---
name: "xdialdcost"
section: "1x"
platform: "linux"
package: "dialdcost"
version: "0.2-1"
release: "Debian 2.2 (Potato)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xdialdcost"
---

# xdialdcost(1x)

monitor the state of DIALD

## NAME

xdialdcost - monitor the state of DIALD

## SYNOPSIS

**xdialdcost** \[-file PATH\] \[-fifo PATH\] \[-commch PATH\] \[-cost VALUE\] \[-unit UNIT\]\

## DESCRIPTION

**dialdcost** Calculate and display cost for a connection made with the DIALD program.

All given files are parsed in turn, and each given cost and unit applied to that file to calculate the cost.

If no options are given, then the default log file is read and the cost calculated from default values. Values are formatted according to locale, as specified in the wg15 locale data.

After calculating the cost, the program will put up an X display with the status of the current connection, and try to monitor it.  It will display a series of buttons, and labels, each label actively displaying the status of various states within diald.

## OPTIONS

- **-file**

  Parses the file given by *PATH* and calculates the the cost of connections logged in the file, with the cost and unit it knows to this point.

- **-fifo**

  Uses the file given by *PATH* as a fifo pipe the read values from diald through.  This path can be created in advance (and is adviceable) and the permissions set so as to ascertain that the two programs can communicate through it, without outer hindrance.

- **-commch**

  The file given by *PATH* is the channel diald has created as its fifo pipe.  This channel is created by diald, and the program expects to be able to send commands to diald through this pipe.

- **-unit**

  Set the units for each cost to *UNIT* seconds.  This value will be the global value used in any subsequent calculations.

- **-cost**

  Set the cost for each unit to *COST* dollars or cents :-) As with **-unit** This will set the global value used in any subsequent calculations.

  The dialog that is displayed on the startup of the program, has a series of buttons.  The meaning of this information is described in **[diald(8)](/diald/8.md)** man page.  A series of buttons are provided to give access to diald through the command channel fifo, these are.

- **Up/Down**

  Will force the link up, if it is currently down.  And Down if it is currently up.  The state of the link will be reflected in the button, and should be identical to the label *State.* Before issueing the **up** command, the program will issue a **unblock** command, to ensure the channel will be braught up, even if it has been blocked by previous errors on the link.

- **Block/Unblock**

  Will send the Block command to diald, and if a block command has been sent, the button will display 'Unblock' to allow the channel to be unblocked.

- **Force/Unforce**

  As for *Block/Unblock* This gives access to the force/unforce command of diald.  That will force the link to be in its state, or turn that forcing off.

- **Reset**

  This command will force diald to reset the communications line, and reread the setup files.

- **Monitor**

  When traffic is high, diald may decide to stop monitoring to keep up with the traffic.  This button will ask diald to continue the monitoring, after it has shut it down.

  As with dialdcost, the program needs information about the logging that diald uses.  This is usually site specific, so it is possible to define these options in a file, that is either global for the site or in the users home directory.  They are read in turn, the users file **~/.diald-cost.conf** first, and if that one doesn't exit the global configuration is tried **/etc/diald-cost.conf** if neither produce possible options, then built-in values are used.

  For the keywords of this file, see *dialdcost* man page.

## BUGS

Diald can have a hickup on the pipe, which can come out as if the pipe is behind schedule.

## TODO

```
Add option to make the calculation refer to site.
Add ability to exclude Dec 25th.
Add the use of lesstif library
```

## AUTHOR

**dialdcost** Was written in 1997, by Ørn E. Hansen to provide a simple command to calculate the connection cost by dial on demand connections, with DIALD.

## FILES

```
/var/log/diald.log      - The default log file
/var/log/diald.fifo     - The default command channel.
/etc/diald-cost.conf    - Site global specifications file
~/.diald-cost.conf      - Specifications file in users home directory
```

## SEE ALSO

**[diald(8)](/diald/8.md)** **[dialdcost(1)](/dialdcost/1.md)**