Hi Folks,


Just for the record: I am a Mac User.

But I believe my question is a simple UNIX FBSD question.

My problem: I need to learn how to "pick up" the telephone line and dial a number from an Unix shell or shell script execution.

My modem is at /dev/cu.modem

Why I need it?

I have an eletronic circuit in my office that is talking to a program in my computer. In case something goes wrong in the circuit, I would like my computer to dial me at my cell phone.

I have succesfullly done it using the efax command, using an AppleScript that accesses a shell via "do shell script blah, blah, blah". In fact the script tries to send me a fax at my cell phone.

I believe that there should be an Unix command built into my system that would let me to do this simple task.

Thanks for your help,


Bernardo Höhl - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

If you want to dial via a shell script perhaps echoing the AT commands to the device might work. echo "ATAH" > /dev/cu.modem. Not sure though.

Your best bet would be to find a dialer that would be used for dialing an ISP to connect the computer to the internet and modify the settings to dial your cellphone.

Google and Sourceforge.net are your best bets for that.

-Seg

Hi Seg!

Thanks for posting.

Unfortunately your "echo" tip did not work.

I have also successfully applescripted the program "Internet Connect", as you sugested. And it worked.

As I said, the best I have achieved is using built in eFax. And I believe eFax is using some resource I could be using directly... Daemon? Protocol?

But for my education, I would like to learn how to do it the right way.

Any variations I could try on echoeing?

Thanks again.

I don't think there is a 'right way', just get by with what you've got. Glad you got it to work.

-Seg

I'm not a mac user, but there are typically programs called "cu" or "tip" to do this on most versions of unix.

No manual entry for cu or tip...

Seg,

Thanks for the link. But what I meant in my last post was that I don't have cu or tip in my system.

Since you haven't taken the inititive to go out and get those programs then my best advice is to stick with what you've got.

-Seg

Are you suggesting me to download the source, compiling and installing them on my OS?

Thanks!

I didn't think of that...

I have downloaded a small app called ZTerm that is something like a terminal window to access the modem.

One very interesting thing I noticed now:

As I open the ZTerm app and another regular Terminal, each window side by side, and I type on the regular terminal window:

# echo "ATDT0," > /dev/cu.modem

and hit enter

The "ATDT0," appears on the ZTerm window. That means that my device is "listening" to my echo command. Right?

As I go back to ZTerm window, and hit enter, I mean just enter, not the entire command line, the modem dials "zero".

I think my dificulty is to include the enter in the "ATDT0," string, using the regular terminal window.

I tried (on the regular terminal window) placing a "\" just after the comma, and including an "enter" in the string, but this only caused the carrier to move one line down in the ZTerm window.

I guess I can do it once I can input the "enter" in the modem string.

Any clues?

Didnt you already solve this whole issue by using the dialer built into your Apple OS?

Why are you beating a dead horse?

Just want to understand the OS's mechanisms, want to learn.

GUI solutions are not as robust as shell solutions...

A simple screensaver can ruin a GUI solution sometimes.

Please forgive for being so persistent.