  MS-DOS KERMIT FOR THE IBM PC FAMILY, COMPATIBLES, AND OTHER MS-DOS SYSTEMS
 
                            Version 2.31, 1 Jul 1988
 
                                PROGRAM SUMMARY
                 C. Gianone, F. da Cruz (Columbia University)
                     J.R. Doupnik (Utah State University)
 
             See the MS-DOS KERMIT USER GUIDE for complete details
 
Kermit-MS can be run interactively, from a batch file, as an "external" DOS
command, or with redirected or piped standard input and output.  Upon initial
startup, the program executes any commands found in the file MSKERMIT.INI in
the current disk or DOS path, or the file specified by "-f filename" on the
Kermit command line.
 
* Interactive Operation:
 
To run Kermit-MS interactively, invoke the program from DOS command level by
typing its name, usually "kermit".  When you see the command's prompt,
"Kermit-MS>", you may type Kermit commands repeatedly until you are ready to
exit the program.  The commands EXIT or QUIT return you to DOS.
 
While typing commands, use BACKSPACE to erase the character most recently
typed, Ctrl-W to delete the most recent field, or Ctrl-U to delete the entire
command, and enter the command by typing RETURN (Carriage Return, Enter), or
Ctrl-L.  A question marked typed at any point in a command (except in a
filename or character string) will give you a brief hint about what's expected
at that point.  Pushing ESC key will complete the command current field, if
possible, and position the cursor at the next field.  If completion is not
possible, Kermit will beep.  You can cancel any command during its execution by
typing Ctrl-C.
 
* Command Line Invocation:
 
Kermit-MS may be invoked with command line arguments from DOS command level,
for instance:
 
    A>kermit set port 1, set baud 9600, connect
 
In this case, help and completion are not available and Kermit-MS will exit
back to DOS after completing the specified commands unless you include the
"stay" command.  Several commands may be given on the command line, separated
by commas.
 
* Batch Operation:
 
Like other MS-DOS programs, Kermit-MS may be operated under batch with command
line arguments.  If you invoke it without command line arguments, it will run
interactively, reading commands from the keyboard and not the batch file.  When
it exits, batch processing will continue to the end of the batch file.  An
ERRLEVEL number is returned by Kermit to assist batch file controls.
 
* Remote Operation:
 
The MS-DOS CTTY command allows an MS-DOS system to be used from a terminal
connected to its communication port, e.g. "CTTY COM1".  You can then use DOS,
and Kermit, from a terminal or computer connected to the PC's COM1 device.
 
Notation:
 
<parameter>   - Replace this with an actual number, or filename, etc.
<number>      - Replace with an actual decimal number
<filespec>    - A file specification, which may include disk & directory
<hh:mm:ss>    - Time of day in 24-hour notation, less than 12 hours from now
[<parameter>] - An optional field, which may be omitted
{A,B,C}       - Choose one of the items listed
[{A,B,C}]     - Optionally choose one of the items listed
 
* Top-Level Kermit-MS Commands:
 
