Columbia Kermit/kermit.zip/archives/z88ker2.zip/Z129A.TXT

Text File | 1996-12-27 | 14KB | 362 lines

KERMIT-88


1. Kermit-88 is the Z88 implementation of the widely used Kermit file
transfer program.  Copyright of Kermit is retained by the Columbia
University Centre for Computing Activities, although anyone is free
to implement a Kermit on a given machine. This must not be done for
commercial purposes however.

Kermit-88 is supplied as a single program file "KERMIT" which is
CHAINed from BBC BASIC. Kermit-88 will not run on a machine with only
32k of RAM. It MAY run on a 64k machine, but testing has been carried
out on a 160k machine (32k + 128k) without problems. Kermit is
actually written in 8080 assembler on a CP/M machine. It is
impractical to distribute the source files, although they will
shortly be available from Lancaster University Kermit distribution
centre.


2. KERMIT-88 Commands

KERMIT-88 uses the DECSYSTEM-20 keyword style command  language.
Each keyword  may  be  abbreviated  to its minimum unique length.
"?" may be typed to request a menu of the available options for the
current  field at  any  point in a command.  ESC may be typed at any
point in a command to fill out the current keyword ; if  sufficient
characters have  not  been  typed to identify the current field
uniquely, KERMIT-88 will sound a beep and allow you to continue from
that point. If a "?" is accepted and the prompting system does not
intervene, it indicates that it has been accepted as a filename
wildcard character (matching a single character)  E.g.  SEND ?   will
send all files in the current directory having a filename of 1
character.


Capabilities:

As well as the ability to transfer files, Kermit-88 can also behave
as a terminal emulator (CONNECT) and can send text files to a
non-Kermit system (TRANSMIT). It is able to execute command files
written in Kermit command language (TAKE) and has limited facilities
for scripts to perform "conversations" with a  remote host. These can
be used for login scripts or for running remote software (see STRING,
INPUT, PAUSE). Kermit-88 makes local file management easier by
providing some basic operating system functions (CD/CWD, DIRECTORY
and TYPE).

File transfer occurs in one of two ways, depending on the type of
Kermit we are talking to. For two micro based Kermits, the SEND and
RECEIVE commands are used. When we are accessing a larger system, the
remote Kermit will normally have a SERVER mode. This enables
everything to be driven from the micro end. File transfer is
accomplished with the SEND and GET commands. (See also REMOTE).

Commands at a glance:

BREAK
    Send a Break condition to the remote system.
    (This does nothing as at Version 1.04)

BYE
    When  talking to a remote Kermit Server, this command shuts down
    the server and logs it out, and also  exits  from  Kermit-88  to
    BASIC command level. (Not yet implemented)

CD/CWD directory-name
    Change to the specified directory. If no name is given the
    current directory is displayed. You can also change to a device
    name

CONNECT
    Establish a terminal connection to the host connected to the
    serial port, i.e. pass all typein to the serial port and display
    all input from the serial port on the screen.  Also,  emulate a
    DEC VT52 to allow cursor control, screen clearing, etc, if
    TERMINAL is set to VT52 (see below), in which case you should
    also set your terminal type on the remote host to VT52.  The
    escape character is initially set to <>\ (diamond backslash).
    When you issue the CONNECT command, the escape sequence is
    displayed to show you how to get back. The escape sequence is
    generally an uncommonly used control character, like <>-backslash
    or <>-rightbracket (<>-]) followed by a single letter "command".
    Q   Suspend logging (only if logging is switched on)
    R   Resume logging
    C   Close Connection, return to Kermit-88> command level.
    S   Display Status of connection, but maintain remote connection.
    ?   List available single-character commands.
    0   (zero) Send a null (0) character.
    B   Send a BREAK signal.
    <>\ (or  whatever  - a second copy of the escape character)
        Send the escape character itself to the remote host.

DIRECTORY [filespec]
    This provides a directory listing of the specified files.  If no
    files are specified, all files in the current directory are
    listed.

EXIT
    Exit from Kermit back to BBC BASIC. Panel settings are restored
    to their values when Kermit was entered. (Affects BAUD, PARITY
    and XON/XOFF)

FINISH
    Like LOGOUT, but shuts down the remote server without logging it
    out.  Leaves you at Kermit-88 command level; subsequent  CONNECT
    commands will put you back at host system command level.

