Columbia Kermit/kermit.zip/e/mail.90a

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From cmg  Thu Jan  4 18:25:07 1990
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Date: Thu, 4 Jan 90 18:25:06 EST
From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
To: info-kermit
Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V11 #1
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Info-Kermit Digest         Thu, 4 Jan 1990        Volume 11 : Number 1

   PROPOSALS FOR KERMIT PROTOCOL ADDITIONS -

        Proposal for Kermit SET FILE COLLISION Command
        Proposal for Kermit SET ATTRIBUTE Command
        Proposal for REMOTE SET Extension to the Kermit Protocol

Digest submissions may be sent to [e-mail], requests
for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
[e-mail] or to [e-mail].

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.
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: Mon, 11 Dec 89 19:15:07 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Kermit Protocol Additions
Keywords: Kermit Protocol

This issue of the Info-Kermit Digest contains several proposals for extending
the Kermit protocol in certain minor ways, all of them related.  These
discussions are for Kermit developers.  They assume familiarity with the
Kermit protocol, as described in "Kermit, A File Transfer Protocol", by Frank
da Cruz, Digital Press (1987).

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Dec 89 19:15:07 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Proposal for Kermit SET FILE COLLISION Command
Keywords: Kermit Protocol, SET FILE Command

PROBLEM:

As pointed out by Gregg Wonderly in Info-Kermit V10 #4, as well as by John
Chandler (author of Kermit-370) and many others previously, Kermit's SET
WARNING (sometimes also known as SET FILE WARNING) command is misnamed and
furthermore does not allow for certain desirable kinds of behavior when a file
arrives which has the same name as an existing file.

SOLUTION:

A new command to replace the old SET [FILE] WARNING command (or which can
coexist with it): SET FILE COLLISION, similar to the SET FILE EXISTS command
which was proposed by Gregg.  The name was changed for grammar's sake, several
additional options are suggested, and their behavior described somewhat
differently:

SET FILE COLLISION REPLACE: Destroy the previously existing file, replace it
    with the new copy (the current behavior of SET WARNING OFF).

SET FILE COLLISION RENAME: Give the incoming file a new, unique name so that
    it won't overwrite any existing files (like SET WARNING ON).  This would
    be the default behavior.

SET FILE COLLISION BACKUP: Give the existing file a new, unique name, using
    the same algorithm that is used on the arriving file by SET FILE COLLISION
    RENAME, and then accept the incoming file under its own name.

SET FILE COLLISION DISCARD: Reject any incoming file that has the same name as
    an existing file using (a) the attribute refusal mechanism ("N" in the
    data field of the ACK to the Attribute packet) if the use of attribute
    packets was negotiated, (b) by putting an "X" in the data field of
    acknowledgements to any Data packets that arrive to request cancellation
    of the file.  Always use method (b), even if also using method (a), in
    order to get on to the next file as quickly as possible.  In case the
    sending Kermit does not understand either of these signals and the file
    continues to arrive, do not open a new file and simply acknowledge and
    discard all data packets up to the end of the file.

    As Gregg pointed out, the DISCARD option will be handy for resuming
    transfer of a file group that had been interrupted.  This gives us a cheap
    version of checkpointing.  A more general and protocol-driven
    checkpointing mechanism will be proposed in the future.

SET FILE COLLISION APPEND: Append an arriving file to an existing file
    that has the same name.  The resulting file keeps the same
    system-dependent characteristics it had before, except that the date is
    changed.  This option should be used with caution, since it opens the
    door to creating files of mixed types (e.g. a text file appended to a
    binary file, a spreadsheet appeneded to a database, etc).  Old versions
    of IBM mainframe Kermit operated in this way.

SET FILE COLLISION ASK: Ask the user whether to replace, rename, discard,
    or append each arriving file that has the same name as an existing file.
    This option, too, should be used with caution because the file transfer
    could time out if the user takes too long to answer the query.  There are
    also user-interface issues: what happens to the active file transfer
    display, etc.  Macintosh Kermit currently supports this in the form of
    of "attended file transfer mode".

When the REPLACE and BACKUP options are in effect, a question arises
(originally posed by John Chandler).  Should the receiving Kermit create the
new file using its current file settings (SET FILE TYPE, etc), or should the
new file inherit the characteristics of the existing file, like protection,
blocksize, record format, etc, on systems where files have such things (IBM
mainframes, VAX/VMS, etc)?  There should also be a command to let the user
specify this:

SET FILE REPLACE {PRESERVE, DEFAULT}

where PRESERVE would create the new file with the same characteristics as the
old one, and DEFAULT would use the current file settings of the receiving
Kermit program and the host operating system when creating the new file.

The setting of SET FILE COLLISION will have an effect (as FILE WARNING does
now) upon the receiving Kermit's handling of the file size attribute as
reported in the incoming Attribute packet.  If the REPLACE option is in force,
then the existing file's size must be added to the available space before
deciding whether to accept or refuse the file on the basis of space.

This new command involves no new protocol.  Its operation is strictly local
to the receiving Kermit program, and gives the user added control over its
behavior when receiving files.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Dec 89 19:15:07 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Proposal for Kermit SET ATTRIBUTE Command
Keywords: Kermit Protocol, SET ATTRIBUTE Command

PROBLEM:

As the use of File Attribute (A) packets within Kermit programs grows more
widespread, it is becoming apparent that the user needs to have more control
over this feature.  Currently, most Kermit programs that support attribute
packets have a command SET ATTRIBUTES {ON, OFF}, so that if one or more
attributes is causing problems on the receiving computer, the sender can be
commanded not to send any attributes at all and the receiver can be told to
ignore all incoming attributes.

For example, suppose both the sender and receiver programs support the file
creation date attribute, and the receiver sets the arriving file's date from
it.  On some computers, incremental backups work according the file date and
so files that are received by Kermit won't be backed up.  If the user gives
the SET ATTRIBUTES OFF command, then the current date will be used when
creating the incoming file, but other useful attributes like file size will be
absent or ignored.  In this case, the receiving Kermit will not be able to
reject an arriving file in advance if it would be too big to fit on the
available storage.

You should not have to sacrifice all file attributes if only one of them is
causing problems.  Furthermore, it is possible to imagine situations in which
you want a certain attribute to be effective when sending a file but not when
receiving, or vice-versa.  For example, suppose the date attribute works
correctly when receiving a file, but when sending a file it causes the other
Kermit program to crash because of a bug.  In this case, you need a way of
telling your Kermit program to not to send the date attribute, but still
continue to handle for incoming files.

SOLUTION:

A new command, SET ATTRIBUTE <name> {IN, OUT} {ON, OFF}.  The <name> is the
name of any Kermit attribute as listed on pp.272-279 of the Kermit book, or
else the word ALL to mean all attributes.  IN OFF means that the attribute
should be ignored if it appears in an incoming File Attribute packet.  OUT OFF
means that the named attribute should not be included in any File Attribute
packets which are sent.  IN ON and OUT ON are used to enable the named
incoming or outbound attributes.  If you specify ALL OFF, then the Kermit
program should not set Attribute bit in the capabilities field of its
Send-Init packet (equivalent to the current command SET ATTRIBUTES OFF).
Examples:

  Command                      Meaning

  SET ATTRIBUTE LENGTH IN OFF  Ignore incoming length attributes
  SET ATTRIBUTE DATE OUT OFF   Omit date from outbound attributes
  SET ATTRIBUTE DATE OUT ON    Include date from outbound attributes
  SET ATTRIBUTE ALL OUT OFF    Don't send any attributes
  SET ATTRIBUTE ALL IN OFF     Ignore all incoming attributes

This new command is completely self-contained within each Kermit program.
There is no additional protocol between the two Kermit programs.

Thanks to John Chandler and Joe Doupnik for advice and suggestions on these
new commands.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Dec 89 19:15:07 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Proposal for REMOTE SET Extension to the Kermit Protocol
Keywords: Kermit Protocol, REMOTE SET Command

PROBLEM:

Certain Kermit programs (including MS-Kermit 3.0, C-Kermit 4F) include
information about whether a file is text or binary in the File Attribute
packet, so the receiver can put itself into the right mode automatically.  But
when talking to a server there is no way for the client program, before
issuing a GET command, to tell the server whether to send the file in text or
binary mode.  This problem extends to various other protocol and file-related
parameters.

NOTE:

The Kermit protocol definition includes a REMOTE KERMIT command, and the
associated packet format and protocol.  It lets the user of the client program
issue a command to the server in its own interactive-mode command language.
But this is not a totally satisfactory answer because the syntax of Kermit
programs can and does vary and, perhaps more to the point, some Kermit
programs do not have an interactive command mode at all (Macintosh Kermit is
one example).  What is needed is a standard mechanism and syntax that can
apply to all Kermit programs uniformly.

SOLUTION:

A new addition to the Kermit protocol: REMOTE SET.

REMOTE SET would be a Generic Kermit Server command.  A generic command looks
like this:

    +-----+---------------------------------+
    |  G  | x <len1> <op1> <len2> <op2> ... |
    +-----+---------------------------------+
     Type   Data

where "x" is the generic command, a single letter.  The letter S is not yet in
use, so let's define S to mean SET.  The S is followed by a single operand,
which includes a single-character length field, similar to other generic
command packets.

The parameters which may be SET remotely are the ones having to do with file
transfer and Kermit protocol in general, not system-dependent or
communications-dependent parameters, since these must already have been set
prior to making the initial connection, and must be set correctly in any event
BEFORE you can successfully send a REMOTE SET (or any other) packet to the
server.

The most needed REMOTE SET command is REMOTE SET FILE TYPE {TEXT,BINARY}, but
the others should be specified in the protocol too.  Numeric codes are
assigned to the parameters and values, so that the mechanism for conveying
this information is system- and language-independent and reasonably compact.
The REMOTE SET command does exactly what the corresponding SET command would
do if it had been given to the remote server as an interactive command before
it entered server mode.

  Command                                Code   Values

  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN ALL            132   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN LENGTH         133   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN TYPE           134   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN DATE           135   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN CREATOR        136   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN ACCOUNT        137   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN AREA           138   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN BLOCK-SIZE     139   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN ACCESS         140   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN ENCODING       141   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN DISPOSITION    142   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN PROTECTION     143   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN GPROTECTION    144   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN SYSTEM-ID      145   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN FORMAT         146   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN SYS-INFO       147   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES IN BYTE-COUNT     148   0 = OFF, 1 = ON

  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT ALL           232   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT LENGTH        233   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT TYPE          234   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT DATE          235   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT CREATOR       236   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT ACCOUNT       237   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT AREA          238   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT BLOCK-SIZE    239   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT ACCESS        240   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT ENCODING      241   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT DISPOSITION   242   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT PROTECTION    243   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT GPROTECTION   244   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT SYSTEM-ID     245   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT FORMAT        246   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT SYS-INFO      247   0 = OFF, 1 = ON
  REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTES OUT BYTE-COUNT    248   0 = OFF, 1 = ON

  REMOTE SET FILE TYPE                    300   0 = TEXT, 1 = BINARY
  REMOTE SET FILE NAMES                   301   0 = CONVERTED, 1 = LITERAL
  REMOTE SET FILE COLLISION               302   0 = RENAME,  1 = REPLACE,
                                                2 = BACKUP,  3 = APPEND,
                                                4 = DISCARD, 4 = ASK
  REMOTE SET FILE REPLACE                 303   0 = PRESERVE, 1 = DEFAULT
  REMOTE SET FILE INCOMPLETE              310   0 = DISCARD, 1 = KEEP
  REMOTE SET INCOMPLETE (same as above)

  REMOTE SET BLOCK-CHECK                  400   number (1, 2, or 3)
  REMOTE SET RECEIVE PACKET-LENGTH        401   number (10-9024)
  REMOTE SET RECEIVE TIMEOUT              402   number (any, 0 = no timeout)
  REMOTE SET RETRY                        403   number (any, 0 = no limit)
  REMOTE SET SERVER TIMEOUT               404   number (any, 0 = no timeout)
  REMOTE SET TRANSFER CHARACTER-SET       405   Character Set Designator
  REMOTE SET WINDOW-SLOTS                 406   number (1-31)

One Kermit program should not have knowledge of another Kermit program's local
character sets, therefore REMOTE SET FILE CHARACTER-SET is not included.  The
Transfer Character Set Designator is the one described in the "ISO/Kermit"
proposal.  For example "I2/100" (ISO Latin Alphabet 1), "I2/144" (ISO
Latin/Cyrillic), or "I14/13" (Japanese Roman/Katakana).  The command would
use the name (for example REMOTE SET TRANSFER CHARACTER-SET LATIN1) and the
generic server command packet would use the corresponding designator.

REMOTE SET LANGUAGE is omitted for the present, but can be added later.  The
problem here is assigning a unique code to each of the world's languages.

The numbers shown for the codes and values are expressed as character
strings composed of ASCII digits, 0-9.  Here are examples, showing the TYPE
and DATA fields of the Kermit packet:

  GS#101!0      = REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTE LENGTH OFF
  GS#202!0      = REMOTE SET ATTRIBUTE TYPE OFF
  GS#300!1      = REMOTE SET FILE TYPE BINARY
  GS#400!2      = REMOTE SET BLOCK CHECK 2
  GS#401$1000   = REMOTE SET RECEIVE PACKET-LENGTH 1000
  GS#405&I2/100 = REMOTE SET TRANSFER CHARACTER-SET LATIN-1

ORGANIZATION AND EXPANSION:

The codes are numeric strings, with the hundred's place assigned roughly
according to "topic": 100's for Incoming Attributes, 200's for Outbound
Attributes, 300's for file-related items, and 400's for packet-related items.
Note that the SET ATTRIBUTE codes are equal to 100 or 200 plus the value of
the corresponding attribute designator.  There is plenty of room for expansion
within each category, and new categories can be added as required.

PROTOCOL:

The person using the client Kermit program issues a REMOTE SET command for
a single parameter, such as REMOTE SET FILE TYPE BINARY.  The program forms
the corresponding G packet and sends it to the server.

The server program can respond in any of the following ways, and the client
program should be prepared for each kind of response:

  E-packet:  An Error packet.  The server does not understand REMOTE SET
             packets, or it is not able to perform the specific SET that was
             requested.  Therefore the client must not assume that the SET has
             been done, and if it is in local mode, it must give a message to
             the user, as described below.

  Y-packet:  An Acknowledgement.  The server accepted the command, and
             performed the requested SET.  The data field of the Y-packet can
             be empty, to indicate that the requested value was accepted.  Or
             it can contain the value which the server actually set.  For
             example, the user types REMOTE SET RECEIVE PACKET-LENGTH 5000 but
             the server only supports lengths up to 1000:

        To server -->  GS#400$5000
                   Y1000        <-- To client

CLIENT IMPLEMENTATION:

A client can include support for any number of the REMOTE SET commands, or
none at all.  A minimal implementation might include only REMOTE SET FILE
TYPE.  This would include addition of the command to the program's command
tables, code to send the generic packet, and code to interpret the response
and issue any appropriate messages to the user, like the contents of the
error packet data field, or any altered value that the server sent back in
the data field of an acknowledgement.  Examples:

    REMOTE SET command succeeded
    REMOTE SET value changed to 1000
    REMOTE SET command failed: <reason from data field of E-packet>

SERVER IMPLEMENTATION:

A server can also include support for any number of the REMOTE SET commands,
or none at all.  If it supports none at all, then it will automatically
respond to a REMOTE SET packet with an error packet containing a message
like "Unimplemented REMOTE command".

If the server receives a REMOTE SET packet for a parameter it does not support
the REMOTE SETting of, then it should respond with an error packet containing
the message "Unknown REMOTE SET parameter".

If the server gets a REMOTE SET packet for a parameter which is known to it,
then it should:

(a) Set the parameter to the requested value and respond with an empty Y
    packet, or:

(b) If the requested value exceeds the server's maximum value for the
    parameter, set it to its own maximum value and respond with a Y packet
    containing the new value in its data field, as in the packet-length
    example above.

If the server is a "permanent" Kermit server which cannot be terminated using
BYE or FINISH, then when the user disengages from it using BYE, FINISH, or
LOGOUT, then when the server receives a BYE, FINISH, or LOGOUT command, it
should revert any parameters that were changed by REMOTE SET back to the
values that were in use when server mode was entered.

Thanks to Joe Doupnik and John Chandler for their assistance in the design
of this protocol extension.

------------------------------

End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************

From cmg  Mon Jan  8 15:32:58 1990
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    id AA09985; Mon, 8 Jan 90 15:32:58 EST
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 90 15:32:57 EST
From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
To: info-kermit
Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V11 #2
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Queries-To: [e-mail]
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>

Info-Kermit Digest         Mon, 8 Jan 1990        Volume 11 : Number 2

Today's Topics:
                MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Beta Test Available
                  New Luxor (luxker) Kermit Programs
                      Kermit-11 Comments Wanted

Digest submissions may be sent to [e-mail],
requests for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
[e-mail] or to [e-mail].

Kermit files may be obtained over networks and by mail order.  On the
Internetwork, use FTP to log in to host WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a SUN-4/280
running UNIX (SUNOS 4.0), IP host number 128.59.39.2.  Login as user
anonymous (note, lower case), any password, and GET or MGET (MULTIPLE GET)
the desired files.  The Kermit files are in directories kermit/a, kermit/b,
kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e.  Test versions are in kermit/test.  You
can also get Kermit files over the BITNET/EARN network; 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: Mon Jan 8 1990 12:00:00 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Beta Test Available
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0, International Character Sets, Sliding Windows
Keywords: Tektronix Emulation, VT320/340 Emulation, Local Area Networks
Keywords: WordPerfect

This is to announce a very short public beta testing period for MS-DOS
Kermit 3.0 for the IBM PC, PS/2, and compatibles.  Releases of 3.0 for some
of the non-IBM-compatible MS-DOS computers are in preparation, but not ready
yet, others need volunteer help.  Please get the test version as quickly as
possible and report problems directly to the author of the program, Joe R.
Doupnik, [e-mail], [e-mail], or [e-mail].

The files for this new release are available via anonymous FTP from
watsun.cc.columbia.edu on the Internet, and from KERMSRV@CUVMA on
BITNET/EARN.  On watsun, login with FTP as user anonymous (any password), cd
kermit/test, and multiple get (mget) the files.  On BITNET, send a message
(interactive or mail) to KERMSRV@CUVMA and request the desired files.  The
manual is in preparation and will be announced shortly.