-F <filespec>   (From DOS command line only)
  Use <filespec> instead of MSKERMIT.INI as initialization file.
  "kermit -f nul" runs Kermit without any initialization file at all.
BYE
  Shut down a remote Kermit server and log out its job.
CLEAR
  Clear the communications input buffer.
CLOSE {PACKET, SESSION, TRANSACTION}
  Close the specified log file and stop logging.
COMMENT <string>
  For adding comments to a TAKE command file.
CONNECT
  Make a terminal connection to another computer.
CWD <path> or CD <path>
  Change local working directory.
DEFINE <macro-name> [<definition>]
  Group Kermit-MS commands together into a macro, or define a variable.
DELETE <filespec>
  Delete local files
DIRECTORY [<filespec>]
  List names, sizes, and dates of local files
DISABLE <function>
  Prevent the specified function to be performed when in server mode.
DO <macro-name> <parameters>
  Perform the commands in a macro, with parameters for substitution.
ECHO <text>
  Display the <text> on the screen
ENABLE <function>
  Allow the specified function to be performed when in server mode.
EXIT
  Exit from Kermit-MS
FINISH
  Shut down a remote Kermit server
GET <remote-filespec>
  Ask a Kermit server to send the specified file(s).
GOTO <label>
  In script execution, transfer control to the specified label.
HANGUP
  Instruct modem to hangup the phone, or close the network connection.
HELP
  Display a brief help message about Kermit-MS.
IF <condition> <command>
  In a script, execute the command if the condition is true.
INPUT [timeout] text
  Input the specified text from the remote system within 'timeout' seconds
LOG PACKETS <filespec>
  Record file transfer packets in specified file or device
LOG SESSION <filespec>
  Record remote terminal session in specified file or device
LOG TRANSACTION <filespec>
  Report the progress of file transfers in the specified file or device
LOGOUT
  Logout remote server, but don't exit from Kermit-MS
MAIL <file> <user>
  Send the file as mail to the user, through a Kermit server
OUTPUT text
  Output the specified text to the remote system
PAUSE [{<seconds>, <hh:mm:ss>}]
  Sleep for specified number of seconds or until the specified time of day
POP
  When executing a command file or macro, return immediately one level up
PUSH
  Invoke inferior MS-DOS command processor, type EXIT to DOS to return
QUIT
  Exit from Kermit-MS
RECEIVE <alternate-name>
  Wait for files from the other Kermit
REMOTE <command>
  Prefix for commands to remote Kermit server (see below)
RUN <program> [<arguments>]
  Invoke an MS-DOS command or program, optionally with command-line arguments
SEND <filename> [<alternate-name>]
  Send files to remote Kermit receiver or server
SERVER [{<seconds>, <hh:mm:ss>}]
  Act as a Kermit server, optionally for or until the given time
SET <parameter> <value>
  Set various parameters (see below)
SHOW
  Display current settings, definitions, statistics selectively (see below)
SPACE
  Show disk space
STATUS
  Show values of all SET parameters
STAY (from DOS command line only)
  Stay within Kermit after other commands have executed
STOP
  In a command file or macro, return to Kermit-MS> prompt level immediately
TAKE <filespec>
  Execute Kermit-MS commands from specified file
TRANSMIT filespec [prompt]
  Send the characters from the file "raw" with no error checking
TYPE <filespec>
  Display a local file on the screen
VERSION
  Display Kermit-MS program version number and release date
WAIT {<seconds>, <hh:mm:ss>} [\CD] [\DSR] [\CTS]
  Wait (until) the specified time for the given modem signals to appear
 
* File specifications:
 
In all commands, file specifications may include fully qualified DOS paths,
including device specifications.  Allowable wildcard characters are "*"
(match from here to end of field) and "?" (single character), as in DOS,
except "#" must be used instead of "?" to match the first character of a
filename, to allow ? to give help in that position.
 
* Interruption commands while a file transfer in progress:
 
^X Stop sending the current file and go on to the next one, if any.
^Z Stop sending this file, and don't send any further files.
^E Send Error packet to the remote Kermit.
^C Return to Kermit-MS command level immediately (without notifying the host).
CR Simulate a timeout: resend the current packet, or NAK the expected one.
 
* Remote Commands:
 
REMOTE CWD [directory]
  Change remote Working Directory
REMOTE DELETE filespec
  Delete remote file(s)
REMOTE DIRECTORY [filespec]
  List remote file(s)
REMOTE HELP
  Ask the server to list the services it provides
REMOTE HOST [command]
  Command for remote host in its own command language
REMOTE KERMIT [command]
  Send a command to remote Kermit server in its own command language
REMOTE SEND text
  Send a one-line message to the remote Kermit server
REMOTE SPACE [directory]
  Show disk space on remote host
REMOTE TYPE filespec
  Display remote file(s)
REMOTE WHO
  Display users logged on remote system
* MS-DOS Kermit server honors the following requests:
 
SEND        REMOTE CWD        REMOTE SEND
GET         REMOTE DELETE     REMOTE SPACE
FINISH      REMOTE DIRECTORY  REMOTE TYPE
BYE,LOGOUT  REMOTE HOST       REMOTE WHO
 
* SET commands:
 
