Columbia Kermit/kermit.zip/archives/msr313src.zip/msvv90.doc

Text File | 1993-11-25 | 17KB | 293 lines

          MS-KERMIT Version 3.13 FOR THE VICTOR 9000 (SIRIUS 1)
                    Notes by R.N. Folsom, 30 October 1993

This Victor 9000 / Sirius 1 version of MS-Kermit, as well as several preceding
versions, is by Professor Joe R. Doupnik at Utah State University, with
contributions by James Harvey at Indiana/Purdue, James Sturdevant at the A.C.
Nielson Company, and many others.  The original MS-Kermit was written by Daphne
Tzoar and Jeff Damens using the original Kermit protocol designed by Bill
Catchings and Frank da Cruz, all at Columbia University.  Documentation is by
Christine Gianone, Frank Da Cruz, and Joe R. Doupnik.

Victor 9000 / Sirius 1 users are particularly indebted to Professor Joe R.
Doupnik for making this latest MS-Kermit version, 3.13, available to them.
(Earlier Victor 9000 / Sirius 1 versions 3.x did not always work properly;  the
preceding version that always worked was 2.32A.)

Kermit is developed under the auspices of Columbia University, and is Copyright
(C) 1993 by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York.  It can
be redistributed to and used by individuals and institutions, provided it is not
sold for profit, under the limitations specified under Terms and Conditions,
below.

Four accompanying files, "Announcing MS-DOS Kermit 3.13" (KermAnno.txt),
"MS-DOS V9Kermit 3.13 Update File" (V9Kermit.upd), "MS-DOS V9Kermit Help"
(V9Kermit.hlp), and "V9Kermit Beware" (V9Kermit.bwr) describe the new features
and limitations in this version of MS-DOS Kermit.  A fifth file, "The Truth
about Kermit File Transfer Performance" (KermTrut.txt), documents that if Kermit
is properly set up, it is significantly faster (whether over clean, noisy, or
delay-burdened connections) than other modern protocols such as Zmodem and
Ymodem, and much faster than the relatively ancient Xmodem.

Victor Kermit version 3.13 does not implement all of the new features in the IBM
version (and unfortunately R.N. Folsom has not had time to experiment and
document all omissions), but the most important new features --- file transfer
and script language capabilities --- *are* implemented in the Victor version.

By permission of Columbia University, this Victor 9000 / Sirius 1 version of
MS-DOS Kermit 3.13 (hereafter, simply the Victor version) is distributed to
Victor 9000 / Sirius 1 users via Victor electronic bulletin boards, particularly
Victor file area 30 of the I.O. electronic bulletin board (Bert Happel, sysop),
in Anderson, Indiana, at [phone].  On the I.O. board, Victor MS-Kermit
version 3.13 is available probably as a self-extracting LHA compressed file,
V9Ker313.exe.

Alternatively, for a mailed Victor V9Kermit diskette, send your address and two
U.S. dollars (or two single diskettes or one double-sided Victor *formatted*
diskette with a self-addressed stamped floppy disk mailer) to:
R.N. Folsom, Professor of Economics, San Jose State University,
San Jose, California, 95192-0114
Voice [phone] or [phone];  I.O. Board message area 15;
CompuServe 71042,2502;  Internet [e-mail].

Users of MS-Kermit version 3.x or above, for any MS-Dos platform (whether the
Victor 9000 / Sirius 1, or IBM and compatible personal computers, or any other
MS-DOS platform), are strongly urged to buy the documentation:
USING MS-DOS KERMIT, by Christine M. Gianone, second edition, c1990, c1992.

Because MS-Kermit is now so feature-laden, even experienced Kermit users need
USING MS-DOS KERMIT.  And Kermit Distribution at Columbia University needs users
to use this book before asking its overburdened help desk to answer questions
that can be answered easily by reading this book.  Finally, the Kermit program
at Columbia needs the money from selling the book to fund Kermit development
(and distribution efforts and help desk).  Please buy, and read, this book.

USING MS-DOS KERMIT is available at $34.95, from Kermit Distribution, Department
OP, Academic Information Systems, Columbia University, 612 West 115th Street,
New York City, New York 10025, [phone].  Included is a 3.5" or 5.25"
diskette with IBM MS-DOS Kermit 3.13 (not usable on the Victor 9000 / Sirius 1).
Kermit Distribution has available also additional IBM MS-Kermit utilities, and
Kermit variants for other operating systems:  C-Kermit for OS/2, MacIntosh,
Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, and for IBM and DEC mainframes, but it can *not*
provide Victor Kermit on a Victor diskette.

USING MS-DOS KERMIT is available with diskette at $34.95 also from Digital
[Equipment Corporation] Press (order number EY-H893E-DP, international order
number EY-H893E-DI, ISBN 1-55558-082-3):  12 Crosby Drive BUO/E55, Bedford, MA
01730, USA, phone [phone].  The book may be available also from Prentice
Hall (ISBN 0-13-952276-X, international ISBN 0-13-953043-6).
The book has been translated into French and German;  see KERMANNO.TXT.

Victor MS-Kermit version 3.13 was downloaded in August 1993 by R.N. Folsom,
using the Internet's FTP (file transfer protocol), from [e-mail], as
the ASCII file kermit/a/msvv90.boo (which was then converted to an EXE file
using MSBPCT.exe).  Also available at Columbia is the EXE file itself,
kermit/bin/msvv90.exe.

                TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Kermit software --- including source code --- is furnished without warranty of
any kind, and neither Columbia University, nor the individual authors or
publishers, nor any institution that has contributed Kermit material,
acknowledge any liability for any claims arising from the use of Kermit.  Since
source code is available, users may fix bugs and make improvements, and are
encouraged to contribute their work back to Columbia for further distribution.

Kermit software may be ordered by private individuals, corporations, academic or
government institutions, and other organizations for their own internal use, but
the software may not be resold or other redistributed to external clients,
customers, or contractors without the written permission of the Manager of
Kermit Development and Distribution at Columbia University.  Contact Kermit
Distribution at Columbia for further information.



            USING VICTOR MS-KERMIT 3.13

The Victor version of MSKermit.exe could be used under that name or renamed
anything, such as V9Kermit.exe, KermitV9.exe, or Kermit.exe (your choice).  But
the initial take-file MSKermit.ini needs to retain this name, unless Kermit is
invoked by specifying a different initial take-file on the command line, e.g.
MSKermit -f V9Kermit.ini.  See USING MS-DOS KERMIT, second edition, pages 51,
201-202, 212.  For a discussion of the MSKermit.ini file, see below.

Victor Kermit version 3.13 is larger than previous versions:  164,489 bytes in
its executable form, compared to 130,355 bytes for the previous Victor version
2.32a, and only 55k in Victor version 2.29.  Script capability (introduced in
2.32a, and greatly enhanced in 3.13) accounts for much of this expansion.  Also,
Kermit now includes Tektronix emulation (in version 2.29, Tektronix emulation
was in a separate version).  But Kermit is "modular," and perhaps the Tektronix
capability could be deleted to obtain a smaller program, using unlinked and
uncompiled source code modules obtainable from Columbia University.


        MSKERMIT.INI and the KERMIT CONNECT "ESCAPE" CHARACTER

MSKermit.ini is an initial take-file, from which Kermit takes initial
instructions when it first loads.  Included here are three "initialization"
files:  MSKermit.ini, MSKermit.in_, and MSCustom.ini.  MSKermit.ini is a short
initialization file, containing the "bare minimum" of commands useful to run
V9Kermit.  (Nevertheless, Kermit can run without any initialization file
available.)  MSKermit.in_, which should not be modified, is a "master"
initialization file containing all sorts of possible commands, useful in all
sorts of situations, from which the user may pick and choose commands to include
in MSCustom.ini.  As explained more fully in the accompanying V9Instal.doc file,
V9Kermit will initially run whatever file is named MSKermit.ini.  As these files
are now named, V9Kermit will run the short MSKermit.ini and will ignore the
other initialization files.