GET remotefile [localfile]
    When  Kermit-88  is  talking to a Kermit Server on the host, you
    should use the GET command to request the server to send files to
    you, for example:

    get k*.hlp

    You may optionally specify localfile to force a local name,
    otherwise Kermit attempts to build a filename based on the remote
    name.

HELP
    Shows available commands. (Same as "?")

INPUT time-delay string
    Sets a string and a time delay in seconds, then waits to receive
    them from the remote system. This command is meant for use in
    TAKE files. Note that characters which cannot be entered from the
    keyboard can be entered in octal (See STRING)

LOG filespec
    When CONNECTed to a foreign host as a terminal, log the terminal
    session  to the  specified  file. The log file is closed when the
    connection is closed  by  typing the  escape  character  followed
    by the single-character command "C". The default LOG file name is
    "KERMIT.LOG"

LOGOUT
    Like BYE, but leaves you at Kermit-88 command level.

PAUSE time-delay
    Waits specified number of seconds before continuing. Its main
    purpose is to introduce delays in TAKE files (while dialling a
    number for example).

RECEIVE [localfile]
    Receive file(s) from the remote Kermit.  If localfile is
    specified, use this name, otherwise store  it under the name
    provided in the file header supplied by the remote host. If the
    name is illegal, Kermit uses as many legal characters from the
    name as possible (see the description of SET FILE-WARNING below).
    If the file exists, and FILE-WARNING is ON, it warns the user and
    tries to build a unique name for the file by  adding numeric
    characters to the end.

REMOTE command
    Sends command to a remote Kermit server.  Not all servers support
    all commands so results can be varied.  Current commands which
    KERMIT-88 can send are:
    REMOTE DIRECTORY  - list remote files
    (Not implemented at 1.04)

SEND localfile [remotefile]
    Send  file(s) specified by localfile to the remote Kermit.
    Localfile may contain wildcards.  If remotefile is specified, the
    remote Kermit will attempt to save the file as remotefile as
    opposed to localfile.  Note that if localfile contains wildcards
    and remotefile is specified, the remote Kermit will try to save
    all files as remotefile. See  RECEIVE for information on how
    Kermit deals with filename conflicts.

SET parameter [value]
    Set  the  specified  parameter to the specified value.
    Possible settings:

    AUTORECEIVE ON | OFF
        Allows several files to be received without having to type
        RECEIVE on the receiving machine. The first packet from the
        sender will be lost.

    BAUD-RATE value
        Change the  baud rate of the communications port. The value
        is  the numeric  baud  rate (300, 9600, etc.) desired.
        Type SET BAUD followed by a question mark for a list of
        supported baud  rate@s. NOTE: Kermit uses whatever is set y
        the sytem Panel- If you SET the BAUD-RATE values, you
        must be aware that this affects the system, and other
        applications. That is, if you suspend KERMIT having changed
        any of the port settings the new settings would apply to
        (say) a copy of Pipedream that may be about to print. When
        you EXIT from KERMIT, the original Panel settings are
        restored.

    BLOCK-CHECK-TYPE 1 | 2 | 3
    The options are:
        1-CHARACTER-CHECKSUM
        Normal, default, standard 6-bit checksum.

        2-CHARACTER-CHECKSUM
        A 12-bit checksum encoded as two characters.

        3-CHARACTER-CRC-CCITT
        A  16-bit  CCITT-format Cyclic Redundancy Check, encoded as
        3 characters.

        The 2 and 3 character options should only be used  under
        conditions  of extreme line noise.  Many implementations of
        KERMIT only support the single character checksum.

    DEBUG   ON | OFF.
        Enables/disables displaying of packets on the screen during
        file transfer.

    ESCAPE
        Change the escape character to exit from terminal
        connections.    Kermit-88  will  prompt you for the new
        escape character, which you enter literally. Eg. to change
        the character to <>-] type SET ESCAPE [enter] , then press
        diamond, then ].

    FILE-MODE   ASCII | BINARY
        Tells KERMIT-88 what kind of file it is sending, so that
        KERMIT can correctly define the ends of lines. SET FILE
        BINARY means to send all the data exactly as it appears in
        the file. SET FILE ASCII  is  used  for  text files.

    FLOW-CONTROL ON | OFF
        Enables or disables XON/XOFF flow control. See SET
        BAUD-RATE for implications of changing system communication
        settings.

    LOCAL-ECHO ON | OFF
        When you CONNECT to a remote host, you must set LOCAL- ECHO
        ON if the host is half duplex, OFF if full duplex. OFF by
        default.

