Info-Kermit Digest Mon, 8 Dec 1986 Volume 5 : Number 18 Today's Topics: PERKIN-ELMER 7000 Series Kermit NIH TSO Kermit Version 1.0 BITNET Distribution More on FIDO and Kermit SCO Sys V/286 Xenix Kermit 4C Use of Unix Kermit on Packet Switched Network VAX/VMS Kermit-32 and X25/X29 Micro_Vax II problem with modem interface HP9845 BASIC Kermit Kermit for RSX-11/M v3.2 and/or Hyperion PC? Problem with P-E Kermit? PR1ME Kermit with connect capability? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon 8 Dec 86 11:32:34-EST From: Chris Lent Subject: PERKIN-ELMER 7000 Series Kermit Keywords: Perkin-Elmer, Concurrent I've gotten a Kermit for the Perkin-Elmer 7000 Series computers which are IDRIS based. It's loosely based on the old C-Kermit from the old Protocol manual. It has Binary file (8-bit and &-quoting), Repeat quoting and server mode (GET,SEND,and FINISH). It has no connect mode, as the 7000 series comes with the cu(1) command which does the same thing. I didn't create this version (Dan Eisner of Perkin-Elmer did), but I did create a bootstrap document. I translated the bootstrap programs so that I'm using an existing format for encoding the binary files. For its size it's one of the most solid Kermit's I've seen so far. Chris Lent "phri!cooper!chris"@NYU.ARPA OC.PEDHEM@CU20B.COLUMBIA.EDU ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 05 Dec 86 23:33:18 EST From: "Roger Fajman" Subject: New NIH TSO Kermit Version 1.0 Keywords: TSO Kermit, IBM Mainframe I would like to announce the availability of the NIH TSO Kermit Version 1.0. The following summarizes its capabilities: NIH TSO Kermit Capabilities At a Glance: Local operation: No Remote operation: Yes Transfers text files: Yes Transfers binary files: Yes Wildcard send: Yes XX/XY interruption: Yes Filename collision avoidance: No Timeouts: Yes 8th-bit prefixing: Yes Repeat character compression: Yes Alternate block check types: Yes Communication settings: No Transmit BREAK: No IBM mainframe communication: Yes Transaction logging: No Session logging: No Debug logging: Yes Raw transmit: No Login scripts: No Act as server: Yes Talk to server: No Advanced commands for servers: No Local file management: Yes Command/init files: Yes Handle file attributes: No I am sending a tape to Frank da Cruz at Columbia so that NIH TSO Kermit can be included on the regular Columbia distribution tapes. When the files are available on KERMSRV, ask for TSNKER.TXT to see the installation instructions. There are 8 required files, plus 13 more if you want the source. NIH TSO Kermit may also be obtained directly from NIH by sending a letter of request and a tape to the following address: Joseph D. Naughton Chief, Computer Center National Institutes of Health Building 12, Room 2244 Bethesda, MD 20892 There is no charge. The NIH version of TSO Kermit is an extensive modification and rewrite of the University of Chicago TSO Kermit, which in turn was based on an early CMS Kermit developed at Columbia University. The external design was done by Roger Fajman and Dale Wright. The internal design and programming was done by Dale Wright. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 03 Dec 86 13:02:24 EST From: Harold C Pritchett Subject: BITNET Distribution Keywords: BITNET Please add: I-KERMIT@UGA.BITNET to your distribution list. This is a BITNET List server which will allow BITNET users to subscribe and receive copys of your list without having to transverse the WISCVM gateway. After this is done, you might want to announce the availablility of this list as an alternative method for your BITNET subscribers to receive this list. For a BITNET user to subscribe to this list, they can issue the command TELL LISTSERV AT UGA SUB I-KERMIT Users Name (from VM/370) SEND LISTSERV@UGA SUB I-KERMIT Users Name (from VAX/VMS) All other users can send RFC-822 mail to LISTSERV at UGA where the first of the message text (the line after the blank delimiter line) is SUB I-KERMIT Users Name [Ed. - Thanks. BITNET subscribers might want to try this new service and if it works okay, they may want to switch from Info-Kermit at CU20B to I-KERMIT, in order to relieve congestion at the WISCVM gateway.] ------------------------------ Date: 1986 Nov 21 22:14 EST From: (John