fdc@WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU (Frank da Cruz) (06/14/89)
Info-Kermit Digest Tue, 13 Jun 1989 Volume 9 : Number 9
Departments:
NEWS -
Kermit Conference Report
New Kermit Discussion List in Japan
ANNOUNCEMENTS -
Announcing MVS/TSO Kermit 4.1.001
Announcing TSO Kermit 4.1.002
Announcing CMS Kermit 4.1.001
New Release of Kermit-11 for the DEC PDP-11
Announcing Kermit for the Honeywell DPS-6
Announcing Version 2.9 of Apollo Pascal Kermit
Announcing GEC/OS4000 Kermit Version 3.9
MISCELLANY -
HP-9000 Kermit Bootstraping Methods
Using Kermit on Ethernet?
Mixing Things in MS-Kermit Key Definitions?
Kermit-370 Through 3174 AEA?
C64-Kermit Problem
Send digest submissions to Info-Kermit@CUNIXC.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, requests for
addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
Info-Kermit-Request@CUNIXC.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU or to KERMIT@CUVMA.BITNET.
Kermit files may be obtained over networks and by mail order. On the
Internetwork, use FTP to log in to host WATSUN, WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a
SUN-4/280 running UNIX (SUNOS 4.0), IP host number 128.59,39.2, or to CUNIXC,
CUNIXC.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a VAX 8700 running UNIX (Ultrix), IP host number
128.59.40.130. Login as user anonymous (note, lower case), any password, and
GET or MGET the desired files. The Kermit files are in directories kermit/a,
kermit/b, kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e. You can also get Kermit files
over BITNET/EARN; to get started send a message with text HELP to KERMSRV, the
Kermit file server, at host CUVMA. For detailed instructions, read the file
kermit/a/aanetw.hlp (AANETW.HLP on KERMSRV). To order by mail, request a
complete list of Kermit versions and an order form from Kermit Distribution,
Columbia University Center for Computing Activities, 612 West 115th Street,
New York, NY 10025 USA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 1989 16:37:14 EDT
From: Frank da Cruz <fdc@watsun.cc.columbia.edu>
Subject: Kermit Conference Report
Keywords: Conference, Kermit Conference, International Kermit Conference
Keywords: Moscow, USSR
Apologies for the long hiatus in Kermit digests. Christine Gianone and I
spent the last several weeks preparing for and then attending the First
International Kermit Conference, held in Moscow, USSR, May 29-31. This
conference, sponsored by the International Centre for Scientific and Technical
Information (ICSTI) in Moscow, was attended by more than 70 computer
specialists from the USSR, Hungary, East Germany, Cuba, Mongolia, Bulgaria,
Poland, and Czechoslovakia. Many of the conference attendees were active
Kermit program developers, working on Soviet and Eastern European computers.
The first two days were devoted to our presentation of Kermit's history,
philosophy, use, programming, protocol, and performance, with translation
between English and Russian for the lecture and question-and-answer sessions.
On the third day, Chris presented our proposed extension to the Kermit
protocol to allow transfer of text files in diverse character sets (including,
of course, Cyrillic) which was of great interest to this international
audience. The basic ideas of the proposal were warmly endorsed in the
discussion which followed. A third draft will appear soon, which will reflect
points raised in this discussion and others from the isokermit e-mail
conference.
There were also presentations from conference attendees, discussing their
adaptations of Kermit for Soviet and other Eastern European computers, and
some of the uses to which they had put these programs. Perhaps the most
interesting described how Kermit was used in Soviet secondary school CAI labs
-- 250,000 PCs are being manufactured and delivered to Soviet secondary
schools as part of the current five-year plan, and each of them has Kermit in
ROM.
Chris presented ICSTI with a complete, up-to-date set of Kermit programs and
documentation on magnetic tape and diskette. ICSTI in Moscow will join other
regional Kermit Distribution centers that have been set up around the world --
in England, Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Japan, Australia, etc. ICSTI's
Kermit Distribution will serve the Soviet Union and other Eastern-block
countries, and ICSTI will become a center for coordinating Kermit program
development in those countries. ICSTI presented Columbia with a version of
Kermit it had developed for IBM's CICS MVS subsystem and with a set of
Cyrillic fonts for the HP Laserjet. The CICS support code has been sent to
John Chandler (see below) in hopes that it can be adapted to Kermit-370.