    LOGGING  ON | OFF
        Enable or disable file logging during CONNECT sessions. The
        log file name is set using the LOG command.

    PARITY value
        Sets  parity  for outgoing characters to one of the
        following: NONE, SPACE, MARK, EVEN, or ODD.  On  input,  if
        parity  is  NONE,  then  the  8th bit is kept (as data),
        otherwise it is stripped and ignored.  The  parity  setting
        applies to both terminal connection and file transfer.  If
        you set parity to  anything  other  than  none, KERMIT-88
        will  attempt  to  use "8th bit prefixing" to transfer
        binary files.  If  the  other  KERMIT  is  also capable  of
        8th bit prefixing, then binary files can be transferred
        successfully; if not, the 8th  bit  of  each data  byte
        will be lost (you will see a warning on your screen if this
        happens). See SET BAUD-RATE for implications of changing
        system communications settings.

    RECEIVE parameter value
        SET a receive parameter
        PAD-CHAR
          Sets the pad character to use while receiving files.
          You will be prompted for the character literally.
        PADDING value
          Set the number of pad characters to use while
          receiving files.
        START-OF-PACKET
          Set the default start of packet character for
          receiving files (See SET SEND START-OF-PACKET for
          considerations.) Default is <>A

    SEND parameter value
        SET a send parameter
        PAD-CHAR
          Sets the pad character to use while sending files.
          You will be prompted for the character literally.
        PADDING value
          Set the number of pad characters to use while sending
          files.

        START-OF-PACKET
          Set the default start of packet character for sending
          files. The SOP character is Control-A by default, but it
          may be necessary to change this on some networks. Choose
          a control character not otherwise used, ie not <>-M
          (return) <>-J (linefeed) <>-H (backspace) <>-G (bell) or
          <>-I (tab).

    TACTRAP
        Set the TAC intercept character. If you are attached to a
        TAC (or indeed any other piece of equipment which "eats" a
        particular character) you can specify the character to
        Kermit so that it will double it up during transmission.

    TERMINAL VT52 | DUMB
        When connected as a terminal to a foreign host, controls
        whether the micro emulates  a VT52  or runs in "native
        mode".    TERMINAL is VT52 by default.

    TIMER ON | OFF
        Enable  or  disable the timer.  The timer is off by
        default, because in the normal case KERMIT-88 is
        communicating  with  a  mainframe  KERMIT  that has its own
        timer.  Mainframe KERMIT timers tend to be more  precise or
        adaptable  to  changing  conditions.  You should SET TIMER
        ON if you are communicating  with  a  KERMIT  that does
        not have a timer.  You should SET TIMER OFF if you are
        communicating over a network with long delays.

    WARNING ON | OFF
        Warn  user  of  filename  conflicts when receiving files
        from remote host, and attempt to generate a unique  name by
        adding  numeric characters  to  the  given name. ON by
        default.

SHOW
    Shows various settable parameters.

STATUS
    A synonym for SHOW

STRING text
    Sends a character string to the remote system. It is intended for
    use in TAKE files. The text can include octal control characters
    in the form \nnn where nnn can be less than or equal to \377. Eg.
    \015 is a carriage-return character.


TAKE filespec
    Takes commands from the specified file as if they had been typed
    at the keyboard. This is useful if you want to set up a batch job
    to dialup a remote machine for example. The TAKEfile must be an
    ASCII file such as a Pipedream file saved with Save Plain Text
    option set to Yes. An automatic TAKE is performed when Kermit is
    started, taking commands from KERMIT.INI if it exists in the
    current directory. This is useful for setting up a commonly used
    baud-rate, parity etc.

TRANSMIT filespec reply-string
    Send  the  specified  file to the system on the other end of the
    connection as though it were being typed at  the  terminal,  one
    line  at  a  time.    No  KERMIT protocol is involved.  You must
    manually confirm each line and Kermit waits until it receives the
    reply-string before continuing. This is useful for sending files
    to systems  that don't have a KERMIT program.  During
    transmission, you may type the escape  character  followed  by
    one  of  these single-character commands:
    C   Cease transmission
    R   Re-transmit the previous line

TYPE filespec
    Types an ASCII text file to the screen, pausing every 8 lines.
    This is meant for quickly looking at TAKE files or other plain
    text files. Pipedream documents are not particularly legible.

VERSION
    Show  the  name, edit number, and edit date of several of the
    modules that make up Kermit-88.


Wally Wright
4 Welland Court
ST.NEOTS
Cambridgeshire
PE19 3JZ

Tel. [phone]