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- MSAAAA.HLP MS-DOS KERMIT July 1993
-
- This file explains the organization and naming conventions used for the MS-DOS
- Kermit files at Kermit Distribution, Columbia University, as they appear on
- magnetic tapes and on the network. The MS-DOS Kermit distribution diskette
- uses simpler names, like KERMIT.EXE, KERMIT.HLP, etc. This disk also contains
- a READ.ME file, which is kept in Kermit Distribution as MSVIBM.DSK. Be sure
- to read it.
-
- DOCUMENTATION
-
- Christine M. Gianone, "Using MS-DOS Kermit", Second Edition, Digital Press,
- Bedford, MA, 1992, 345 pages. Packaged with version 3.11 of MS-DOS Kermit
- for the IBM PC, PS/2, and compatibles on a 5.25-inch diskette.
-
- DEC Order Number: EY-H893E-DP
- Digital Press ISBN: 1-55558-082-3
- Prentice Hall ISBN: 0-13-952276-X
-
- Internation Edition DEC Order Number: EY-H893E-DI
- Prentice Hall International Edition ISBN: 0-13-953043-6
-
- US single-copy price: $34.95; quantity discounts available. Available in
- computer bookstores or directly from Digital Press. In the USA, call
- Digital Press toll-free 1-800-344-4825 to order; major credit cards
- accepted. Overseas, order through your bookstore or your local Digital
- Equipment Corporation branch.
-
- A German-language edition is also available:
-
- Christine M. Gianone, "MS-DOS Kermit, das universelle
- Kommunikationsprogramm", Verlag Heinz Heise, Hannover, Germany (1991),
- 414 pages. Packaged with version 3.11 of MS-DOS Kermit for the IBM PC,
- PS/2, and compatibles on a 5.25-inch diskette, including German-language
- help files. Deutsch von Gisbert W. Selke. Price: DM 69,00. ISBN
- 3-88229-006-4. Verlag Heinz Heise GmbH & Co. KG, Helstorfer Strasse 7,
- D-3000 Hannover. Tel. +49 (05 11) 53 52-0, Fax. +49 (05 11) 53 53-1 29.
-
- And a French-language edition:
-
- Christine M. Gianone, "Kermit MS-DOS Mode d'Emploi", Heinz Schiefer & Cie.,
- Versailles (1993), 406 pages. Packaged with version 3.11 of MS-DOS Kermit
- for the IBM PC, PS/2, and compatibles on a 5.25-inch diskette. Adaption
- francaise: Jean Dutertre. ISBN 2-901143-20-2. Heinz Schiefer & Cie.,
- 45 rue Henri de Regnier, F-78000 Versailles. Tel. +33 13 021 55 05,
- Fax. +33 13 902 3971.
-
- There is also a Japanese book about MS-DOS Kermit:
-
- Dr. Hirofumi Fujii and Mrs. Fukuko Yuasa, "MS-Kermit Nyumon", Computer
- Today, Saiensu-Sha Co., Ltd., publishers (1993), 160 pages.
- Publisher's address: 2-6, Kanda Suda-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101, Japan.
- ISBN 4-7819-0669-9 C3355 P1854E. Tel. +813 256-1091.
-
- The English-language edition can also be ordered from:
-
- Kermit Development and Distribution
- Columbia University Academic Information Systems
- 612 West 115th Street
- New York, NY 10025 USA
- Telephone: (USA) 212 854-3703
-
- Domestic and overseas orders accepted. Price: $34.95 (US, Canada, and
- Mexico), $45 elsewhere. Orders may be paid by MasterCard or Visa, or
- prepaid by check in US dollars. Add $35 bank fee for checks not drawn on a
- US bank. Price includes shipping. Do not include sales tax.
-
- FILES
-
- The files needed for the IBM PC version of MS-DOS Kermit are:
-
- Diskette name UNIX name BITNET name Description
- * KERMIT.EXE kermit/bin/msvibm.exe (none) Executable program
- (none) kermit/a/msvibm.boo MSVIBM BOO BOO'd executable
- MSKERMIT.INI kermit/a/mskermit.ini MSKERMIT INI Initialization file
- MSCUSTOM.INI kermit/a/mscustom.ini MSCUSTOM INI Customization file
- MSKERMIT.PCH kermit/a/mskermit.pch MSKERMIT PCH Patch file
- KERMIT.UPD kermit/a/mskerm.upd MSKERM UPD Update documentation
- KERMIT.HLP kermit/a/mskerm.hlp MSKERM HLP Help file
- KERMIT.BWR kermit/a/mskerm.bwr MSKERM BWR "Beware" file
- * KERMIT.PIF kermit/bin/msvibm.pif (none) Windows PIF file
- (none) kermit/a/msvpif.boo MSVPIF BOO BOO'd IBMPC PIF file
- VT300.INI kermit/a/msivt3.ini MSIVT3 INI VT300 key mappings
- HAYES.SCR kermit/a/msmhayes.scr MSMHAYES SCR Hayes dialing script
- DIALUPS.TXT kermit/a/msidia.txt MSIDIA TXT Sample dialing dir.