Our special thanks to Dr. Juri Gornostaev, Head of ICSTI's Computer
Department, and Professor A. Butrimenko, Director of ICSTI, for sponsoring the
first international conference devoted entirely to Kermit, and for their warm
and generous hospitality. And thanks also to Juri and the "Kermit Gang" at
ICSTI -- especially Mischa, Andrei, Kostya, Marina, and Shamil -- for
befriending us and giving us an "insider's view" of the Soviet Union.
A more complete report of the Kermit conference will appear in the next (4th)
issue of Kermit News. If you're not already a subscriber, send e-mail to the
Info-Kermit-Request address (or paper mail to the postal address) listed
above, requesting a subscription.
Meanwhile, new Kermit contributions have been pouring in. Some of them are
announced below (MVS/TSO Kermit 4.1.002, VM/CMS Kermit 4.1.001, PDP-11 Kermit
3.60, Honeywell DPS-6 Kermit, and Apollo Pascal Kermit 3.9, GEC OS4000 Kermit
3.9. Others will be announced in forthcoming Kermit digests, including OS/2
C-Kermit (complete with source code) and new releases of HP-9000 BASIC Kermit
and Microsoft Windows Kermit.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 02 May 89 13:58:22 JST
From: Masamichi Ute <UTE@JPNSUT30.BITNET>
Subject: New Kermit Discussion List in Japan
Keywords: Japan, LISTSERV
I am a postmaster at the Science University of Tokyo, Noda campus (JPNSUT30)
in Japan. Many thanks for your Kermit service and Kermit on many computers.
I have a report and a few questions for now.
1. I opened a Kermit discussion list (KERMIT-L) for BITNET users in Japan on
our LISTSERV. I would like to introduce Kermit on any computers and exchange
usage and questions and so on. We exchage a mail using the Japanese language
on KERMIT-L.
2. I would like to register Kermit programs by file server facility on our
LISTSERV:
* MSVP98 for NEC PC-9801
I got a developer's consent from Hirofumi Fujii KEIBUN@JPNKEKVM.
* IBM Mainframe's Kermit, VM/CMS, MVS/TSO and MUSIC/SP
* C-Kermit for EWS
I would like to register the execution files for Kermit beginners. It is
KERMIT MODULE, KERMIT HELPCMS on VM/CMS, for example. In this case, do I have
to register Kermit original files on KERMSRV? Please let me me know the rules
to register a Kermit program.
Yours sincerely,
Masamichi Ute
UTE@JPNSUT30.BITNET
Postmaster of JPNSUT30
Information Processing Center
Noda campus
Science University of Tokyo
2641, Yamazaki
Noda, Chiba, 278
JAPAN
[Ed. - Ute-san, many thanks for setting up the Japanese Kermit discussion
group and file server! This is a valuable service, and will help to ease
the congestion on the trans-pacific network links. To answer your questions,
we normally do not put binary executable files on our Kermit file servers or
distribution tapes, for reasons of transportability. Binary files are often
not compatible with e-mail or labeled magnetic tape formats. In some cases,
we encode the binaries as printable characters -- HEX or BOO files. We
encourage you to keep the source code along with the binaries so that people
who get these programs can make improvements, fix bugs, etc, and also so that
users can satisfy themselves that the programs contain no viruses. Thanks
again for what you are doing!]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1989 May 8 12:07:11 EDT
From: "John F. Chandler" <PEPMNT@CFAAMP.BITNET>
Subject: Announcing MVS/TSO Kermit 4.1.001
Keywords: MVS/TSO Kermit, IBM 370 Kermit
I have sent new BWR, INS, and UPD files for IKTKER. Starting with this
batch, I intend to make a new "sub-release" number each time a new update
comes out -- hence, 4.1.001 for TSO. This number is displayed is the same
places 4.1 was formerly, so there should be less of a problem figuring out
exactly what version is involved in problem reports henceforth. I had hoped
to get a 4.1.001 out for CMS about now also, but I'm still waiting for
reports on an update I hope has finally made GRAPHICS controllers work for
CMS Kermit.
