Modem status monitor for Linux

this script creates a small icon on the desktop, which shows which program (if any) currently uses modem. It also provides a button which, if phone is free, sends signal to mgetty to pick up data or fax call, otherwise sends HUP to current program which uses modem.

Script is intended to use in xdm environment and should be started from Xsetup_0, in which case it

  1. run as root, so it is able to send signals to mgetty and pppd
  2. appears on the screen even if nobody is logged in, which might be useful for home machines and small offices.
Script is linux-specific, becouse it reads /proc filesystem. Script requires tcl 8.0 or higher. Appropriate version of TclX is reccomended, but if none available, script would use external /bin/kill.

Possible future enhancemend

  1. Add ability to create lock-file by script itself. It would allow to reserve phone line for voice call, even if, say pppd is trying to dial out.
  2. Show number of active TCP connections if current modem user is ppp
  3. Accumulate statistics, how long and which program uses the modem.
  4. Show peer FIDOnet/uucp address if current modem user is ifcico or uucp. Also show if FIDO/uucp link is incoming or outgoing (need somebody with incoming fidonet calls or uucp setup to debug)