The file MSTIBM.BOO is the runnable .EXE file encoded in printable format.
To convert the BOO-file back to .EXE, use any of the MSBPCT.* programs,
which can be found in the "A" area of Kermit distribution on watsun
(cd kermit/a), or in KERMSRV (just refer to them by name).  On watsun only,
the executable program, MSTIBM.EXE, is available for FTP in binary mode
(note, on watsun, the filenames are lowercase).  Here is a brief list of the
files that are available during this testing period (many of these names
will change in the real release):

  Internet     BITNET/EARN
  WATSUN       CUVMA
  kermit/test  T:            Description

  mstibm.exe   (none)        Executable program, about 131K (watsun only)
  mstibm.boo   T:MSTIBM.BOO  BOO-encoded version of MSTIBM.EXE, about 156K
  mstibm.hlp   T:MSTIBM.HLP  A short help file
  mstibm.bwr   T:MSTIBM.BWR  "Beware" file, known limitations and bugs
  mstibm.upd   T:MSTIBM.UPD  Summary of features new to version 3.0
  mstibm.ed    T:MSTIBM.ED   Detailed edit history
  mstibm.vt    T:MSTIBM.VT   Summary of functions of VT320 emulator
  mstibm.ini   T:MSTIBM.INI  Sample init file for version 3.0 (MSKERMIT.INI)
  mstibm.hay   T:MSTIBM.HAY  Hayes modem dialing script (HAYES.TAK)
  mstibm.wp    T:MSTIBM.WP   WordPerfect init file for version 3.0 (WP30.INI)
  mstlk2.asm   T:MSTLK2.ASM  LK250 keyboard driver source (from Terry Kennedy)
  mstlk2.com   (none)        Binary executable LK250 keyboard driver
  mstlk2.boo   T:MSTLK2.BOO  BOO-encoded version of MSTLK2.COM
  mstlk2.hlp   T:MSTLK2.HLP  Help file for LK250 driver
  ms*.asm,.h   T:MS*.ASM,.H  Source files

The public beta-testing period will last only about a week, so please test
the new features and send in reports and/or fixes as quickly as possible!
The formal release will come several weeks later.  Your cooperation in rapid
testing and reporting of bugs is much appreciated, and the short notice is
regretted.

As bugs are reported and fixed, the files MSTIBM.EXE, .BOO, and .BWR will
probably change from day to day, so when reporting a problem, be sure to
include the full version heading (as reported by the VERSION command).
These changes will be logged at the end of the file MSTIBM.ED.

NEW FEATURES OF MS-DOS KERMIT 3.0

 1. Emulation of most features of the DEC VT320 terminal, plus many features
    of the VT340.
 2. International character sets in terminal emulation and file transfer.
 3. Sliding window packet protocol.
 4. Expanded support for local area networks.
 5. Enhanced graphics commands in the Tektronix emulator, suitable for use
    with mainframe WordPerfect versions 5 and 4.2.
 6. Many other improvements.

The rest of this message describes these new features.  See MSTIBM.UPD and
MSTIBM.ED for details.

1. VT320/VT340 EMULATION

MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 emulates the DEC VT320 terminal, international model, with
many features of the more advanced VT340/330 text/graphics terminals thrown
in.  VT320 is the default terminal type for MS-DOS Kermit 3.0.  Kermit
continues to offer emulations for the DEC VT52, Heath/Zenith-19, and DEC
VT100/102 terminals, as well as of Tektronix graphics terminals.  Kermit's
VT320/340 emulation offers many capabilities beyond the VT102, including:

 . A selection of character sets, with the ability to switch among them.
 . Translation of the above sets to/from any of the five IBM PC code pages.
 . User-defined soft function keys, downloadable by the host.
 . Tektronix 4010/4014 graphics with many extensions, including color,
   "sixel" graphics, rectangle fill with various patterns, and more.
 . Support of the DEC LK250 keyboard, a DEC LK201 keyboard for IBM-PCs
   (via a special driver, MSTLK2.*).
 . A new mechanism for switching between 80 and 132 columns when your
   display adapter supports this.
 . Graphics screens may now be saved to disk files in uncompressed
   Aldus/Microsoft TIFF 5.0 format (approximately 110K per EGA screen)
   for importation into other applications that support TIFF files.

2. INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER SET SUPPORT

MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 supports translation between the PC's local character set
(Code Page) and ISO Latin Alphabet 1 (ISO 8859-1) during file transfer.
The relevant new commands are:

  SET TRANSFER CHARACTER-SET { TRANSPARENT, LATIN1 }
  SET FILE CHARACTER-SET { CP437, CP850, CP860, CP863, CP865 }

The default transfer character set is TRANSPARENT (that is, no translation
is done) for compatibility with previous releases of MS-DOS Kermit.  The
default file character set is your PC's current code page, such as CP437,
which is detected automatically.

These new commands allow you to transfer files containing accented and other
special characters with Kermit programs on computers that represent these
same characters using different codes, such as VAX/VMS, UNIX, Macintosh, IBM
mainframes, etc, when the Kermit programs on these computers also support
international text file transfer; new versions of C-Kermit for UNIX and
VAX/VMS, Macintosh Kermit, IBM mainframe Kermit, and others which support
this feature are in preparation (watch Info-Kermit for announcements).
International file transfer is also useful between two PCs that use
different code pages.

Various host-based international character sets are also supported during
VT320 terminal emulation, including 8-bit ISO Latin Alphabet 1, the DEC
8-bit Multinational Character Set, 12 different 7-bit National Replacement
Character (NRC) Sets, and several others.  Kermit automatically translates
incoming characters from the current terminal character set (SET TERMINAL
CHARACTER-SET) to the current PC code page, and it automatically translates
keystrokes from the current code page to terminal character set.  The
default terminal character set is LATIN1 (Latin Alphabet 1).  SET KEY
assignments take precedence on a per-key basis.

3. SLIDING WINDOW PACKET PROTOCOL

For increased efficiency during file transfer across long-distance,
long-delay communication links such as public data networks, MS-DOS Kermit
3.0 includes sliding window packet protocol.  This means that Kermit does
not have to wait for an acknowledgement for the current packet before
sending the next packet.  The number of packets that may be sent before
acknowledgements arrive is called the "window size", and this may range from
1 to 31.  A sufficiently large window size allows transmission of packets to
be continuous, and makes maximum effective use of the transmission channel.
The command to select the window size is:

  SET WINDOW n

where n is a number from 1 to 31.  The default window size is 1 for Kermit's
normal stop-and-wait operation.  Window sizes greater than 1 can be used
only with other Kermit programs that support this option, including PRIME
Kermit, C-Kermit 5A or later (still in preparation), certain commercial
programs, or another copy of MS-DOS Kermit 3.0.

Sliding windows may be used in conjunction with long packets.  The product
of the packet size and the window size may not exceed 2000.

4. LOCAL AREA NETWORK SUPPORT

MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 for the IBM PC, PS/2, and compatibles supports the
following local area networks and protocols:

 . Netbios via SET PORT NETBIOS for PC-to-PC file transfers.  Requires a
   Netbios-based PC network (like IBM PC Network or IBM Token Ring) and
   accompanying hardware and drivers.

 . Netbios via SET PORT NETBIOS for PC to AT&T Unix systems over StarGroup
   (formerly StarLAN) and for PC-to-host file transfer across any NetBios
   compatible system.  Requires a Netbios driver for your network interface.

 . Novell Terminal Emulation Service (TES) via SET PORT BIOSx.
   Requires Novell TES BIOS-Level COMx driver (e.g. COM1, COM2) that
   intercepts BIOS interrupt 14H and controls the network interface, and
   a host VAX running NetWare/VMS.

 . Novell NASI/NACS V2 and compatible asynchronous communication servers,
   via SET PORT NOVELL.  Requires Novell or compatible network.

 . DECnet-DOS, both LAT and CTERM interfaces, via SET PORT DECNET.
   Requires installation of DECnet-DOS or DECnet PCSA.

 . Ungermann-Bass Net/One Int 6BH via SET PORT UB-NET1.
   Requires an Ethernet board with U-B Net/One drivers or compatibles.

 . Intel OpenNET via SET PORT OPENNET, a NetBios implementation.

 . IBM asynchronous communication servers accessed through IBM EBIOS,
   via SET PORT BIOSx.  Requires EBIOS Int 14H interceptor (needs testing).

 . 3COM Bridge Application Program Interace (BAPI) to asynchronous
   communication servers via SET PORT BIOSx.  Requires 3COM Int 14H
   interceptor.

 . TCP/IP Telnet via SET PORT BIOSx.  Requires vendor's Int 14H interceptor
   to execute Telnet protocol, for example FTP Software's PC/TCP v2.04
   (TNGLASS), or Interlan's TCP/IP Gateway for Novell Networks.  Use TNGLASS
   dated 6 Dec 1989 or later.

5. TEKTRONIX GRAPHICS

The name Tektronix may no longer be adequate to describe the new features
drawn from DEC VT340/330 and HDS 2000/3000 graphics terminals.  Principle
additions are:

 . Rectangle (border only) and pattern filled rectangle drawing commands.

 . More preprogrammed line patterns, many rectangle fill patterns, both
   include several host-definable patterns.  Fill patterns are tiling kinds
   synchronized to the screen boundaries, for smooth joinery and easy
   pattern overlaying operations.

 . Host control of destructive space and backspace.

 . User control of opaque or transparent character writing.

 . Control of pixel basic operations such as write absolute, OR, XOR with
   existing colors, including DEC VT340 ORing of color palette numbers.

 . DEC Sixel graphics commands.

 . Screen dumping in TIFF v 5.0 formats (class B for B/W, class P palette
   for EGA and VGA screens), uncompressed.  One file for each screen
   capture.

 . Support of most common cursor steering and line/screen erasure escape
   sequences of ANSI text terminals, scaled to the text terminal's screen
   shape, so that text, Tektronix, and Sixel graphics can be mingled.

 . Automatic switching from text terminal to graphics terminal upon receipt
   of a Sixel Device Control String.

 . Presence, use, and reporting of the 16 color and b/w palettes of the DEC
   VT340/330 terminals.  DEC characteristic of black always writes
   absolutely.

 . Coloring commands acceptable in ANSI ESC [ 3x; 4x m  format and in Device
   Control Strings for both RBG and HLS (hue, lightness, saturation) systems.

 . Reporting of the graphics screen size and number of colors upon host
   request, an MS-DOS Kermit escape sequence in DEC private format.

 . Support for mainframe WordPerfect 5.0 and 4.2 to view and edit figures
   (pictures) and pages in graphics mode while preparing documents in text
   mode.  TIFF files from MS-DOS Kermit screens are directly readable into
   WordPerfect (and several other packages).

 . Terminal identification response of VT300 with Sixel and other attributes.

 . Recognition of 8-bit control sequences, but truncation of other 8-bit
   characters to 7-bit form.  For this, parity must be NONE and DISPLAY 8-bits.

 . Recognition of the ESC [ ? 34 h and l  TerminalS and TerminalR MS-DOS
   Kermit macro invokation sequences from the host.

6. OTHER IMPROVEMENTS

* Communications

 . Support for advanced features of the PS/2's National Semiconductor 16550A
   UART (serial communications) chip for improved performance.

 . New SET DUPLEX { HALF, FULL } command includes support for RTS/CTS
   handshake for use with half duplex modems, radio transmitters, etc.
   RTS/CTS is used if DUPLEX is set to HALF and the DSR signal is present.

* Terminal Emulation (in addition to VT320/340 and Tektronix features
  listed above):

 . Expanded storage for rollback screens.  If memory is available, Kermit
   will allocate room for about 10 screens.  More is available via the new
   DOS environment variable, KERMIT: SET KERMIT=ROLLBACK 120, memory
   permitting.

 . Screen rollback is now instantaneous.

 . New REPLAY command to replay a Kermit session log through the terminal
   emulators.

 . Transparent print now works properly in the presence of parity.

 . New SET TERMINAL KEYPAD { APPLICATION, NUMERIC } command gives users
   explicit control over VT terminal keypad mode.  Formerly the keypad mode
   could be changed only by escape sequences sent from the host.

 . Visual bell for deaf users (SET TERMINAL BELL VISUAL) during terminal
   emulation.

 . Support for additional monitors and display adapters:
   - Wyse-700 (graphics in several high resolution dimensions)
   - ATT EGA VDC600 (automatic recognition of 80/132 column mode)
   - STB VGA/EM, VGA/EM-15 boards (automatic recognition of 80/132 column mode)
   - Other boards to or from 80/132 columns via COLS80.BAT and COLS132.BAT.

* Kermit Protocol (in addition to international character sets and sliding
  windows, described above):

 . Maximum file transfer packet size increased from 1000 to 2000 bytes.

 . New server security features, including login/password, available via
   DISABLE, ENABLE, and SET SERVER commands.

 . Redirection of output of REMOTE commands to file or printer via
   DOS redirection symbol (>), e.g. REMOTE DIRECTORY > PRN.

 . Non-control versions of single-character file transfer interrupt commands
   (X,Z,E,C) are now available.

 . Many new options for SET ATTRIBUTES command, to control attributes
   individually, for example SET ATTRIBUTES DATE OFF.  Attributes now include
   date and time, file size, file type, and transfer character set.

 . MS-DOS Kermit server now recognizes REMOTE KERMIT SET commands.

 . New REMOTE SET command, used to change settings on remote Kermit server, as
   described in Info-Kermit V11 #1.  Also supported by MS-DOS Kermit server.
   This is a new Kermit protocol feature, as yet unsupported by other Kermit
   programs, but will be in future releases of C-Kermit, etc.

* Miscellaneous Features and Commands:

 . Space for macro names expanded from 500 to 1000 bytes.  Space for macro
   definitions was formerly 3000.  Now it's dynamically allocated and will
   use as much memory as can be found.

 . SHOW commands added for many types of things (file, protocol, terminal,
   memory, modem, statistics, etc).

 . Keyboard verbs (like \Kexit) can now be embedded within keyboard definition
   text strings and mixed with other keyboard verbs.

 . New WRITE <logfile> <object> command to annotate log files.  <logfile> may
   be SESSION, PACKET, TRANSACTION, or SCREEN.  <object> may be TIME, DATE,
   PATH, TEXT, etc.

 . New IF statements for arithmetic comparison: IF <, IF >, IF =, for example:
     IF < %\1 3 echo Argument is less than 3.

 . New numeric variables, can be used with IF <, etc, and WRITE:
   - ARGC        Number of words in a macro invocation
   - COUNT       Loop counter (set via SET COUNT)
   - ERRORLEVEL  Error level (set via SET ERRORLEVEL)
   - VERSION     Program version (built in, 3.0 = 300)
   Note: ARGC allows construction of macros that can test for the presence
   of arguments and supply defaults, without being confused by leftover
   parameters from previous macro invocations.

 . ASK command now operational, and allows backslash codes in prompt.
   ASK <variable> <prompt> prints prompt, stores what user types in variable.

 . New ASKQ command, like ASK but does not echo what the user types, useful
   for passwords.

 . Allow ECHO string and ASK prompt string to contain backslash codes for the
   PC's 8-bit characters, so that fancy effects and international characters
   can be displayed.

 . New controls and options for TRANSMIT command (SET TRANSMIT ?).

 . New command SET FILE WARNING { ON, OFF, NO-SUPERSEDE }.  ON and OFF are
   like previous SET WARNING command.  NO-SUPERSEDE option can be used for
   continuing interrupted wildcard file reception, skipping over files that
   already exist.

 . A patch mechanism for applying corrections to the binary executable
   program image.

Thanks to Professor Joe R. Doupnik of Utah State University for a year of hard
work on this release, and to the many testers during the development phase,
and to the contributors who helped with many aspects of the new version.

------------------------------

Subject: New Luxor (luxker) Kermit Programs
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 89 23:20:50 MET
>From: Bo Kullmar <[e-mail]>
Keywords: Luxor, ABC-80/800

I am sending you two kermit program for the old Swedish Luxor computers.
Today you have a program called luxker in the distribution that a member of
the ABC-Club (ABC-Klubben in Swedish), Torbjoern Alm, has done.  This program
has a lot of bugs so I recommend that you the replace it with the program that
I am sending you.  luxker has a limited server function that my program is
missing, but luxker does not handle binary files!

I am also sending you a Kermit program for the first Luxor computer ABC80,
which is mainly used in Sweden and the other nordic countries.

Most of the texts are in Swedish, but there is a .DOC file in English for both
programs.

By the way, I am the chairman of the ABC-Club.  The club today is a club for
PC and other modern computers but we still try to support the old ABC
computers.

Bo Kullmar, Helsingoersg. 38, S-164 42  KISTA, Sweden, Phone [phone]
UUCP:           {uunet,mcvax,munnari,cernvax,diku,inria,prlb2,tut,ukc,unido}
                !sunic!kullmar!bk
Internet:       [e-mail]

[Ed. - Many thanks, Bo, and to the others who worked on these programs.  They
have replaced LUXKER in the "D" area of Kermit distribution.  Each program is
in a single text archive file, LUX80.JAR for ABC-80 and LUX800.JAR for the
ABC-800.  Incidentally, the Swedish is written in the Swedish 7-bit National
Replacement Character Set, so it can be viewed on IBM PCs using MS-DOS
Kermit via SET TERMINAL CHARACTER-SET SWEDISH.]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 24 Nov 89 12:34 EDT
>From: Brian Nelson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Kermit-11 Comments Wanted
Keywords: PDP-11 Kermit

I would like to hear from Kermit-11 users about suggested improvements and
bug fixes.  It's been a while since I've done much with Kermit, it would
seem it's about time to revisit Kermit and update it.  All comments are
welcome.

[e-mail]
[e-mail]

------------------------------

End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************

From fdc  Thu Jan 18 20:54:35 1990
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    id AA08698; Thu, 18 Jan 90 20:54:35 EST
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 90 20:54:34 EST
From: Frank da Cruz <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V11 #3
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Queries-To: [e-mail]
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>

Info-Kermit Digest         Thu, 18 Jan 1990        Volume 11 : Number 3

Today's Topics:
                     Announcing MS-DOS Kermit 3.0
               MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Questions and Answers
                   New MS-DOS Kermit Book Available
                  MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Feedback Wanted
               Announcing HP-1000 Kermit Version 1.99D
              Query: C-Kermit Treatment of Modem Signals

Digest submissions may be sent to [e-mail],
requests for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
[e-mail] or to [e-mail].

Kermit files may be obtained over networks and by mail order.  On the
Internetwork, use FTP to log in to host WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a SUN-4/280
running UNIX (SUNOS 4.0), IP host number 128.59.39.2.  Login as user
anonymous (note, lower case), any password, and GET or MGET (MULTIPLE GET)
the desired files.  The Kermit files are in directories kermit/a, kermit/b,
kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e.  Test versions are in kermit/test.  You
can also get Kermit files over the BITNET/EARN network; 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.

[Ed. - And apologies for the I-KERMIT ADD message mistakenly sent to I-KERMIT
instead of LISTSERV.  Some day I'll learn!]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1990 12:00:00 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Announcing MS-DOS Kermit 3.0
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0

This is to announce the final release of MS-DOS Kermit 3.0, first announced
for beta-testing in Info-Kermit V11 #2.  Thanks to the thousands of you who
participated in the short testing period.  To recapitulate the major new
features of 3.0, they are:

 . DEC VT320 terminal emulation.
 . Many additions to Tektronix graphics emulation, including features
   from the DEC VT340 (color, sixel, but not REGIS) and HDS2000/3000,
   suitable for use with mainframe versions of WordPerfect 4.2 and 5.0.
 . Saving of graphics screens on disk in TIFF 5.0 format, suitable for
   import into PC Paint, Ventura Publisher, Pagemaker, WordPerfect 5.0, etc.
 . True half duplex operation with RTS/CTS hardware handshake.
 . International character set support for both terminal emulation and
   file transfer.
 . Sliding window packet protocol.