ALARM {seconds, hh:mm:ss}
  In scripts, set an alarm (for use with IF ALARM).
ATTRIBUTES {ON,OFF}
  Enable or disable the use of File Attribute packets.
BAUD <number>
  Communications port line speed (synonym for SPEED)
BELL {ON,OFF}
  Whether to beep at the end of a transaction
BLOCK-CHECK-TYPE {1,2,3}
  Level of error checking for file transfer
COUNT <number>
  In scripts, set up a loop counter (for use with IF COUNT)
DEBUG {ON,OFF,PACKETS,SESSION}
  Display packets during file transfer, ctrl chars during terminal session
DEFAULT-DISK <disk-name>
  Default disk drive for file i/o
DELAY <number>
  Amount of time to pause after a SEND command before sending the file.
DESTINATION {DISK,PRINTER,SCREEN}
  Default destination device for incoming files
DISPLAY {QUIET,REGULAR,SERIAL,7-BIT,8-BIT}
  For selecting the type of file transfer display and terminal screen displays
DUMP <filespec>
  Screen dump file (or device) name
END-OF-LINE <ASCII-value>
  Packet termination character, normally CR (\13)
EOF {CTRL-Z,NOCTRL-Z}
  Method for determining or marking end of file
ERRORLEVEL <number>
  Status code to be returned by Kermit upon exit
ESCAPE <character>
  Escape character for CONNECT, normally Control-right square bracket (\29)
FLOW-CONTROL {XON/XOFF,NONE}
  Select full-duplex flow control method
HANDSHAKE {XON, CR, LF, CODE <ascii-value>}
  Half-duplex line turnaround character
INCOMPLETE {DISCARD,KEEP}
  What to do with an incompletely received file
INPUT <parameter> <value>
  Various parameters for INPUT script command
KEY <keycode> <definition>
  Specify key redefinitions, or "keystroke macros"
LOCAL-ECHO {ON,OFF}
  Specify which computer does the echoing during CONNECT
MODE-LINE {ON,OFF}
  Whether to display a mode line during terminal emulation
PARITY {EVEN,ODD,MARK,SPACE,NONE}
  Character parity to use during communication
PORT {1,2,3,4,COM1,COM2,COM3,COM4,BIOS1,BIOS2,BIOS3,BIOS4,NET [<name>],UB-NET1}
  Select a port, driver, or network for communication
PROMPT <string>
  Change the "Kermit-MS>" prompt to <string>
RECEIVE <parameter> <value>
  Request remote Kermit to use specified parameters (see below)
REMOTE {ON,OFF}
  For running Kermit-MS interactively from back port
RETRY <number>
  Packet retransmission threshold
SEND <parameter> <value>
  Use the specified parameters during file transfer (see below)
SPEED <number>
  Communications port line speed (synonym for BAUD)
TAKE-ECHO {ON,OFF}
  Control echoing of commands from TAKE files and macros during execution
TERMINAL <parameter> <value>
  Emulation and parameters (see below)
TIMER {ON,OFF}
  Enable/disable timeouts during file transfer
TRANSLATION INPUT <port-char> <screen-char>
  Translate arriving port character to specified screen character
WARNING {ON,OFF}
  Specify how to handle filename collisions
 
* SET SEND/RECEIVE parameters:
 
DELAY <number>
  Wait that many seconds before sending the first packet of a file
PACKET-LENGTH <number>
  Maximum packet length
  SET REC PACK 97 or greater enables long packets
  SET SEND PACK xx overrides negotiated length, but only if xx is shorter
PADCHAR <ASCII-value>
  Pre-packet padding character
PADDING <number>
  Number of padding characters per packet
PAUSE <number>
  Inter-packet pause, milliseconds, only for sending
QUOTE <ASCII-value>
  Control prefix
START-OF-PACKET <ASCII-value>
  Packet-start character
TIMEOUT <number>
  Timeout interval
 
* SET KEY
 
  Generally terminate this command with a carriage return to force Kermit to
  prompt for a key to be pushed and then for a new definition.
  A null definition (just a carriage return) removes an existing definition,
  and Control-C exits with the current definition intact.  A question mark
  response will show kinds of definitions available, including "verbs".
  SET KEY CLEAR removes all definitions and restores the built-in set.
  SET KEY OFF means use DOS rather than the Bios (if applicable) to obtain
  keystrokes; ON means use the system Bios.
 
