ShowTrace - FastSync Trace File Translator

[Print these pages off for reference]

The SHOWTRC.EXE program will be found on your floppy disk.  It is not normally installed onto your hard disk during the installation process since it is used so infrequently.  If you need this program copy it from your floppy disk to your hard disk into the same directory as your other 3780 programs.

When communications problems seem to be occurring between two parties the situation can be analyzed in great detail (hex bit-by-bit) through the use of CTI's TRACE.EXE program(1).  However, many problems can be avoided in the first place by proper site preparation(2).  Nevertheless, looking at the results of a trace file can be confusing because all it shows are a bunch of numbers.  So, in order to take some of the confusion out of this process, CTI developed another program called SHOWTRC.EXE.  It's call showtrc because the program allows you to show a trace file to your screen. SHOWTRC is located in the same directory where you have FastSync 3780 located.

The Syntax to use the program is:  SHOWTRC TRACE.FIL [the command and file are not case sensitive].  Obviously, before you try and us this program you will need to have a trace file(1).

SHOWTRC InputFile Options

Where InputFile is the name of the trace file.  Options can be:

nnnn  [translates the first nnnn lines of the file]

nnnn-NNNN  [translates lines nnnn through NNNN]

/A  [binary data is ASCII - translate it]

/E  [binary data is EBCDIC - translate it]
Each translated byte usually takes only one character position.   Space characters are left blank.  Protocol characters are translated to mnemonics as follows:

Symbol

sy
eq
dl
a0
al
wk
nk
sx
sh
ir
is
eb
ex
et
sc
rv
§§

Meaning of Symbol

Sync Character
Enquiry
Data Link Escape
Even Acknowledgement (when preceded by dl)
Odd Acknowledgement (when preceded by dl)
Wait Acknowledgement
Negative Acknowledgement
Start of Text
Start of Header
Inter record Separator
Inter Unit Separator (2780 IRS)
End of Block
End of Text (End of File Marker]
End of Transmission
Space Compression Flag (followed by count in next byte)
Reverse Interrupt
Non Printable Character

The first couple of entries in the trace.fil don't mean too much - the modems are trying to connect, and you might get a little "junk" coming in.  The important information begins when you see 32 32 32 2D FF FF in the trace file.  In the SHOWTRC file, you will see these 6 bytes translated to: sy sy sy eq [space] [space].  This indicates that you have a connection.  Now your data can start to flow unless there is problem.  When a good data transmission is finished, it ends with a 32 32 32 37 FF.  Translated: sy sy sy et [space].

Summary of a "normal" start and end of a data transmission.  Information in Bold or within brackets [ ] is our explanation and not part of the trace per se:

A Normal Start Trace file XMT  32 32 32 2D FF FF

Translation:  SY SY SY EQ [space] [space]  This is like a question.  Sync, Sync, Sync - Can we sync-up?
Normal Beginning Trace File RCV: 32 32 32 37 FF 

Translation:  10 70 FF FF FF 30  Yes, I got your Sync, Sync, Sync, we're ready.  Start sending.
A Normal End Trace File XMT: 32  32 32 37 FF 

Translation:  SY SY SY 37 ET  OK.  I'm done.  Bye.

 

Here's an example of a normal trace file...
27:35 [Note - This is time in minute and seconds]
RCV  0006 8E5F 003B [getting data from host to sync-up the modems]
38 0D 45 30 51 30 

28:78
RCV  0004 8E5F 0080 [getting data to sync-up modems]
38 0D 45 30 

28:99
XMT  0006 0262 0020 [looking good, I'll give it a try]
32 32 32 2D FF FF 

31:74
RCV  0004 8E5F 0080 [sorry, doesn't look good - try again]
38 0D 45 30 

31:96
XMT  0006 0262 0020 [OK, how do you like this?]
32 32 32 2D FF FF 

31:96
RCV  0006 8E5F 0039 [that's better! Go ahead and send me your data]
10 70 FF FF FF 30 

32:46
XMT  020A 13E3 0020 [this is a block of data being transmitted]
32 32 10 02 4D 5A 60 01 32 00 24 02 8B 00 13 02 
13 02 02 07 B8 0B 00 00 B6 26 00 00 1C 00 00 00 
32 00 00 00 4A 00 00 00 6B 00 00 00 84 00 00 00 
51 01 00 00 6D 01 00 00 7B 01 00 00 8A 01 00 00 
AC 01 00 00 B3 01 00 00 C1 01 00 00 D7 01 00 00 
E5 01 00 00 F7 01 00 00 01 02 00 00 0F 02 00 00 
1D 02 00 00 36 02 00 00 4E 02 00 00 58 02 00 00 
76 02 00 00 80 02 00 00 9E 02 00 00 A8 02 00 00 
C3 02 00 00 DC 02 00 00 ED 02 00 00 03 03 00 00 
20 03 00 00 60 03 00 00 BC 03 00 00 EA 03 00 00 
0E 04 00 00 2B 04 00 00 39 04 00 00 4B 04 00 00 
6A 04 00 00 78 04 00 00 8A 04 00 00 D6 04 00 00 
06 05 00 00 19 05 00 00 25 05 00 00 3E 05 00 00 
0A 06 00 00 82 06 00 00 D3 06 00 00 F4 06 00 00 
15 07 00 00 2A 08 00 00 45 08 00 00 50 08 00 00 
55 08 00 00 5A 08 00 00 74 08 00 00 93 08 00 00 
B0 08 00 00 BF 08 00 00 CA 08 00 00 CF 08 00 00 
D4 08 00 00 F1 08 00 00 FF 08 00 00 0A 09 00 00 
0F 09 00 00 14 09 00 00 24 09 00 00 29 09 00 00 
2E 09 00 00 27 0A 00 00 2C 0A 00 00 3E 0A 00 00 
43 0A 00 00 48 0A 00 00 5A 0A 00 00 5F 0A 00 00 
64 0A 00 00 6E 0A 00 00 73 0A 00 00 85 0A 00 00 
8A 0A 00 00 8F 0A 00 00 A1 0A 00 00 A6 0A 00 00 
AB 0A 00 00 B5 0A 00 00 BA 0A 00 00 F7 0A 00 00 
1B 0B 00 00 20 0B 00 00 41 0B 00 00 46 0B 00 00 
4B 0B 00 00 50 0B 00 00 56 0B 00 00 7E 0B 00 00 
89 0B 00 00 94 0B 00 00 99 0B 00 00 9E 0B 00 00 
B7 0B 00 00 BC 0B 00 00 CA 0B 00 00 B8 0E 00 00 
BD 0E 00 00 C2 0E 00 00 D4 0E 00 00 D9 0E 00 00 
DE 0E 00 00 F3 0E 00 00 F8 0E 00 00 FD 0E 00 00 
0F 0F 00 00 14 0F 00 00 19 0F 00 00 23 0F 00 00 
28 0F 00 00 3A 0F 00 00 3F 0F 00 00 44 0F 00 00 
56 0F 00 00 10 26 BE 9E FF FF 

32:46
RCV  0006 8E5F 0039 [the last block is acknowledged]
10 61 FF FF FF 30 

 [At this point, we deleted some of the data to shorten this example]

00:58
RCV  0006 8E5F 0039 [OK. Got it.]
10 61 FF FF FF 30 

00:80
XMT  0005 0272 0020 [bye, bye.]
32 32 32 37 FF

 

Session data using the SHOWTRC program.  Line numbers are included within the program starting with line 0 at 27 minutes and 35 seconds into the session...