John
[Ed. - Many thanks, John! IKTKER.UPD shows the changes, which include
improved VTAM TTY support, handling of implicit CLISTs, and improved handling
of host commands. The three new files are in kermit/b on watsun and cunixc
for anonymous FTP access, and also available on BITNET/EARN from KERMSRV at
CUVMA. Also, see next message.]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 1989 Jun 6 20:19 EDT
From: "John F. Chandler" <PEPMNT@cfaamp.harvard.edu>
Subject: Announcing TSO Kermit 4.1.002
Keywords: MVS/TSO Kermit, IBM 370 Kermit
Release 4.1.001 contained a bug that interfered with the catalog scan for
SEND operations, so that a "File not found" error would result. The fix:
SC89157 (see IKTKER.UPD). 4.1.002 is now the current release.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 1989 Jun 13 15:57 EDT
From: "John F. Chandler" <PEPMNT%CFAAMP.BITNET@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu>
Subject: Announcing CMS Kermit 4.1.001
I have sent new versions of IKCKER.UPD and IKCKER.BWR. This marks the
transition of CMS Kermit to the "edit number" system, such that each new set
of changes released through Columbia will result in a change in the edit
number (the 001 in 4.1.001). I will try to keep a correspondence among all
the variants of Kermit-370, so that generic additions will appear at roughly
the same edit number for each. Thus, the 4.1.001 that appeared for TSO in
May had the same set of generic updates as the new CMS 4.1.001, but TSO's
4.1.002 issued last week has only a TSO-specific bug fix, and, hence, the
next version of CMS Kermit will presumably be 4.1.003. For CMS, 4.1.001
marks a significant milestone -- for the first time, GRAPHICS controllers are
supported. In particular, complete success has been reported for the PCI 276
and partial success for the Renex TMS-1. The other major innovation is the
option of entering CMS filespecs as name.type.mode (with periods instead of
blanks as delimiters).
John
[Ed. - Thanks once again, John. The new files are installed in the regular
places: kermit/b/ikcker.upd and .bwr on cunixc and watsun for Internet
anonymous FTP access, and IKCKER UPD and IKCKER BWR for BITNET access via
KERMSRV at CUVMA.]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 May 1989 21:02:37 EDT
From: Brian Nelson <bnelson@watsun.cc.columbia.edu>
Subject: New Release of Kermit-11 for the DEC PDP-11
Keywords: PDP-11, DEC PDP-11, RSX-11, RSTS/E, RT-11
This is a minor new release of Kermit for the DEC PDP-11 and its various
operating systems -- RSX-11, RSTS/E, RT-11, P/OS, TSX+, etc. The version
number is 3.60, and it replaces 3.58 (which was released back in October
1987). The changes include:
. Support for the file protection attribute in the Attribute packet
. For RSX, ensure Kermit is privileged before performing SF.SMC to remote
port, to prevent crashes of RSX-11/M+ 4.0.
. Add local terminal buffering to RSX 'connect' module.
. Complete definition of DF224 modem.
. Add a few percent to the size reported in an incoming file's attribute
packet before preallocating the file for RT-11, to allow for expansion
of (for instance) UNIX files to CRLF format.
[Ed. - Many thanks to Brian for sending in this update which was badly needed
by RT-11 users who sent files from IBM PCs to the PDP-11, and found that
RT-11 Kermit did not preallocate enough space for the file. The new files
are in kermit/b/k11* on watsun and cunixc, and available as K11*.* from
KERMSRV at CUVMA on BITNET.]