To run MSCustom.ini as the initialization file, simply rename the short
MSKermit.ini to something else (for example, MSKermit._ni), and rename
MSCustom.ini to MSKermit.ini.  Alternatively, for reasons unknown to R.N.
Folsom, Columbia's Kermit documentation suggests a more convoluted procedure:
rename the short MSKermit.ini to something else (MSKermit._ni), rename the long
file now named MSKermit.in_ to MSKermit.ini, and V9Kermit will initially run the
newly named MSKermit.ini (nee MSKermit.in_) which in turn (because of a command
it includes) will run MSCustom.ini.

Common MsKermit.ini commands are set port a (port 1 in Columbia's IBM-oriented
Kermit documentation), and set speed 2400, as explained in the Kermit
documentation cited above.  But on the Victor, MSKermit.ini often contains a
less common command, set escape.

A control rightbracket, ^], is the normal Kermit connect "escape" character,
used primarily to "switch back" from talking directly to the distant host
computer's Kermit, to talk to one's own local computer's Kermit.  (Note that ^]
is NOT the usual MS-DOS escape, control leftbracket ^[.)  Many standard Victor
software keyboards put control rightbracket, ^] in an obscure place where people
do not find it -- for example, on the alt position of physical key number 44
(the 1/2 and 1/4 key, left of the bracket key) or physical key number 84 (the
period key).  And some standard Victor software keyboards simply do not transmit
control rightbracket, ^], making Kermit unusable with these software keyboards.

One solution to this problem is to include in the MSKermit.ini file for Victor
Kermit a set escape command, for example to substitute a control backslash (^\)
for ^].  A control backslash (^\) may be located on the alt position of physical
key number 44 (the 1/2 and 1/4 key, left of the bracket key).  Instead of
control backslash (^\), any other *control* character -- except an MS-DOS escape
^[ -- not used for something else, could be used.  Kermit 2.29 and 2.32a
suggested substituting an uncontrolled tilde ~ for Kermit's ^], but uncontrolled
characters do not substitute for ^] in Kermit 3.1 and later.

This set escape substitution is not necessary if before loading Kermit, a
keyboard containing ^], such as the enclosed VictoKmt.kb, or SepCntrl.kb is
modconned into use, as explained below.

VictoKmt.kb is a Victor standard keyboard which simply has a ^] installed on the
alt position of physical key number 44 (the 1/2 and 1/4 key, left of the bracket
key).  On the original Victor.kb, key 44's alt position duplicated its shift
position, so this was a "costless" place to put ^].  Alternatively, if
SepCntrl.kb is in use, the Kermit escape ^] is issued by holding down the Lock
key (which is set up as a Control-key) and tapping physical key 45 (the bracket
key).  (SepCntrl.kb allows also the more traditional Victor use of Alt as the
control key:  to get ^], hold down the Alt key and tap physical key 45.)

To load a special keyboard (either VictoKmt.kb or SepCntrl.kb), use modcon with
the syntax:  modcon victokmt.kb, or modcon sepcntrl.kb.   Of course, a special
keyboard can be loaded using a batch file, for example kmload.bat:
            modcon sepcntrl.kb save.kb
            V9Kermit
            modcon save.kb
            del save.kb
where the next-to-last line returns to your original keyboard (saved as save.kb
in line one), assuming you do not wish to use SepCntrl.kb as your usual Dos
keyboard.  (Alternatively, omit the save.kb part of the first line, and in the
last two lines replace save.kb by the name of whatever keyboard you usually use.
For discussion of the modcon command, see Victor 9000 documentation.)  Of
course, the kmload.bat commands given above could be included as part of an
autoexec.bat file.

Compared to most Victor standard software keyboards (including VictoKmt.kb),
SepCntrl.kb has several advantages.  First, it has a *separate* control key
(other than the alt key that standard Victor keyboards usually use).  The
separate control key is on the unshifted Lock key, physical key 54.  (Caps lock
and Shift lock now are on the shift and alt positions of this Lock key).  Also,
instead of the rarely used numerical fraction keys 1/2 and 1/4, SepCntrl.kb has
an unshifted [ on physical key 44, next to the unshifted ] on physical key 45
(with { and } on the shift positions of these keys, as on IBM keyboards).  Thus
to execute a Kermit escape, a Control right bracket ^]:  hold down Control (the
Lock key), and tap a right bracket ].  Other changes in SepCntrl.kb are
summarized in V9Instal.doc.