* SET TERMINAL parameters:
 
NONE, VT52, HEATH, VT102, TEK4010 (type of terminal to emulate)
CHARACTER-SET {UK, US}
COLOR number [, number [, number]]
  0   For no snow on IBM Color Graphics Adaptor (CGA)
  1   High intensity
  10  For fast screen update on IBM EGA
  3x  Foreground color
  4x  Background color
      x = Sum of any of: 1 (Red), 2 (Green), 4 (Blue)
CURSOR-STYLE {BLOCK, UNDERLINE}
KEYCLICK {ON, OFF}
MARGIN-BELL {ON, OFF}
NEWLINE-MODE {ON, OFF}
ROLL {ON, OFF}
SCREEN-BACKROUND {NORMAL, REVERSE}
TAB {AT n, CLEAR AT n, CLEAR ALL}
WRAP {ON, OFF}
 
* CONNECT escape-level commands:
 
  ?   Help -- prints the available single-character commands
  0   (the digit zero) Transmit a NUL (ASCII 0)
  B   Transmit a BREAK signal
  C   Close the connection and return to Kermit-MS prompt level
  F   File the current screen in the screen dump file
  H   Hangup the phone (or network connection)
  L   Transmit a Long Break (1.8 seconds)
  M   Toggle the mode line, i.e. turn it off if it is on & vice versa
  P   Push to DOS; get back to CONNECT by typing EXIT
  Q   Temporarily quit logging the remote session
  R   Resume logging the remote session
  S   Show the status of the connection
  ^]  (or whatever you have set the escape character to be)
      Typing  the  escape character twice sends one copy of it to the connected
      host
 
Escape character is normally Ctrl-].  Use SET ESCAPE to change it, or use
SET KEY to assign \Kexit or other "Kermit verbs" to the keys of your choice.
 
* SHOW commands
 
COMMUNICATIONS
  Port, speed, parity, flow control, handshake, echo, modem signals.
FILE
  Path, destination, EOF mode, display, incomplete, warning, take-echo.
KEY
  Displays the definition of a selected key or all defined keys
LOGGING
  Shows names and status of session, packet, and transaction logs.
MACROS <name>
  Displays the name(s) and definitions of the given macro(s)
MODEM
  Displays the current status of the Carrier Detect (CD), Data Set Ready (DSR
  meaning the modem), and Clear to Send (CTS) modem signals.
PROTOCOL
  Shows the values of the SET SEND and SET RECEIVE parameters.
SCRIPTS
  Displays values of SET INPUT, SET ALARM, and SET COUNT parameters.
STATISTICS
  Displays statistical information on the most recent file transfer and values
  accumulated since stating Kermit, including estimated throughput.
TERMINAL
  Displays values of SET TERMINAL parameters.
TRANSLATION
  Lists codes for received bytes and their new values, plus whether the
  translation mechanism is ON or OFF (default is off)
 
* Backslash Notation:
 
\123    (up to 3 decimal digits) - A decimal number
\d123   (up to 3 decimal digits) - A decimal number
\o123   (up to 3 octal digits) - An octal (base 8) number (also \O)
\x123   (up to 3 hexadecimal digits) - a hexadecimal number
\{}     For grouping, e.g. \{27}3 = ESC 3
\;      Include a semicolon in a TAKE-file command or macro definition.
\%      Introduce a Kermit variable, like \%1, \%2, ..., \%a, \%b, ... \%z
\K      A Kermit connect-mode verb, e.g. \Kexit, \Kbreak, etc.
\b      Send a BREAK (OUTPUT command only) (also \B)
\255    Shorthand for CRLF or LFCR (INPUT command only)
\CD     Carrier Detect RS-232 signal (WAIT command only)
\DSR    Data Set Ready RS-232 signal (WAIT command only)
\CTS    Clear to Send RS-232 signal (WAIT command only)
 
[End of MSKERM.HLP]