------------------------------
Date: Thu May 11 15:25:33 1989
From: Frank Dreano, NAVMASSO, Chesapeake, VA
Subject: Announcing Kermit for the Honeywell DPS-6
Keywords: Honeywell DPS-6
This is the copy of the Honeywell DPS-6 Kermit I promised you serveral months
ago. It has the latest features such as attribute packets and extended
packets. Documentation and 'C' source code are enclosed (CUCLKER.C,
CUCLPRI.C contain the source and COMPLNK.EC is a DPS-6 batch job to build the
executable). Two modules of MSKermit 2.31 were modified to support DPS-6
Kermit telecommunications:
MSSCOM.ASM => MSSCOM.DPS: modified to support extended packets and
double transmit the backslash character (\) for the 3.1 DPS-6
operating system, a necessity unfortunately.
MSZIBM.ASM => MSZIBM.DPS: modified to provide VERY rudimentary
terminal support when in VT102 mode...just enough to let a
Honeywell user login to the DPS-6.
All changes are documented in the source and the executable MSKermit 2.31
produced by these modules remains generic and I have used it on the DDN VAX
systems as well as IBM and Tandem systems.
Sincerely,
Frank Dreano
NAVMASSO
1441 Crossways Blvd.
Chesapeake, VA 23320-8915
(804) 523-8190
[Ed. - Thanks to Frank Dreano and to Steve Carr for the sources. Until now
we have only had a .HEX file which no one could modify. The old .HEX file
has been replaced with the new sources and .HEX files in ~kermit/d/hd6*.jar.
The ".jar" files are collected files stored together ("join archive").]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 May 89 11:36:31 WET DST
From: The UK National PD Software Archive
<pdsoft%pd-software.lancaster.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk>
Subject: Announcing Version 2.9 of Apollo Pascal Kermit
Keywords: Apollo Kermit
The principal change between versions 2.7 and 2.9 of Apollo APX Kermit is to
add in the 8 bit quoting and associated file handling changes from APO Kermit
versions 2.8 and 2.8a. In the parameters exchange, APX 2.9 also handles 'Y'
and 'N' in the 8-bit field from the other Kermit correctly. Also there is
now SET 8BIT ON/OFF (if ON, it sends '&' which, according to the protocol
manual, means "I insist on quoting"; if OFF, it sends 'N' which means "I
can't"). I believe that the APX Kermit can now do everything that the APO
version does (and more).
The extensions are:
APX can be run on a remote node, even (crudely) from an attached terminal
on the local node.
Repeat count processing.
Filename normalising.
RECEIVE followed by filename.
SET TIME and TIMEOUT.
CVT_NL is now called RAW (i.e. CVT_NL OFF now RAW ON).
This version works out how it is being driven and sets GRAPHICS and RAW
accordingly. As before, if it is being driven by an sio line it assumes it is
running as a remote Kermit, so you can't use it as it stands to drive one sio
on a node from another.
If it is running on a remote node, CONNECT now works in RAW mode. This means
you no longer get a double echo and echoing of passwords and you can send
control characters. However, if you are using an attached terminal on the
local node, this doesn't work and you must explicitly SET RAW OFF before
CONNECTing. If normalising, received file names are converted to lower case.
Now handles prefixing in incoming fileheader packets and does control quoting
in outgoing ones.
To avoid confusion, this version announces itself as Apollo-APX. Minor code
changes to stop the Pascal optimiser generating warnings.
This version works under Aegis SR 9.7. I don't know whether it works under
SR10 - but it will have to be made to eventually.
Gordon Sands
Technical Computing Dept.
Marconi Space Systems Ltd.
Anchorage Rd.
Portsmouth PO3 5PU
ENGLAND
0705-664966 x3521
[Ed. - Thanks, Gordon! And thanks to Steve Jenkins at Lancaster University
for sending this version in to us. This new release has been placed in the
Kermit Distribution under the prefix "apx", in the C area (kermit/c/apx*).
It is supposed to combine the features of the two older Apollo Pascal Kermits,
which remain available in the same area under the "apo" and "apl" prefixes.