A separate control key makes the alt-key positions available for something other
than control characters, for example, for Greek letters and mathematical symbols
in an extended 256 symbol character set.  (However, in SepCntrl.kb, the alt
positions continue to transmit control characters, thus duplicating the separate
control key's function, but accomodating those who are used to using the alt key
as the control key.  For example, physical keys 44 and 45 alt positions transmit
^[ and ^] respectively, so to transmit a Kermit escape, hold down either the
Control (Lock) key or the alt key, and tap ]).

As can any Victor software keyboard, either VictoKmt.kb or SepCntrl.kb can be
modified using Keygen -- but first make a copy of the file, copying it to a
different filename.



            VICTOR KERMIT 3.13 SOURCECODE MODULES

The MS-Kermit source code modules  (from which came
Victor 9000 / Sirius 1 MS-DOS V9Kermit.exe version 3.13)  are:

    System/Device independent modules common to all MS-Kermits
MSSCMD.ASM   Command parser
MSSCOM.ASM   Packet reader and sender
MSSFIL.ASM   File input/output
MSSKER.ASM   Main program
MSSRCV.ASM   File receiver
MSSSEN.ASM   File sender
MSSSER.ASM   Server operation
MSSSET.ASM   SET commands
MSSSCP.ASM   Script CLEAR, ECHO, INPUT, OUTPUT, PAUSE, and TRANSMIT commands.
MSSSHO.ASM   SHOW and STATUS commands
MSSTER.ASM   CONNECT command
MSSDEF.H     Data structure definitions and equates

    System/Device dependent modules
MSYV90.ASM   Terminal emulation for Victor 9000
MSUV90.ASM   Keyboard translator for Victor 9000
MSXV90.ASM   System dependent code for Victor 9000
MSGV90.ASM   Graphics terminal, not used for Victor 9000
MSZV90.ASM   Additional terminal emulation, not used for Victor 9000

MSVV90.LNK
msyv90+msscmd+msscom+mssfil+mssker+mssrcv+msssen+mssser+
mssset+mssscp+msssho+msster+msuv90+msxv90
msvv90;
MSVV90.MAK   Make file for Victor 9000



        OTHER DOCUMENTATION AND OTHER KERMIT VERSIONS

Kermit Distribution has available Kermit User Guides in nicely printed 8.5x11"
unbound hardcopy, at $10 per chapter, for Kermit on Apple MacIntosh, Apple II,
CPM/80, and IBM (370) mainframe computers, and perhaps also for the MS-DOS
Kermit version 2.32A previously used on the Victor.

A new book, USING C-KERMIT, by Frank da Cruz and Christine Giamone, (1993),
covers new C-Kermit versions for OS/2, OS-9/68000, Commodore Amiga, Atari ST,
and mainframe and mini computers by a variety of manufacturers including IBM,
DEC, Data General, and others.  Available at $34.95, from Kermit Distribution;
or Digital Press (order number EY-J896E-DP or ISBN 1-55558-108-0);  or Prentice
Hall (ISBN 0-13-037490-3).

Technical information on the Kermit protocol is in the book KERMIT, A FILE
TRANSFER PROTOCOL, by Frank da Cruz, c1987.  Available at $29.95, from Kermit
Distribution; or Digital Press (order number EY 6705E-DP or ISBN 0-932376-88-6);
or Prentice Hall (ISBN 0-13-514753-0).  To update the book, Kermit Distribution
offers a recent technical paper, RECENT KERMIT PROTOCOL EXTENSIONS, for $15.
Technical information on the Kermit protocol is not necessary to use Kermit, but
for developers it would be essential.  The University of Toledo BBS, which
several years ago had a Kermit file section, described the book as containing
"a detailed presentation of Kermit, from tutorials on computers, files, and data
communications, to a thorough description of the protocol itself, plus a command
reference, command summary, troubleshooting guide, glossary, index, and many
tables and illustrations."

For further information on available Kermit documentation, see the file
KERMANNO.TXT.

A CP/M-86 Victor Kermit dated 6-August-1987, in an executable version and
also in object code, is available on CP/M-86 disk from R.N. Folsom.