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Install GateKeeper as root using the Installer package. Configuration instructions are contained in the online NeXTHelp system.
If you are building GateKeeper from source, building the app target will generate the Installer package.
Proper operation of Dial on Demand under NeXTStep requires a local nameserver. See the named man page for details.
SUBMISSION
GateKeeper 3.0 Beta 4
GateKeeper 3.0 is an integrated GUI control and PPP package.
CHANGES IN Beta 4
Loading of LKS's from ordinary user accounts has been fixed.
Dial on Demand can be disabled, connection is then via the
tools->start pppd menu item. Numerous minor enhancements.
CHANGES IN Beta 3
Installation of this Beta should now be possible without 2.1.
Some new sounds courtesy of Randi Joseph.
Fixed bug in daemon's redial if password is rejected.
GateKeeper now auto loads LKS and BPF if these are not loaded.
CHANGES IN Beta 2
Fixed threading bug in GateKeeper.app (app would hang).
RELEASE NOTES
This is an early, experimental Beta. Minimal testing has been
done on Intel hardware running 4.2 User with a SupraSonic modem.
Building the source distribution requires NS 3.2/3.3 Developer.
It should work with NS 3.2->4.2 User. This release is self
contained and will not affect prior releases of GateKeeper or
PPP if you install it in a different folder.
In this release GateKeeper and the integrated PPP daemon
communicate in a peer to peer fashion as necessary via Mach
RPC (prior releases parsed the PPP log stream). This allows
GateKeeper to dynamically alter the behavior of the running
PPP daemon. The current Beta only implements a subset of the
planned RPC so many things require the user to stop and start
the PPP daemon (from GK) in order for changes to take effect.
Central to the operation of this release is "Dial on demand"
which I have enabled in the PPP daemon. This allows GateKeeper
and the PPP daemon to provide the functionality of previous
releases while operating independently of each other. For
example, if GateKeeper is restarted while a PPP daemon is
active it will contact the daemon and resume the peer to peer
relationship.
The integrated PPP package is based on the NeXT 2.3.1 release
of the free PPP as ported by Steve Perkins and others.
Significant changes include:
GateKeeper.app
Architecture has been extensively reworked to support the
new model of operation.
Preferences now consists of dynamically loaded bundles.
PostPPP script execution upon termination of GK and daemon.
PPP daemon
Dial on demand has been enabled.
Mach RPC and communications server thread added.
chat
Slight mod to overcome cheese ball NeXT POSIX support.
Capture and reporting of connection speed via Mach RPC.
PPP LKS
nb_shrink_top reset per 0.4.5 kernel.
BUGS
A local nameserver is required for proper operation of
dial on demand. A caching only configuration is ideal.
If you are using the GK 2.1 stable release you must switch
the PPP log from a FIFO to a file in GK 2.1's preferences.
If you want old Gate docs to report connection speed you
must add a line to your pppup file like: "REPORT CARRIER".
See the enclosed example doc.
The documentation does not reflect this Beta release.
German localization has been removed from this Beta.
DISTRIBUTION FILES
GateKeeper.3.0.Beta.4.s.tar.gz contains a source distribution
GateKeeper.3.0.Beta.4.NI.b.tar.gz contains a binary distribution
SUPPORT
My ability to provide support is very limited. Should you
require assistance I will expect you to have the current
stable release (2.1) running on your system. During the Beta
period I will provide support without charge to those testing
the Beta. Upon final release the following will apply:
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.
FEATURES
-- Dial on demand.
-- Manual Dial and login to a ppp provider without a script.
-- Compound document format for storing information necessary
to access an Internet Service Provider.
-- GUI document editor (partially implemented)
-- Toolbar control
-- Idle timeout with sound warning.
-- Execute and check exit status of a preLink and a
preUnLink script prior to the respective operation.
-- displays pppStats
-- Redial.
-- App Icon session timer.
-- Tri-state animated icon provides status feedback.
-- Captures and displays connection information
CURRENT RELEASE
The current Beta release of GateKeeper is version 3.0 Beta 4
The current stable release of GateKeeper is version 2.1
HISTORY
Version 3.0 -- Tenth public release
GateKeeper's architecture has been extensively reworked.
GateKeeper 3.0 contains an integrated ppp package. GateKeeper
and the ppp daemon communicate as necessary via Mach RPC.
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.