MSAAAA.HLP                    MS-DOS KERMIT                     January 1990

This file explains the organization and naming conventions used for the MS-DOS
Kermit files at Kermit Distribution, Columbia University, as they appear on
magnetic tapes and on the network.  The MS-DOS Kermit distribution diskette
uses simpler names, like KERMIT.EXE, KERMIT.HLP, etc.  This disk also contains
a READ.ME file, which is kept in Kermit Distribution as MSVIBM.DSK.  Be sure
to read it.

MS-DOS Kermit Distribution file names are all in the following form:

    MScxxx.typ

The file name should be no longer than six characters, the file type is 3 or
less.  MS is the common prefix for all the file names.

"c" is a single-letter code that categorizes the file:

  A - General information, "read me" files, etc. (like this file)
  B - Files related to Bootstrapping, .BOO file creation and decoding
  F - File-related utilities
  G - Source code for Graphics terminal emulation
  I - Initialization, command, or script files to be read by Kermit
  K - General program documentation (Kermit User Guide chapter, etc)
  O - Like V, but for an Old version
  P - Printer-related files and utilities
  R - Release notes
  S - System-independent Source code (.ASM, .H)
  T - Like V, but for a Test version
  U - System-dependent keyboard handling code, utilities, documentation
  V - Binaries, .BOO files, documentation, etc, for a particular Version
  X - System-dependent source code & related documentation
  Y - System-dependent terminal emulation code
  Z - More system-dependent terminal emulation code (if MSYxxx too big)

"xxx" is a 3 letter code to designate which system an MSG, MSU, MSV, MSX, MSY,
or MSZ file applies to:

  AAA - An information file
  AP3 - NEC APC-3
  APC - NEC APC
  APR - ACT Apricot
  DM2 - DECmate II or III with MS-DOS Option
  GEN - "Generic" MS-DOS (DOS calls only)
  GRI - Grid Compass II
  HP1 - HP-150
  HPX - HP-110 and HP Portable Plus
  IBM - IBM PC and PS/2 families
  MBC - Sanyo MBC-550
  P98 - NEC PC 9801 (Japanese Kana/Kanji version)
  RB1 - DEC Rainbow-100 series
  RB2 - DEC Rainbow-100 series (special VT220 emulating version)
  RMX - Intel 300 Series with iRMX-86
  SEE - Seequa Chameleon
  TIP - Texas Instruments Professional
  V90 - Victor 9000 (Sirius 1)
  V9T - Victor 9000 (Sirius 1) with Tektronix emulation
  WNG - Wang PC
  Z10 - Heath/Zenith 100
(Others may be added as time goes on.)

"typ" is the file type, e.g.

  ASM - Assembler source (for Microsoft or IBM Assembler)
  H   - An assembler header file (included at assembly time)
  C   - A C language source file (e.g. Lattice C)
  BAS - A Basic language source (e.g. Microsoft Basic)
  BOO - An .EXE file encoded into printable characters for bootstrapping 
  BWR - A "beware" file - list of known bugs or limitations
  HLP - A help file
  DOC - A longer documentation file
  ED  - A program edit history file (detailed)
  PS  - Documentation in Postscript format, for laser printer
  MSS - Scribe text formatter source for a HLP or DOC file
  INI - An initialization or command file to be read by Kermit
  SCR - An MS-DOS Kermit script command file
  BAT - An MS-DOS Batch file (e.g. for building MS-DOS Kermit from source)
  MAK - A "makefile" for Microsoft or other MAKE program
  LNK - An MS-DOS Linker command file
  UPD - A program update history file
  TRM - A UNIX termcap entry to match the program's terminal emulator
  PIF - MS-Windows PIF-file construction instructions
  DSK - A listing of the files on a particular MS-Kermit distribution disk

Documentation:

As of version 3.0, MS-DOS Kermit is described in "Using MS-DOS Kermit", by
Christine M.  Gianone, published by Digital Press, Bedford, MA, 1990, order
number EY-C204E-DP.  The book includes a 5.25-inch MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 diskette.
To order, call 1-800-343-8321 (USA, toll free).  It is also available from
Kermit Distribution at Columbia University and wherever computer books are
sold.  There is also copious online documentation in the form of .HLP, .BWR,
.UPD and similar files.

Bootstrapping:

Getting MS-DOS Kermit onto an MS-DOS system initially when you don't have a
diskette to read it from, but you do have it on line on another computer...  is
called "bootstrapping."  The method used with MS-DOS Kermit is to download
(somehow) a version of the appropriate .EXE (executable binary) file that has
been encoded in all printable characters by the MSBMKB program into a ".BOO
file" (short for bootstrap).  The BOO file is then decoded on the PC using a
short Basic (or C, or Pascal, or other) program.

