But when the BIOS does recognize the address on 
post ( shows up inthe AMI BIOS post screen) everything works well.

Also enclosed in this zip file is my PIF for running Telemate 
under Windows.  Winfred Hu posted a PIF on the Fidonet Telemate 
echo a few weeks ago.  Taking this for a start and adding some 
suggestons from Mike Cody, I developed this PIF.  Winfred 
indicated that Telemate would run in a window, but my experience 
is that Windows will suspend execution of Telemate in a window but 
will allow it to run in background as well as full screen.  
Running in a window would also have the disadvantage of loss of 
mouse function for Telemate menus, a problem that is not present 
when run full screen.

Hope that this information helps everyone enjoy Telemate and 
Microsoft Windows.

Jim Skovera
Racine, Wisconsin
February 18, 1991