-
- If you are accessing the these files from the Internet, use binary-mode
- anonymous FTP to get the binary files (marked with * above); use text-mode
- (ASCII) FTP to get the others.
-
- If you don't have access to binary-mode FTP, get the MSVIBM.BOO file instead
- and then translate it back into an .EXE file, as explained below in the
- Boostrapping section.
-
- You may also pick up the entire MS-DOS Kermit distribution diskette in the
- form of a binary .ZIP file, which you can unpack with the PKUNZIP program
- (if you have it). Use binary-mode anonymous FTP, and GET the file
- kermit/bin/msvibm.zip.
-
- In the rest of this file, we will use the DOS form for filenames.
- For example, MSAAAA.HLP refers to kermit/a/msaaaa.hlp (Internet)
- or MSAAAA HLP (the BITNET copy of the same file).
-
- MODEM DIALING SCRIPTS
-
- See MSMAAA.HLP (MODEMS.HLP) for details:
-
- Modem Type DOS Filename Internet BITNET/EARN/CREN
- Hayes 1200 or 2400 HAYES.SCR kermit/a/msmhayes.scr MSMHAYES SCR
- Hayes Ultra 144 ULTRA144.SCR kermit/a/msmultra.scr MSMULTRA SCR
- Multitech MT1432 MT1432.SCR kermit/a/msmmt1432.scr MSMMT1432 SCR
- Penril Alliance V.32 PENRIL.SCR kermit/a/msmpenril.scr MSMPENRIL SCR
- Practical Peripherals PP14400.SCR kermit/a/msmpp14400.scr MSMPP1440 SCR
- Rolm CBX DCM ROLM.SCR kermit/a/msmrolm.scr MSMROLM SCR
- SupraFAXmodem V.32bis SUPRA.SCR kermit/a/msmsupra.scr MSMSUPRA SCR
- Telebit QBlazer V.32 QBLAZER.SCR kermit/a/msmqblaz.scr MSMQBLAZ SCR
- Telebit T3000 V.32bis T3000.SCR kermit/a/msmt3000.scr MSMT3000 SCR
- US Robotics Sportster SPORT.SCR kermit/a/msmsport.scr MSMSPORT SCR
- Vadic VA2400PA VA2400PA.SCR kermit/a/msmva2400.scr MSMVA2400 SCR
-
- TCP/IP SUPPORT
-
- Basic instructions for setting up and using MS-DOS Kermit's built-in TCP/IP
- support can be found in "Using MS-DOS Kermit", with supplemental material in
- MSKERM.UPD, MSKERM.HLP, and further hints in MSKERM.BWR.
-
- MS-DOS Kermit's built-in TCP/IP support works only with packet drivers or ODI
- drivers, and not with board-specific device drivers. An informative article
- about packet drivers by Joe Doupnik can be found in the Info-Kermit Digest,
- Volume 14 Number 5, 16 September 1991, available online as file IMAIL.91B.
- Columbia University also keeps a copy of the Crynwr packet driver collection
- in the packet-drivers/xxx/ directories, where xxx is src (source code), bin
- (binaries), doc (documentation), zip (binary ZIP files, as distributed by
- Crynwr), and new (items not included in the Crynwr collection).
-
- A frequent question is how to convert a Novell network (client workstations
- and servers) to use packet drivers so that Novell software can coexist with
- Kermit or other network applications. This is done using a package from
- Brigham Young University (BYU). An explanation is given in the file
- packet-drivers/new/msabyu.hlp.
-
- OTHER MS-DOS KERMIT FILES
-
- MS-DOS Kermit is also available for a wide variety of non-IBM compatible
- PCs, and source code is available for all versions.
-
- MS-DOS Kermit Distribution file names are all in the following form:
-
- MScxxx.typ
-
- The file name should be no longer than six characters, the file type is 3 or
- less. MS is the common prefix for all the file names.
