cmg@CUNIXC.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU (Christine Gianone) (12/22/89)
This is to announce version 2.32 of MS-DOS Kermit for the IBM PC and PS/2
families and compatibles, the DEC Rainbow, the HP-150 and 110, the Grid
Compass II, the Victor 9000, and for "generic DOS". This release replaces
version 2.31 of July 1988. The majority of the work was done by Professor
Joe R. Doupnik of Utah State University, who also prepared the 2.29, 2.30,
and 2.31 releases.
Like previous releases, version 2.32 includes an advanced and efficient
implementation of the Kermit file transfer protocol, emulation of the VT102,
VT52, and Heath 19 terminals, as well as the Tektronix 4010/4014 graphics
terminals, a script programming language, and a wide variety of options,
settings, and other features.
New to version 2.32 are many bug fixes and internal improvements, and one
major new feature -- support, during CONNECT mode, for languages like Hebrew
and Arabic in which characters are displayed from right to left, plus
mechanisms to facilitate switching between character sets (and their
associated directions). These new language features were adapted from work
done by Baruch Cochavy, IIT, Haifa, Israel, whose test version of "Hebrew
Kermit" was announced in Info-Kermit V8 #9. The enhanced language support is
available through the new command SET TERMINAL DIRECTION, plus a new
ALTERNATE-ROM option for the SET TERMINAL CHARACTER-SET command, plus the
association of special predefined macro names with new private escape
sequences.
Other improvements include:
- A new ASK command, prompts user to input data to a variable.
- A new IF [NOT] EQUAL command compares string variables (use with ASK).
- A new ASSIGN commands copies one variable to another.
- Screens cleared by ESC [ 2 J are now saved in the rollback buffer.
- Removal of Timeout and Hangup screen messages during script/macro execution.
- A way to pass multi-word strings as single arguments to a macro.
- A way to disable server timeout NAKs (while server waits to answer a call).
- REMOTE LOGIN command (for use with Kermit servers that support it).
- Miscellaneous improvements in the file transfer display.
- Better color support during CONNECT.
Among the major bugs that were fixed are:
- Problems with GOTOs and labels in script programs.
- Ungermann-Bass Net/1 support.
- Loss of data when receiving files to a printer.
- Crashes resulting from overflow of script or macro buffers.
- Crashes resulting from stray interrupts.
- Victor 9000 now can do Tektronix graphics again.
- More COM1/COM2 confusion cleared up (e.g. for PCjr).
- Filesize and disk space computation with file attribute packets.
- SET SEND TIMEOUT interference with file encoding and decoding.
- Program should now be assemblable by MASM 5.1 as well as 5.0 and 4.0.
The changes since version 2.31 are described fully in the file MSR232.UPD.
The user manual, MSKERM.DOC (.MSS, .PS) has been revised to reflect the new
features.
This new release is available in both source and binary form. It may be
ordered on diskette or magnetic tape from Columbia, and it may be obtained via
network file transfer over the Internet or BITNET/EARN. On the Internet, use
FTP (user anonymous) to host CUNIXC.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU [128.59.40.130], CWD (or
CD) to the directory kermit/a. On BITNET/EARN, send an interactive or e-mail
message to KERMSRV@CUVMA (the BITNET Kermit file server), containing the text
HELP, to get started.
The executable files are stored in a special printable format, called "BOO
files", suitable for BITNET file transfer, electronic mail, etc. These are
decoded back into .EXE files using any of the MSBPCT "BOO-file decoder"
programs. The documentation is available online in plain ASCII text format,
in Scribe text formatter source format, and in Postscript format. Following
is a synopsis of the files. The KERMSRV name is the same as the CUNIXC name,
except the CUNIXC name is lowercase with a period between the filename and
filetype, wherease the KERMSRV name is uppercase with a space separating the
filename and filetype, e.g. msaaaa.hlp on CUNIXC is MSAAAA HLP on CUVMA.
