SY.FDC@CU20B.COLUMBIA.EDU (Frank da Cruz) (03/14/86)
Info-Kermit Digest Thu, 13 Mar 1986 Volume 4 : Number 17
Today's Topics:
BOO File Encoding and Decoding
Kermit for the Apple ][ Pascal System (Q & A)
TI PC Kermit Ommisions
MSZ100.BOO Kermit
Kermit on HP Integral Problem (csh)
DEC-20 LAT Service vs Kermit
Kermit vs Telebit TrailBlazer Modem
Kermit on Epson QX-16?
Kermit & Wang PC's
Kermit Diskettes for Atari 800XL or Macintosh?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue 11 Mar 86 14:46:09-EST
From: Howie Kaye <SY.Howie@CU20B.COLUMBIA.EDU>
Subject: BOO File Encoding and Decoding
I have added UNIX support to the C-language .BOO file maker, MSBMKB.C,
so now it can be compiled for UNIX, MS-DOS, or TOPS-20. On UNIX and MS-DOS,
it now does efficient blocked i/o, rather than character-at-a-time. The
DOS version compiles under either Lattice or Microsoft C.
I've also written a .BOO file decoder in C, equivalent to MSBPCT.BAS. It runs
in about 10 seconds on a PC, rather than 20 minutes. There is a bug in this
program, which adds extra bytes to the end of the file every time it gets run.
This should not affect anything, as the data is all past what the program
thinks is it's end...If you encode/decode twice though, you do not get
identical files.
/Howie
[Ed. - Thanks, Howie! The files are in KER:MSBMKB.C (and .BOO), KB:MSBMKB.EXE
(the .BOO and .EXE file are for MS-DOS), and KER:MSBPCT.C (and .BOO), and
KB:MSBPCT.EXE. All these are available on the Internet from CU20B via
anonymous FTP. The C and BOO files are also available on BITNET from KERMSRV
at host CUVMA.]
------------------------------
Date: 10 Mar 86 21:11:12 +0100
From: XBR1YD22%DDATHD21.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (YD22@BR1.THDNET)
Subject: KERMIT for the APPLE ][ PASCAL system
I'm looking for a KERMIT that runs on an APPLE ][ under the (UCSD-)PASCAL
system. Any pointers are very welcome. Please respond to me directly, as I'm
not on all the lists I'm sending this to.
Thank you very much
Ralf Bayer
Computing Center @ the Technical University of Darmstadt, West Germany
Arpanet address: xbr1yd22%ddathd21.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.EDU
BITNET address: xbr1yd22 @ ddathd21
[Ed. - See next message (yes, I responded to him directly too).]
------------------------------
Date: Thu 13 Mar 86 13:24:01-EST
From: Frank da Cruz <SY.FDC@CU20B.COLUMBIA.EDU>
Subject: Kermit for Apple II UCSD p-System
I have a letter from Ph. P. Visser, Rekencentrum der Rijksuniversiteit,
Groningen, Netherlands:
"Enclosed you will find two diskettes concerning a Kermit version for
Apple II (e) and (+).
"The version is made by P. Terpstra of the Laboratory of Biochemics of the
State University of Groningen. The version is written in UCSD Pascal.
It concerns Apple DOS 3.3 with several interface cards such as:
- Apple Communication Card (ACC)
- California CCS 7710 ASI Card (CCS)
- Hayes Micromodem Card (HMC)
- Apple Super Serial Card (SSC)
- IBM AP2 Serial Card (AP2)
"It is a corrected version of the Stevens version."
Unfortunately, I can't read the diskettes, which are in Apple II Pascal
format, 5.25 inch, double sided. Could someone who has an Apple p-System
volunteer to read these diskettes and send the contents to Columbia?
Preferably someone on one of the networks, but failing that, someone who'd
be willing to send the files back to us on IBM PC or AT DOS diskettes,
Rainbow DOS diskettes, or 9-track magnetic tape. Thanks!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 86 20:33:34 cst
From: Rusty Haddock <seismo!ut-sally!im4u!ti-csl!tilde!haddock>
Subject: TI PC Kermit Ommisions
I've checked the sources for version 2.28 revision 5 and found that the things
that have been asked about are UNIMPLEMENTED! Things like local echo, inverse
video, auto wrap, and the like are just not there (in file MSYTIP.ASM). Local
echo should check the 'ecoflg' flag in some data structure and display the
outgoing character accordingly. Inverse video is a "stub" that just returns.