-
- "c" is a single-letter code that categorizes the file:
-
- A - General information, "read me" files, etc. (like this file)
- B - Files related to Bootstrapping, .BOO file creation and decoding
- D - Demo files
- E - Terminal-related utilities
- F - File-related utilities
- G - Source code for Graphics terminal emulation
- I - Initialization, command, or script files to be read by MS-DOS Kermit
- K - General program documentation (Kermit User Guide chapter, etc)
- M - Modem-dialing scripts to be executed by MS-DOS Kermit's DIAL macro
- N - Network (TCP/IP) related source files
- O - Like V, but for an Old version
- P - Printer-related files and utilities
- R - Release notes
- S - System-independent Source code (.ASM, .H)
- T - Like V, but for a Test version
- U - System-dependent keyboard handling code, utilities, documentation
- V - Binaries, .BOO files, documentation, etc, for a particular Version
- X - System-dependent source code & related documentation
- Y - System-dependent terminal emulation code
- Z - More system-dependent terminal emulation code (if MSYxxx too big)
-
- "xxx" is a 3 letter code to designate which system an MSG, MSU, MSV, MSX, MSY,
- or MSZ file applies to:
-
- AAA - An information file
- AP3 - NEC APC-3
- APC - NEC APC
- APR - ACT Apricot
- DM2 - DECmate II or III with MS-DOS Option
- GEN - "Generic" MS-DOS (DOS calls only)
- GRI - Grid Compass II
- HP1 - HP-150
- HPX - HP-110 and HP Portable Plus
- IBM - IBM PC and PS/2 families
- MBC - Sanyo MBC-550
- P98 - NEC PC 9801 (Japanese Kana/Kanji version)
- RB1 - DEC Rainbow-100 series
- RB2 - DEC Rainbow-100 series (special VT220 emulating version)
- RMX - Intel 300 Series with iRMX-86
- SEE - Seequa Chameleon
- TIP - Texas Instruments Professional
- V90 - Victor 9000 (Sirius 1)
- V9T - Victor 9000 (Sirius 1) with Tektronix emulation
- WNG - Wang PC
- Z10 - Heath/Zenith 100
- (Others may be added as time goes on.)
-
- "typ" is the file type, e.g.
-
- ASM - Assembler source (for Microsoft or IBM Assembler)
- H - An assembler header file (included at assembly time)
- C - A C language source file (e.g. Microsoft C)
- BAS - A Basic language source (e.g. Microsoft Basic)
- BOO - An .EXE file encoded into printable characters for bootstrapping
- BWR - A "beware" file - list of known bugs or limitations
- HLP - A help file
- DOC - A longer documentation file
- ED - A program edit history file (detailed)
- PS - Documentation in Postscript format, for laser printer
- MSS - Scribe text formatter source for a HLP or DOC file
- INI - An initialization or command file to be read by Kermit
- SCR - An MS-DOS Kermit script command file
- BAT - An MS-DOS Batch file (e.g. for building MS-DOS Kermit from source)
- MAK - A "makefile" for Microsoft or other MAKE program
- LNK - An MS-DOS Linker command file
- UPD - A program update history file
- TAK - An MS-DOS Kermit command file
- TRM - A UNIX termcap entry to match the program's terminal emulator
- PIF - MS-Windows PIF-file construction instructions
- DSK - A listing of the files on a particular MS-Kermit distribution disk
-
- PATCHES
-
- Bugs in MS-DOS Kermit are sometimes correctable by runtime patches supplied
- in the form of a text file containing changes to be applied to Kermit's program
- image by Kermit itself after it starts. The current patch file for the IBM PC
- version of MS-DOS Kermit is MSRxxx.PCH, where xxx is the version number, like
- MSR313.PCH. See MSKERM.HLP for further information.
-
- SOURCE CODE
-
- The source files have names beginning with MSS and MSN. They are written in
- MASM and Microsoft C. MASM and C 6.00 are required. MSVIBM.MAK is the
- makefile. MSSAAA.HLP lists the source files for the IBM PC version.
-
- The system-independent source file names all start with MSS --
-
- MSSCMD.ASM Command parser
- MSSCOM.ASM Communications (system-independent)
- MSSDEF.H Symbol definitions for all modules
- MSSFIL.ASM File i/o
- MSSKER.ASM Main program
- MSSRCV.ASM Receive module
- MSSSCP.ASM Script module
- MSSSEN.ASM Send module
- MSSSER.ASM Server module
- MSSSET.ASM Set command module
- MSSSHO.ASM Show command module
- MSSTER.ASM Terminal emulation (system-independent)
-
- The program also needs an MSU and an MSX module for the desired system, plus an
- MSY module for the same system (if the system has terminal emulation code), and
- possibly an MSZ module too, if the MSY module gets too large (as it has for the
- IBM PC family), and finally an MSG module if graphics terminal emulation is
- also included. Assembling and linking procedures are described in MSSAAA.HLP.