0 27:35

1 RECEIVE 0006 Bytes Carrier Detect: ON Checksum: OK Receive OK

2 8  E 0 Q 0

3 38 0D 45 30 51 30

4 28:78 5

5 RECEIVE 0004 Bytes Carrier Detect: OFF  Checksum: OK Receive Timeout

6 8  E 0

7 38 0D 45 30

8 28:99

9 TRANSMIT 0006 Bytes CTS: ON Carrier Detect: OFF Transmit OK

10 sy sy sy eq

11 32 32 32 2D FF FF

12 31:74

13 RECEIVE 0004 Bytes Carrier Detect: OFF Checksum: OK Receive Timeout

14 8  E 0

15 38 0D 45 30

16 31:96

17 TRANSMIT 0006 Bytes CTS: ON Carrier Detect: OFF Transmit OK

18 sy sy sy eq

19 32 32 32 2D FF FF

20 31:96

21 RECEIVE 0006 Bytes Carrier Detect: ON Checksum: OK Receive OK

22 dl a0

23 10 70 FF FF FF 30

24 32:46

25 TRANSMIT 0522 Bytes CTS: ON Carrier Detect: OFF Transmit OK

26 32 32 10 02 4D 5A 60 01 32 00 24 02 8B 00 13 02
27 13 02 02 07 B8 0B 00 00 B6 26 00 00 1C 00 00 00
28 32 00 00 00 4A 00 00 00 6B 00 00 00 84 00 00 00
29 51 01 00 00 6D 01 00 00 7B 01 00 00 8A 01 00 00
30 AC 01 00 00 B3 01 00 00 C1 01 00 00 D7 01 00 00
31 E5 01 00 00 F7 01 00 00 01 02 00 00 0F 02 00 00
32 1D 02 00 00 36 02 00 00 4E 02 00 00 58 02 00 00
33 76 02 00 00 80 02 00 00 9E 02 00 00 A8 02 00 00
34 C3 02 00 00 DC 02 00 00 ED 02 00 00 03 03 00 00
35 20 03 00 00 60 03 00 00 BC 03 00 00 EA 03 00 00
36 0E 04 00 00 2B 04 00 00 39 04 00 00 4B 04 00 00
37 6A 04 00 00 78 04 00 00 8A 04 00 00 D6 04 00 00
38 06 05 00 00 19 05 00 00 25 05 00 00 3E 05 00 00
39 0A 06 00 00 82 06 00 00 D3 06 00 00 F4 06 00 00
40 15 07 00 00 2A 08 00 00 45 08 00 00 50 08 00 00
41 55 08 00 00 5A 08 00 00 74 08 00 00 93 08 00 00
42 B0 08 00 00 BF 08 00 00 CA 08 00 00 CF 08 00 00
43 D4 08 00 00 F1 08 00 00 FF 08 00 00 0A 09 00 00
44 0F 09 00 00 14 09 00 00 24 09 00 00 29 09 00 00
45 2E 09 00 00 27 0A 00 00 2C 0A 00 00 3E 0A 00 00
46 43 0A 00 00 48 0A 00 00 5A 0A 00 00 5F 0A 00 00
47 64 0A 00 00 6E 0A 00 00 73 0A 00 00 85 0A 00 00
48 8A 0A 00 00 8F 0A 00 00 A1 0A 00 00 A6 0A 00 00
49 AB 0A 00 00 B5 0A 00 00 BA 0A 00 00 F7 0A 00 00
50 1B 0B 00 00 20 0B 00 00 41 0B 00 00 46 0B 00 00
51 4B 0B 00 00 50 0B 00 00 56 0B 00 00 7E 0B 00 00
52 89 0B 00 00 94 0B 00 00 99 0B 00 00 9E 0B 00 00
53 B7 0B 00 00 BC 0B 00 00 CA 0B 00 00 B8 0E 00 00
54 BD 0E 00 00 C2 0E 00 00 D4 0E 00 00 D9 0E 00 00
55 DE 0E 00 00 F3 0E 00 00 F8 0E 00 00 FD 0E 00 00
56 0F 0F 00 00 14 0F 00 00 19 0F 00 00 23 0F 00 00
57 28 0F 00 00 3A 0F 00 00 3F 0F 00 00 44 0F 00 00
58 56 0F 00 00 10 26 BE 9E FF FF
59 32:46


[At this point, we deleted some of the data to shorten this example]

60 RECEIVE 0006 Bytes Carrier Detect: ON Checksum: OK Receive OK

61 dl a1

62 10 61 FF FF FF 30

2144 00:58

2145 RECEIVE 0006 Bytes Carrier Detect: ON Checksum: OK Receive OK

2146 dl a1

2147 10 61 FF FF FF 30

2148 00:80

2149 TRANSMIT 0005 Bytes CTS: ON Carrier Detect: OFF Transmit OK

2150 sy sy sy et

2151 32 32 32 37 FF

(1) To see how to add the Trace File capability to your program click here (note - this is a big file)

(2) Site Preparation for 3780 to avoid unnecessary communication problems

For Tables covering ASCII & EBCDIC codes, Click Here.