ATE Overview

The Asynchronous Terminal Emulation (ATE) program, an optional software product, enables a system to emulate a terminal on a remote system. Using ATE, you can log in to most systems that support asynchronous terminals, including any system that supports RS-232C or RS-422A connections. You can set ATE parameter values so the remote system recognizes your terminal as either an attached workstation terminal or a DEC VT100 terminal.

Setting Up ATE Overview

Before you run ATE, you must install the software and set up the ports and connections. ATE uses both direct (cabled) connections and modem connections. Local RS-232C connections allow a maximum distance of 15 meters (50 feet) between machines, and RS-422A connections allow up to 1200 meters (4000 feet) between machines.

Before you use ATE to call a remote system, be sure that the remote system's tty device is ready to accept a call. If another user on the remote system uses ATE to call your terminal, be sure your tty device is ready to accept the call.

See "Setting Up ATE" for more information about installing and setting up ATE.

Note: You must be a member of a UNIX-to-UNIX Copy Program (UUCP) group to use ATE. A user with root authority can use Web-based System Manager or the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT) to set up a UUCP group.

Customizing ATE

The first time you run ATE, the program creates an ate.def default file in the current directory. The ate.def file contains parameters the ATE program uses for:

• Data transmission characteristics
• Local system features
• Dialing directory file
• Control keys.

To change the defaults, edit the ate.def file.

If the you need to run ATE with different settings, you can maintain ate.def files in different directories. You can then run ATE from the appropriate directory depending on the settings needed for specific sessions. However, running ATE from many directories requires multiple copies of the ate.def file, which uses system storage.

See "How to Edit the ATE Default File" in AIX Version 4.3 System User's Guide: Communications and Networks for details about editing the ate.def file.

You can temporarily change settings without modifying the default file. To do this, use the alter and modify subcommands. Settings you change with the alter or modify subcommand remain in effect until you exit the program with the quit subcommand. When you exit ATE, the settings return to the defaults set in the ate.def file.

When installed, ATE uses the /usr/lib/dir system-wide dialing directory file. You can temporarily change settings in the dialing directory file for a specific modem connection. Settings changed in this way revert to the default when the connection ends, rather than when you exit ATE. A user with root authority can modify the /usr/lib/dir file to include numbers for modems used by everyone on the system. Individual users can also create their own dialing directory files and modify their copies of the ate.def file to make ATE use those directories.

"How to Set up an ATE Dialing Directory" in AIX Version 4.3 System User's Guide: Communications and Networks explains how to set up ATE to use a customized dialing directory.

You can edit the dialing directory file to include frequently used phone numbers Additionally, you can change the baud rate, data character length, stop bits, parity, echoing, and line-feeds for a phone number if these characteristics differ from the defaults. If a number is not in the directory file, you can complete the connection by using the connect subcommand.

Note: A dialing directory file can contain up to 20 lines (one entry per line). ATE ignores subsequent lines.

Changing ATE Characteristics

The following table identifies the ATE characteristics that the user can change and the appropriate methods for changing each characteristic.

Note: All ATE characteristics can be changed in the ate.def file.