F. Chandler) Subject: More on FIDO and Kermit Keywords: FIDO It should be obvious that if the two Kermits mis-negotiate the state of 8-bit quoting there can be irretrievable garblings. In particular, assuming the sender thinks "&" is the 8-bit quote, all occurences of "&" get sent as "#&", which is garbage if the receiver thinks there is no 8-bit quoting. The "#&" is probably converted to "f", but it could depend on the implementation! If it, in fact, comes out as "&", then a post-reception filter would try to merge it with the following character anyway. If there is garbling even when the two Kermits claim to agree on the quoting state, it might be a good idea to send a short file with a few mixed 7- and 8-bit byte values. Then you'll have a clue as to what's happening. [Ed. - Actually, translation of "#&" to "f" is improper, because "&" is not in the range of encoded control characters. The "#" operator should "controllify" the following character only if it is in the range 63-95 (decimal), otherwise it means "take the following character literally". But you're right, there are some Kermit implementations that do not follow this rule.] ------------------------------ Date: Sat 29 Nov 86 21:08:53-MST From: Mike Niswonger Subject: SCO Sys V/286 Xenix Kermit 4C Keywords: Xenix Help!!, There seems to have been a lot of hassles stirred up about what is necessary to run which version of C-Kermit on which version of Xenix. I would like to compile a full list of users who have Kermit up and running on a Xenix system. Please include the following information: User name and net address Hardware: manufacturer, model, CPU (8086, 80286, etc), configuration SPECIFIC Xenix version including: . Source (IBM, Microsoft, SCO, Tandy) . Sys III, Sys V, V7, "Sys V with Berkeley features", etc. . Xenix release version (very important) . Development system (compiler) version Edit level of C-Kermit used (should be 4D(061)) Specific fixes, patches, workarounds, actual flags used during compilation (please don't just say "see makefile") I realize that this may require some digging, but please help out. I have been working (on and off) trying to bring up Kermit on a friend's SCO Xenix 286 / Sys V AT clone for almost a year, with little success. From some of the notes that I have seen, I am not alone. A compilation of the results will be submitted to CU20B when complete. -- Mike Niswonger, CNiswonger@Simtel20.arpa [Ed. - As we've noted in previous postings, "Xenix" is almost a meaningless label, except that it means a operating systems that resembles one or more versions of Unix. Thus, it has proven next to impossible for us to tell people how to bring up C-Kermit under "Xenix". If we had a list of all the different incarnations of Xenix along with the parameters that Mike has listed, it would help a lot.] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Nov 86 12:49:10 WET From: Bruce Wilford { 01 387 7050 x 3691 } Subject: Use of Unix Kermit on Packet Switched Network Keywords: Unix Kermit, C-Kermit, X.25 People connect to our machine from all over the UK via an X25 network. Some have to pay for this and therefore need to use message (line) mode. If they are in line mode the characters will not be forwarded until the is typed at the end. This would ruin the effect of command completion, with ESC and things like ? being picked up immediately. [Ed. - First, note that you do not HAVE to use command completion, ESC, or ? when talking to C-Kermit. You can use it as a traditional Unix command, with command-line options, as documented in the manual (or type "kermit -h" for a brief summary). During interactive use, if you configure your PAD to use only CR as the data forwarding character (X.3 parameter 3, value 3), then you will simply not have the special features available to you at your terminal; you can still type the commands. You can use X.3 PAD commands to change your data forwarding characters; for instance "SET? 3:14" will allow forwarding on CR, ESC, DEL and a few other control characters, but not ^U or "?", which are also used by the interactive command parser. "SET? 3:72" will cause forwarding on any control character. There's no X.3 selector for "?". You can also configure the PAD to let you do local editing when in line mode (X.3 parameters 15-18). During file transfer, Unix Kermit puts the communication line into "rawmode" which, in some Unix implementations, causes the Unix system to tell the network to do character-at-a-time i/o, which means one character per packet, which is unnecessarily expensive when you're paying by the packet. Future releases of Unix Kermit may provide some kind of workaround for this.] ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Nov 86 16:47:10 EST From: Richard_S._Conto@um.cc.umich.edu Subject: VAX/VMS Kermit-32 and X25/X29 Keywords: VMS Kermit, X.25 In Info-Kermit dgest V5 #14, Jan Peter Stuart asked about using Kermit-32 to connect out through an X.25 PSI interface to the outside world. Unfortunately, I am in the same situation. However, since our users can usually loop around in our network (Merit), and come back in to use it as a remote kermit, our need is not overly pressing. There are other VAX/VMS systems attached through X.25 interfaces to Merit, though, and any real, software solution would bre greatly appreciated. Richard S. Conto University of Michigan Computing Center 1075 Beal Ave. Ann Arbor, Mi. 48109, USA ARPA/Internet: Richard_S._Conto@UM.CC.UMICH.EDU [Ed. - Bob McQueen, the author of VMS Kermit, says that he'd be willing to look into adding X.25/29 PSI support, but (1) he doesn't have an X.25 PSI system at his site, and (2) he doesn't have any documentation on the interface. If someone can provide the details of the VAX/VMS X.25 interface (does it look like a normal terminal? Do you send special X.28 control sequences to the PAD? etc) and would be willing to test the results, please contact Bob as "rmcqueen%sitvxb.CCNET"@CU20B, or through Info-Kermit. Results cannot be promised.] ------------------------------ Date: 25 Nov 1986 12:07-EST From: DEC PC BBoard Subject: Micro_Vax II problem with modem interface Keywords: VMS Kermit We have recently got a Microvax II and are facing some problems in connecting the MUX ports to modem. I am here a faculty member in Electrical Engineering at North Dakota State University Fargo, North Dakota, USA. The problem is as follows: 1. When the prot, e.g. TXA0 is defined as MODEM port, using SET TERM command, after a user logs in through that port, he is logged out in about 30 seconds with a message, SYS - E - HANGUP. If the port is not defined as a modem, by the command SET TERM/NOMODEM then this hangup does not occur, but if the modem is switched off without the user having logged off, the user is not logged out and anybody who comes in through that port is in effect working as the 'old' user. This is a big security risk Did you come across any such problem. We are here using a PACKSnetwork which uses Gandolf modems. The operating system is VMS 4.4 and the port controllers are DHV-11. I shall be very thankful for your suggestions. K.Sankara Rao [Ed. - Reply from Bob McQueen: "This person is talking about setting VMS parameters on his terminal lines and is doing it incorrectly from what I read. I'd guess from the message that the problem he is having is that the device requires DTR to be raised and the modem he is using doesn't (or the terminal cable doesn't have the line)." We get questions like this all the time. What we need is a quick guide to VMS DCL parameters for using Kermit in various situations -- direct connect, dialin, dialout, etc. We'll try to come up with something like this.] ------------------------------ From: uw-apl!apl-em!dunlap@beaver.cs.washington.edu Date: Thu, 20 Nov 86 09:46:29 pst Subject: HP9845 BASIC Kermit Keywords: HP9845 Kermit, BASIC Kermit Our HP9845's do not recognize the following: Mass Storage Unit Specifier ":Q" CCOM, CMODEL, CCONNECT, CDISCONNECT, CCONTROL, CSTAT, CWRITE, CREAD Block if: IF THEN, ELSE, END IF on separate lines Case selection: SELECT, CASE, END SELECT on separate lines These keywords are in fact in ROMs we don't own. According to our HP service engineer: > Mass Storage Unit Specifier ":Q" This is the msus for the "HP7908" disc. > CCOM, CMODEL, CCONNECT, CDISCONNECT, CCONTROL, CSTAT, CWRITE, CREAD These commands are found in the Datacomm ROM, which can only be used with the HP98046 Datacomm interface. > Block if: IF THEN, ELSE, END IF on separate lines > Case selection: SELECT, CASE, END SELECT on separate lines These are found in the Structured Programming ROM, along with many other useful commands like XREF and INDENT. Since we don't have the above and have no plans to purchase I am considering redoing the code a little to use the more common I/O ROM and HP98036 serial interface. I already have written a terminal emulator which performs quite well (keeps up at 1200 bps) so I don't forsee any great difficulty. On the down side I cannot say when I can get to it. In any case there should be some words in the HP9845 kermit distribution about the above ROMs and I/O cards being required. I don't think the mass storage unit specifier (MSUS) problem is serious -- people can change that to their usual MSUS. [Ed. - HP has such a variety of products, and so many of them come with BASIC as the only standard (or only, period) programming language, that it would be very desirable to have a relatively portable HP-BASIC Kermit, if indeed there is some subset of the language that is consistent across the HP line, and which does not require special ROMs and options (Is there???). Meanwhile, your message has been added to the "beware file" for this version of Kermit.] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Nov 86 07:26:18 EST From: Noah Diesbourg Subject: Kermit for RSX-11/M v3.2 and/or Hyperion PC? Keywords: Kermit-11, Hyperion PC Is anyone running Kermit on a PDP 11/34 with RSX 11M ver 3.2 or a Hyperion PC? [Ed. - According to K11INS.DOC, the minimum version of RSX that Kermit-11 can run under is 4.1. The author's advice to people in this situation is to upgrade. It is recognized, however, that there are many old PDP-11 systems out there that can't be easily upgraded. There are rumors of bare-bones remote-only Kermit programs written in Fortran for earlier releases of RSX, but none of these programs has yet surfaced. If anyone wants to send one in, it would be appreciated. The Hyperion is an IBM-incompatible MS-DOS system, and should be able to run "generic" MS-DOS Kermit.] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Dec 86 11:39 EST From: (brian nelson) Subject: Problem with P-E Kermit? Keywords: Perkin-Elmer Kermit This was sent to me by someone using kermit dialup access here. Anyone know about Perkin-Elmer Kermit? Brian@Uoft02.Bitnet > From: DRWHO::KERMIT 2-DEC-1986 11:33 > Submission by: > Richard J. Zirbes > (303) 236 5812 > U.S. Geological Survey > BOX 25046 MS 516 > Denver, CO. 80225 > Environment: > OS/32 Version 8.1.2 (not 8.2) > all perkin.* files in my work area. > Problem 1: > Source compiles fine using d and o compilers, links okay > however; when trying to start up using KERMIT.INI file I get: > SVC ADDRESS ERROR > INST @17A92 > SVC PARAMETER BLOCK > AT C770 > MEMORY FAULT ADDRESS Z39C1 > TASK PAUSED. > also; when I use another file such as KINIT.DAT in the command > line: KERMIT KINIT.DAT > the results are the same. > The files KINIT.DAT and KERMIT.INI look like: > SET PARITY EVEN > SET PACKET 90 > SET FCHEK OFF > SET 8BIT OFF > SET SEOR LF > SET FILE TEXT > EXIT > Problem 2: > I run kermit without an initializer file and enter the parameters > defined above interactively and send a file to my ckermit I get > transmission errors and kermit-co times out. Ckermit has settings: > mode: local > parity: even > duplex: full > flow: xon/xoff > handshake: none > packet start: 1 > packet end: 13 > packet length: 90 > block check type: 1, delay: 5 > 8th bit prefix '&' > File Names: converted > File Type: text > Please contact me with any solutions. Thank you. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 02 Dec 86 09:07:00 PST From: jfisher@USGS3-VMS Subject: PR1ME Kermit with connect capability? Keywords: Prime Kermit I am in need of a Kermit implementation for PR1ME machines that can be run in local mode, 'dialing-out' through a comm. port to another mini Kermit, so as to transfer files between them. I spoke to Leslie Spira of The Source, who said she didn't have one, but she had a vague recollection that somebody else might have modified her PR1ME Kermit to allow it to connect out. Does anybody out there have such a beast ? ------------------------------ End of Info-Kermit Digest ************************* -------