gsrfy@levels.sait.edu.au (10/28/90)
Error 121 on trying to load a binary file ----------------------------------------- Boy ! am I frustrated ! Today I tried again to "ftp" AMIGA software from "ux1.cso.uiuc.edu". This time I had my trusty old AMIGA 500 hooked up to the VAX where I work. I used the Shareware programme "handshake" to download software using KERMIT protocol. I made certain that I selected 8-bit binary mode on "handshake" and I issued a command "SET FILE TYPE BINARY" to the kermit server programme on the VAX. Result : although I had no problems when I downloaded text files, when I downloaded "AMIGAZOO" from the ftp-site and then tried to run the resulting binary image, the system on my AMIGA told me "ERROR 121" ( cannot load the file or something like that ). Can some experienced AMIGA user tell me what I have missed ? ( Yes, I made a special point of issuing the "BINARY" command while accessing the ftp-site. ) I will keep trying, but I must still be doing something wrong. Rick Yuan Adelaide, AUSTRALIA P.S. This "Handshake" terminal programme is really great !
thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) (10/28/90)
gsrfy@levels.sait.edu.au in <15583.2729f9c6@levels.sait.edu.au> writes:
Error 121 on trying to load a binary file
[...]
... to "ftp" AMIGA software from "ux1.cso.uiuc.edu". This time I had
my trusty old AMIGA 500 hooked up to the VAX where I work.
I used the Shareware programme "handshake" to download software using
KERMIT protocol. I made certain that I selected 8-bit binary mode on
"handshake" and I issued a command "SET FILE TYPE BINARY" to the kermit
server programme on the VAX.
Result : although I had no problems when I downloaded text files, when
I downloaded "AMIGAZOO" from the ftp-site and then tried to run the
resulting binary image, the system on my AMIGA told me "ERROR 121".
( Yes, I made a special point of issuing the "BINARY" command while
accessing the ftp-site. )
You haven't supplied enough info to permit someone to help you. For example:
On your VAX, are you running VMS or some UNIX variant? Is the "VAX" Kermit
the "C-Kermit", "Kermit-32", or the earlier Pascal variant?
Whose FTP was used (Woolongong or some other)?
Did you specify byte swapping or "network byte order" for the ftp? Remember,
the VAX stores bytes in little-endian order, contrary to everything else
except Intel 80?86. This means, for example, your name would be stored on a
VAX as "nauY kciR" (instead of "Rick Yuan") and that binary numbers such as
0x12345678 would be stored in a VAX as 0x56781234; can you guess what that
does to binary archives such as ZOO or tar.Z when you access the bytes in a
sequential manner? :-)
If you are running VMS on your VAX, did you do "ANALYZE/RMS <filename>" to
see if it was some "funny" VMS/RMS format after the ftp? What you want to
see is "binary stream <LF>" (or some such) file type for highest portability.
A VAX-with-VMS system is probably the most troublesome combination interfacing
to other computers (with the possible exception of some IBM mainframes).
Though I have zmodem working between one of my VAX/VMS systems and an Amiga,
I wouldn't even think of transferring binary data because it's a hair-pulling
experience. Among the problems include the facts that VMS has no concept of
a file's size (i.e. the number of bytes) and that, on VMS, a file is not a file
is not a file as is common on other systems ... there are eleventy-seven
thousand combinations of "file types" (NOT extensions, actual different storage
methods, byte retrieval, etc.) which are the cause of no end of problems with
inter-system file compatibility.
I successfully transfer text data using C-Kermit on the VAX/VMS; haven't
tried binary. You may wish to get C-Kermit from an archive site and compile
it on your VAX and see if its "binary" mode is less troublesome.
Next year some of these problems may be "history." Ken Olson (Pres of DEC)
stated publicly this past week (in response to DEC's 2-year earnings decline
and anticipated layoff of some 16,000-20,000 people) that VAX/VMS is (for all
intents) doomed (HOORAY!) and that in 1991 DEC will provide a merged UNIX
product to replace VMS (I take this to mean that he also acknowledges Ultrix
is out of the picture (hope, hope)).
The GNU people at FSF (Free Software Foundation) have been calling "VMS"
the "Vomit Making System" for many good reasons. :-)
Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]fhwri%CONNCOLL.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (10/30/90)
Re: Error 121
That error is what you get when you try to run a file that was downloaded
without using the "Chop Files" or "Auto Chop" found on many terminals. (Note:
I am not at all familiar with Kermit.) The problem is that Amiga files have
a header that states the file length. If the file length (which many pro-
tocols "pad" out at the end to make the byte count even) doesn't agree with
the header, you get Error 121. BBS downloaders hardly ever have that problem
since the most common protocols are Y and ZModem, which send only the correct
file length. Your best bet is to only download files which have been
compressed (.ARC, .ZOO, .LZH, .WRP, .LHW), because they don't have that
problem, as they are not executable files.
Of course, if you don't have the dearchiver for that file, and your
only source is a FTP site, you have a problem. Make sure that your terminal
has a Chop feature, and everything SHOULD be OK...