These should be trivial to actually code *OR* you can take the old MSXTIP and
MSYTIP from a previous version of Kermit, assemble, and link them in as the old
version at least had local echo.
Unfortunately, hacking with MS Kermit is very low on my list of things to do
but... who knows, I might get to it.
-Rusty-
------------------------------
Date: 11 Mar 86 17:00:00 EST
From: "M. COOK" <nordet@paxrv-nes.ARPA>
Subject: MSZ100.BOO KERMIT
Gordan C. Holterman indicated in his message of 7 March that he was unable
to successfully use the STATUS command inthe KB:MSVZ10.EXE version of
Kermit. The same problem exists in the MSZ100.BOO version. On the contrary
I have had no problems Receiving or Getting files. I have however
experienced hangups while reading Mail on the MILNET; but this seems to
occur only when a capture file is open. Usually, all that needs to be done
is to depress the RETURN Key. But, even at that some information is dropped.
Regards, MHE COOK (NORDET)
------------------------------
Date: Tue 11 Mar 86 05:26:16-EST
From: GH0N@TC.CC.CMU.EDU
Subject: Kermit on HP Integral Problem (csh)
I recently installed the new operating system ROMs in my HP Integral
PC. Since then I have had a minor problem with C-Kermit (050) while running
under csh. It is likely a problem with either the OS and/or csh, but since
C-Kermit is the only effected program (so far), I thought that I would inquire
here for suggestions.
Situation: Connecting to a Hayes compatible modem to dial a number. Line
set to /dev/tty00 and baud set to 1200.
Behavior: Running under sh and either the old HP-UX ROMs (System III?)
or the new HP-UX ROMS (S5R2) kermit works normally. Running
under csh and the old HP-UX ROMs kermit also works normally.
Running under csh and the new ROMs, the echo from the modem
does not appear on the screen. Typing the pulse dial command
(ATDPxxxxxxx) and hitting a carriage return results in having
the modem dial the number xxxxxxx. Even after a connection has
been made, no echo appears on the screen. Escaping (or
attempting to) to local control (^\-C) results in csh being
logged off (SIGINT or SIGKILL is being sent?). Attempting to
log session, packets, debugging and transactions is sort of
futile, only the debugging log shows anything. The following
is the tail end of the debugging log complete with initial
header:
Does anyone out there have any idea as to why C-Kermit works with sh
under both versions of the ROMs and only with the old version of the ROMs if
csh is used? I plan to look into this this summer, but getting a note back as
to the cause and fix may be difficult as I will no longer have access to any
networks. Also I don't have ADB so debugging is going to be fun. This summer
I will try to get C-Kermit to work with the shell PAM, right now the system
locks up badly if kermit is started up from PAM as opposed to sh or csh.
Gordon Haverland
GH0N @ TC.CC.CMU.EDU
Box 596
Dawson Creek, B.C.
Canada
V1G 4H5
[Ed. - I asked Gordon to try the current version of C-Kermit, 4C(057), to
see if the problem persists. Anybody else have any hints or experience with
this?]
------------------------------
Date: Thu 13 Mar 86 14:40:53-EST
From: Frank da Cruz <SY.FDC@CU20B.COLUMBIA.EDU>
Subject: DEC-20 LAT Service vs Kermit
When you are connected to a DEC-20 through a DEC Ethernet terminal concentrator
(like DECserver-100) using the LAT protocol, you will find that you can't
transfer files of any kind into the DEC-20 using Kermit or MODEM or any similar
protocol. You can, however, transfer files from the DEC-20 to the PC with no
problem. Logging packets during uploading reveals that a typical Kermit data
packet (80-90 characters) is truncated by the LAT box to 30-40 characters. If
you reduce the Kermit packet size to, say, 37, then everything works.
The problem occurs because TOPS-20 LAT service defines the LAT input buffer
length to be 40 instead of the recommended 127 (133 would be better for MODEM).
The problem does not occur with Ultrix-32 LAT service. For now, those who want
to use Kermit to send files to a DEC-20 through a LAT box must set their packet
size to 37 or less. Those who want to use MODEM will have to use Kermit
instead, since MODEM packet sizes cannot be changed.
