GateKeeper.2.1.NI.b

README.rtf

Install GateKeeper as root using the Installer package.  Configuration instructions are contained in the online NeXTHelp system. 


SUBMISSION

    GateKeeper 2.1 for ppp2.2
    GateKeeper is a graphical user interface control for ppp2.2.


RELEASE NOTES

   German localization was updated in the final Beta and
   has not been tested extensively.   

   2.1 is the last release which will support the current
   DNS based Dial on Demand.  If you want this feature you
   must download the DoD version of the 2.0 distribution.
   Future versions will be tightly integrated with ppp2.3
   and employ ppp's demand feature.

   In future releases GateKeeper will be tightly integrated
   with ppp2.3 and will therefore not be user configurable
   as a GUI frontend to other ppp packages.

   Alternate app icon animation sequences are available courtesy
   of Mark Sargent at: 
   http://www.marksargent.com/Samples/Scrap/GateKeeper.html



SUPPORT

    While this program is GNU type freeware, support for it is not.
    Comments and bug reports are always welcome, but if you would
    like support the following applies:

      1.  If you are a non-commercial user and are doing some type
          of FSF GNU or other freeware work for the UNIX community
          let me know and we'll call it even.  The same is true if 
          you provide software free to single non-commercial users 
          or if you have contributed to the creation of GateKeeper.

      2.  If you would like E-mail support please register for it 
          by sending in a one time registration fee of $20 USD.

      3.  If you would like telephone support please contact me
          via E-mail for details.


DISTRIBUTION FILES

    GateKeeper.2.1.s.tar.gz     contains a source distribution
    GateKeeper.2.1.NI.b.tar.gz  contains a binary distribution

        In addition a Dial on Demand version is available as:

    GateKeeper.2.0.DoD.s.tar.gz     source
    GateKeeper.2.0.DoD.NI.b.tar.gz  binary


OVERVIEW

    GateKeeper has the following significant features:

    --  Dial on demand (triggered by NS Apps and UNIX tools)
    --  GUI options file editor
    --  Toolbar control
    --  Inactivity timeout with sound warning.
    --  Execute and check exit status of a preLink and a
        preUnLink script prior to the respective operation.  
    --  displays pppStats
    --  Capable of auto-launching pppd using defaults or using
        information from a GateKeeper document
    --  AutoRedial if provider's line is busy.
    --  Manual Dial and login to a ppp provider without a script.
    --  Persistent connection will redial and link to your
        provider if the connection is unexpectedly dropped.
    --  Compound document format for storing information necessary 
        to access an Internet Service Provider.
    --  GUI status window.
    --  App Icon shows session time.
    --  Tri-state animated icon provides status feedback.
    --  Preferences editor simplifies editing of ppp2.2 files.
    --  Provides sound notification.
    --  Captures and displays connection information



CURRENT RELEASE

The current release of GateKeeper is version 2.1 


HISTORY

Version 2.1 -- Ninth public release
        The manual dial mechanism has been rewritten to eliminate the
        need for tip.  This was necessary to resolve a problem mentioned
        in the ppp FAQ which afflicts certain modems and ISDN adaptors
        when attempting to dial using comm programs such as tip.  Manual   
        dial should now work with all modems. 
        Double clicking a Gate doc in the Workspace no longer launches a
        ppp session. Instead, the Gate doc is opened for editing using the
        Gate doc editor.  The editor now has an integrated Link button 
        which can be used to launch a ppp session using the edited doc.
        Instead of immediate redials, GK now has a built in back-off delay
        which doubles in period each time that an attempted redial fails.
        A GUI status window option has been added.  This can be used in
        addition to or instead of the regular diagnostics window.  To
        support this functionality I've added the ability to handle Bourne
        shell like comments to chat (i.e. preceded by a #).  Comments
        embedded in a chat pppup file will be displayed in GateKeeper's
        status window.  Newly, generated Gate docs will have default
        comments.

Version 2.0 -- Eigth public release
        German translation provided by Uli Zappe, who also provided very
        helpful feedback and bug reports.  The German translation is not
        complete because I did not fully prepare GK for multilingual support.
	GateKeeper is now installed from a package.  
	Gate docs no longer require an absolute path to the chat pppup script.
	The threshold below which GateKeeper will trigger Inactivity Timeout
	can now be adjusted via GK's preferences.
	GateKeeper can now be set in preferences to use an ordinary log file as 	its IPC mechanism with pppd/syslogd. The polling technique from the 	UNIX tail command is used, although, this method is not as efficient as
	the FIFO option.
	GateKeeper can check for mail in the queue and provide an icon warning.
        Sound can be disabled in preferences.	
	The options file within a Gate doc can now be edited graphically. 
	GateKeeper now checks whether the real user has permission to access a 	file before allowing editing or Linking.  Older versions required 	hardcoding and a recompile in order to achieve this.
	preLink and preUnlink script execution prior to the respective op.

Version 1.0a -- Seventh public release
	This release became necessary because of a CERT advisory on 2/15/96 	regarding versions of BIND prior to 4.9.3.  GateKeeper recieves the 	signal to dial on demand from a slightly modified named daemon which 	runs while GateKeeper is running (if "dial on demand" is enabled in 	preferences). 

Version 1.0 -- Sixth public release
	Per suggestion of Steven J. Perkins added ToolBar.  
	Added Inactivity timeout and dial on demand.
	New graphics created with Stone Design's awesome 3D Reality.
        See the info panel.  Usual minor improvements.

Version 0.9 -- Fifth public release
	Added manual dial and login, plus minor improvements.			Thanks to Stephan Schneider for his help in debugging a problem with 	the manual dial feature and for numerous suggestions and comments.
	
Version 0.8 -- Fourth public release
	Added Auto re-dial and some minor improvements.									
Version 0.7 -- Bug fix release
	Thanks to Hanspeter Schuab for numerous suggestions, bug reports and a 	bug fix.							

Version 0.6 -- Second public release
	Numerous enchancements including .Gate doc's

Version 0.3 -- Initial release
	Thanks to Steven J. Perkins for evaluation and numerous suggestions.





Comments, bug reports and suggestions should be sent to:


Felipe A. Rodriguez
5315 Colodny st. #7
Agoura Hills, CA  91301
far@ix.netcom.com          (NeXTmail preferred)   (MIMEmail welcome)	####################################################################
These are the contents of the former NiCE NeXT User Group NeXTSTEP/OpenStep software archive, currently hosted by Netfuture.ch.