 MSBAAA.HLP   A brief explanation of the bootstrapping files and procedures
 MSBMKB.C     The "BOO File Maker" (runs on MS-DOS Systems with Lattice C)
 MSBMKB.BOO   BOO file based on MSBMKB.EXE generated from MSBMKB.C
 MSBMKB.*     There are also versions of MSBMKB in assembler, Fortran, etc.
 MSBPCT.BAS   Like MSBPCB.BAS, but assumes the BOO file is already downloaded
 MSBPCT.C     Like MSBPCT.BAS, but written in C for speed
 MSBPCT.BOO   BOO file formed from MSBPCT.EXE based on MSBPCT.C
 MSBPCT.*     There are also versions of MSBPCT in assembler, Fortran, etc.
 MSBRB1.BAS   Like MSBPCB.BAS, but runs under Rainbow CP/M-86 Basic
 MSBRCV.BAS   A short Microsoft BASIC Kermit program, receive-only
 MSV*.BOO     The BOO files for each version of MS-DOS Kermit, e.g. MSVIBM.BOO
 MST*.BOO     The BOO files for a Test (prerelease) version of MS-DOS Kermit
 MSO*.BOO     The BOO files from the Old release of MS-DOS Kermit

Source Files: the system-independent source file names all start with MSS --

 MSSCMD.ASM  Command parser
 MSSCOM.ASM  Communications (system-independent)
 MSSDEF.H    Symbol definitions for all modules
 MSSFIL.ASM  File i/o
 MSSKER.ASM  Main program
 MSSRCV.ASM  Receive module
 MSSSCP.ASM  Script module
 MSSSEN.ASM  Send module
 MSSSER.ASM  Server module
 MSSSET.ASM  Set command module
 MSSSHO.ASM  Show command module
 MSSTER.ASM  Terminal emulation (system-independent)

The program also needs an MSU and an MSX module for the desired system, plus an
MSY module for the same system (if the system has terminal emulation code), and
possibly an MSZ module too, if the MSY module gets too large (as it has for the
IBM PC family), and finally an MSG module if graphics terminal emulation is
also included.  Assembling and linking procedures are described in MSSAAA.HLP.
The MSX, MSY, and other system-dependent files may come with associated HLP or
BWR files.

Onlin User Documentation:

MSKERM.DOC     MS-DOS Kermit chapter from the Kermit User Guide (plain text)
MSKERM.PS      Ditto, in Postscript format
MSKERM.MSS     Scribe text formatter source for MSKERM.DOC
MSKHDR.MSS     Scribe definitions, cover page for standalone MS-Kermit manual
Note: The previous files apply to version 2.32/A.  The version 3.00 manual is
professionally published.

MSKERM.HLP     Help file -- summary of MS-Kermit commands.
MSKERM.BWR     List of restrictions and known bugs.
MSRxxx.UPD     Release notes for Version xxx, e.g. MSR300.UPD.
MSVIBM.VT      VT terminal emulator technical summary for IBM version.
MSVIBM.TEK     Graphics terminal emulator technical summary for IBM version.

Initialization or Command Files:

MS-DOS Kermit always reads the file MSKERMIT.INI upon startup and executes
the Kermit commands that are in it.  There is also a TAKE command that allows
the user to explicitly direct Kermit to execute commands from a specified
file.  Several sample files are provided (there may also be others, see any
MS*.INI file):

MSKERMIT.INI - Sample MSKERMIT.INI file
MSIIBM.INI - Samples for use with the IBM PC
MSIRB1.INI - Puts some of the DEC Rainbow's keys in more normal positions.
MSIWP3.INI - Key mappings for use with mainframe WordPerfect.
MSIEM*.INI - Key mappings for use with EMACS

Utility Programs:

MSIXSE.* = "XSEND", a program that constructs a command file to send an
entire directory tree from one DOS system to another, using Kermit to create
directories on the fly, etc.

MSUCHK.* = "SCANCHEK", a program to tell you the scan codes of the IBM PC.

MSPEPS.* = "EPSON", a public-domain utility for printing EGA graphics screens
on Epson FX-series printers.  Equivalent to IBM's GRAPHICS.COM, which only
works for CGA graphics.

MSPEP4.* - A program to translate files from IBM PC Code Page 437 to the
character set used by the Epson FX and RX series printers, so that files
containing international characters can be printed.

MSULK2.* - A driver for the DEC LK250 keyboard, which can be plugged into
a PC/AT or compatible.

[End of MSAAAA.HLP]