Users of Apollo Pascal Kermit are encouraged to pick up the new release and
let us know if the older ones can be retired.]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 May 89 11:47:55 WET DST
From: The UK National PD Software Archive
<pdsoft%pd-software.lancaster.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk>
Subject: Announcing GEC/OS4000 Kermit Version 3.9
Keywords: GEC OS4000 Kermit
Version 3.9 of GEC Kermit for standard OS4000 consists mainly of bug fixes
and fuller checking of received packets. Most of the changes were prompted
by a spate of failed transfers some of which resulted in the GEC terminal
getting locked up. The new version is more careful about whether it is in
Logical or Physical mode and looks for Ctrl-Z more often. Some of the
packets were arriving with bytes missing. This caused problems because the
GEC kermit would wait for the number of bytes it was expecting and transfer
would halt until one side timed out. The new version looks for premature
CRs and immediately NAKs the packet. There were also problems in binary
mode with files which ended in a null or with 2 or 3 copies of the same
character.
The routine which normalises incoming filenames now checks the new filename
and strips off leading digits. Should the new name consist only of digits,
the first is replaced with an X, e.g. S12ABC.XYZ becomes .ABCXYZ and
S1234567.123 becomes .X4567123.
If a user types RECEIVE followed by a filename, but then SENDs more than one
file, only the first goes into the given name - the rest into normalised
versions of the sender's names.
I have developed a way of setting things up so that a user Kermitting to a
GEC machine needs only to connect once in a session (to compensate for the
lack of a LOGOUT command). Details in GECSVR.JCL.
Gordon Sands,
Technical Computing Dept.
Marconi Space Systems Ltd.
Anchorage Road,
Portsmouth, ENGLAND PO3 5PU
0705-664966 x3521
[Ed. - Thanks again to Gordon and Steve for this work. This version replaces
the old release in Kermit Distribution area D, under the prefix "gec".]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 89 15:17 EST
From: Roger Wallace <22315@res2.ray.com>
Subject: HP-9000 Kermit Bootstraping Methods
Keywords: HP-9000, Bootstrapping
Alternative Methods for Bootstrapping KERMIT-RMB to HP-9000 Workstations:
We have now successfully bootstrapped Kermit-RMB to several HP-9000 series
workstations, and are in the process of gathering user feedback on the
performance of this new version. This particular Kermit fills a long-
standing need for reliable file transfer to hosts outside of the HP family.
The basic terminal emulation and file transfer facilities seem to work as they
should; we will forward any bug reports from our user community both to the
Digest and to Andy Campagnola. In the meantime, I thought I would pass along,
as alternatives, the methods we tried for getting the appropriate files into
HP-LIF disks.
[Ed. - 124 lines omitted from here for lack of space, see below...]
And finally, our thanks again to Andy Campagnola and his associates at HP for
making a much-needed Kermit implementation available.
Roger Wallace
Research Division
Raytheon Co.
Lexington, MA
[Ed. - And many thanks to you, Roger! Your Fortran dehexifying program has
been added to the HPB files as HPBDEH.F77, and the full contents of this
message have been added as HPBKER.BWR. There is also a new release of the
HP-9000 Kermit program on the way from Andy Campagnola that should simplify
the bootstrapping a bit.]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 May 89 13:32:16 IST
From: Reuven Weiss <I64%TAUNIVM@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu>
Subject: Using Kermit on Ethernet?
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit Network Support
I would like to use the Kermit interface (scripts, key redefinitions, etc.)
while connected from a PC to a host by TELNET. Our campus has many RS-232
terminals where we use Kermit 2.32/A on PC's and the various Kermit programs
on CDC, VAX and IBM hosts. We also have a LAN under TCP/IP protocol. The LAN
connects to the same hosts and to many PC's. On the PC's we use 3COM 3C501
and WD8003E cards and NCSA 2.2 program (for TELNET and FTP). Instructing
users would be easier if the two programs (KERMIT and NCSA) would have similar
user interface, where it is possible. There is much similarity in terminal
emulation and KERMIT works now also with LAN (NETBIOS and U-B). Perhaps
KERMIT can evolve to TCP/IP emulation? I would like to read comments from
Kermit users.
