Creating a Login Script

• What is a script file?
• What is a login script file?
• How do I tell PC Access for Windows to play a login script file?
• How do I tell PC Access for Windows to let me log in to my MLS manually?
• How do I tell if PC Access for Windows is playing a login script file when I call my MLS?
• How do I learn to write script files?
• Does PC Access for Windows have any special script commands that it uses only in login script files?
• How do I create a login script file to use with my MLS?

What is a script file?

What is a login script file?

How do I tell PC Access for Windows to play a login script file?

1. Click the Setup Menu button on the PC Access for Windows Main Menu window.
2. Click the Advanced button on the Setup Assistant window.
3. Click the MLS Setup button on the Advanced Setup Menu window.
4. Click the Pick button to the right of the Login Script File field.
5. Highlight a script file on the Open file selector window. Click the OK button to select the file to be your Login Script File.
6. Click the OK button to close the MLS Setup window.

How do I tell PC Access for Windows to let me log in to my MLS manually

How do I tell if PC Access for Windows is playing a login script file when I call my MLS?

How do I learn to write script files?

And, of course, read this document.

Does PC Access for Windows have any special script commands that it uses only in login script files?

• MLS_LOGIN
  • The value in the MLS Login Name field on the Agent Setup window for the current agent.
• MLS_PASSWORD
  • The value in the MLS Password field on the Agent Setup window for the current agent.

Consider an example: here is a version of MASTER.SCR, a login script file that works with many (but not all) BORIS Master Systems:

// PC-Access Master System Login Script File	    05-MAY-95
//
// This script performs the login function for Master Systems
//
// *************************************************************

label START;

send "^M";
delay 500;
send "^M";
delay 200;
send "^M";
delay 200;
send "login boris^M";
wait 20000 for "Name:" timeout goto TIMEOUT;
send "^!MLS_LOGIN^M";
wait 20000 for "assword" timeout goto TIMEOUT;
send "^!MLS_PASSWORD^M";
wait 20000 for "PHOTOCOM/MAC" timeout goto TIMEOUT;
send "2^M";
wait 20000 for "Color" timeout goto TIMEOUT;
send "2^M";
wait 20000 for "Okidata" timeout goto TIMEOUT;
send "1^M";
exit;

label TIMEOUT;                      // Timeout occurred, notify program and end

messagebox title "Login Failed" text "You will have to log in manually.";
exit;

• The first five lines are comment lines. PC Access ignores everything to the right of the comment character sequence (//).
• label START;
  • Every PC Access script file must have at least one label statement before any script commands other than #include, #define , or comments. This particular label statement has no function other than to satisfy this requirement.
• The next six lines contain three pairs of send and delay statements. Each send statement sends Ctrl-M to the MLS. This has the same effect as though you had typed the Enter key to the MLS. The delay statements pause briefly. These lines simulate you pressing the Enter key three times.
• send "login boris^M";
  • This command simulates you typing:

    login boris

    and pressing the Enter key. When you do this manually, the MLS prompts you for your login name. The next script command waits for a portion of the prompt string that the MLS sends you. If the string doesn't arrive within 20 seconds,

• wait 20000 for "Name:" timeout goto TIMEOUT;
  • This command tells PC Access to wait 20 seconds for the MLS to send the string: Name:. Remember, the wait command does not have to wait for the all the prompt text you expect the MLS to send. In fact, it's better to use a fairly small portion of the prompt text. That way your script has a better chance of working if your MLS provider decides to change their prompt text.
  • If the string does not arrive in 20 seconds, the timeout option tells PC Access to skip ahead in the script file to the statement:

    label TIMEOUT;

    The statement after this label contains a messagebox command. It displays an error.

• send "^!MLS_LOGIN^M";
  • If the previous wait command succeeds (i.e., the MLS sends Name: within 20 seconds), this command tells PC Access to send the current agent's MLS Login Name to the MLS.
  • The ^! at the start of the macro name tells PC Access to regard the next word as a macro name. PC Access then translates the macro name into its value, and sends the value to the MLS. If you did not type the ^!, PC Access would send the name of the macro instead of its value.
• The following four wait and send commands complete the remaining login steps.