Problems reported and fixed during the testing period include:

 . Incorrect Attribute packet character set announcers.
 . Problems when receiving badly formatted packets 1800-2000 bytes in length.
 . Incorrect receive packet length after SET WINDOWS command.
 . Incorrect crosshair cursor report in Tektronix mode.
 . Automatic return to wrong text terminal type after Tektronix emulation.
 . Several incorrect special terminal character translations.
 . Incorrect operation of SET TRANSLATE INPUT.
 . Terminal lockup after failure to automatically enter 132-column mode.
 . Insufficient maximum allowed number of ANSI escape sequence parameters.
 . Nonfunctional 3COM BAPI network support.
 . Case sensitivity of ARGC, VERSION, and other special numeric variables.
 . Various minor escape sequence misinterpretations.

The new files have been installed in the regular Kermit distribution "A" area,
and are available over the networks via anonymous FTP from
watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Internet) and from KERMSRV at CUVMA (BITNET), and by
mail order from Kermit Distribution at Columbia University on a variety of
magnetic media.

Internet      BITNET        Description
 msvibm.boo    MSVIBM.BOO    BOO-encoded (printable) version of MSVIBM.EXE.
 mskerm.hlp    MSKERM.HLP    Summary of MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 features & commands.
 msr300.upd    MSR300.UPD    Description of new features in version 3.0.
 mskerm.bwr    MSKERM.BWR    Limitations and known bugs in version 3.0.
 mskerm.ed     MSKERM.ED     Detailed edit history of version 3.0.
 msvibm.vt     MSVIBM.VT     VT52/102/320/340/H19 terminal emulation summary.
 msvibm.tek    MSVIBM.TEK    Tektronix graphics summary (in preparation).
 mss*.asm,.h   MSS*.ASM,.H   System-independent source code.
 ms*ibm.asm    MS*IBM.ASM    IBM-PC/PS2-specific source code.
 msvibm.bat    MSVIBM.BAT    DOS batch program for building 3.0.
 msvibm.mak    MSVIBM.MAK    A makefile for building 3.0 under DOS with MASM.
 msvibb.mak    MSVIBB.MAK    A makefile for building 3.0 with Borland TASM.
 msvibx.mak    MSVIBX.MAK    A makefile for building 3.0 under Xenix.
 msvibm.lnk    MSVIBM.LNK    LINK command file for 3.0.

Kermit Init/Command Files:
 mskermit.ini  MSKERMIT.INI  Sample initialization file, includes DIAL macro.
 msihay.tak    MSIHAY.TAK    Hayes modem dialing script (used with DIAL).
 msiem*.ini    MSIEM*.INI    Keyboard setups for use with EMACS.
 msiwp3.ini    MSIWP3.INI    New keyboard setup for mainframe WordPerfect.

Utilities:
 mspeps.*      MSPEPS.*      Epson printer driver for EGA graphics screens.
 mspep4.*      MSPEP4.*      PC CP437-to-Epson character set translation.
 mspupc.sh     MSPUPC.SH     PCPRINT (transparent print) for UNIX.
 mspvpc.com    MSPVPC.COM    PCPRINT for VAX/VMS.
 msixse.*      MSIXSE.*      XSEND utility for sending directory trees.
 msuchk.*      MSUCHK.*      SCANCHEK utility to display keyboard scan codes.
 msulk2.*      MSULK2.*      LK250 keyboard driver.

Binaries are available on watsun only, for FTP in binary (image) mode,
in the kermit/bin directory:
 msvibm.exe    The MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 executable program.
 mspeps.com    Epson printer driver for EGA graphics screens.
 mspep4.exe    PC Code-Page-437-to-Epson character set translation.
 msixse.exe    XSEND utility for sending directory trees.
 msuchk.exe    SCANCHEK utility for keyboard scan codes.

Non-IBM Versions:

The non-IBM-compatible versions of MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 are not done yet.  Some
(DEC Rainbow, Heath/Zenith-100) are currently in preparation and will be
announced when they are ready.  Volunteers are needed for the others (Victor,
Sanyo, TI, HP, NEC, etc).  In the meantime, the new mss*.* source files are
incompatible with the old msu, msg, msx, msy, and msz system-dependent source
files for the non-IBM systems.  The .BOO files for the non-IBM versions,
however, will remain available.  Also, the old source files will be accessible
for limited time (most likely until the next major release of MS-DOS Kermit)
in kermit/old on watsun.

Bootstrapping:

For those who cannot use FTP to transfer the binary MSVIBM.EXE file
directly, the MSVIBM.BOO is an encoding of MSVIBM.EXE into printable ASCII
characters that should be safely transferrable over BITNET, e-mail, etc.
Use your old version of Kermit to download this file to your PC, and then
run any of the "BOO-file decoders" to translate it back into a runnable .EXE
file.  The following files are available for this purpose:

 msbaaa.hlp   An explanation of the bootstrapping files and procedures.
 msbpct.bas   A BOO-file decoder written in Microsoft BASIC.
 msbpct.c     Like MSBPCT.BAS, but written in C for speed.
 msbpct.boo   BOO file formed from MSBPCT.EXE based on MSBPCT.C.
 msbpct.*     There are also versions of MSBPCT in assembler, Fortran, etc.

If you have a C, Pascal, or other compiler, download the appropriate MSBPCT
source code, compile it, and run it to translate MSVIBM.BOO into MSVIBM.EXE.
If you only have BASIC, you should download MSBPCT.BAS and MSBPCT.BOO.  Then
use the former to create MSBPCT.EXE from the latter, and then use MSBPCT.EXE
to decode MSVIBM.BOO (using the BASIC version directly on MSVIBM.BOO would
take a very long time).

Our deepest thanks to Professor Joe R. Doupnik of Utah State University
([e-mail]) for the year of hard work he put in on this release, and for
his continuing devotion to the Kermit effort over the years.  Thanks also the
many others who contributed to 3.0, particularly Terry Kennedy, Jack Bryans,
John Junod, Bert Tyler, Mikko Laanti, Fred Richter, Hirofumi Fujii, Gary
Stebbins, Drew Derbyshire, and Paul Whitmer.  And for the accompanying
utilities, thanks to Mark Buda, Terry Kennedy, Phil Benchoff, Mark Zinzow, R.
Brooks Van Horn, and Frank da Cruz.

More about MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 in the following messages.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1990 13:12:11 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject:  MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Questions and Answers
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0

Here are the questions that came up most frequently during the MS-DOS Kermit
3.0 beta testing period:

 Q - I tried using the Latin-1 (or DEC-MCS) terminal character set, but I
     didn't get any special characters on my screen, only incorrect ASCII
     characters where the special characters should be.

 A - To see 8-bit text characters, you need an 8-bit no-parity connection to
     the host, and you must tell MS-DOS Kermit to SET DISPLAY 8 (7 is the
     default).  In the 7-bit environment, you can still use an 8-bit character
     set if your host sends shift-in/shift-out codes (but see MSKERM.BWR).
     Otherwise you must use one of Kermit's 7-bit "national replacement
     character sets" (Italian, Norwegian, etc), in which brackets, vertical
     bars, etc, are replaced by national characters.

 Q - If none of Kermit's built-in terminal character is suitable for my
     language or computing environment, what can I do?

 A - Put a lot of SET KEY and SET TRANSLATE INPUT commands in your
     MSKERMIT.INI file.  These commands override Kermit's built-in
     translations of outbound and inbound characters, respectively.  Also
     remember to SET TRANSLATE INPUT ON.  Using these mechanisms, you can
     construct an entirely new terminal character set.

 Q - Word-11 or other DEC PDP-11 or VAX/VMS applications do not seem to work
     right with 3.0.  Screens are fractured, etc.

 A - Kermit's new VT320 terminal emulation is noticed DEC by operating systems
     like VMS 5.0 or later, causing them to send 8-bit control sequences which
     are ignored by MS-DOS Kermit unless you SET DISPLAY 8.  SET DISPLAY 7 is
     still the default, for compatibility with earlier releases.

 Q - If Kermit does VT340 graphics, how come my SAS graphs don't come out
     right if I tell SAS that I have a VT340?

 A - Kermit implements many VT340 graphics features, including colors and
     sixels, but not DEC's REGIS graphics language, which is what SAS uses.
     There are no current plans to implement REGIS, which is huge.  The
     VT340 features which are supported by Kermit can be used to best
     advantage with host-resident versions of WordPerfect (4.2 and 5.0) on
     VAX/VMS or UNIX.

 Q - Why do I have to SET FILE TYPE TEXT and SET FILE TYPE BINARY with 3.0
     when I didn't have to do this in previous versions?

 A - During file transfer, version 3.0 does two things that previous versions
     didn't do: text file character set conversion, and conveying and using
     the file type given in the file attribute packet.  If you want to
     approximate the old mode of operation, in which you did not have to (and
     indeed could not) give SET FILE TYPE commands, you can SET TRANSFER
     CHARACTER-SET TRANSPARENT (this is the default anyway) and SET ATTRIBUTE
     TYPE OFF.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Jan 90 10:34:09 EST
>From: Frank da Cruz <[e-mail]>
Subject: New MS-DOS Kermit Book Available
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0

Christine M. Gianone, who you know as the editor of the Info-Kermit Digest,
Manager of Kermit Development and Distribution at Columbia, designer of
recent extensions to the Kermit protocol, author of recent pieces in Data
Communications Magazine, PC Week, etc etc, has written a book on MS-DOS
Kermit 3.0:

  "Using MS-DOS Kermit", Digital Press, Bedford, MA (1990).

This book includes MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 for the IBM PC family on a 5.25-inch PC
diskette.  Printing should be complete by early- to mid-February.  The short
beta-testing period for 3.0 was due to the printing and binding deadline for
this book+disk package.

Chris's book is quite different from the earlier MS-DOS Kermit manuals.  It is
tutorial in nature, geared mostly towards the typical non-computer-expert PC
user.  It includes illustrated step-by-step instructions for program
installation and hooking up your cables and modems, an introduction to MS-DOS,
and chapters devoted to major Kermit topics including terminal emulation, file
transfer, server mode, international character sets, script programming,
features for people with disabilities, etc.  Every concept is illustrated by
examples.  A complete command reference is included, along with tables of PC
keyboard scan codes, Kermit keyboard verbs, and PC character sets, plus
glossary, index, etc.  The detailed technical appendices (escape sequences,
etc) found in the previous manuals are omitted; this information is (or will
be) available in other forms.  "Using MS-DOS Kermit" is an excellent
introduction to MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 and its new features, and the command
summaries and tables also make it a valuable reference.

The new book+disk package provides higher-quality documentation to a wider
audience.  Its tutorial approach will reduce the consulting burden on the
organizational help desk.  The book will give Kermit software a more "serious"
and professional image in the corporate and government sectors, and in the
press.  Ultimately, the result should be increased popularity for Kermit, new
inroads into the mass market, and some badly needed revenue for Kermit
Development and Distribution at Columbia to keep the Kermit project alive.
See the file MSKERM.HLP for availability and ordering information.

Of course, the Kermit software itself remains free, copyable, and sharable,
with source code openly available.  Online documentation is available too,
including:

  MSKERM.HLP - Expanded summary of MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 features and commands.
  MSKERM.BWR - The "beware" file, listing limitations, bugs, workarounds.
  MSR300.UPD - Description of the new features in 3.0.
  MSKERM.ED  - Detailed edit history since 2.32/A.
  MSVIBM.VT  - Description of terminal emulator escape sequences, keys, etc.
  MSVIBM.TEK - Description of graphics emulation features and escape sequences.
  MSKERM.DOC - The 2.32/A manual (long).  Also .MSS and .PS versions.
  MS*.ASM,.H - The source code! (very long).

All these files are new except for the 2.32/A manual (which still applies,
since 3.0 is backwards compatible with 2.32/A).  In addition, there are
numerous supporting files (contributed script programs, key mapping files for
various applications, notes and hints found in the Info-Kermit digest, etc).
Those who don't have access to the book should be able to find whatever
information they need in these files, and of course can tailor or combine
these documents to produce whatever local documentation they need.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1990 14:13:12 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject:  MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Feedback Wanted
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0

How is MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 working for you?  We usually hear from you only if
you have problems.  We'd also like to hear about it when things are OK.

Please let us know how you like the new features of 3.0 -- international
character sets, VT320 emulation, the new graphics features, sliding windows,
etc.  Also let us know about any discoveries you have made: how to use the
program with local area networks, host graphics applications, character sets,
etc, that are not mentioned in the documentation.  And of course, your problem
reports and suggestions for additional features in future releases are always
welcome.

And if you have any interesting stories about how you or your organization
are using Kermit, please send them in for possible publication in forthcoming
issues of Kermit News (yes, the fourth issue is on the way!).

------------------------------

Date: Mon Jan 8, 1990, 19:16:46 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Announcing HP-1000 Kermit Version 1.99D
Keywords: HP-1000, RTE Operating System

This is to announce version 1.99D of HP-1000 Kermit for the Hewlett-Packard
1000 series of computers with the RTE-6 and RTE-A operating systems, from
Paul Schumann of E-Systems, Inc, Greenville, Texas, USA.  This version
replaces version 1.98 of September 1986.  The major new feature is support
for the D-Series multiplexer and drivers.  The new files are available in the
"D" area of Kermit distribution:

  Distribution Name    Original Name     Description
   HPMKER.SRC           (many)            Fortran Source Code
   HPMKER.SUB           KERMIT.SBMT       Interex program submission form
   HPMKER.INS           KERMIT.ISTL       Installation instructions
   HPMKER.LOD           KERMIT.LOD        Loader command file
   HPMKER.HLP           KERMIT.TEXT       Plain text help file
   HPMKER.MAK           KERMIT.MAKE       Makefile

Binary files are not included, since these are not easily distributed on
industry-standard magnetic tapes or over networks.  According to the
installation instructions, these files can be generated from the Fortran
source (and in the case of the indexed help file, from KERMIT.TEXT).

The source code consists of many files concatenated into one single file,
HPMKER.SRC.  Within this file, each original file begins with a line like

<<< k6subs.ftn >>>

to show the original file name.  This file can be picked apart into its
original files with a text editor or a simple program.

Before attempting to build HP-1000 Kermit, be sure to reconstitute the
original source files, and to rename the HPMKER files back to their original
names shown above.  If you have trouble getting these files onto your HP-1000
or building Kermit from them, you can order a native HP-1000 tape containing
this program (including binaries) from Interex, the international HP user
group.

Many thanks to Paul Schumann for keeping this version of Kermit current,
and for contributing it to Kermit Distribution!

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 2 Dec 89 5:21:22 MET
>From: Kristoffer Eriksson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Query: C-Kermit Treatment of Modem Signals
Keywords: C-Kermit

[Ed. - What follows is an excellent discussion of some of the issues that
are holding up release of C-Kermit 4F, which in turn is holding up release
of C-Kermit 5A.  The system-dependent aspects of C-Kermit are the result of
contributions from dozens of programmers all over the world in the form of
patches to patches, rather than a rational and consistent design effort.
The code under discussion is in the ckutio.c module, and has reached a level
of complexity that defies understanding and instills fear in anyone who would
modify it, for fear of breaking something else which cannot be tested.
Responses to Kristoffer and to Frank da Cruz, [e-mail],
from UNIX programmers who might be able to help untangle this mess would be
most appreciated.]

I have made some modifications to ckutio.c for some new features, which made
it necessary for me to try and understand how kermit handles O_NDELAY and
CLOCAL on System V, and the corresponding facilities on other systems. My
conclusion so far, is that Kermit does not handle them in a concistent manner,
at least that is what I think now.

Now, to be able to continue with my new features, I need to fix this. To do
that without breaking anything at the same time, I need your help. I need to
know which parts of the current behaviour are intended, and which are not. I
need to know the consequences for systems other that SysV, because that is the
only one I have experience with. I need to know the consequences for the
routines that call on ckutio.c of changes in it. I have studied ckucon.c and
ckudia.c, but there are some other routines that call ckutio.c, which I
understand much less. I know there are many systems with flawed or in other
ways strange tty drivers. I need to know any considerations that should be
made for those.

I'll describe my understanding of O_NDELAY and CLOCAL on SysV. Let me know if
you disagree. You usually use O_NDELAY in the open() call to open a tty device
without blocking until there is a carrier present on that port, in case the
device has modem control enabled as default.  When you operate a modem on that
port, you usually don't want to wait for a carrier, since most modems don't
provide a carrier until you have dialed somewhere to, which you can't do if
you can't talk to it.  Ok, many modems can be configured to alwayes provide a
carrier, but then you can't be disconnected automatically when the connection
eventually drops. Kermit uses O_NDELAY on the open() in ttopen() if you have
set a modem type prior to the "set line" that causes ttopen() to be called.

O_NDELAY also affects read()-ing from the device. If there is nothing to read
(empty input buffer or dropped carrier), read() will finish immediately
returning 0 (the return value maybe will change/has changed in V.3 or V.4, I
don't know). You might want this behaviour sometimes (tell me if you think
Kermit does want it), but usually it is much more convenient to use the
VMIN/VTIME timed read in SysV, and Kermit does use VMIN/VTIME. With O_NDELAY
you would have to constantly loop on read() until you receive something.

However, if you turn off O_NDELAY, and use the VMIN/VTIME settings that Kermit
does, you have to find some other way to make the device ignore the carrier
absence, if you are going to talk to your modem.  You use CLOCAL to do that.
You couldn't have used CLOCAL to open the tty to begin with, since CLOCAL is
set through the ioctl() interface, which only works on already open files. But
once you have opened the file, you can set CLOCAL, and unset O_NDELAY. Kermit
sets CLOCAL when you dial, through a ttpkt(..., DIALING, ...) call in ckdial()
in ckudia.c.

Once you are finished commanding the modem, and have established a connection
and a carrier, you can unset CLOCAL so you will get an EOF when the connection
goes down. Kermit does that with a ttpkt(..., CONNECT, ...) call at the end of
ckdial().

If you have a direct connection that always gives a carrier, you need never
set CLOCAL.

So far, all seems well. However, O_NDELAY is not always unset, only sometimes.
I think this is wrong. I think O_NDELAY shoule always be unset at some time
before beginning to dial or connect. ttopen() leaves O_NDELAY set. ttpkt() and
ttvt() (ttvt is used by for the "connect" command) unset O_NDELAY only when
called with flow==DIALING.  Thus, for a direct connection where you do not
dial prior to connecting, O_NDELAY will remain set, unless I'm very mistaken.

By the way, I have not found any place where ttvt() is called with the
parameter "flow" set to either CONNECT or DIALING, but ttvt() nonetheless
handles those cases. ttvt() looks to me like a mutated ttpkt(), so maybe those
cases where just left in by accident?  Can they safely be removed?

