lxtools(1)

NAME

LX tools - a set of utilities to access files on the HP100LX/HP200LX palmtop computers

SYNOPSIS

lxdir [<opt>] [<directory name>|<file name>]
lxcopy [<opt>] [-r] [-a] [-o] <source> {<source>} <destination>
lxdel [<opt>] <file name>
lxmkdir [<opt>] <directory name>
lxrmdir [<opt>] <directory name>

where <opt> can be: [-1|-2|-3|...|-8] [-b <baud>]

DESCRIPTION

LXtools is a set of utilities that let you access files and directories on the HP100LX and HP200LX palmtop computers using a serial line. In order to use the LX tools, you need to connect your palmtop with the Unix machine using a serial cable. Then, you have to launch Filer on the palmtop and adjust the communication options in the "Communications/Remote Settings..." dialog of Filer to 38400 baud, Com1 and server mode enabled. That's it.

lxdir displays the contents of a directory on the palmtop. lxcopy copies one or more files from the Unix system to the palmtop or the other way round. lxdel deletes a file on the palmtop. lxmkdir creates a new directory on the palmtop. If you tell it to create a:/b/c/d/e/f and any of the directories b, c, d or e do not exist, it creates them on the fly. lxrmdir deletes a directory on the palmtop.

OPTIONS

-1, -2, -3 ... -8

sets serial line 1, 2, 3 ... 8, respectively. Default is -1.

-b <baudrate>

sets the baud rate to <baudrate>. Default is 38400.

-r

tells lxcopy to recursively enter directories and, thus, copy all files in all subdirectories too.

-a

tells lxcopy to only copy files from the LX that have the archive bit set. The archive bit is set whenever you modify a file. It can be cleared using the ATTRIB command (see ATTRIB /?).

-o

tells lxcopy to not overwrite already existing files when copying from the LX.

EXAMPLES

lxdir c:/_dat

displays the contents of the C:\_DAT directory of the palmtop.

lxdir "c:/_dat/*.env"

displays all .ENV files in the C:\_DAT directory. Note that quotes are needed so that the wildcards are not expanded locally.

lxcopy a:/bin/gaga.com gugu.com

copies the file A:\BIN\GAGA.COM from the palmtop to the current directory of the Linux system and names it 'gugu.com'

lxcopy a:/bin/gaga.com .

copies the file A:\BIN\GAGA.COM from the palmtop to the current directory of the Linux system and names it 'GAGA.COM'

lxcopy a:/bin .

copies all files from the A:\BIN directory of the palmtop to the current directory on the Linux system.

lxcopy "a:/bin/*.com" a:/util/gaga.exe /usr/local/test

copies all .COM files from the A:\BIN directory of the palmtop and the file A:\UTIL\GAGA.EXE to the /usr/local/test directory on the Linux system.

lxcopy gaga.c a:/trash/gugu.c

copies the file gaga.c from the current directory of the Linux system to A:\TRASH\GUGU.C on the palmtop.

lxcopy gaga.c a:/trash

copies the file gaga.c from the current directory of the Linux system to A:\TRASH\GAGA.C on the palmtop.

lxcopy ../*.c *.c c:/src

copies all .c files in the current directory and the parent directory of the Linux system to the C:\SRC directory on the palmtop.

lxcopy -r a: /usr/backup/hp/a

copies all files on drive A: to /usr/backup/hp/a and creates subdirectories on the fly.

lxcopy -r /usr/backup/hp/a a:

copies all files in all subdirectories of /usr/backup/hp/a to drive a: and creates subdirectories on the fly.

lxcopy -r -a a:/data /usr/backup/hp/a

copies all files in all subdirectories of a: that have the archive bit set.

lxdel c:/test.txt

deletes the file C:\TEST.TXT.

lxmkdir c:/gugus

creates the directory C:\GUGUS on the palmtop.

lxrmdir c:/gugus

deletes the directory C:\GUGUS on the palmtop.

NOTES

lxcopy finds out from where to where you want to copy by looking for a ':' in the specified path. Therefore, a path on the LX must always have a drive specified.

All path names use the '/' character. Do not use a '\' even for files on the palmtop.

If you have problems with transfering files, you can try a lower baud rate. Set your palmtop, e.g., to 19200 baud and run the LX tools with the "-b 19200" option.

ENVIRONMENT

The device name and number as well as the baud rate can be overriden by environment variables. If these variables are set, the corresponding command line options are ignored:

LXTOOLS_LINE

specifies the device to be used, e.g. "/dev/ttya".

LXTOOLS_BAUD

specifies the baud rate to be used, e.g. "9600".

Also the tools normally send their output to STDERR, but this behavior can be overriden with another environment variable:

LXTOOLS_STDOUT

if it exists and is not empty will cause output to be sent to STDOUT; also ensures that all tools give an exit code of 0.

DIAGNOSTICS

If you see the message "Cannot open /dev/ttyS0", most probably you have no permissions to access the serial line device. It might be owned by root and has read/write access only by the owner for security reasons. If you do not intend to use this serial port for logging in into your machine, just change the permissions as root using: "chmod o+rw /dev/ttyS0".

If the serial port behaves "strangely", e.g. if the permissions suddenly are altered again or the baud rate is reset automatically, you most likely have a "getty" running on the serial port. Check the file /etc/inittab or /etc/ttytab. You have to either stop getty running on that port or choose a different port for the connection to the palmtop.

BUGS

Unknown. Probably none :-)

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 1995 by A. Garzotto. Portions Copyright 1995 by "The PAL Group". All rights reserved.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to thank the contributors to the PAL (Palmtop Application Library) who provided the basic routines the LX tools use. A special thank to Harry Konstas who "hacked" the communication format the HP Filer application uses.

Andreas Garzotto, December 1995

This man page was updated to add information about the LXTOOLS_STDOUT environment variable option in version 1.1a-Tk

Peter Watkins, August 1999