JRD@cc.usu.edu (Joe Doupnik) (12/10/89)
MS Kermit has no explicit command to do text or binary transfers because it needs none: the DOS file system does not distinguish the cases. However, the host (the other end) may well distinguish and the host Kermit may need to be told SET FILE TYPE BINARY at it's own command prompt. P.S. You ought to upgrade from MSK 2.29 (early paleolithic) to 2.32/A, or wait a month and get version 3.0 for much better performance and more goodies. Joe D.
hollen@eta.megatek.uucp (Dion Hollenbeck) (12/11/89)
From article <15102@cc.usu.edu>, by JRD@cc.usu.edu (Joe Doupnik): > > MS Kermit has no explicit command to do text or binary transfers > because it needs none: the DOS file system does not distinguish the cases. > However, the host (the other end) may well distinguish and the host Kermit > may need to be told SET FILE TYPE BINARY at it's own command prompt. > P.S. You ought to upgrade from MSK 2.29 (early paleolithic) to 2.32/A, or > wait a month and get version 3.0 for much better performance and more > goodies. > Joe D. Not true. Both the standalone Kermit I have and the implementation in Procomm, both have the ability to set file type to BINARY and for a darn good reason. In text mode, the first ^Z encountered will tell DOS end of file. In binary mode, this will not happen and the transfer will proceed by length alone. Dion Hollenbeck (619) 455-5590 x2814 Megatek Corporation, 9645 Scranton Road, San Diego, CA 92121 uunet!megatek!hollen or hollen@megatek.uucp
JRD@cc.usu.edu (Joe Doupnik) (12/13/89)
Dion,
Binary mode and Control-Z are separate problems. MS Kermit provides
a command specifically to deal with Control-Z, and it does not have a SET
FILE TYPE BINARY command.
Having said that in nice upper case let me squirm around a little!
Version 3.0 of MS Kermit (due out shortly...) does have SET FILE TYPE BINARY,
and a bunch more like it. The implementation is to permit translation of
text files to other character sets using a standard character set on the
wire. TYPE BINARY says send the file verbatim and include in the file
attributes packets the notation that the local user is doing so. TYPE TEXT
says it's ok to translate ends of records to CR/LF, and more. Well, MS DOS
has no concept of records and CR/LF thus translates to CR/LF. The "and
more" part says to let the user say SET FILE CHARACTER-SET {choice of many}
and that would make sense only if the file were text. Again the attributes
packets note that this is what the file sender intends, and thus lets the
file receiver match up.
All this is for MS Kermit, and has nothing to do with Procomm or
other products implementing the Kermit protocol. There is no question
however that the fancier aspects of SET FILE exist on PCs only in MS Kermit
(for now, because this stuff was just recently invented and I'm just
implementing it). 2.32/A is the latest release, Jan 89, and 3.0 is due
out this month (fingers crossed).
So, MS DOS has no distinction between text and binary files, period.
Applications can do as they please with bit patterns. The file sender is
the one needing to be commanded by SET FILE TYPE BINARY and for MS Kermit
that need not (and can't until v 3.0) be done. Only file senders emit
attributes packets which is where information like this gets across the wires.
As a matter of small interest, packet formation is the same whether
or not the file is binary or text. On hosts having a concept of records they
have to stick in a CR/LF for text files, or not for binary files. On MS DOS
its all the same no matter what. 7 or 8 bit characters can be sent on the
wire and the 8 bit kind will be encoded to 7 bits if one side says Please
do (normally only if the useless Parity bit is on). Thus, the Kermit protocol
provides a virtual 8 bit channel.
I hope this clarifies a commonly misunderstood topic, and one that
is important to us.
Joe D.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (12/17/89)
What is the latest release of MSKermit, and where can one obtain it via either UUCP or a BBS with a high speed modem? I have 2.31 and 2.30 and am looking for the latest and greatest. 2.31 has a problem when using the server mode under Desqview. larry
gcook@cps3xx.UUCP (Greg Cook) (12/18/89)
From article <511086@nstar.UUCP>, by larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder): > What is the latest release of MSKermit, and where can one obtain > it via either UUCP or a BBS with a high speed modem? I have > 2.31 and 2.30 and am looking for the latest and greatest. 2.31 > has a problem when using the server mode under Desqview. I think I saw a posting saying Simtel has the lates version (3.1 ???). Can anyone back me up with more info? ========================================================================= Greg Cook Chemistry IS life! Michigan State University Watch for the next generation of Enamines gcook@horus.cem.msu.edu coming to a Journal near you!
ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi LASK) (12/19/89)
In article <5829@cps3xx.UUCP> gcook@cps3xx.UUCP (Greg Cook) writes: >From article <511086@nstar.UUCP>, by larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder): >> What is the latest release of MSKermit, and where can one obtain >> it via either UUCP or a BBS with a high speed modem? I have >> 2.31 and 2.30 and am looking for the latest and greatest. 2.31 >> has a problem when using the server mode under Desqview. > >I think I saw a posting saying Simtel has the lates version (3.1 ???). At the moment (as far as I know) the latest version is 2.32A. Version 3 is forthcoming. Users with (anonymous) ftp capability can download 2.32A from our site. The files are /pc/pd2/mske232a.arc and mskdo232.arc. There are additional utilities for MsKermit in the file /pc/ts/tskerm22.arc. If you want to use a high speed modem, and do not mind the phone bill, call 358-0-425966 (FidoNet node 2:515/1). ................................................................... Prof. Timo Salmi (Site 128.214.12.3) School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: vakk::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun