Pathworks for Macintosh MacTerminal Users Guide 1990

This document is the MacTerminal® User's Guide for PATHWORKS™ for Macintosh®, version 3.0. It serves as a comprehensive manual for users to establish and manage communication links between their Apple Macintosh computer and various other computing systems, including personal computers, minicomputers, and mainframe computers, whether locally or remotely via modems or networks.

Key functionalities and concepts covered in the guide include:

• Communication Capabilities: MacTerminal enables users to send and receive information, communicate through electronic mail services (like MCI Mail, EasyLink), access corporate mainframes (such as Digital VAX computers), retrieve data from information services (like Dow Jones News/Retrieval, CompuServe, Dialog), and interact with Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs).

• Modular Architecture: The software leverages the Macintosh Communications Toolbox, a system extension that allows MacTerminal to integrate various communications tools. These tools fall into three categories:

  • Connection Tools: Define the type of connection established (e.g., Apple Modem, AppleTalk ADSP, LAT, Serial).
  • Terminal Emulation Tools: Determine the type of terminal your Macintosh imitates (e.g., TTY, VT102, VT320).
  • File Transfer Tools: Implement protocols for reliable file exchange (e.g., Text File Transfer, XMODEM).

• Session Management: The guide provides detailed instructions on working with session documents, which are used to configure communication parameters and display live interactions. This includes:

  • Setting Up: How to open new session documents, change connection methods, configure terminal emulation options, select file transfer protocols, specify folders for incoming files, set transmission delays, and save settings.
  • Connecting & Communicating: Steps for opening and closing connections, logging in to host computers, sending/receiving text and files, and checking session status.
  • Data Handling: Instructions for saving, clearing, controlling the display of, copying, and printing session data.

• User Interface & Keyboard: An overview of MacTerminal's user interface elements, including menus and how the Macintosh keyboard is mapped for terminal emulation, with special attention to Control and Escape keys.

• Troubleshooting: A dedicated section helps users diagnose and resolve common issues related to communications, connections, terminal emulation, data transfer, memory, printing, copying, and network problems.
• Appendices: Supplementary information like alert message explanations, details on various online services, pin assignments for Macintosh ports, and an ASCII character chart.

The document is a special edition tailored for the PATHWORKS for Macintosh product, emphasizing its integration and additional communication tools, and mentions a companion "Communications Tools Reference" for in-depth technical details on individual tools. It assumes users have basic familiarity with Macintosh operations.