After unsetting O_NDELAY, these functions perform some "magic"
( close(open(...) ). What systems need such magic?

Can someone explain how myread() works, especially the part where the return
value after an empty read is dependent on whether you have set a modem type or
not (ttmdm) and the loop around myread() in ttinc()?  I find it a bit strange.
What does the return values mean? I wonder whether this might be an effect of
O_NDELAY remaining set sometimes?  The condition ttmdm == 0 may during some
phases coincide with O_NDELAY remaining set, but not always. Is that the
reason for testing ttmdm?

In the end, ttres() also unsets O_NDELAY, this time without any magic, but
only for UXIII, and only if ttmdm != 0 (you have set a modem type).  Is there
any other reason for this than as a late repair of the missing unset earlier?
ttres() is supposed to restore the tty to "normal".  I wonder what this
"normal" mode is? If "normal" is the mode it had before dialing an connecting,
I don't think it will restore O_NDELAY to that state. I'm tempted to suggest
that it should be left alone, and to other functions fixed to always unset it,
but I am not sure that is the intended state either. If some very early state
is intended, which might be the case if ttres() can be called in an very early
state, e.g. via ttclos() if you change lines without using the first line,
maybe O_NDELAY should be turned on again?

tthang() closes and reopens the tty, except on Xenix systems. This open of
courses also blocks for carrier on my system if the O_NDELAY flag is not used,
exactly like the very first open. The open is performed with the same fcntl
flags as the file had before being closed. O_NDELAY is a fcntl flag. But
O_NDELAY is not always set at this point. It has been unset if you have used
the dial command, as I outlined before. I have patched this to force O_NDELAY
on the open, and restore to the original state afterwards. Any comment?  Why
is the tty closed at all? Shouldn't it suffice to set a zero baud rate, just
as the manual says? (It does suffice on my system.)

When the last open file descriptor to the tty is closed, it resets the
communications parameters to defaults (especially after dialing, when HUPCL
has been set explicitely). That is why CLOCAL will not remain on to enable a
painless new open.

Is it wise to use the "flow" parameter of ttpkt() and ttvt() both for setting
XON/XOFF flow controll and for indicating DIALING/CONNECT mode? Will there
never be any clash? What mode is it when it is not DIALING or CONNECT?

On many systems there is another solution to the problem of how to open and
read without blocking for a carrier. They have more than one device name (or
can have them created with mknod) for the same tty port. One name enables
modem control by default, and the other disabled it. Kermit does not know
about these different names, so it just uses what the user gives it.

I have testet that on SCO Xenix. I think it behaves somewhat strange on that
system, and not to my liking. The driver simply ignores my setting of CLOCAL,
and only uses the default for that device name, always. Are other systems like
that, too, or is just that Xenix is strange as always?

I think that's most of what I had on my mind.

Kristoffer Eriksson, Peridot Konsult AB, Hagagatan 6, S-703 40 Oerebro, Sweden
Phone:[phone] ! e-mail: [e-mail]
Fax:  [phone] ! or ...!{uunet,mcvax}!sunic.sunet.se!kullmar!pkmab!ske

------------------------------

End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************

From cmg  Fri Jan 26 14:28:11 1990
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Received: by watsun.cc.columbia.edu (5.59/FCB)
    id AA11037; Fri, 26 Jan 90 14:28:11 EST
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 90 14:28:11 EST
From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
To: Info-Kermit
Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V11 #4
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Queries-To: [e-mail]
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>

Info-Kermit Digest         Fri, 26 Jan 1990        Volume 11 : Number 4

Today's Topics:
       PRIME Kermit Version 8.00 For PRIMOS R21 and R22
           Announcing Microsoft Windows Kermit 4.11
            MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 News
               "WKERMIT" Moved
           Additions to REMOTE SET Proposal
           Kermit Required in Government Contracts?

Digest submissions may be sent to [e-mail],
requests for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
[e-mail] or to [e-mail].

Kermit files may be obtained over networks and by mail order.  On the
Internetwork, use FTP to log in to host WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a SUN-4/280
running UNIX (SUNOS 4.0), IP host number 128.59.39.2.  Login as user
anonymous (note, lower case), any password, and GET or MGET (MULTIPLE GET)
the desired files.  The Kermit files are in directories kermit/a, kermit/b,
kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e.  Test versions are in kermit/test.  You
can also get Kermit files over the BITNET/EARN network; 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: Wed, 17 Jan 90 12:51:45 WET DST
>From: John Horne <[e-mail]>
Via: Steve Jenkins, The National PD Software Archive, Lancaster University, UK
 <[e-mail]>
Subject: PRIME Kermit Version 8.00 For PRIMOS R21 and R22
Keywords: PRIME Kermit, Sliding Windows

This is to announce a new release of PRIME Kermit, version 8.00, that replaces
version 7.57 of May 1986, which was contributed by The Source Telecomputing,
Alexandria, VA, recently gone out of business.

Initially I was asked to investigate some problems our users were having with
large files.  However, the code seemed to be getting a bit old and messy.  So
it seemed somewhat easier to look at all of the code.  This version should
work exactly as the old version, but there is more functionality in it and the
use of packets should be more efficient.  The error handling has been much
improved, and I think that this will cure most problems that users used to
have.  All the previous known bugs have been sorted out in the code.  Where
possible version 6 of the Kermit Protocol Manual has been followed.  The new
version has been tested at PRIMOS revisions 21.0.5q and 22.0.1a.  Here is a
brief summary of the changes:

 - Support for 8-bit no-parity file transfers.
 - Better error handling and messages.
 - Full support for pathnames within commands.
 - Improved logging.
 - More command line options available (use -HELP to show them).
 - SET INCOMPLETE command.
 - Pound sign conversion option (US/UK).
 - CONVERT command to convert files to PRIME format.
 - Support for file size and  date attributes, user settable.
 - Support for nested TAKE files.
 - Local file management commands added including SPACE, RENAME, COPY, PUSH.
 - Better use of timeouts.
 - Filename collision detection and avoidance, user settable.
 - Many internal cleanups.

John Horne
Polytechnic South West
Plymouth, Devon, UK

[Ed. - Many thanks to John for this new version, and to Steve for sending it
to us!  The new files are installed in the Kermit Distribution D area as
PRIME8.*.  PRIME8.UPD includes a detailed list of changes since version 7.57.
PRIME8.SRC includes the build procedure, four insert files, and 39 source
files written in PLP, PRIME's version of PL/1.  Within PRIME8.SRC, each of
these files is separated by a line of -----'s and can be separated using a
text editor.  Warning, PRIME.SRC contains some rather long lines (some of them
up to 144 characters in length), which will no doubt cause problems for BITNET
transfers.  We are trying to find out if there is a way to legally break these
long lines.  Meanwhile, the old PRIME Kermit files for version 7.57 will
remain available in the D area as PRIME.*.  It is not known whether Version 8
will run under older versions of PRIMOS, such as R19, which 7.57 was written
for.  Please let us know whether we can retire the old version.

By the way, PRIME Kermit supports sliding window packet protocol, and so PRIME
users are particularly encouraged to test it against MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 with
window sizes greater than 1.  Reports welcome!]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 22 Jan 90 18:15:26 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Announcing Microsoft Windows Kermit 4.11
Keywords: Microsoft Windows Kermit
X-Ref: MS-Windows, See Microsoft Windows

>From Bill Hall of Santa Clara, CA, comes version 4.11 of Microsoft Windows
Kermit (WINKER).  This program works on any PC that has Microsoft Windows 2.0
or greater.  It performs Heath-19 terminal emulation, does Kermit file
transfer, and two copies of it can be going at once, one on each COM port.

Version 4.11 is a minor update to the previous release, 4.10 of September
1989.  The major change is the inclusion of a comm driver (with Microsoft's
permission) that fixes an Xon/Xoff bug in the standard driver that is
distributed with Windows 2.10 and 2.11.  The source (Microsoft C 5.1) and .BOO
files are in the "A" area of Kermit distribution as win*.*.  Binaries (for
those who have access to binary FTP) are in kermit/bin/win*.*.  The .BOO files
may be "un-Boo'd" using the MSBPCT utilities, also found in the Kermit
distribution "A" area.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 22 Jan 90 17:14:35 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 News
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Graphics, MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Network Support

EARLY REVIEWS

"I LIKE IT!!! ... Thanks for great program."
 - Kevin Lowey, University of Saskatchewan

"I *LOVE* Kermit!  It is wonderful to have a free communication package that I
can distribute to users just getting started dailing in to our VAX 8800 and/or
online library catalog."
 - Prof. Joe St Sauver, University of Oregon

"I'm very impressed with the new features, and am anxious to see the sliding
windows suport added to the [other] versions.  Kudos to JRD, and everyone
involved in the new release."
 - Mark Zinzow, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

"I just received MS-DOS Kermit 3.00, and I must say that what I saw of it is
very nice ... the much faster scrolling ... Good for me, who scrolls a lot."
 - Matthias Niemeyer, Org. Chem. Inst., Goettingen, West Germany

"MS-DOS Kermit is the only PC communication program that works 100 percent
with speech devices and software used by the blind."
  - Rick Hayner, Portland, MI

"This version is AMAZING!!!!  ...  Until today, I didn't realize how powerful
the DECnet interface is...  I have modem servers around the network and I
never thought that a PC could Kermit over one of those modems - but SET PORT
DECNET does the trick.  Nice job!!!!"
  - Chris Lent and Robert Weiner, Cooper Union, NYC

BUGS AND PROBLEMS

But of course most messages of praise also included questions, suggestions,
or bug reports.  These are being added to MSKERM.BWR as they come in, and a
future message will give news about fixes for some of them.  Meanwhile, keep
the reports (good and bad) coming in!

One problem -- the one in which the program hangs AT&T 6300s running MS-DOS
3.10 -- is fixable by a DEBUG patch.  See the new file MSVIBM.DBG.  This file
will be used to record DEBUG procedures that can be used to fix bugs in or
otherwise change the IBM version of 3.00.

The MSZIBM.ASM file contained one line in which a comment extended beyond
column 80, preventing BITNET users from getting it via BITNET mail.  This
has been fixed.  Thanks to Franz Maier at the University of Salzburg, Austria,
for pointing out the problem.

NETWORKS DEPARTMENT

Kermit includes high-level interfaces for a variety of local area network
protocols (Netbios, DECnet, NASI/NACS, etc), but it does not include device
drivers for specific network boards and it does not execute the TCP/IP or
Telnet protocols.  Kermit is Kermit and can't really afford (in terms of
space and complexity) to do this.

What is needed here is a public-domain (or copyright but free, like Kermit)
program which executes Telnet (like NCSA) over TCP/IP, allows drivers for
various Ethernet boards to be plugged in, and can be run as a TSR interceptor
for Bios Int 14H, the communication port interrupt.  Such a program would
work through Kermit's SET PORT BIOS1 command.  Several such programs already
exist, but they are commercial products.  There is some possibility that a
future release of NCSA Telnet itself will provide the desired Bios hook.

We'd like to start collecting information about how to set up MS-DOS Kermit
3.0 to work with various kinds of PC LANs (or vice versa!), similar to the
information in MSKERM.HLP about Novell networks.  If you have hints about
setting up and using 3.0 with DECnet-DOS, 3COM, Netbios, Starlan, etc, please
send them in and we'll start collecting them into a file called MSVIBM.NET
(no such file yet).  Particulars about which programs and versions are used,
how to run them and in what order and with what options, etc, would be very
useful.

NEW GRAPHICS DOCUMENTATION

A file listing all of MS-DOS Kermit 3.0's graphics escape sequences is now
available as kermit/a/msvibm.tek on watsun.cc.columbia.edu for Internet FTP
access, and as MSVIBM.TEK on CUVMA for BITNET access via KERMSRV.  As readers
will note, there are many strange and powerful new capabilities here that
graphics-oriented applications can take advantage of, once educated to them.

Kermit does not emulate one particular kind of graphics terminal, but rather
combines the features of the Tektronix 4010 and 4014 monochrome graphics
terminals with selected features of the HDS 2000/3000 and DEC VT340 terminals,
including color control, sixel graphics, line and area patterns, rectangle
fill, and more.

So far, very few host programs know how to take full advantage of this mix of
capabilities.  In fact, the only one we know of is host-resident WordPerfect
version 4.2 or 5.0.  SAS Institute has been furnished with the new Kermit
graphics specifications, and they will consider adding support to SAS/Graph in
a new release -- thanks to all of you who called them about this, but please
don't call them any more, they got the message!

Experimentation is needed.  Try telling your graphics application that you
have a Tek 4010, a Tek 4014, an HDS 2000, an HDS 3000, and a VT340, and
compare the results.  Let us know which terminal type produces the best
results for which application (SAS/Graph, SPSS, S, DISSPLA/TELL-A-GRAPH, etc).
Note once again that VT340 will usually mean REGIS graphics to the
host, but Kermit does not support VT340 REGIS graphics, only sixel.

Better still, if your graphics application allows it, use the information in
MSVIBM.TEK to build a new driver, say "MSKERMIT300" (or encourage your
package vendor -- except SAS -- to do so), so that maximum advantage can be
taken of Kermit's new features.  If you succeed in doing this for a
particular package, please send us the information and we'll add it to the
MSVIBM.TEK file.

A second new file is also available: MSGTIF.DOC.  This is the Aldus/Microsoft
memo describing TIFF 5.0, the format used by MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 when dumping
graphics images to disk.  Note: MS-DOS Kermit cannot read TIFF files, it can
only write them.  To our knowledge, Kermit's TIFF format is supposed to be
compatible with WordPerfect 5.0, Pagemaker, Ventura Publisher, PC Paint, Gem
Paint, and Publishers Paintbrush.  Users of these packages are encouraged to
send reports, hints, etc, and we'd also like to hear about any other uses for,
or packages that go with, Kermit's TIFF files.

Packages that definitely do not import Kermit's TIFF files include Microsoft
Windows Paint 2.03 (even though TIFF is partially a Microsoft invention) and
the MIT X graphics conversion utilities PGM, PBM, etc (these only have support
for an earlier version of TIFF).

PROGRESS ON VERSION 3.0 FOR NON-IBM SYSTEMS

We have received an offer from John Nyenhuis at Purdue University to port
MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 to the GRiD Compass, HP Portable Plus, HP 110, and HP 150.
If you are interested in helping out with any of these systems, please get in
touch with John:

  John Nyenhuis   Purdue University  School of Electrical Engineering
  West Lafayette IN 47907   [phone]     [e-mail]

We also have some possible help with the DEC Rainbow and H/Z-100.  If you are
willing to (help) port 3.0 to any of the other computers supported by previous
MS-DOS Kermit releases (Sanyo, Victor, NEC, etc), please let us know!

UNIX TERMCAP NEEDED FOR MS-DOS KERMIT 3.0

In response to the many requests we've had for a UNIX termcap for Kermit's
VT-320 emulation, we can only say that most of the features that distinguish
the VT-320 from the VT-102 have to do with its 8-bit character set
capabilities, and most UNIX systems do not normally support 8-bit terminal
i/o, 8-bit control characters, or international character sets.  This has
started to change.  We also understand that release 19 of GNU EMACS will
support 8-bit character sets.  Anybody with VT320 termcaps, please send them
in!  Meanwhile, remember that the VT320 is compatible with the VT102 and
VT100, so you can still tell your UNIX host that you are using one of these,
even if MS-DOS Kermit's terminal type is set to VT320 (provided UNIX doesn't
inquire the terminal type via ESC Z).

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 22 Jan 90 12:51:00 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: "WKERMIT" Moved
Keywords: Sliding Windows, WKERMIT

Speaking of Windows, PRIME, and The Source...  the old, original sliding
windows Kermit -- an adaptation of C-Kermit for the PC that was done in 1986,
commissioned by The Source Telecomputing to be used with their PRIME Kermit
implementation -- has been retired from the Kermit "A" area (popular versions)
to the "C" area (obscure versions), now that MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 supports
sliding windows and attribute packets, and that C-Kermit 5A (with sliding
windows) is on the way.

kermit/a/wkermit.* --> kermit/c/wkermit.*.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 22 Jan 90 12:51:21 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Additions to REMOTE SET Proposal
Keywords: Kermit Protocol, REMOTE SET Command

REMOTE SET FILE BLOCKSIZE       311  number
REMOTE SET FILE RECORD-LENGTH   312  number
REMOTE SET FILE RECORD-FORMAT   313  F (fixed), V (variable), etc...

This is just for the record, to assign these numbers to these commands
for somebody who needed them.  Details to be filled in later.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 25 Jan 90 17:42:25 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Kermit Required in Government Contracts?

We have heard many reports that certain requests for proposals or bids from
the US government for computer-related equipment include a requirement that
the Kermit protocol be supported.  We'd like to hear about any RFPs or
contracts, past or present, that called for Kermit.  Knowing about such things
helps us to convince those who need convincing that Kermit is not just a toy
used by hobbyists.

Still looking for other interesting stories about Kermit for Kermit News!

------------------------------

End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************


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From: Frank da Cruz <[e-mail]>
To: Info-Kermit
Subject: Duplicated Delivery
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Apologies to everyone who just got extra copies of Info-Kermit V11 #1 and
possibly other issues.  The SUN-4 from which the Info-Kermit Digest is
sent was restarted today for the first time in four months, and apparently
there were some old sendmail lock files hanging around that were cleared
by the restart, causing old mail that may or may not have been delivered
before to be delivered again.

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From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
To: Info-Kermit
Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V11 #5
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Info-Kermit Digest         Thu,  8 Mar 1990        Volume 11 : Number 5

Today's Topics:
        Macintosh Kermit Update
        MS-DOS Kermit 3.00 Patches
        MS-DOS Kermit 3.00 for Rainbow, Grid, HP 110, and HP Portable Plus
        MS-DOS Kermit Utilities
        MS-DOS Kermit Help File in German
        MS-DOS Kermit Demo Files
        Proposed Mapping for IBM-PC Function Keys
        More MS-DOS Kermit Utilities: For Your Information with Thanks

Digest submissions may be sent to [e-mail],
requests for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
[e-mail] or to [e-mail].

Kermit files may be obtained over networks and by mail order.  On the
Internetwork, use FTP to log in to host WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a SUN-4/280
running UNIX (SUNOS 4.0), IP host number 128.59.39.2.  Login as user
anonymous (note, lower case), any password, and GET or MGET (MULTIPLE GET)
the desired files.  The Kermit files are in directories kermit/a, kermit/b,
kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e.  Test versions are in kermit/test.  You
can also get Kermit files over the BITNET/EARN network; 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: Wed 7 Mar 1990 09:40:02 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Macintosh Kermit Update
Keywords: Macintosh Kermit

>From Paul Placeway <[e-mail]>, a minor update of the test version
of Macintosh Kermit, 0.98(63).  Parity setting is now correctly saved and
restored, and the user can now request that DTR be dropped on close.  The new
test version is available as:

BITNET/EARN       Internet
KERMSRV@CUVMA     watsun.cc.columbia.edu     Description

 T:CKMKER HQX      kermit/test/ckmker.hqx     BinHex V4 encoded binary

Thanks to Paul for fixing these problems.

