For example, all of your Windows CE-based device's serial connections are labeled with the "@" character in them. By default, DialupMaster is configured to use the "@" character as the dividing character for a submenu of all related connections. The characters that precede the "@" character act as the "main folder" for the similar connections.

You have the option to change the character if desired, though the default does integrate well with Windows CE's system connections, so I recommend using it. Peter also informed me that although the documentation doesn't indicate it clearly, "you can have multiple separator characters for the split menus, not just one. So you can use @ and some other character if you don't want @ in your own, like +, etc."

This feature may not seem that significant but I really find this feature to be very useful. My Philips Velo 500 is fortunate enough to come equipped with an internal modem and I also have a Zoom external modem for use at home. Rather than changing the device used each time I wanted to connect, I decided to create two identical connections but with one type of modem or the other. As evident in Figure C, I named one of the connections ProLog@28.8 to represent my internal modem. ProLog@33.6 represents the external modem.

FIGURE C


ProLog@28.8 uses the internal modem and ProLog@33.6 uses an external one. Roll over picture for a larger image.

In DialupMaster, as illustrated in Figure D, you can see that I have a folder named ProLog with "28.8" and "33.6" listings in it. This makes choosing the appropriate connection, whether based on location or available hardware, as easy as it can get.

FIGURE D


If dialing your ISP looks easy, that's because it is. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Login scripts
Fortunately, my ISP doesn't need a script in order for me to log in properly, though I do need one for our desktops. Unfortunately, I could not test the functionality of this part of the program simply because I had no need for a script. I've heard, though, that this works with regard to automating the CompuServe login process, so reports are that it appears to function properly.

So you can understand the functionality and need for a login script, I'll give you a brief overview. A login script is a simple text file that contains a set of connection commands. These are used to automate a certain procedure that's performed while dialing an ISP. This is most commonly used during the authentication process, where your ISP asks for your user name and password. Remote Networking, unfortunately, lacks the integrated support for login scripts, so DialupMaster is used to fill this gap.

Whether or not you need a login script usually depends on one thing. If you find that simply entering your login information into Remote Networking's designated fields and selecting Connect doesn't complete the process by itself, and have found that you must open a terminal window to manually enter it yourself, you're a victim of this extra task. This is where DialupMaster comes into play.