CUNIXC Name Size Description
msaaaa.hlp 7K Explanation of file naming conventions
msbaaa.hlp 4K Explanation of bootstrapping procedure
msb*.* 174K total BOO-file encoding/decoding programs, many languages
msvibm.boo 115K IBM PC Kermit, BOO-encoded executable
msvrb1.boo 83K DEC Rainbow Kermit BOO file
msvgen.boo 78K Generic MS-DOS Kermit BOO file
msvhp1.boo 77K HP-150 (untested)
msvgri.boo 78K Grid Compass II (untested)
mskerm.doc 333K MS-DOS 2.32 Kermit manual, plain ASCII text
mskerm.ps 489K MS-DOS 2.32 Kermit manual, for Postscript printers
mskerm.mss 323K Scribe text formatter source for manual
mskerm.hlp 16K A summary of MS-Kermit commands
mskerm.bwr 14K List of known restrictions, bugs, etc.
mss*.* 776K total System-independent MASM Source files (12 files)
msg*.* 128K System-dependent source (Tektronix graphics)
msu*.* 70-85K each Sys-depn source (keyboard support, all systems)
msx*.* 25-174K each Sys-depn source (port i/o, etc, all systems)
msy*.* 22-124K each Sys-depn source (terminal emulation, IBM only)
msz*.* 66-189K each Sys-depn source (term emul, cont'd, IBM only)
msv*.mak 2K each Microsoft MAKE files for each version
msv*.bat 2K each Batch files to build each version
msv*.lnk 1K each LINK command files for each version
The utility program MSUCHK.C (and .BOO), contributed by Phil Benchoff, allows
convenient determination of MS-Kermit's keyboard codes on the IBM PC
family. And the files MSIXSE.* are the XSEND program, contributed by Mark
Zinzow, for constructing MS-Kermit command files that send entire directory
trees from one DOS system to another.
For the benefit of those who are still running version 2.29 and haven't
converted to later versions because the SET KEY syntax changed so drastically,
there is also a new file, MSVIBM.KEY, which lists the old (2.29) and new (2.30
and later) IBM keyboard scan codes.
Be sure to read the MSKERM.BWR file before trying to use the new version, or
reporting any problems with it.
Here are the minimum files needed for the new release ("xxx" stands for the
specific version, IBM, RB1, HP1, HPX, V90, GEN, etc):
1. For everybody: The documentation -- MSKERM.DOC, MSKERM.HLP, MSKERM.BWR,
MSR232.UPD.
2. The new Kermit program itself: MSVxxx.BOO (where xxx denotes the particular
MS-DOS system: IBM, RB1, HP1, etc).
3. If you don't have an MSBPCT "BOO-file decoder", also get at least MSBPCT.BAS
(the slow BASIC version) and MSBPCT.BOO (an .EXE version from C, which
you can decode with MSBPCT.BAS). Use MSBPCT.EXE to decode MSVxxx.BOO.
4. For those who want to make modifications to the sources:
MSS*.*, MSGxxx.* (if any), MSXxxx.*, MSYxxx.* (if any), MSZxxx.* (if any),
MSVxxx.MAK (or .BAT if you don't have MAKE), and MSVxxx.LNK.
The systems for which we don't yet have the new version ready are still in
the Kermit distribution as before, under the MSV, MSX, and MSY prefixes. These
will be replaced if and when new ones appear.
The IBM PC, DEC Rainbow, and HP-150 versions may also be ordered on diskette
from Columbia, along with typeset, printed copies of the manual. The IBM
version is available on 5.25-inch 360K DS DD diskettes, and on 3.5-inch 720K DS
diskettes for the PS/2 family. The Rainbow version is on RX50. The HP-150
version is on 3.5" diskette.
FINAL WORDS:
Like any Kermit program, MS-DOS Kermit is for everyone to use and share.
There is no software license, and the program and documentation may be
reproduced and redistributed without restriction, so long as this is not done
for profit. Please take or order the files you need. If you're getting files
over a network, please be judicious -- don't ask for MS*.*, or the networks
will be choked for months! Once you get a working copy at your site, share it
with others, rather than having them make further network requests.
Send complaints, bug reports, suggestions, comments, or even praise (where
it's deserved) to Info-Kermit@CUNIXC (.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU). And thanks once
again on behalf of the world's thousands or millions of MS-DOS Kermit users to
Joe Doupnik for his skill, generosity, and patience. And thanks also to the
beta testers.