------------------------------

Date: Wed 7 Mar 1990 10:40:02 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: MS-DOS Kermit 3.00 Patches
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Patches

Since MS-DOS Kermit 3.00 was released on January 16, a number of bugs have
been reported.  Luckily, one of the features of 3.00 is its new ability to fix
itself by applying patches.  The patch mechanism will work for the binary
program image (.EXE or un-BOO'd .BOO file) that is distributed by Columbia.
Modified versions, or versions which may have been built using different
assemblers or linkers, cannot be patched in this way.  A patch file is now
available that fixes about 25 minor problems, including:

 . Kermit can get stuck upon escaping back from connect mode if you have
   improperly set your COM port up as a printer using MODE COM1,...,P
   (NOTE: workaround without the patch is to type Ctrl-Break once or twice,
   or better still, remove the ",P" from your MODE command!)
 . Kermit can become stuck at startup on an AT&T 6300 or Olivetti M24.
 . Unwanted display of path if CD command is given in a take-file or macro.
 . IF = COUNT, IF = ARGC, etc, did not work correctly.
 . Inability to display C1 control characters as graphics when using
   SET TERMINAL CHARACTER-SET TRANSPARENT.
 . SET TRANSLATE INPUT did not work correctly with Shift-In/Shift-Out.
 . Transfer character set Latin-1 was incorrectly identified as I2/100 in the
   Attribute packet; it is now identified as I6/100 (ISO registration numbers)
 . Delayed handling in network environments when processing keystrokes that
   had string definitions.
 . ** Problems with Orchid Designer Professional VGA board in 132 column mode.
 . Several problems with escape sequences.
 . Mistranslation of various characters in several character sets.
 . Server did not exit when given BYE command.
 . Server did not negotiate type 2 or 3 block check correctly.
 . Macro or variable definitions could not be a single character.
 . On Novell server disks, incorrect reporting of no space available and
   unwanted attempts to access drive A.
 . Problems running on systems with too much free memory.

If none of these problems affects you, then you don't need to apply the
patches.  However, if you choose to apply the patches, you must apply them
all because some of them depend on some of the others (the Orchid patch
marked "**" above is an exception).  Here are the new files:

BITNET/EARN       Internet
KERMSRV@CUVMA     watsun.cc.columbia.edu     Description

 MSKERM   BWR      kermit/a/mskerm.bwr        Updated "beware" file
 MSKPATCH HLP      kermit/a/mskpatch.hlp      Instructions for patching
 MSKERMIT PCH      kermit/a/mskermit.pch      The patch file itself

The traditional profuse thanks to Professor Joe Doupnik of Utah State
University for these patches, to Jack Bryans for help with the patching
mechanism itself, and to all the people who found and reported these problems.

------------------------------

Date: Wed 7 Mar 1990 11:20:02 EST
>From: John Nyenhuis <[e-mail]>
Subject: MS-DOS Kermit 3.00 for Rainbow, Grid, HP 110, and HP Portable Plus
Keywords: Rainbow MS-DOS Kermit 3.0, Grid Compass MS-DOS Kermit 3.0
Keywords: HP 110 and Portable Plus MS-DOS Kermit 3.0
Xref: DEC Rainbow, See Rainbow

MS-DOS Kermit v3.00 is now ready for pre-release testing on three more
machines: the DEC Rainbow, Grid Compass, and both HP 110 and HP Portable Plus.
Gary Stebbins of Digital Equipment Corp, [e-mail], did the
Rainbow upgrade; and John Nyenhuis, Purdue University, School of Electrical
Engineering, [e-mail], upgraded both Grid and HP machines.
Our thanks to both Gary and John.

DEC RAINBOW COMPUTERS

The new Rainbow Kermit is similar to release 2.32 in the parts specific to the
Rainbow and the same as the IBM PC v3.00 in the system independent parts.

GRID COMPASS FAMILY

The system specific features are similar to those present in version 2.32
which was a significant enhancement over 2.31. Key features of Kermit 3.00 for
the GRiD Compass are:

  (a) Tektronix 4010 emulation is supported.
  (b) Maximum speed in connect mode is about 4800 baud.
  (c) The same program should work on the entire GRiD Compass
      family. (It has been tested on the 1101, the 1129, and the
      1131.) Note that you will need to "SET TERM BIG" on the
      113x in order for the graphics to work correctly.

HEWLETT PACKARD PORTABLE (110) AND PORTABLE PLUS LAPTOP COMPUTERS

There are a number of enhancements over the previous 2.32 version. An overview
of key new features:

  (a) Tektronix 4010 emulation is supported.
  (b) The internal modem on the HP 110 is supported. Select the
      modem port ("SET PORT MODEM"), go to connect mode, and
      and then press "Extend char d" (Extended Char and d at
      the same time). You will then be asked for the number you
      want to dial.
  (c) Speed in connect mode is faster. Maximum speed without
      flow control is about 3000 baud for the 110 and 4800
      baud for the Portable Plus.
  (d) The same program works on both the 110 and the Portable Plus.

Please let me know if you encounter any problems. I welcome any comments or
suggestions.  Test Kermits are available as the files listed below:

BITNET/EARN       Internet
KERMSRV@CUVMA     watsun.cc.columbia.edu     Description

 MSTRB1 BOO        kermit/a/mstrb1.boo        Rainbow BOO file (encoded binary)
                   kermit/bin/mstrb1.exe      Rainbow binary
 MSTGRI BOO        kermit/a/mstgri.boo        Grid Compass BOO file
                   kermit/bin/mstgri.exe      Grid binary
 MSTGRI HLP        kermit/a/mstgri.hlp        Grid documentation
 MSTGRI ANN        kermit/a/mstgri.ann        Grid announcement notes
 MSTHPX BOO        kermit/a/msthpx.boo        HP 110 & Portable Plus BOO file
                   kermit/bin/msthpx.exe      HP binary
 MSTHPX HLP        kermit/a/msthpx.hlp        HP documentation
 MSTHPX ANN        kermit/a/msthpx.ann        HP announcement notes

John Nyenhuis   Purdue University  School of Electrical Engineering
West Lafayette IN 47907   [phone]     [e-mail]

[Ed. - Many thanks to John and Gary for their rapid response to the release
of 3.0!  Please send the results of your testing to Info-Kermit and/or to the
John or Gary.  If testing proves successful, these test versions can replace
the current standard distribution for these programs.]

------------------------------

Date: Wed 7 Mar 1990 11:40:02 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: MS-DOS Kermit Utilities
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Printer Support, MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Termcap
Keywords: Printer, PCPRINT, Termcap, MS-DOS Kermit Utilities
Keywords: Epson Printers, Radio Shack DMP200 Printer, HP Laserjet

We have recently received several useful new utilities that can be used with
MS-DOS Kermit.  First, from Dr. R. Brooks Van Horn, Jr., of Herndon, VA, a set
of printer drivers that can be used for dumping Kermit's graphics screens to
various kinds of printers.  These are all for use on EGA/VGA systems:

BITNET/EARN       Internet
KERMSRV@CUVMA     watsun.cc.columbia.edu     Description

 MSPAAA HLP        kermit/a/mspaaa.hlp        Introductory comments
 MSPDMP ASM        kermit/a/mspdmp.asm        For Radio Shack DMP200 (source)
 MSPDMP BOO        kermit/a/mspdmp.boo          Encoded binary
                   kermit/bin/mspdmp.com        Binary
 MSPE24 C          kermit/a/mspe24.c          For Epson LQ 2500 (source)
 MSPE24 BOO        kermit/a/mspe24.boo          Encoded binary
                   kermit/bin/mspe24.exe        Binary
 MSPHPL C          kermit/a/msphpl.c          For HP Laserjet (source)
 MSPHPL BOO        kermit/a/msphlp.boo          Encoded binary
                   kermit/bin/msphlp.exe        Binary

And from Mark Buda at DEC:

 MSPVPC COM        kermit/a/mspvpc.com       "pcprint" for VAX/VMS

And produced locally:

 MSELAT C          kermit/a/mselat.c         Shift-In/Shift-Out filter
 MSPEP4 C          kermit/a/mspep4.c         CP437-to-Epson translation
 MSPEP4 HLP        kermit/a/mspep4.hlp         Help file
 MSPEP4 BOO        kermit/a/mspep4.boo         Encoded binary
                   kermit/bin/mspep4.exe       Binary

MSPVPC.COM is a VAX/VMS DCL command file that prints VMS files on the PC's
local printer, using Kermit's transparent print function, similar to the UNIX
shell script MSPUPC.SH ("pcprint"), which has been in Kermit Distribution for
some time.

MSELAT.C is a UNIX filter for displaying UNIX-resident 8-bit Latin Alphabet 1
files on the PC screen with MS-DOS Kermit 3.00 or later (or on a DEC VT320/340
terminal) in the 7-bit environment (that is, when your connection to the UNIX
system is 7 data bits + 1 parity bit).

The MSPEP4 program translates from IBM PC Code Page 437 to the character set
of the Epson FX and RX series of printers, so that PC files containing
accented characters can be printed correctly.  This is not a printer driver,
but rather an input/output filter (as in "mspep4 < file.txt > prn").

Finally, we have a few VT320 termcap submissions for use on UNIX systems,
none of them evaluated locally.  These are collected together in the file
MSVIBM.TC (kermit/a/msvibm.tc on watsun).

------------------------------

Date: Wed 7 Mar 1990 13:40:02 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: MS-DOS Kermit Help File in German
Keywords: German, MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 German Help File
Keywords: International Character Sets

Gisbert W. Selke of Bonn, West Germany, has translated the MS-DOS Kermit
3.00 help file into German.  Because this file is much longer than the help
file for version 2.32/A, this was quite a job compared to the last time he
did this!

In celebration of new international character set capabilities of MS-DOS
Kermit 3.00, this file was written by Gisbert using the 8-bit Latin Alphabet
One, so that German special characters are rendered correctly without
sacrificing the brackets, backslashes, and forth have (as they would have
been if the German 7-bit ISO 646 national replacement character set had been
used).  This presents a certain difficulty for network users who do not have
a clear 8-bit path for obtaining this file.

Therefore, Kermit itself was used to translate this file from Latin 1 into
"ASCII German" (in which umlaut-a becomes ae, etc), and the Latin-1 version
was stored in its original form in the kermit/bin directory on watsun only,
and was also converted to a .BOO file for other network transfers.

BITNET/EARN       Internet
KERMSRV@CUVMA     watsun.cc.columbia.edu     Description

 MSKGER HLP        kermit/a/mskger.hlp        ASCII plain text version
 MSKGER BOO        kermit/a/mskger.boo        Encoded 8-bit Latin-1 version
                   kermit/bin/mskger.lat      Original 8-bit Latin-1 version

If you put the 8-bit version on a UNIX system, you can use the mselat.c
utility announced above to view it in all its diacritical glory.  On a
VAX/VMS system, it can be viewed directly if you tell MS-DOS Kermit to SET
DISPLAY 8 and you tell the VAX to SET TERMINAL /EIGHTBIT.  Within a few
weeks (barring unforeseen disasters) there should be new beta test versions
of C-Kermit and IBM mainframe Kermit that you can use to transfer this file
to your PC with all the special characters correctly translated.

Note: the file, as sent from West Germany to the USA via BITNET mail, was
somewhat damaged in transit, and had to be reconstructed -- correctly, one
hopes.  Any errors in German orthography are due to this reconstruction.

Many thanks to Gisbert for this contribution!

------------------------------

Date: Wed 7 Mar 1990 12:40:02 EST
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: MS-DOS Kermit Demo Files
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Demos, MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Graphics

The terminal emulator demonstration files that are included on the MS-DOS
3.00 distribution disk are now also available on the networks.  Thanks to
Gisbert W. Selke of Bonn, West Germany, for taking the trouble to turn them
into .BOO files (to be decoded into their original form using any of the
MSBPCT programs).  The original "binary" versions are also available in
kermit/bin on watsun, as shown below.

BITNET/EARN       Internet
KERMSRV@CUVMA     watsun.cc.columbia.edu     Description

 MSDAAA HLP        kermit/a/msdaaa.hlp        Introduction to demo files
                   kermit/bin/msdcas.hgr      Heath-19 Demo: CASTLE.HGR
 MSDCAS BOO        kermit/a/msdcas.boo          Encoded version
                   kermit/bin/msdpat.hgr      Heath-19 Demo: PATTERN.HGR
 MSDPAT BOO        kermit/a/msdpat.boo          Encoded version
                   kermit/bin/msdcha.vt       VT320 Demo: CHARDEMO.VT
 MSDCHA BOO        kermit/a/msdcha.boo          Encoded version
                   kermit/bin/msdcol.vt       VT320 Demo: COLORS.VT
 MSDCOL BOO        kermit/a/msdcol.boo          Encoded version
                   kermit/bin/msdfea.vt       VT320 Demo: FEATURES.VT
 MSDFEA BOO        kermit/a/msdfea.boo          Encoded version
                   kermit/bin/msdemo.tek      Tektronix Demo: DEMO.TEK
 MSDEMO BOO        kermit/a/msdemo.boo          Encoded version
                   kermit/bin/msdusa.tek      Tektronix Demo: USA.TEK
 MSDUSA BOO        kermit/a/msdusa.boo          Encoded version

Additional demo files welcome!

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Mar 90 7:22:28 CDT
>From: [e-mail] (David J. Camp)
Subject: Proposed Mapping for IBM-PC Function Keys
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Key Mapping, Key Mapping

In an attempt to define some standards for the mapping of IBM-PC Function
Keys (F-keys) into ansi escape sequences, I have been studying how various
terminals and software packages work.  This is by no means a complete
investigation, and I have not made reference to any standards documents.
The table of those keys sent by these programs is below.

The first column is from the mskermit.ini take file that we are using now.
The author professed that his choices were somewhat arbitrary, so it is just
here for reference.  The second is the codes sent by NCSA_Telnet.  The third
are those sent by kermit when no mskermit.ini file is present.  The values
in parentheses are those returned by the kermit 'show key' function.  The
vt220 definitions are derived from a Dec vt240 Series Programmer Reference
Manual, experiments with a real vt240, and information about mapping 8-bit
escape sequences into 7-bit escape sequences provided by Joe Doupnik on the
info-ibmpc mailing list.

The last column is my proposed standard.  I welcome your comments.  We plan
to provide mapping tables for these key sequences in various formats.  Those
include kermit take files with 'set key' definitions, NCSA_Telnet config.tel
files, 'dkey' program scripts, Unix termcap and terminfo entries.

We will also be establishing a set of definition for how these keys are used
by Sas on our Unix system.  There is some debate over whether these should
reflect the operation of PC-Sas or perhaps CMS-Sas.  The CMS-Sas operation
seems more in line with what little I know about SAA, but some people are
already getting used to the PC-Sas definitions and want those instead.  I
welcome debate on the subject.

Note: a real vt240 has two sets of function keys. PF1-PF4 are called the
"Auxiliary Keypad Keys".  F1-F20 are called the "Top Row Function Keys".
F1-F5 are reserved for functions local to the terminal.

kermit keys:
            wubk NCSA     Kermit           vt240         recommended
            ermit         Default
            .ini
F1          ^[OP ^[OP     ^[OP             PF1=^[OP      ^[OP
F2          ^[OQ ^[OQ     ^[OQ             PF2=^[OQ      ^[OQ
F3          ^[OR ^[OR     ^[OR             PF3=^[OR      ^[OR
F4          ^[OS ^[OS     ^[OS             PF4=^[OS      ^[OS
F5          ^[Om ^[Om     ^[Ow (\Kkp7)                   ^[Om
F6          ^[Ol ^[Ol     ^[Ox (\Kkp8)     F6= ^[[17~    ^[[17~
F7          ^[On ^[On     ^[Oy (\Kkp9)     F7= ^[[18~    ^[[18~
F8          ^[OL ^[Ov     ^[Om (\Kkpminus) F8= ^[[19~    ^[[19~
F9          ^[Ok ^Z       ^[Ot (\Kkp4)     F9= ^[[20~    ^[[20~
F10         ^[OM ^[OM     ^[Ou (\Kkp5)     F10=^[[21~    ^[[21~
F11                                            ^[[23~    ^[[23~
F12                                            ^[[24~    ^[[24~
F13                                            ^[[25~
F14                                            ^[[26~
F15                                            ^[[28~
F16                                            ^[[29~
F17                                            ^[[31~
F18                                            ^[[32~
F19                                            ^[[33~
F20                                            ^[[34~
AF1                                                      ^[[23~
AF2                                                      ^[[24~
AF3                                                      ^[[25~
AF4                                                      ^[[26~
AF5                                                      ^[[28~
AF6                                                      ^[[29~
AF7                                                      ^[[31~
AF8                                                      ^[[32~
AF9                                                      ^[[33~
AF10                                                     ^[[34~
SF1                       ^[Ov (\KKP6)
SF2                       ^[Ol (\Kpcoma)
SF3                       ^[Oq (\KKP1)
SF4                       ^[Or (\KKP2)
SF5                       ^[Os (\KKP3)
SF6                       ^[OM (\Kkpenter)
SF7                       ^[Op (\KKP0)
SF8                       ^[On (\Kkpdot)
Alt+0            ^[Op                                    ^[Op
Alt+1            Oq                                    ^[Oq
Alt+2            Or                                    ^[Or
Alt+3            Os                                    ^[Os
Alt+4            Ot                                    ^[Ot
Alt+5            Ou                                    ^[Ou
Alt+6            Ov                                    ^[Ov
Alt+7            Ow                                    ^[Ow
Alt+8            Ox                                    ^[Ox
Alt+9            Oy                                    ^[Oy
Insert      ^[?H                               ^[[2~     ^[[2~
Delete      ^[?S ^On      \127 (DEL)           ^[[3~     ^[[3~
Up Arrow    ^[OA ^[OA     ^[OA (\Kuparr)       ^[OA      ^[OA
Left Arrow  ^[OD ^[OD     ^[OD (\Klfarr)       ^[OD      ^[OD
Down Arrow  ^[OB ^[OB     ^[OB (\Kdnarr)       ^[OB      ^[OB
Right Arrow ^[OC ^[OC     ^[OC (\Krtarr)       ^[OC      ^[OC
Prev Screen ^[?i ^[Ou^[Ox      (\Kupscn)       ^[[5~     ^[[5~  (PgUp)
Next Screen ^[?k ^[Ot^[Ox      (\Kdnscn)       ^[[6~     ^[[6~  (PgDn)
Home        ^[?a ^H            (\Khomscn)                ^[1~
End         ^[?j ^[Ot^[Or      (\Kendscn)                ^[4~
Ctrl+PgUp   ^[?c ^[Ou^[Ow      (\Kupone)
Ctrl+PgDn   ^[?d ^[Ot^[Ow      (\Kdnone)
Ctrl+End    ^[?b ^[OP^[Ot      (\Kdump)
Ctrl+Home   ^[?a
Find                                           ^[1~
Select                                         ^[4~

Bitnet:   [e-mail]                ^      Mr. David J. Camp
Internet: [e-mail]   < * >    Box 8067, Biostatistics
uucp:     uunet!wugate!wubios!david         v      660 South Euclid
Washington University (314) 36-23635               Saint Louis, MO 63110

[Ed. - Thanks, David!  Kermit's key mapping is a powerful customizing
feature.  The built-in defaults, as well as any particular "standard" that
may be proposed, will never please everybody.  In particular, the difference
in layout between the old and new IBM keyboards is always a problem.  And
among users there are two basic schools of thought: "Kermit's keys should
follow the labelling on the keytops" versus "Kermit's keys should be in the
same relative positions as the DEC keyboard's keys".  And then we have the
Num Lock problem: Num Lock is where you want your DEC PF1 or Gold key to be,
but Num Lock is inaccessible to SET KEY.  Further discussion welcome, as are
submissions of key definition files for popular applications (note, however,
that IBM 3270 protocol converter key mapping configurations tend to be
extremely site-dependent).  Quite a few of these files have been available
for some time as MSI*.*.  Some that recently arrived, for example from Kevin
Lowey at the University of Saskatchewan and Pierre Valiron in France, are in
a new file MSIKEY.HLP.]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 22:40:01 EET DST
>From: Timo Salmi LASK<[e-mail]>
Subject: More MS-DOS Kermit Utilities: For Your Information with Thanks
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit Utilities

Sun 18-Feb-90: With the introduction of the new Kermit version 3.00 in
January 1990, I have decided to update my MsKermit utilities accordingly,
and released (/pc/ts/)tskerm24.arc.  I have tried to build the system so
that it would still be compatible with MsKermit version 2.32A.  You will
thus have a choice between the two, and the tools should be useful even if
you have not yet updated to MsKermit version 3.00.  I have also included
some more postings and messages about Kermit with the kind permission of the
authors.  Available by anonymous ftp from chyde.uwasa.fi as usual.  If you
have not yet got MsKermit version 3.00 it can be obtained as
(/pc/pd2/)msker300.zip.

