Sending Files
To send a file to a machine, open it using the File menu. If you are using 1-key sending, you can press the F2 key on the keyboard and the target machine will automatically be selected and the communications panel displayed. Otherwise, click the DNC menu, click Send, and then pick the machine to receive the data. Press the Start button to begin the transmission. If necessary, the editor will send the start control characters and wait for the machine to respond.
The screen above shows a send operation in progress. The Estimated Finish time is wall clock, not elapsed, time. The time is calculated based on the number of characters to be transmitted and the actual character rate being achieved and will be most accurate when data flow is relatively uninterrupted. The yellow arrow icon pointing at the machine tool is highlighted when a character is transmitted.
To interrupt a transmission, click the Stop button. When you are through communicating with the machine, click the Close button and the communications panel will be removed.
The button to the right of the machine tool icon is a Highlighting button. If the machine is set up for drip feeding and the button is locked down, the block being sent is highlighted.
Receiving Data
To receive data from the remote machine, click on the DNC menu, then click on Receive and then the name of the machine that will be sending the data to the PC. The communication panel will be displayed. Click the Start button to indicate that the editor is ready to receive data. If required, the editor will transmit a start sequence to the machine at this time and wait for the machine to begin sending. If the editor is receiving data, the character count will be incremented.
In some cases, the editor has no way of knowing when the machine has finished sending. The machine will simply stop. If the delay exceeds 10 seconds, the editor will assume end-of-file and will display the following.
When the Stop button is clicked, you'll see the following for review and saving.
Receiving Data using Auto Save
Clicking the Auto Save button will allow a file name to be provided before the receive operation begins. When the file has been received it is loaded into the editor and saved using that name.
The editor assumes that a transmission delay exceeding 10 seconds denotes an end-of-file when Auto Save is used.
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