The ialive Tcl application will test an Internet connection. The Internet connection is tested by using the ping command to ping a default or specified host. The response of the ping command can then be recorded into an output file and/or bbuuzzb database table.

This application uses the single user bbuuzzb database API.

Command Line Syntax

The ialive application has the following command line syntax:

   ialive [-c nn] [-b] [-q] [-p ping_dest] [l log_dest]

Where the command line option c will specify the number of ping packets to send (default is four[4]), the b option will record the stats in a bbuuzzb table (see below), the q option will run the program quietly, the p option will ping a specific host or IP address (default is www.yahoo.com) and the l (el) option will log all program output to a log file.

This program works by pinging a specific host (default host is used if no host if specified using the p switch). The results can be output to the screen, to a log file, and/or to a database table using the bbuuzzb database. You may output to any combination of these three destinations. Output to the bbuuzzb database uses the table name listed in the global constants. The data is stored where a single day is contained within a record. The field layout is as follows:

   field subfield subsubfield description

    1                        date (julian number)
    2       *         1      time (24hr, no colon)
    2       *         2      number of pings sent
    2       *         3      number of pings successfully received

Since there is no support for exec under MacOS, this program will not run under MacOS.