...................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi        (Moderating at anon. ftp site 128.214.12.3)
School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland
Internet: [e-mail] Funet: gado::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun

TSKERM24.ARC    MsKermit utilities by Timo Salmi
Filename        Comment                             Date      Time    CRC
 -------        --------------------------------    ----      ----    ---
ANSI.CMD        Impose ansi terminal emulations   12-28-89  20:58:54  B3BB
GETBIN.CMD      Automatic file transfer to PC     12-21-89  14:42:06  DE7F
GETTEXT.CMD     Automatic file transfer to PC     12-21-89  14:45:12  B384
INITAT.CMD      Call all other initializations    12-23-89  09:46:50  EA88
INITAT30.CMD    Call 3.00 initializations, AT     01-12-90  10:33:50  E592
INITZN.CMD      Call initializations, laptop      12-23-89  09:47:12  B582
INITZN30.CMD    Call 3.00 initializations laptop  01-20-90  15:51:08  4A48
KERM.BAT        A simple boot for MsKermit 2.32A  02-11-89  12:10:04  3862
MEMACSAT.CMD    MicroEmacs Home End PgUp PgDn..   12-23-89  09:41:18  06C7
MEMACSZN.CMD    MicroEmacs Home End etc, laptop   12-23-89  09:40:22  F501
MSE.BAT         Boot MsKermit, colors, log boots  02-18-90  10:19:48  DFE1
MSK.BAT         Selective boot of MsKermit 2.32A  02-18-90  10:36:26  9809
MSK230QL.INI    VT102 keypad simulating QL QCODE  08-12-88  05:10:56  E8A0
MSK232AT.INI    VT102 keyboard for an AT or 386   01-14-90  17:46:42  0CBA
MSK232ZN.INI    VT102 keyboard for a laptop       12-29-89  16:09:48  85AE
MSK300AT.INI    VT102 for AT & 386 MsKermit 3.00  02-18-90  09:15:52  E2D3
MSK300ZN.INI    VT102 for laptopt, Mskermit 3.00  02-18-90  09:14:44  BFA6
MSZ.BAT         This I use on my laptop           12-23-89  10:15:26  44A7
MSZ30.BAT       This I use on my laptop for 3.00  02-18-90  10:10:42  4D5A
PHONE.CLL       Phone using a dialing directory   12-24-89  14:31:04  BF30
PUTBIN.CMD      Automatic file transfer from PC   12-21-89  14:44:38  DDE6
PUTTEXT.CMD     Automatic file transfer from PC   12-21-89  15:07:20  6405
SAMPLE.CLL      Autodialing! with MsKermit        08-12-88  22:23:28  9388
TIMELOG.EXE     For logging program usage         08-14-88  16:48:22  8A51
TSKERM.INF      Document                          02-18-90  21:49:46  C837
TSKERM.NWS      News announcements about tskerm   02-18-90  13:28:38  84FB
TSKERM.POS      Interesting postings and email    02-18-90  19:30:18  E0E8
TSPROG.INF      List of PD programs from T.Salmi  10-28-89  16:59:34  D436
VAASA.INF       Info: Finland, Vaasa, U of Vaasa  02-02-90  11:52:54  F6C0
ZSET.CMD        Set command synonyms, zmodem etc  02-18-90  09:33:54  A454
 ---            ------             ------  -----
0030            123195              66262   47%

[Ed. - An amazing amount of work!   This is a little bit too much for us to
handle at Columbia, but we are happy to post this announcement on Timo's
behalf.]

------------------------------

End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************

From cmg  Mon Apr  2 17:05:02 1990
Return-Path: <cmg>
Received: by watsun.cc.columbia.edu (5.59/FCB)
    id AA22125; Mon, 2 Apr 90 17:05:02 EDT
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 90 17:05:01 EDT
From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
To: Info-Kermit
Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V11 #6
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Queries-To: [e-mail]
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>

Info-Kermit Digest         Mon, 2 Apr 1990        Volume 11 : Number 6

Today's Topics:

    Announcing MS-DOS Kermit 3.01 for the IBM PC and PS/2 Families
              Announcing VAX/VMS Kermit 3.3.118
                New .BOO-File Unpacker
        MacKermit and Shiva NetSerial Box on Appletalk

Digest submissions may be sent to [e-mail],
requests for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
[e-mail] or to [e-mail].

Kermit files may be obtained over networks and by mail order.  On the
Internetwork, use FTP to log in to host WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a SUN-4/280
running UNIX (SUNOS 4.0), IP host number 128.59.39.2.  Login as user
anonymous (note, lower case), any password, and GET or MGET (MULTIPLE GET)
the desired files.  The Kermit files are in directories kermit/a, kermit/b,
kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e.  Test versions are in kermit/test.  You
can also get Kermit files over the BITNET/EARN network; 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: Tue Mar 20 20:16:02 1990
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Announcing MS-DOS Kermit 3.01 for the IBM PC and PS/2 Families
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.01

This is a maintenance release of MS-DOS Kermit.  It incorporates all the
3.00 patches that were announced in the previous issue of Info-Kermit, and it
also includes other fixes and a couple new features, including:

 - Support for 75/1200 bps split speed operation (SET SPEED 75/1200),
   contributed by Dan Norstedt of the Stacken Computer Club in Sweden.
 - A change to the way SET TRANSLATE INPUT works to allow it to operate
   on 8-bit characters received in the 7-bit (parity) environment via single
   or locking shift mechanisms.
 - Automatic transmission of shift characters when typing 8-bit characters in
   the 7-bit (parity) environment.
 - Ability to use C1 control characters for graphics if terminal character
   set is TRANSPARENT.
 - Numerous character set translation corrections.
 - Improved operation with IBM EBIOS / LANACS (new command SET PORT EBIOS n),
   with help from Yale and IBM.
 - Improved operation with Novell file server disks.
 - Various minor fixes to Tektronix and VT terminal emulators.
 - Reinstatement of the "LEDs" in the VT320 mode line.
 - Other minor fixes.

The new files have been installed in the regular places:

BITNET/EARN       Internet
KERMSRV@CUVMA     watsun.cc.columbia.edu     Description

                   kermit/a/msvibm.exe        Executable binary
 MSVIBM   BOO      kermit/a/msvibm.boo        Encoded binary
 MSR301   UPD      kermit/a/msr301.upd        List of changes
 MSR300   PCH      kermit/a/msr300.pch        Patches for version 3.00
 MSR301   PCH      kermit/a/msr301.pch        Patches for version 3.01
 MSKERM   BWR      kermit/a/mskerm.bwr        Updated "beware" file
 MSS*     *        kermit/a/mss*.*            New sources

The patches for version 3.00 are no longer needed (and in fact cannot be used)
with 3.01.  The patches for version 3.01 include an optional patch to make
80/132 column switching work with different varieties of Orchid Designer
Professional VGA boards, of which different models use different video modes
yet identify themselves exactly the same way to Kermit.  Note that the version
3.00 patch file was renamed from MSKERMIT.PCH to MSR300.PCH, but that after
downloading MSR301.PCH, you must still rename it back to MSKERMIT.PCH in order
for the patches to take effect.

On behalf of all of us, thanks to Professor Joe R. Doupnik for putting this
new maintenance release together, and to those who sent in new code, problem
reports and suggestions, and who helped out with the testing.

Additional maintenance releases will probably appear from time to time, so
keep the reports coming in.

------------------------------

Date: 7 Feb 1990
>From: Burt Johnson, Diversified Computer Systems, Boulder, CO
Subject: Announcing VAX/VMS Kermit 3.3.118
Keywords: VAX/VMS Kermit 3.3.118

[Ed. - This new release of VAX/VMS Kermit-32 is most likely a one-shot deal.
Burt has definitely not committed to take over support of the program.
Future VAX/VMS Kermit development will focus on C-Kermit.]

This version has added support for extended length packets.  Extended length
packets are supported by the normal SET RECEIVE PACKET and SET SEND PACKET
commands.  Sizes up to 1000 are allowed.  By default, extended length
packets are not used.  Typically, use SET RECEIVE PACKET 1000 and SET SEND
PACKET 1000 to enable it.  If you want this as your packet default, write
these two SET commands into an initialization file like KERMIT.INI.  By
defining the logical VMSKERMIT = mydisk:[mydir]KERMIT.INI, your KERMIT
session will default to a packet size of 1000.

Also, removed update to 3.3.107 that prevented quitting on receipt of an
Error packet while in server mode.  This also didn't allow for Ctrl-Cs to
work properly.

This update is an adaptation of Dan Norstedt's KERMIT-10 3(134) release.
Because of increased program size for this update, word relative addressing
boundaries were exceeded.  A non-transportable PSECT redirection statement
was used to put PLIT messages within the word relative boundary as a quick
fix to correct this problem.  The .MAR files are generated from the Bliss-32
sources on a VAX/VMS 5.0 operating system (sorry, this is the oldest VMS
operating system I have available).  The KERMIT 3.3.117 executable that was
generated under VMS 4.3 remains available as the hex file VMSV43.HEX.

Regards,
Burt Johnson

[Ed. - Thanks, Burt!  The new files have NOT replaced the old ones in the
standard Kermit distribution areas, but rather have been placed in the test
area as follows:

BITNET/EARN       Internet
KERMSRV@CUVMA     watsun.cc.columbia.edu     Description

 T:VMSCOM   REQ    kermit/test/vmscom.req     Symbol definitions
 T:VMSMIT   BLI    kermit/test/vmsmit.bli     Main program source code
 T:VMSMSG   BLI    kermit/test/vmsmsg.gli     Protocol module source code
 T:VMSMIT   HEX    kermit/test/vmsmit.hex     Encoded binary
 T:VMS43    HEX    kermit/test/vms43.hex      Encoded binary of 3.3.117

The encoded binary can be decoded back into KERMIT.EXE using the program
VMSDEH.MAR.  Read VMSAAA.HLP for instructions.  Please get the new files, test
the new version thoroughly, and report results back to us, so we'll know
whether we can replace the current release with this new one.  Thanks!]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 17 Feb 90 04:47:12 +0100
>From: Dan Norstedt <[e-mail]>
Subject: New .BOO-File Unpacker
Keywords: BOO Files, MSBPCT, MS-DOS Kermit Utilities

I have been thinking about .BOO-file distribution, and came up with the
following MS-DOS program, which makes ASCII capture and EDLIN sufficient
tools to convert .BOO files:
 ----- cut here -----
XPHPD[0GG0G,0G51G31GB'(G+(G:u'0g?(G>(GE1G@arwIV_F*=US@<1|_,5wXNg-7muTu(4
1m2?352t0osr2e3K1q2s0s3e0W1_F0:sss1@2G0t1k0s3p0@3T1m3>52f3>1k0t3<2C0@3T2
K1g2?0@3T1Fm3U51g3<1q0s3:0@3T1g3r1l0ts1>0I@3T1m3i52e0O2;h0L1_Eg352s0m3S2
j0W1g3of0<1;2?0r1m0s3:1>0m@3T2e0R1FH2E1m0s3:1>0B3^0=2g3=1g3s0@3T2e0@3^1t
2e0<1>0m1m0s361>0e1l0s371g3r1:0P@3T1:0P2e1hDk0s3q0V1F2M1_3_c2o3Z1=0Y1=0c
2s0o2Ag3H0CSCS1:0=F[1:0=2s0]352k0t1]2s0U390^3<1KL2D1Dc0sf1]2L0UE^1T2HfTZ
X3mS2@F5C6G3S2Y\_X3a25BB3W2HacTV^\aZ3S2gb3S2Y\_X3mSW28eebe3S2Whe\aZ3S2Y\
_X3S2<3b2B3W2Abg3S2XabhZ[3S2`X`bel3W4
 ----- cut here -----
Right, the above IS the executable code; just cut and name it MSBPCT.COM!

[Ed. - Diabolical!  The program which generated this extraordinary printable
COM file, written by Dan in assembly language, is in ~kermit/a/msbpcx.asm, and
a copy of the COM file itself (in case some of the characters did not survive
the e-mail translations) is in ~kermit/a/msbpct.com.  Also in MSBPCX ASM and
MSBPCT COM on KERMSRV at CUVMA for BITNET/EARN access.  Thanks, Dan!]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 30 Mar 90 11:17:23 EST
>From: Paul W Placeway <[e-mail]>
Subject: MacKermit and Shiva NetSerial Box on Appletalk

RE: [e-mail] comments

>    We recently acquired version 0.98(63) or Kermit for the Macintosh,
>   dated 02/21/90.  We have been running MacKermit using a modem connected
>   via a Shiva NetSerial box on the Appletalk network.  The NetSerial box
>   can emulate the modem port or the serial port.

[From Paul: Sounds like the Shiva will _mostly_ emulate a serial port...]

>    We have found that when quitting MacKermit 0.98(63), there is an
>   error box displayed with the message "trouble closing serial port input
>   driver: 2240".  This happens when using the modem port or the serial port.
>   When you acknowledge the error by clicking "ok", then MacKermit goes ahead
>   and quits.

[From Paul: You should run with "Drop DTR on Close" checked, as the Shiva
driver seems to be having problems with the Serial Driver call to keep DTR up
on close.  This may have the undesirable side effect of hanging up the phone,
however.  The only real way around this is to use Kermit under MultiFinder,
and just switch out to do StuffIt and such.]

>     Additionally, when using the serial port, there is another error
>   message displayed when sending or receiving files.  The message says
>   "Bad input clear -28", and it pops up about every other packet.  If you
>   go ahead and click "ok", the file transfer continues, and in fact, the
>   files seem to be transferring ok.  This does not happen at all when using
>   the modem port.

[From Paul: Another bug in the Shiva driver -- in this case Kermit is trying
to do the Serial Driver call to clear the input queue, and the Shiva isn't
dealing with it well.  I will try to do something of a work-around for the
next version...]

>     The previous version of MacKermit we were using is version 0.9(40),
>   dated 04/05/88.  We have not seen either of these two problems with that
>   version of MacKermit.  We have seen the problems on both a MacPlus and
>   SE/30.

[From Paul: It didn't do either of the above calls, so you didn't see the
problem before.

You might try calling up Shiva tech support and complaining at them.
Tell them that you are having problems with their driver not
responding to handshaking control calls and buffer management control
calls.

        -- Paul Placeway <[e-mail]>]

------------------------------

End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************

From cmg  Wed May 16 15:11:01 1990
Return-Path: <cmg>
Received: by watsun.cc.columbia.edu (5.59/FCB)
    id AA19743; Wed, 16 May 90 15:11:01 EDT
Date: Wed, 16 May 90 15:11:00 EDT
From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
To: Info-Kermit
Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V11 #7
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Queries-To: [e-mail]
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>

Info-Kermit Digest           Wed, 16 May 1990            Volume 11 : Number 7

Departments:

  KERMIT-370 -
        Announcing IBM Mainframe Kermit-370 Version 4.2
        Announcing IBM Mainframe VM/CMS Kermit-370 Version 4.2
        Announcing IBM Mainframe MVS/TSO Kermit-370 Version 4.2
        Announcing IBM Mainframe MUSIC/SP Kermit-370 Version 4.2
        Using CMS 6 Shared File System with Kermit

  VAX/VMS KERMIT -
        New Kermit-32 Release for VAX/VMS

  MS-DOS KERMIT -
        New MS-DOS 3.01 Patch File

  KERMIT NEWS -
        Kermit News Number 4 Is on the Way

  MACINTOSH KERMIT -
        MacKermit Questions and Answers
           About MacKermit...
           Kermit bug
           MacKermit 0.98(62), terminalr, terminals, Print
           Mac Kermit Print Option?
           Bug report on Mac Kermit 0.98(62)

Digest submissions may be sent to [e-mail],
requests for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
[e-mail] or to [e-mail].

Kermit files may be obtained over networks and by mail order.  On the
Internetwork, use FTP to log in to host WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a SUN-4/280
running UNIX (SUNOS 4.0), IP host number 128.59.39.2.  Login as user
anonymous (note, lower case), any password, and GET or MGET (MULTIPLE GET)
the desired files.  The Kermit files are in directories kermit/a, kermit/b,
kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e.  Test versions are in kermit/test.  You
can also get Kermit files over the BITNET/EARN network; 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: Tue 8 May 1990 16:46:42 EDT
>From: "John F. Chandler"  <[e-mail]>
Subject: Announcing IBM Mainframe Kermit-370 Version 4.2
Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit
Xref: IBM Mainframe, See IBM 370
Xref: Kermit-370, See IBM 370, VM/CMS, MVS/TSO, MUSIC

This is to announce Kermit-370 Release 4.2.  The sources have not been
completely rewritten, nor have they been resequenced, but numerous
fixes, extensions, and improvements have been inserted.  The changes
applied include all updates formerly available in the various system-
specific update files plus many new ones.  All the variants of
Kermit-370 are being re-released simultaneously; see the accompanying
system-specific announcements for further details: IKCKER.ANN (CMS),
IKMKER.ANN (MUSIC), and IKTKER.ANN (TSO).  Anyone interested in helping
to port Kermit-370 to still other operating systems should contact John
Chandler <[e-mail]> or <[e-mail]>.

