Sometimes users will close TinyTERM when they’re done, instead of properly logging out of the host first. This can use up concurrent server licenses, or even corrupt the host database. For TinyTERM version 4.10 or higher, you can prevent this.

In the TinyTERM directory, you’ll find a sample script named outfirst.cs. It will work for network or modem connections, but not direct serial connections. RS232 connections actually connect only to the serial port in the PC, which then gets information from the line connecting it to the host. Logging out of the host does not end a serial connection the way it does over a network or modem.

To use outfirst.cs, open TinyTERM on the user’s PC. Go to the Edit menu and select Preferences. Next to the Application startup script line you’ll see a Browse button. Click on that and use the resulting Windows Find dialog to locate the outfirst.cs script. Select that script and click the Open button to make it the application startup script.

This will take you back to the Preferences dialog. Click the Apply and OK buttons. Go to TinyTERM’s File menu and select Save Session. The next time TinyTERM is started, a warning message will pop up whenever a user tries to close TinyTERM before logging out. TinyTERM will stay open and connected when the error is closed.

For screen-by-screen help with this configuration, please view our screencast on this topic.

There is one way around the outfirst.cs. If you shut down Windows, it bypasses the shutdown blocks running in TinyTERM.

CR 554

TERM and TinyTERM can use a cell modem, as long as the operating system recognizes it. There is only one change needed. In the modem’s configuration, set it up so that it dials without waiting for a dial tone. Otherwise the connection will fail.

On a PC using the NTFS file system, you may see “Error (1808) Could not run CSL entry point: main” from a desktop shortcut. Running TinyTERM from the Start menu works fine, though.

This is caused by an incomplete shortcut. In the shortcut properties, check the “Target” line. It should read something like this:

“C:\Program Files\Century\TinyTERM\tt.exe” -P52 default

It’s the path to the executable, then a dash option matching the first three letters of the serial number, and then the name of the .tpx file. Any other format can cause this error.

You may also need to relax security on the shortcut itself. All users must have read permission, of course. In some cases write permission is also required.

The problem does not happen on FAT or FAT32 drives. The additional security features available in NTFS contribute to this issue.

CR 270

This error means that a system somewhere in the connection sent a reset signal, which will disconnect TinyTERM or TERM. Any system from the PC to the server — and any router, firewall or gateway in between — can generate this error.

To find the source of the problem, you will need to run a packet capture utility such as Ethereal. That will show you which system is sending the reset signal. With that information you can correct the error on that system.

This is a display bug in some versions of TinyTERM 4. There is no patch to fix it.

It does not affect functionality at all, though. You can ignore the display.

This is normal. When your PC enters power save or sleep mode, it shuts down power to most peripherals. If power is lost to the network card or modem, that will cause TERM or TinyTERM to disconnect. The solution is to adjust your computer’s power save settings.

When connecting via modem, TinyTERM fails with a Windows protection error. Sometimes the error doesn’t come up until you have connected, then started typing.

This is caused by a problem with the modem driver in Windows. Update the driver and the errors should stop.

When installing a new version of TinyTERM over an older version, you will generally need to restart Windows when the install is done. Sometimes this will give a message that TinyTERM is updating DLLs, and ask you to restart the PC again. This loop doesn’t end if you keep clicking OK.

To bypass the error, cancel out of it. Uninstall all versions of TinyTERM through Add/Remove Programs, then delete the C:\Program Files\Century folder. Also delete any copies of CenLic32.dll that may be left in other folders such as C:\Windows\System32.

You will also find in Start | Programs | Startup a “Century Repair” or “Cenrep” icon. Delete that, then restart the PC. You will be able to install the new version of TinyTERM after that.

PCs without serial ports are increasingly common. If you need to make a serial connection with one, you’ll need a device that adds a serial port to the system. USB adapters are the most common.

Once the drivers for the adapter are installed, you’ll see a new serial port on your system. Configure TERM or TinyTERM to use it as you would any other device.

Some versions of TinyTERM are not compatible with all such adapters. There is no patch in that case. You will need to upgrade TinyTERM instead.

CR 509, fixed in TinyTERM 4.52

TinyTERM Plus 4.10 and higher include the SSH connection type. TinyTERM 4.1x includes only SSH1. Version 4.20 and higher include SSH2 as well. An option to specify SSH2 only at connection was added in TinyTERM Plus 4.31. Public key authentication was added in TinyTERM Plus 4.42.

For help in configuring SSH connections, you can watch screencasts on configuring password authentication and configuring RSA authentication.

In TinyTERM 4.10, the SSH option is grayed out by default. This is due to export restrictions at the time Century Software, Inc., first released the product. You can add SSH by downloading and applying this patch. Download it to a temporary directory, then run it after TinyTERM Plus Edition is installed. It will also work for TinyTERM Thin Client Edition or TinyTERM Web Server Edition version 4.10.

If you have version 4.11 or higher and SSH is grayed out, you have TinyTERM, not TinyTERM Plus. TinyTERM does not include SSH, though TinyTERM Thin Client and TinyTERM Web Server do.

SSH2 is also available in TERM for SCO UNIX and TERM for Linux version 6.28 as a command-line option. The basic command is:

term -lssh:username@host.or.IP

Replace “username” with an actual username, and “host.or.IP” with the correct hostname or IP address.

Century Software, Inc., does not provide SSH daemons for host systems. Check sites such as www.openssh.com for daemons and source code.

CR 37, SSH
CR 144, SSH2
CR 205, RSA key authentication
CR 297, TERM 6.28
CR 481, SSH2 only