- The MSX, MSY, and other system-dependent files may come with associated HLP or
- BWR files. For the IBM version only, the TCP/IP networking source files are
- in MSN*.*.
-
- BOOTSTRAPPING
-
- Getting MS-DOS Kermit onto an MS-DOS system initially when you don't have a
- diskette to read it from, but you do have it on line on another computer... is
- called "bootstrapping." The method used with MS-DOS Kermit is to download
- (somehow) a version of the appropriate .EXE (executable binary) file that has
- been encoded in all printable characters by the MSBMKB program into a ".BOO
- file" (short for bootstrap). The BOO file is then decoded on the PC using a
- short Basic (or C, or Pascal, or other) program.
-
- MSBAAA.HLP A brief explanation of the bootstrapping files and procedures
- MSBMKB.C The "BOO File Maker" (runs on MS-DOS Systems with Lattice C)
- MSBMKB.BOO BOO file based on MSBMKB.EXE generated from MSBMKB.C
- MSBMKB.* There are also versions of MSBMKB in assembler, Fortran, etc.
- MSBPCT.BAS Like MSBPCB.BAS, but assumes the BOO file is already downloaded
- 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.
- MSBRB1.BAS Like MSBPCB.BAS, but runs under Rainbow CP/M-86 Basic
- MSBRCV.BAS A short Microsoft BASIC Kermit program, receive-only
- MSV*.BOO The BOO files for each version of MS-DOS Kermit, e.g. MSVIBM.BOO
- MST*.BOO The BOO files for a Test (prerelease) version of MS-DOS Kermit
- MSO*.BOO The BOO files from an Old release of MS-DOS Kermit
-
- ONLINE USER DOCUMENTATION
-
- MSKERM.UPD Updates since "Using MS-DOS Kermit" was published.
- MSKERM.HLP Help file, summary of MS-Kermit commands and features.
- MSKERM.BWR List of restrictions and known bugs.
- MSRxxx.UPD Release notes for Version xxx, e.g. MSR300.UPD.
- MSVIBM.VT VT terminal emulator technical summary for IBM version.
- MSVIBM.TEK Graphics terminal emulator technical summary for IBM version.
- MSGTIF.DOC Aldus/Microsoft Memo describing TIFF graphics file format.
- MSABYU.HLP Instructions for installing Packet Drivers on Novell networks.
-
- INITIALIZATION OR COMMAND FILES
-
- MS-DOS Kermit always reads the file MSKERMIT.INI upon startup and executes
- the Kermit commands that are in it. There is also a TAKE command that allows
- the user to explicitly direct Kermit to execute commands from a specified
- file. Several sample files are provided (there may also be others, see any
- MS*.INI file):
-
- MSKERMIT.INI Sample MSKERMIT.INI file
- MSKERMIT.PCH Runtime patches to fix bugs in current IBM version
- MSIEM*.INI Key mappings for use with EMACS
- MSIRB1.INI Puts some of the DEC Rainbow's keys in more normal positions.
- MSIVT*.INI Various key mappings for VT200/300 keyboard emulation.
- MSIWP3.INI Key mappings for use with mainframe WordPerfect.
- MSI123.INI Key mappings for use with mainframe Lotus 1-2-3.
- MSIMSW.INI Key mappings for use with mainframe Microsoft Word.
-
- PRINTER PROGRAMS
-
- A variety of printer drivers and printer-related programs are available as
- MSP*.*. See MSPAAA.HLP for details.
-
- Of special interest are a UNIX shell script and a VAX/VMS command procudure
- to do "PC printing" -- i.e. to send a file to the PC's printer. These are
- in MSPUPC.* (UNIX) and MSPVPC.* (VMS).
-
- UTILITY PROGRAMS
-
- MSIXSE.* = "XSEND", a program that constructs a command file to send an
- entire directory tree from one DOS system to another, using Kermit to create
- directories on the fly, etc.
-
- MSUCHK.* = "SCANCHEK", a program to tell you the keyboard scan codes of the
- IBM PC.
-
- MSULK2.* - A driver for the DEC LK250 keyboard, which can be plugged into
- a PC/AT or compatible.
-
- (End of MSAAAA.HLP)
-