Below is a list of the generic changes in Version 4.2 of Kermit-370,
including those appearing in intermediate releases:

1)  New syntax for sending partial files by line numbers.

2)  Implementation of the new level-1 international transfer syntax being
    developed at Columbia.  See file ISOK5.TXT in the Kermit distribution for
    a description of the syntax.  Kermit-370 includes support for files stored
    using numerous IBM Country Extended Code Pages and transfers using
    character sets ASCII, CYRILLIC, GREEK, HEBREW, KATAKANA, and LATIN1.  The
    facility currently supports text files in the following languages:
    Bulgarian, Byelorussian, Danish, Dutch, English, Faeroese, Finnish,
    French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hebrew, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese
    (Katakana), Latin, Macedonian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian,
    Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian, Welsh, and Yiddish.  In extending support to
    other languages, the limiting factor has been the shortage of information
    about character set arrangements for file storage on 370-compatibles.
    Anyone with such information is urged to forward it to the Center for
    Computing Activities at Columbia University.

3)  New syntax for specifying the response to filename collision, largely
    as specified in Kermit Digest V. 11 #1.  SET WARNING and SET APPEND
    are still available but are not documented.

4)  Kermit-370, when receiving a file, now attempts to honor the
    attributes specified by the sending Kermit, not including the Date
    attribute.

5)  New option to ignore any attribute, both for sending and receiving.

6)  Support for the MAIL, PRINT, and SUBMIT Disposition attributes via
    system-specific command invocations.  Implementations are intended to
    be site-specific as well, but a few samples are available.

7)  New provision for an accounting exit routine to be called after
    completion of each session of SEND or RECEIVE.

8)  Freedom to redefine anything in the ATOE/ETOA tables, even CR or LF,
    as long as the TATOE/TETOA tables are either correct or irrelevant.

9)  New, separate error message for receiving a "packet" containing no
    start-of-packet character.

10) Compatibility with the (aging) F-level assembler.

11) Assembly-time consistency check on the source components.

12) Edit number announced at start-up, in addition to release and date.

13) "In-core" files sent as TEXT, regardless of the current file TYPE.

14) Recover if an I-packet is denounced as an error or if the S-packet of
    a long reply is lost.

15) New SET SERVER-TIMEOUT subcommand.

16) SET BAUD changed to SET SPEED.

Incidentally, the generic update program GUPI has been updated, but the
old version will still work.  You need not recreate it, but if you do,
be sure to use all-new sources, or it will not assemble properly.

Many thanks to the beta testers who have helped work out the bugs in the
new release.

------------------------------

Date: Tue 8 May 1990 16:46:42 EDT
>From: "John F. Chandler"  <[e-mail]>
Subject: Announcing IBM Mainframe VM/CMS Kermit-370 Version 4.2
Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit, VM/CMS Kermit
Xref: IBM Mainframe, See IBM 370
Xref: CMS Kermit, See VM/CMS Kermit, IBM 370

This is to announce CMS Kermit Release 4.2.  The sources have not been
completely rewritten, nor have they been resequenced, but numerous
fixes, extensions, and improvements have been inserted.  The changes
applied include all updates formerly available in IKCKER.UPD plus a
number of new ones.  As with Release 4.1, all CMS-specific files begin
with IKC, and generic Kermit-370 files begin with IK0 (I K Zero).  The
separate pieces are to be recombined into a single composite source (or
made into a macro library) for installation.  See the file IKCKER.INS
for instructions.  Release 4.2 is also being issued in the companion TSO
and MUSIC variants (see the separate announcements for details).  Anyone
interested in helping to port Kermit-370 to still other operating
systems should contact John Chandler <[e-mail]> or
<[e-mail]>.

For a list of generic additions, see the generic Kermit-370 announcement
IK0KER.ANN.  The following is a list of CMS-specific updates added since
Release 4.1.

1) New bimodal version for VM/XA in addition to the version for VM/SP.

2) Certain CP SET options which are not supported by VM/XA are now
   avoided by both CMS variants of Kermit when running under VM/XA.

3) GRAPHICS controllers are supported.

4) Extended PLIST for system commands, not just a tokenized PLIST.

5) Current HANDSHAKE character, if any, automatically appended to the
   string specified via SET PROMPT, unless the string is empty or
   already ends with the HANDSHAKE.

6) Alternate filespec syntax fn.ft.fm allowed in subcommands.

7) Prevent certain infinite waits on protocol-converter-type transfers.

Many thanks to the beta testers who have helped work out the bugs in the
new release.

------------------------------

Date: Tue 8 May 1990 16:46:42 EDT
>From: "John F. Chandler"  <[e-mail]>
Subject: Announcing IBM Mainframe MVS/TSO Kermit-370 Version 4.2
Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit, MVS/TSO Kermit, TSO Kermit
Xref: IBM Mainframe, Also see IBM 370
Xref: MVS/TSO Kermit, Also see MVS/TSO Kermit, IBM 370

This is to announce Release 4.2 of Kermit-370 for TSO.  The sources have
not been completely rewritten, nor have they been resequenced, but
numerous fixes, extensions, and improvements have been inserted.  The
changes applied include all updates formerly available in IKTKER.UPD
plus many new ones.  As with Release 4.1, all TSO-specific files begin
with IKT, and generic Kermit-370 files begin with IK0 (I K Zero).  The
separate pieces are to be recombined into a single composite source (or
made into a macro library) for installation.  See the file IKTKER.INS
for instructions.  Release 4.2 is also being issued in the companion CMS
and MUSIC variants (see the separate announcements for details).  Anyone
interested in helping to port Kermit-370 to still other operating
systems should contact John Chandler <[e-mail]> or
<[e-mail]>.

For a list of generic additions, see the generic Kermit-370 announcement
IK0KER.ANN.  The following is a list of TSO-specific updates added since
Release 4.1.

1) Implicit CLIST invocation now supported.

2) Missing host commands no longer result in ABEND's.  Kermit simply
   returns an "invalid host command" indication.

3) Migrated data sets are automatically recalled, if possible, before
   attempting to use them.  This includes especially the initialization
   files.

4) Sending PDS members by wildcard has been re-enabled.

5) The "MOD" date, as defined by ASM2 package, is now used (if it
   exists) instead of the creation date for sending the date attribute.

6) TSO commands may now be up to 256 bytes long and be mixed-case.

7) NOINTERCOM is set during transfers.

8) Automatic detection of VTAMTTY as opposed to plain TTY.

9) TTY-mode timeouts now work under MVS/XA and MVS/ESA.

10) Kermit HELP subcommand now works more than once per session.

Incidentally, the generic update program GUPI has been updated, but the
old version will still work.  You need not recreate it, but if you do,
be sure to use all-new sources, or it will not assemble properly.

Many thanks to the beta testers who have helped work out the bugs in the
new release.

------------------------------

Date: Tue 8 May 1990 16:46:42 EDT
>From:   Pierre Goyette   <[e-mail]>
Subject: Announcing IBM Mainframe MUSIC/SP Kermit-370 Version 4.2
Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit, MUSIC/SP Kermit
Xref: IBM Mainframe, Also see IBM 370
Xref: MUSIC/SP Kermit, Also see IBM 370 Kermit

This is to announce MUSIC Kermit Release 4.2.  The sources have not been
completely rewritten, nor have they been resequenced, but numerous
fixes, extensions, and improvements have been inserted.  The changes
applied include all updates formerly available in IKMKER.UPD plus a
number of new ones.  As with Release 4.1, all MUSIC-specific files begin
with IKM, and generic Kermit-370 files begin with IK0 (I K Zero).  The
separate pieces are to be recombined into a single composite source for
installation.  See the file IKMKER.INS for instructions.  Bug reports
should be sent to Pierre Goyette <[e-mail]>.  Release 4.2
is also being issued in the companion TSO and CMS variants (see the
separate announcements for details).  Anyone interested in helping to
port Kermit-370 to still other operating systems should contact John
Chandler <[e-mail]> or <[e-mail]>.

For a list of generic additions, see the generic Kermit-370 announcement
IK0KER.ANN.  The following is a list of MUSIC-specific updates added
since Release 4.1.

1) Correction of problem in SERIES1-type transfer I/O with large blocks.

Incidentally, the generic update program GUPI has been updated, but the
old version will still work.  You need not recreate it, but if you do,
be sure to use all-new sources, or it will not assemble properly.

Many thanks to the beta testers who have helped work out the bugs in the
new release.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 1990 May 11   13:13 EDT
>From: "John F. Chandler"   <[e-mail]>
Subject: Using CMS 6 Shared File System with Kermit
Keywords: VM/CMS Kermit, Shared File System

CMS Kermit has been reported as unable to work with files in the Shared File
System (SFS) of CMS 6.  This is only partly true.  Because of the changed
length of FST entries in SFS, Kermit has been unable to tell whether a
specified file already exists, but it can store a file into the SFS
routinely.  There is now an update from East Texas State for determining the
proper length of FST entries (see IKCKER.BWR in the new release of CMS Kermit
-- thanks to Charles Becker for supplying the update and to M.R.  Cagle for
devising it), but problems have still been reported in locating the proper
FST.  If the source of these problems is the shared nature of SFS, the only
solution may be to give up Kermit's high-speed built-in FST routine and fall
back on the system GETFST function.  Anyone with information about the
organization of SFS FST's or anyone interested in halping to solve the "Case
of the Missing Files" should drop me a line.
                                  John

  <[e-mail]>  or  <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 15 May 90 13:35:57 EDT
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: New Kermit-32 Release for VAX/VMS
Keywords: VAX/VMS Kermit 3.3.122

VAX/VMS Kermit-32 Version 3.3.118, contributed by Burt Johnson, and announced
in Info-Kermit V11 #6, was not formally installed so that a testing period
could verify whether it could safely replace the previous release, 3.3.117.
Its major new feature was support for long packets (up to 1K in length).
Jonathan Welch, [e-mail], of the University of Massachusetts in
Amherst, picked up this version and fixed it up a bit, and now we are making
it "official" and releasing it as version 3.3.122.  Jonathan's changes
include:

 . Added the SET FILE BLOCKSIZE nnn (where nnn is the record size in bytes)
   command for incoming BINARY and FIXED file transfers.  If no blocksize has
   been specified the old behavior will be used.  Also modified SHOW FILE to
   display record size when appropriate.  People have been asking for this
   one for years!

 . The restriction on file name and type lengths is now 39 characters each.
   Previously the restriction was 9 characters for the name and 3 for the
   type (pre-VMS 4 format).

 . Under some circumstances if all kermit operations were successful a return
   status of 0 was generated; SS$_NORMAL is now returned instead.

 . If SS$_HANGUP occurs on the outgoing terminal line the user will be
   notified. If the outgoing line is serviced by a DECserver (LTA type
   terminal) the user must issue a CONNECT LTAnnn command to reestablish a
   LAT link to the DECserver.

 . Relative offsets to data structures are now longwords.  This change is an
   internal one which only those people compiling and linking Kermit-32 would
   be interested in, but it may allow the program to support packets even
   longer than 1K.

This version of Kermit-32 was linked under VMS 4.5, and so the VMSMIT.HEX
file requires VMS 4.5 or later to run.  If you have an earlier version of
VMS, then you can build Kermit-32 from the Macro-32 source code as outlined
in VMSAAA.HLP.  Jonathan will try to find a VMS 4.0 system to build the .HEX
file on, but in the meantime, if anyone else with VMS 4.0 would care to
contribute a VMSMIT.HEX file based on the new sources, it would be much
appreciated.

Meanwhile, Gary Stebbins sent in some new procedures for building VMS Kermit:
VMSINS.KIT is a VMS install kit, VMSMKH.COM is a DCL procedure for creating
the help files and library; VMSMKI.COM is a DCL procedure for creating the
VMSINSTAL file.  And Both Gary and Jonathan updated the help text; the new
version with both of their changes in it is VMSMIT.RNH.

Thanks to Jonathan and Gary, and once again to Burt, for their work on this
popular Kermit version.  The new files are in the B area of Kermit
Distribution: Tape B, kermit/b/ on watsun (anonymous ftp), and also on BITNET
KERMSRV at CUVMA.

The previous release of VMS Kermit, 3.3.117, is still available in
kermit/old, and the 3.3.118 test version has been removed from kermit/test.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 May 90 12:34:56 EDT
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: New MS-DOS 3.0 Patch File
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 Patches

The patch file for MS-DOS Kermit 3.01 has been updated by Joe Doupnik to
correct the following problems:

  . Incorrect operation of REMOTE commands
  . Unwanted echo of path from CD command
  . Incorrect REMOTE LOGIN operation
  . Incorrect operation of ASK if invoked from within a macro
  . Incorrect operation of logging commands if invoked from within a macro
  . Problems with several VT320 and Tektronix escape sequences
  . Incorrect identifier for Latin-1 character set in Attribute packet
  . Failure to clear communication port buffer before sending a file

The updated patch file is in kermit/a/msr301.pch (watsun, Internet) and
MSR301.PCH (BITNET KERMSRV).

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 15 May 90 08:15:00 EDT
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Kermit News Number 4 Is on the Way
Keywords: Kermit News #4

Kermit News Number 4 has gone to press -- 32 pages of news of Kermit
releases, plus world news, stories from users, and technical contributions
including a detailed analysis of Kermit's performance, and much discussion of
Kermit's new ability to handle international character sets.  If you are not
already on our mailing list and you would like to receive the new issue (free
of charge!), please send me your postal mailing address within the next few
days, so it can be added to the subscription list before the mailing labels
are printed.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 18 Apr 90 17:54:51 EDT
>From: Paul W Placeway <[e-mail]>
Subject: MacKermit Questions and Answers
Keywords: Macintosh Kermit

   From: Haydn Huntley <[e-mail]>
   Subject: About MacKermit...

   Is it possible to change the size of the characters on the screen?
   It's nice to be able to fit so many on the screen at once, but
   sometimes I wish a 12 point font were available...

Coming soon (I've had a lot of requests, and have a large screen and poor
eyesight myself)...

   Also, do you allow people to use the source for MacKermit?  Is it
   available for ftp?

See the info-kermit intro.

   From: [e-mail] (Rudy Gobits)
   Subject: Kermit bug

   I want to report a possible bug in Kermit version 0.98(62) that I
   currently use. When sending a file compressed with Stuffit 1.51
   with the MacBinary option in 'File Defaults...' checked, and the
   host's file type set to binary, the file is transferred OK. However
   I end up with an 'eaten' stuffed file, i.e. the data fork length
   has been reduced to 0 (zero). This happened more than once, in fact
   it is 100% reproducible. I run Kermit on a Macintosh SE with System
   6.0.3.  Further I have a question: where do I get a manual for
   Kermit? I got this version of Kermit from a bulletin board in The
   Netherlands without manual.  Thank you for making Kermit.

Yes, there is a BAD bug in Kermit sending in MacBinary format: it
zeros the source file when closing it after transfer (not a real
useful feature), due to a screw-up (of mine) in the source code (some
of the code magically disapeared).

This will be fixed Real Soon Now; I am testing the file code a lot
trying to find any other problem points before leting the next version
out.  In the mean time, don't use MacBinary.

Hopefully no one has lost any work due to this.  Sorry.

   From: <#[e-mail]>
   Subject:  MacKermit 0.98(62), terminalr, terminals, Print

             From: Macintosh Conference System Opperator
                   (RobPlatt)

   I just got Kermit 0.98(62), and it is nice.

   Our mainframe programmers want to know, are terminalr and terminals
   supported? and are macros supported?

No, these are currently available only in MS-DOS Kermit.  Macros will probably
appear some time soon.  Programmable answer-back will never appear (it's too
much of a security hole).

   I am not a Kermit protocol expert, but your answers would help our
   mainframe programmers....

   and there is a Print menu up in the menu bar, but it is always grey.
   Should it be grey, or not? I have never seen it active/selectable???

The Print menu will light up if you send information at Kermit as if
it were a VT-xxx terminal with a local printer, that is, surround the text
to be printed with ESC [ 5 i (to start printing) and ESC [ 4 i (to stop).
More printer support is coming.

   From: Jay Graham <[e-mail]>
   Subject: Mac Kermit Print Option?

        Dear Sirs,

        I have a copy of the release of mac kermit .98(63) and it has a
        menu option that is inactive called "PRINT". Is there a way to
        capture text from an entire session or parts of a session and
        save it or print it at a later time? (END of session).

See above about what "PRINT" does.

You can currently save the text of a session by doing a "log session"
("Log" menu, "Session" item).  In a future version this will be able
to save all the characters too, but for the moment it only captures
lines displayed on the screen.

   From: [e-mail] (Todd Wilson Medlin)
   Subject: Bug report on Mac Kermit 0.98(62)

   I've noticed on several occasions that while using Get File From Server
   that if I interrupt with a command-. then the arrow icon is trashed and
   I get what I assume is a raw storage being used for the pointer.

   I'm on a 1M Mac Plus.

Interesting.  I must have a stray pointer problem to track down...

                --Paul

------------------------------

End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************


From cmg  Fri Jun 22 12:53:12 1990
Return-Path: <cmg>
Received: by watsun.cc.columbia.edu (5.59/FCB)
    id AA03324; Fri, 22 Jun 90 12:53:12 EDT
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 90 12:53:11 EDT
From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
To: Info-Kermit
Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V11 #8
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Queries-To: [e-mail]
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>

Info-Kermit Digest         Fri, 22 Jun 1990        Volume 11 : Number 8

Today's Topics:
           Kermit News #4 Available On Line
     MS-DOS Kermit 3.02 Pre-Release Available for Testing
     MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 for Heath/Zenith-100 Available for Testing
         New MS-Windows Kermit Available for Testing
              Another New VMS Kermit-32
        Announcing Kermit 1.02 for the Honeywell DPS-6
     VMS DCL Procedure for Using WordPerfect with Kermit
   Okstate Kermit/UUCP Kermit Distribution Server Adds Trailblazer
        SIM3278 TCP/IP Version Supports Kermit-370 4.x
          Needed: Mac Kermit for a 128K Mac

Digest submissions may be sent to [e-mail],
requests for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
[e-mail] or to [e-mail].

Kermit files may be obtained over networks and by mail order.  On the
Internetwork, use FTP to log in to host WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a SUN-4/280
running UNIX (SUNOS 4.1), IP host number 128.59.39.2.  Login as user
anonymous (note, lower case), any password, and GET or MGET (MULTIPLE GET)
the desired files.  The Kermit files are in directories kermit/a, kermit/b,
kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e.  Test versions are in kermit/test.  You
can also get Kermit files over the BITNET/EARN network; 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: Fri, 22 Jun 90 12:30 EDT
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Kermit News #4 Available On Line
Keywords: Kermit News #4, MS-DOS Kermit Utilities Diskettes

A plain-text ASCII version of Kermit News #4 is available online as
kermit/e/news.n4 on watsun (Internet) and NEWS.N4 from KERMSRV at CUVMA
(BITNET/EARN).  Meanwhile, the paper version has been mailed to all
subscribers and should have arrived by now.