------------------------------
Date: Thu 13 Mar 86 15:16:03-EST
From: Frank da Cruz <SY.FDC@CU20B.COLUMBIA.EDU>
Subject: Kermit vs Telebit TrailBlazer Modem
We had the chance to try out a pair of Telebit TrailBlazer modems recently.
These modems use a proprietary packet protocol to provide error-free
transmission up to 10,000 baud over ordinary dialup lines. They include the
regular Hayes command set, augmented by a lot of special settings. We used the
"old ROM" version -- apparently there is a "new ROM" that makes things better.
The short story is that Kermit works over these modems, but the performance is
awful. The modem's algorithm for sending a packet seems to be to wait until
its buffer is full, or else until its timer goes off. Unfortunately, its
buffer is bigger than a Kermit packet, so it will never send a Kermit packet
until it times out. The timeout interval seems to be something like 5 seconds,
and there's no way to change it. Furthermore, there's no concept of "data
forwarding characters" like you have in an X.25 PAD, so you can't tell it to
transmit whatever it has in its buffer whenever it sees a carriage return.
As you might imagine, interactive terminal use is pretty bursty.
For "classic" Kermit between two PC/AT's at 9600 baud over a local phone call,
the effective data rate was something like 40 baud. Windows-kermit on the same
connection did a lot better: about 3700 baud. But even with windowing, there
were many pauses and delays; the throughput should have been more like
7000-8000 baud.
The manual doesn't say anything about its packet buffering and forwarding
technique, except to imply that its buffer is about 10,000 characters long.
There is a sentence, however, to the effect that "many communication software
packages (especially those using half duplex protocols such as XMODEM) may not
be optimized for use the TrailBlazer." Later on they say "The TrailBlazer's
packetizing and retransmission behavior must be accommodated by any protocol
that contains timers for inter-character delays or response limits."
Some commercial software packages, like Crosstalk, have added explicit
TrailBlazer support. It would have been better if Telebit had used the power
of the 68000 to make the operation of the modem a little more flexible by
letting the user specify the timeout interval and break mask.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 86 15:33:14 PST
From: arch%renoir@berkeley (Arch Turner)
Subject: Kermit on Epson QX-16?
Has anyone made Kermit work on an Epson QX-16? Can it be set up as if the
QX-16 were an IBM PC?
Thanks,
Arch Turner, CSSG Staff
467 Evans, 2-1319
arch@renoir
------------------------------
Date: 11 Mar 86 23:33:00 EST
From: <dana@bbnccr>
Subject: Kermit & Wang PC's
I tried to load KB:MSVWNG.EXE using FTP and then KERMIT and got a 'not
enough memory' error (on a 640k machine). So I downloaded MSVWNG.BOO and
MSBPCT.BAS and built the executable. The STATUS command printed a few
thousand spaces, a few random bytes of memory, and then the system died.
Not too long ago (a few months at least) a new version of the operating
system was received from wang. The version numbers are:
Wang professional computer: V2.40
Bios: V1.21
MS-DOS: V2.01
Also, I tried the generic KERMIT and it worked fine (it's not the ASM or
LINKER, as thats how I built the generic version. Bothe the ASM and LINKER
are version 1.10). HELP!!!
Thanks,
Eric Dana
dana@bbnccr
BBNCC/MIS
[Ed. - Can anybody out there help? If you have a working version of Wang
PC Kermit, could you send in, or point us at, an .EXE or .BOO file for it?
I know Wang PC Kermit worked at one time, because it was written here at
Columbia. Unfortunately, the person who wrote it and the PC itself are both
long gone.]
------------------------------
Date: 12 Mar 1986 1453-EST
From: LCG.KERMIT@DEC-MARLBORO
Subject: Kermit Diskettes for Atari 800XL or Macintosh?
I would like to obtain a copy of Kermit both for the Atari 800XL and for the
Apple Macintosh. However, I have no communication software whatever on either
machine, and on the Atari I have only Basic (so KERBOO does not help).
Can anyone out there in Kermit-Land help me? If so, please contact me
as follows:
Paul Liebow
W.R.Grace & Co.
1114 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
212/819-6963
... And thanks!
[Ed. - We sent him a note about how to order Mac Kermit on diskette from
us. Can anybody help with Atari Kermit? If so, would that person care to
volunteer as a general Atari Kermit diskette distributor? Or to submit the
Kermit diskette to some kind of Atari user group that could distribute it,
and then tell us about it so we could refer future inquirers there?]
------------------------------
End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************
-------