KERMIT-20 Version 3B(127), differences from version 3A(66) ---------------------------------------------------------- MAJOR DIFFERENCES: 1. File i/o completely rewritten to prepare for future addition of new server commands. 2. DEFINE command added for definition of SET macros, for instance: DEFINE IBM (to be) PARITY MARK, DUPLEX HALF SHOW MACROS shows the current macro definitions. 3. TAKE command to allow commands to be taken from a file. 4. Automatic TAKE of KERMIT.INI upon startup. KERMIT.INI can contain DEFINE commands for the various systems you would be communicating with. 5. Interruption of file transfer in both local and remote mode: In local mode, typing ^X interrupts the current file and skips to the next, typing ^Y skips the rest of the batch. These always work when sending files (except that the receiver may still keep the partial transmitted file, and work for receiving files only if the sender understands the interrupt request. In remote mode, KERMIT-20 responds to interrupt requests. 6. Separate remote and local mode top-level command tables. Since most users of KERMIT-20 use it only in remote mode, they will no longer be confused by commands like "FINISH" and "BYE". 7. ITS binary files are now handled. 8. Help text for SET command broken up, so you can say "help set escape", etc. MINOR IMPROVEMENTS AND CHANGES: . In local mode, ^A may be typed for a report on the file transfer in progress. . Server operations may now be recorded in the debugging log. . Don't parse for initial filespec in SEND if source file not wild. . SET ABORTED-FILE renamed to SET INCOMPLETE. . Minor improvements to statistics display. . Allow ^C to interrupt a stuck BYE or FINISH command. . Server accepts "I" packets. . SET HANDSHAKE allows specification of line turnaround character. BUG FIXES: . Mod 64 packet number compares fixed. . NAK bad packet immediately, don't wait for timeout. . Various bugs fixed relating to ^C trap, exiting and continuing, etc. . Proceed gracefully after file i/o errors. . Correctly assess the file byte size when sending in server mode. . Release TTY and file JFNs in some places where they weren't before. . Don't truncate error message in error packet prematurely. Changes from 122 to 127 (2 Dec 83): . Fix SHOW ALL command not to say "DEL" at end. . Make sure init file is taken before processing command line argument. . Fix command line arguments to work even if no init file. . Change SET FILE-BYTE-SIZE to SET FILE BYTESIZE. . Add SET FILE NAMING to elect filename conversion. . Make sure line is set up correctly after exit and continue. . Don't send 4 extra characters if file is ITS binary. Changes from 3B(127) to 3C(133) (13 Dec 83): . Add support for 8th-bit-prefixing to allow 8-bit binary data to be sent through 7-bit communication links, such as over TELENET, or to an IBM mainframe. . Upon any timeout, clear the XOFF status of the line and also transmit an XON. This should take care of deadlocks that occur when an XOFF is spontaneously generated on a noisy line. Changes from 3C(133) to 3.3(140): . Change version number typeout to use decimal notation (3.3 instead of 3C). . Repeat count processing . SEND single-local-file (AS) name-on-target-system WHAT'S NEXT: Future releases of KERMIT-20, which should be coming along within a month or two, will have the following features: . Transaction logging. . Support for 2-character checksums and 16-bit CRCs. . Additional server functions, particularly for file and job management. . Some file attribute support. . ARPANET TAC binary mode negotiation.