Some people have asked what is on the 2-diskette set "MS-DOS Utilities and
Technical Documentation" that is listed on the order form in Kermit News.  A
list and description of the files is given in the file kermit/a/msauti.dsk on
watsun (and MSAUTI.DSK on KERMSRV).

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 19 Jun 90 13:59 EDT
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: MS-DOS Kermit 3.02 Pre-Release Available for Testing
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.02

Version 3.02 of MS-DOS version 3.0 for the IBM PC, PS/2, and comptibles, from
Professor Joe R. Doupnik of Utah State University is now available in a
priliminary prerelease form for testing.  MS-DOS Kermit users should be aware
that this will probably be the final release of MS-DOS Kermit in its present
form, because code space is completely used up.  The next release will
involve a massive reorganization of the code to make space for new features,
translation tables, etc.  Obviously, this will require a lot of time and
effort.

Version 3.02 fixes the bugs for which patches were required in the 3.00 and
3.01, as well as some problems that were not fixed by these patches.  It also
has some new features:

 . SET FLOW-CONTROL has a new option, RTS/CTS, for controlling sending and
   receiving of characters at the hardware level.  It is effective only for
   COM1..COM4 (real UARTs); selecting SET FLOW RTS/CTS for other
   communications ports is the same as SET FLOW NONE.  It is effective only
   when SET DUPLEX is FULL.

 . The port address of serial ports COM3 and COM4 may now be given to Kermit
   itself rather than being set externally, using the new commands:

     SET COM3 <address>
     SET COM4 <address>

   or in the DOS KERMIT= environment variable, as shown below.

   The IRQ value for these ports must still be 4 or 3. It is permissable to
   have two serial ports sharing the same IRQ line, provided only one is
   active at a time. Kermit does testing to discover which IRQ, 4 or 3, is
   used by the selected serial port.

 . The current list of commands recognized from the DOS environment lines
   starting with KERMIT=, KERMIT0=, KERMIT1=, etc, are:

        COM3 value                      value = port address (no default)
        COM4 value                      value = port address (no default)
        ROLLBACK value                  value = number of screens (def 10)
        INPUT-BUFFER-LENGTH value       value = size (in bytes) of the
                                          the script INPUT command buffer.

   Environment lines are constructed with the DOS command SET, which can be
   given at the DOS prompt or included in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, for example:

        C> SET KERMIT=ROLLBACK 35;COM3 \x02f8;INPUT 256;

 . SET TERMINAL WIDTH {80, 132} allows you to manually set the screen width
   in text terminal emulation mode, provided your display adapter is capable
   of 132 column mode (IBM adapters -- MCGA, CGA, EGA, VGA) are not.  This
   was previously possible only with escape sequences transmitted from the
   host.  Screen width change is accomplished via the user-supplied files
   COLS80.BAT and COLS132.BAT.  Also, a bug which could cause Kermit to loop
   endlessly reading these files under certain conditions has been corrected.

 . SET TERMINAL ARROW-KEYS {CURSOR, APPLICATION} gives you manual control
   over the escape sequences sent by the arrow keys during VT100/300
   emulation.

 . SET TERMINAL BELL {AUDIBLE, VISUAL, NONE} has the new option "none" for
   people who prefer peace and quiet.

 . REMOTE PRINT <filespec> [ printer-parameters ] allows files to be sent to
   a Kermit server for printing rather than storage, provided the server
   supports this feature.  The MS-DOS Kermit server will also respond
   correctly to REMOTE PRINT commands.

 . SET KEY LK command to ask Kermit to look for an LK250 (DEC-style) keyboard
   driver.  Previously Kermit did this automatically, and this interfered
   with Kermit's correct operation on certain PCs.

 . SET TERMINAL BELL { AUDIBLE, VISIBLE, NONE } - New option to turn off
   the terminal bell entirely during terminal emulation, for use when your
   host application sends lots of irritating bells.

 . Explicit control over assignment of the left (and right, if any) half of a
   terminal character set to G0 through G3 through optional trailing
   parameters to the SET TERMINAL CHARACTER-SET command.  The exact design of
   this item is still fluid.  In this test release, it looks like this:

     SET TERMINAL CHARACTER-SET <name> [ G0 [ G1 [ G2 [ G3 ] ] ] ]

   For example, SET TERM CHAR LATIN1 G1.

This final item allows you to assign one or more character sets to the VT320
terminal emulator's tables, G0 through G3, by typing a command.  Formerly
this could only be done by escape sequences sent from the host.

An example where this override capability is handy is when LATIN1 needs to be
accessed from the keyboard or host with a single key command ^N or back again
with ^O.  These control codes are named SO and SI, respectively, and they
switch displaying of 7-bit characters from the usual ASCII table in G0 to the
table in G1, and back again.  Of course, the other computer receiving our
typing and providing our viewing must observe the same conventions.

The host can move LATIN1 to G1 by sending the escape sequence ESC - A (three
characters) or we can do it by hand with the command above.  A real DEC VT320
assigns the right half of Latin-1 to G2 and G3 by default, leaving ASCII in
G0 and G1.

Unfortunately, most people do not know how to get their hosts to send
strange escape sequences to put their terminal emulators into the right
frame of mind, and in some cases the host offers no way to do this.  Now you
can do it at Kermit command level.

The command:

  SET TERMINAL CHARACTER-SET <name>

works exactly as before, assigning the left (and right, if any) half of the
character set to the G0..G3 tables according the DEC's default assignments.

If you include one or more of G0, G1, G2, and G3 after the character set
name, Kermit will assign the character set only to the tables that you
mention, and will leave the others undisturbed.  The most common use of this
command will be to set up Latin-1 so it can be used without any special
action on the part of the host, simply by sending 8-bit characters or SI/SO:

  SET TERMINAL CHARACTER-SET LATIN1 G1

If the named character set is an 8-bit set (like Latin-1 or DEC-MCS) then the
right half of it (characters with their high bit set) is assigned to the named
table, which can be G1, G2, or G3, but not G0 (this is an international
standard, not an arbitrary and capricious Kermit rule!).  If it is a 7-bit set
(like ASCII, DUTCH, GERMAN, ITALIAN, NORWEGIAN, etc), then the entire set is
assigned to the named table (see pp.118-119 of "Using MS-DOS Kermit").

You can even use this command to assign up to four different character sets
to the four tables:

  SET TERM CHAR LATIN1           (ASCII  -> G0,G1; Latin-1 -> G2,G3)
  SET TERM CHAR LATIN1 G1        (Latin1 -> G1, replaces ASCII)
  SET TERM CHAR DUTCH G2         ("Dutch ASCII" -> G2)
  SET TERM CHAR DEC-SPECIAL G3   (DEC Special Graphics -> G3)

OK, so now how do you display all these characters once you have them
assigned to your G0..G3 tables?  Very briefly, the rules are (again, these
are international standards, and how the real DEC VT320 works):

  1. Two pointers are maintained, GLeft and GRight, each pointing to one
     of the four Gnumber tables. Initially, for VT300's GLeft points to G0
     and GRight to G2; VT100's have only G0 and G1 so GRight points to G1.

  2. When a 7-bit printable value arrives, the corresponding character
     is displayed from the table where GLeft points (normally G0).

  3. When an 8-bit printable value arrives, the corresponding character is
     displayed from the table where GRight points; that is usually G2 for
     VT300's. 8-bit characters will be seen only if you SET DISPLAY 8 and SET
     PARITY NONE, otherwise they get chopped to 7 bits.

  4. If the "locking shift" character Shift Out (SO, or Control-N) arrives,
     then GLeft is pointed at G1 and all subsequent arriving 7-bit values
     will be displayed from G1. The Shift In (SI, or Control-O) character
     cancels this and points GLeft to G0, which is its normal place.

  5. The locking shift sequence LS2 (ESC n) points GLeft to G2 and causes
     subsequent 7-bit values to be displayed from G2.  This is cancelled by
     SI (point GLeft back at G0). 8-bit characters are still directed to
     where GRight points. The other shifts below work similarly.

  6. The locking shift sequence LS3 (ESC o) causes subsequent 7-bit values
     to be displayed from G3.  This is also cancelled by SI.

  7. The "single shift" sequence SS2 (ESC N) causes the following character
     only to be displayed from G2.

  8. The single shift sequence SS3 (ESC O) causes the following character
     only to be displayed from G3.

  9. The GRight pointer also has shifts to G1, G2, and G3, but none to G0:

        locking shift G1 right    ESC ~    points GRight to G1
        locking shift G2 right    ESC }    points GRight to G2
        locking shift G3 right    ESC |    points GRight to G3

Well, you get the idea (there's more).  If you're interested in a summary
of the concepts of character set designation and switching, see the file
isok5.txt in kermit/e (ISOK5.TXT in KERMSRV).  A summary of Kermit's VT320
character-set designating escape sequences is listed in kermit/a/msvibm.vt
(MSVIBM.VT on KERMSRV).

Version 3.02 also includes some new fixes for the Tek and VT emulators, etc.
Details of the changes since 3.01 are in the file MSR302.UPD.  The MSTIBM.BOO
file and the latest source files are in the Kermit test areas (kermit/test on
watsun, use the T: prefix for KERMSRV).  On watsun only, the mstibm.exe file
is available for binary-mode ftp in the directory kermit/bin.

More changes are expected.  Watch the kermit/test and T: areas of Kermit
Distribution, and Info-Kermit for more announcements.  Send reports of
possible problems to [e-mail] or
[e-mail].

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 8 Jun 90 14:21 EDT
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0 for Heath/Zenith-100 Available for Testing
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.0, Heath/Zenith-100, Z-100

>From Bo Gedda of Lidingoe, Sweden, Z-100 Kermit updated to 3.0 level.  It
includes the system-independent aspects of MS-DOS Kermit 3.0, such as sliding
window packet protocol and improved script language, but not the
IBM-dependent aspects like VT320 emulation and LAN support.  The files are in
kermit/test/ms*z10.* on watsun and T:MS*Z10.* on KERMSRV at CUVMA.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 8 Jun 90 12:30 EDT
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: New Microsoft Windows Kermit Available for Testing
Keywords: Microsoft Windows Kermit

>From Bill Hall, a new version of Kermit for Microsoft Windows that includes
VT52/100/102/132 terminal emulation (the previous version only emulated the
Heath/Zenith-19 terminal) and an improved user interface.  Bill says it should
work under Windows 3.0.  No sources or documentation yet -- the new user
interface should make it self explanatory.  Report problems, reactions, etc,
to Info-Kermit and we'll collect them and pass them on the Bill.  Reports from
Windows 3.0 users would be especially appreciated.

You can ftp the binary executable program from kermit/bin/wn100k.exe on
watsun, or the printable "boo" file from kermit/test/wn100k.boo on watsun, or
you can request the boo file as T:WN100K.BOO from KERMSRV at CUVMA on
BITNET/EARN.  The boo file is decoded into a an .EXE file using any of the
MSBPCT programs in the Kermit Distribution "A" area.

Thanks to Bill for his continued improvements to this program.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 1 Jun 90 13:17 EDT
>From: Jonathan_Welch <[e-mail]>
Subject: Another New VMS Kermit-32
Keywords: VAX/VMS Kermit 3.3.126

This version of Kermit-32, 3.3.126, was linked under VMS Version 4.5, so
that the VMSMIT.HEX file can be VMSDEHex'd and will run on any VMS system
4.5 or later.

Changes since edit 122:

Modified a miscoded call which affected GETting files using long packets;
standard length packets were being used when long packet support was
available in both kermit programs.

The buffer for terminal names has been increased from 20 to 255 characters.

A bug which resulted in a "No default terminal line for transfers" message
when kermit was run as a subprocess has been fixed. It turns out that when
asking $GETJPI to return JPI$_TERMINAL a null string is returned for this
item when called from a subprocess.

A similar error that was corrected occurs when one VMS service returns a
terminal name sans trailing ':'.  When used as input to another service an
error occurs ("invalid device name" from the service is returned to the user
as "no default terminal line for transfers").

Unfortunately the only cure is to either 1) upgrade the operating system or
2) have the code check for the lack of a ':' and add one (this is what the
new version does).

The batch problem is fixed, as it was related to the terminal line business.

The spawn issue will have to be dealt with in the future as it will involve
some tricky coding.  DEC changed the meaning of the CAPTIVE bit in the user
authorization file (UAF) to mean RESTRICTED and added a new bit for CAPTIVE
as of VMS 5.2 (?).

-jonathan.

[Ed. - Thanks, Jonathan!  Also, the truncated VMSMIT.HEX file has been
replaced with an updated and full-length version, the missing VMSCOM.REQ
file has been installed, without which it was not possible to build the
program from the source code and get the new long packet support.]

------------------------------

Date: Mon 18 Jun 1990 10:30:00 EST
>From: Frank Dreano, NAVMASSO, Chesapeake, VA
Subject: Announcing Kermit 1.02 for the Honeywell DPS-6
Keywords: Honeywell DPS-6, MS-DOS Kermit 3.01

I have finished testing Version 1.02 of Honeywell Superkermit and have also
generated the changes to Version 3.01 of MS-DOS Kermit necessary to
communciate with the Honeywell DPS-6 minicomputer.  (The latter changes are on
the diskette in three files having a filename extension of .DPS with comments
explaining modifications at the start of the files.)  Although these changes
are made directly to the source, I feel that they are small and succint enough
to be natural candidates for the new MSKermit 'patch' facility.

The modified MS-DOS Kermit 3.01 produced from this source still works
properly with other machines such as the AT&T 3B2, Vax, Tandem, etc..  The
new Superkermit (source code is included in CUCLKER.C and CUCLPRI.C) for the
Honeywell now supports 2000-byte packets and corrects a minor bug in the
decoding of incoming attribute packet information.  All sources on this
diskette should be included in and/or replace the current official library
versions.

Frank Dreano Jr.

[Ed. - Thanks Frank, and thanks for your contribution to Kermit News #4!
The new Honeywell Kermit source files, along with documentaion and diffs for
the MS-DOS Kermit files, special batch and initialization files, etc, have
been installed in a single "text archive" file in the "D" Kermit distribution
area, replacing the previous version, as kermit/d/hd6ker.jar on watsun
(Internet) and HD6KER.JAR on CUVMA (BITNET KERMSRV).  Frank also sent in an
impressive PC-based demo of his NALCOMIS data transfer operation, but because
of its format (a large collection of .EXE files), it not practical to add it
to Kermit Distribution.  Meanwhile, the changes to MS-DOS Kermit have been
forwarded to Joe Doupnik, who will include them in the next major release of
MS-DOS Kermit -- not 3.02, because code space is too tight.]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 1 Jun 90 11:42 EST
>From: Bob Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: VMS DCL Procedure for Using WordPerfect with Kermit
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit, WordPerfect, VMS, DCL

Folks,

I enclose a VMS DCL procedure that allows VMS WordPerfect 5.0 to be used
with MS-DOS Kermit 3.0. It automatically redefines ANY IBM type keyboard (84
or 101) to the standard PC key definitions for IBM WordPerfect 5.0. In other
words you can use the PC WordPerfect template when you are using VMS
WordPerfect.  Sorta makes it easier to remember!

The Procedure is reasonably well documented; if you have any questions
or comments feel free to drop me a line at the addresses listed in
the procedure.

Bob Martin --

[Ed. - Thanks, Bob!  Your new procedure has been put in the Kermit
Distribution A area as MSIWP3.COM.]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Jun 90 19:27:27 -0500
>From: Mark Vasoll <[e-mail]>
Subject: Okstate Kermit/UUCP Kermit Distribution Server Adds Trailblazer

We have just replaced the modem used in our dial up Kermit Distribution
with a Telebit Trailblazer.  All access information remains the same,
just the additional speed is also offered.

Mark Vasoll
Computer Science Department                Email:  [e-mail]
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 14 Jun 90 23:38:09 EDT
>From: Ed Sterling <[e-mail]>
Subject: SIM3278 TCP/IP Version Supports Kermit-370 4.x
Keywords: SIM3278, IBM 370 Kermit

Greetings,

I am the author of SIM3278 TCP/IP, a new member of the SIM3278 product line
(where other products are SIM3278/VM /VTAM and SIM3278/GCS). I'm happy to
announce that I finally have been able to support Kermit in at least one
environment!

SIM3278 TCP/IP Release 2.0 which is now in production, will support Kermit
file transfers with SET CONTROLLER SERIES1, using the "7171" WRITE-THEN-READ
transparency.  There is "effective" support of the "7171" WRITE-ONLY
transparency, however due to interface limitations, SIM3278 TCP/IP does NOT
emulate the ATTN interrupt to the application after the transparent write
completes.  This does not seem to affect KERMIT Release 4.0 transfers.

Please note that the SIM3278 TCP/IP software level MUST be Release 2.0; our
earlier Release 1.0 does not support KERMIT.  Further requirements appear to
be KERMIT Release 4.x (tests using KERMIT 3 did not work, and appeared to be
related to the ATTN interrupt requirement cited above).  And, IBM TCP/IP for
VM Release 1.2.2 is required.

A test site which could be contacted as a reference is Portland (OR) State
Univ., Fred Dayton (FRED@PSUORVM).

Simware STILL intends to support Kermit in the next release of SIM3278/VM.  I
am one of the founders of Simware, and the guy who in fact made the
"infamous" mistake back in 1983 of FAILING to realize the Kermit data should
be left alone and NOT translated! This mistake is what "breaks" Kermit
transfers through SIM3278/VM, and yes, we've built our own file transfer
programs (AKA "FORSIMPC") that of course "rely" on this mistake.

However, I am currently working in a team to revise the entire SIM3278
system, and I plan to fully support the "7171" transparencies in this next
release, using my success in the TCP/IP product, and porting it to the VM
version of SIM3278 next.

Let me join hundreds of others in thanking you for supporting Kermit as well
as you do.  As a vendor, it's great to have a de facto universal transfer
"system" that can solve many customer connectivity problems, that "we"
individually cannot do alone.

Regards,
Ed Sterling
Simware Inc.

[Ed. - Thanks, Ed!  Your message will certainly be welcome news to your many
customers who are also Kermit users, and it will put your product a step
ahead of competitors that do not support transparent or graphics mode in
their protocol emulators.  Meanwhile, the new SIM3278 transparent mode
support will have to be verified against versions 4.1 and 4.2 of Kermit-370.]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 May 90 12:33:25 CDT
>From: Eric Romo <[e-mail]>
Subject: Needed: Mac Kermit for a 128K Mac

We tried version 0.8(34) on our Mac 128K with no luck.

What system/finder combination would you recommend using with that version
of CKMKER?  Keep in mind that we don't have much memory available. Also if
you would, send me an even older version of CKMKER, since that may have a
better chance of running on a 128K Mac.

Thanks for your continued help.
Eric Romo
Acknowledge-To: <UD069225@NDSUVM1>

[Ed. - We thought that 0.8(34) did the trick, but apparently not!  We don't
have any versions older than that.  Does anybody out there still have Kermit
running on a 128K Mac?  Could you send in a BinHex'd version of it?]

------------------------------

End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************