--Rick Wrigley
fhwri@conncoll.bitnetmlelias@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Mike Elias (Mighty Amigo) Systems Analysis) (10/30/90)
In article <15583.2729f9c6@levels.sait.edu.au>, gsrfy@levels.sait.edu.au writes: > > Result : although I had no problems when I downloaded text files, when > I downloaded "AMIGAZOO" from the ftp-site and then tried to run the resulting > binary image, the system on my AMIGA told me "ERROR 121" ( cannot load > the file or something like that ). > > Can some experienced AMIGA user tell me what I have missed ? > > ( Yes, I made a special point of issuing the "BINARY" command while > accessing the ftp-site. ) > First of all, which version of handShake are you using. I remember 'way back when' I was using V1.14 or whatever, I couldn't transfer any binary files correctly. It was just something that that version wouldn't do right. 'Least ways not using Kermit. You might want to try some other protocol. If your Vax doesn't have anything other than kermit, I can send you two Ymodem executable files, one for upload, and the other for downloads. Also, see if you can uuencode your files, then uudecode them after d/loading them. Takes a heck of a lot longer, but at least you can download files until you find out what your problem is. > I will keep trying, but I must still be doing something wrong. > > Rick Yuan > Adelaide, AUSTRALIA > > P.S. This "Handshake" terminal programme is really great ! Good Luck. HS is great, when you get a working version... :) -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amigoids do it Multi-tasking!/ Mike Elias Mlelias@Miavx1.Bitnet Science Fiction forever, Harlequin's, never!/ Miami University of I got a ticket to Pern!!/ Oxford, Oh. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
moore@bombe.enet.dec.com (W. Bruce Moore) (10/31/90)
In article <35333@cup.portal.com>, thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) writes: |> |>Next year some of these problems may be "history." Ken Olson (Pres of DEC) |>stated publicly this past week (in response to DEC's 2-year earnings decline |>and anticipated layoff of some 16,000-20,000 people) that VAX/VMS is (for all |>intents) doomed (HOORAY!) and that in 1991 DEC will provide a merged UNIX |>product to replace VMS (I take this to mean that he also acknowledges Ultrix |>is out of the picture (hope, hope)). |> This is 100% pure Bullsh*t. -- W. Bruce Moore Moore@bombe.pa.dec.com
u-lchaff%peruvian.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Lynn Chaffin) (11/01/90)
In article <15583.2729f9c6@levels.sait.edu.au> gsrfy@levels.sait.edu.au writes: > >Error 121 on trying to load a binary file >----------------------------------------- > >Boy ! am I frustrated ! > >Today I tried again to "ftp" AMIGA software from "ux1.cso.uiuc.edu". This >time I had my trusty old AMIGA 500 hooked up to the VAX where I work. > >I used the Shareware programme "handshake" to download software using >KERMIT protocol. I made certain that I selected 8-bit binary mode on >"handshake" and I issued a command "SET FILE TYPE BINARY" to the kermit >server programme on the VAX. > >Result : although I had no problems when I downloaded text files, when >I downloaded "AMIGAZOO" from the ftp-site and then tried to run the resulting >binary image, the system on my AMIGA told me "ERROR 121" ( cannot load >the file or something like that ). > >Can some experienced AMIGA user tell me what I have missed ? > >( Yes, I made a special point of issuing the "BINARY" command while >accessing the ftp-site. ) > >I will keep trying, but I must still be doing something wrong. > >Rick Yuan >Adelaide, AUSTRALIA > >P.S. This "Handshake" terminal programme is really great ! I use Handshake as well. Try and see if you have a program called UMODEM I use it to download files from school over the phone. It uses XMODEM protocall. I seem to have better luck with it than kermit. Login to your unix machine. and use the following to send a binary file to your amiga. umodem -sb filename where -sb means send binary file or use -s to send a ASCII file. Hope it helps... Lynn Chaffin u-lchaff@peruvian.utah.edu
thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) (11/03/90)
moore@bombe.enet.dec.com (W. Bruce Moore) in <1990Oct30.185601@bombe.enet.dec.com> writes: `` In article <35333@cup.portal.com>, thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) writes: |> |>Next year some of these problems may be "history." Ken Olson (Pres of DEC) |>stated publicly this past week (in response to DEC's 2-year earnings decline |>and anticipated layoff of some 16,000-20,000 people) that VAX/VMS is (for all .... This is 100% pure Bullsh*t. '' Oh? Then perhaps DEC should sue both the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News, both of which printed the articles (which I also showed and read-aloud at the AT&T UNIX Users' Group meeting the following day). Send me email with your FAX number and I'll fax the articles to you. Or if you want to look them up for yourself, see: San Jose Mercury News, Tuesday, October 23, 1990, pages 7E-10E (even has a picture of Ken Olson with the caption "Olsen (sp?) has contended Digital should use its $1.6 Billion cash reserve to keep from cutting employees." This article is courtesy of The New York Times. San Francisco Chronicle, Tuesday, October 23, 1990, BUSINESS section, page number not shown on the clipping I cut out. This article is courtesy of Associated Press. Granted, the current issues of Digital Review and some other DEC-related mags didn't mention the merged-UNIX-VMS product as did both the articles I cite above, talking instead about Ultrix, but I seriously doubt the direct quotes attributed to Ken Olson and all the fancy pie- and bar-charts in the articles were forged by two fiercely-competitive newspapers serving N. California and Silicon Valley. Note, too, the articles were from DIFFERENT news services. Ken Olson (Pres of DEC) is known for his outright hatred of UNIX (per his public statements in this regards over the years), and that probably accounts for DEC's declining earnings the past eight (8) quarters as everyone else is moving to more open systems (i.e. UNIX or OSI (Mach)). I've been using DEC systems since the early 1960's and most of my revenues are derived from sales to clients using DEC hardware, but I, too, have seen the light and am actively porting to UNIX (incl. (eventually) Amiga SVR4)). As a longtime user of VMS, that OS utterly disgusts me. Followups (and flames) to comp.os.vms, please. Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]