Reuven Weiss
Faculty of Engineering
Tel - Aviv University
REUVEN@TAUENG.bitnet (a VAX/VMS site) or
I64@TAUNIVM.bitnet (an IBM/VM site)
[Ed. - There are many requests for this. The most practical approach to
adding TCP/IP Telnet support to MS-Kermit would be to take the board-level
drivers from NCSA Telnet and convert them into TSR Bios-level drivers for
COM1. Then let MS-Kermit's SET PORT BIOS1 command do the rest. This
apparently already works with certain commercial IP products, e.g. Interlan's
TCP/IP Gateway for Novell networks (see Info-Kermit V9 #8).]
------------------------------
From: Martin Kiff <mgk@psg.national-physical-lab.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 24 May 89 17:29:47 BST
Subject: Mixing Things in MS-Kermit Key Definitions?
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit Key Definitions
A quick question, or perhaps a request.
I am trying to set up a key definition which is a combination of a Kermit verb
and trailing characters, something like:
set key \316 \Klfarr\016T
give or take a few braces.
Why would I want to do a thing like that? Well we use Kermit mainly over an
X.25 network talking to a VAX. The VAX likes to think it is dealing with
single characters; the network works better with longer packets. The PADs on
the network are thus set up to bundle together characters until there is a
1/20 sec pause and then send them off. This is fine if using autorepeat to
write a string of '.'s across the screen but embarrassing if holding down the
'delete line' key.
It would be nice to be able to tag onto some of the VT100 verbs, like the
cursor movement, PF4, kpminus, kpcoma the characters to force the PAD to
dispatch the packet being built. This is the <CntlP>T sequence above.
It seems however that Kermit (2.32/A version for PCs) doesn't allow this, is
it something in the pipeline? Do other people have similar problems?
Many thanks,
Martin Kiff
Computing Services Unit
National Physical Laboratory
mgk@PSG.NPL.CO.UK
[From JRD - Yes, this is a restriction. As the code design stands presently
one cannot join a Kermit keyboard verb with other text in the same definition.
The algorithms in use do all the definition parsing when the key is being
defined, rather than when the definition is being sent to the host. Were the
latter the case, then terminal emulation speed would drop a lot on medium
speed 286's and slower machines, and the memory usage for definitions would
grow substantially. On 286 machines and above, you might consider
reprogramming the keyboard repeat rate to match the PAD. There are public
domain programs (very short) to do just that.]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 May 89 16:06:36 GMT
From: Pete Gifford <PETE@ALLEGVM>
Subject: Kermit-370 Through 3174 AEA?
Keywords: IBM 3174, IBM 370 Kermit
Does anyone have Kermit 4.1 file transfer for CMS or MUSIC working through a
local 3174 with the Asynchronous Emulation Adapter (AEA)? We are using
ProComm+ for terminal emulation (VT102) and ProComm+'s Kermit file transfer
option and are not able to get the two to communicate. Any help will be
greatly appreciated.
Pete Gifford PETE@ALLEGVM
Systems Programmer PETE@MUSIC.ALLEG.EDU
Allegheny College (814) 332-5304
Meadville, PA (814) 332-5366
[From John Chandler - The latest word on the 3174 is that there is no means of
transparent throughput at present. However, IBM has indicated there will be
some such capability fairly soon (as of a month ago, the microcode upgrade was
due in about 6 months). It presumably won't be long after that before Kermit
will be able to do file transfers through the 3174.]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 May 89 17:53:23 edt
From: pcw@squid.tn.cornell.edu
Subject: C64-Kermit Problem
Keywords: Commodore-64/128
I have the following configuration : a Commodore C64, a 2400 baud Hayes
compatible modem and a modem adaptor that connects the former two together.
When I used a terminal software called CCGMS 6.0, the system worked nicely up
to 2400 baud !!!!! However, when I used KERMIT, it was a complete failure no
matter what baud rate I tried !! The problem is : After the usual procedure
of dialing the number manually and hearing the high pitch tones, the modem
did not kick in to do the rest !! Are there some parameters (that I am not
aware of) that need to be set beside baud rate in KERMIT ? What about a
parameter in KERMIT called rs232-registers ? What should be its hex value ?
Any help is appreciated !!
Patrick Wong
------------------------------
End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************