The following reflects Kermit-10 version 2(106) and VMS Kermit version 2.0.011. Common new features between Kermit-10 and VMS Kermit ---------------------------------------------------- There have been a number of new features which have been added to both Kermit-10 and VMS Kermit. 1. Eigth-bit quoting is implemented. Eigth-bit quoting allows transfer of binary files over a communcations medium which only transfers seven data bits. Kermit-10 or VMS Kermit will try to use eigth-bit quoting whenever the communication line parity is set to anything other than NONE, and will always agree to a request from the other Kermit to use eigth-bit quoting. The default eigth-bit quote character is "&" (ASCII 46 octal, 38 decimal). Eigth-bit quoting can only be used if both Kermits support it. 2. Repeat compression is implemented. Unless disabled by a command, repeat compression will be requested for all files being sent by either Kermit. This can produce significant savings in transmission time with certain types of files. Of course, the receiving Kermit must be willing to accept repeat compression. The default repeat quote character is "~" (ASCII 176 octal, 126 decimal). 3. The start of packet character may now be set (default is still ^A, ASCII 1). 4. The maximum number of retries for initial connections and packets can be set from Kermit command level. 5. Support has been added to support the three different types of checksums that are possible. These are the one character checksum, two character checksum and the three character CRC. The two character checksum and the three character CRC can only be used if both Kermit's agree. 6. IBM mode has been added, but is currently not tested. 7. When running in local mode both Kermit's will allow a transmission to be aborted cleanly. This can by done by typing a control-X to skip the current file or a control-Z to skip all files in a wild-card group. This will work when sending files regardless of the Kermit on the other end (except that there may be a partial file retained). When receiving a file this will only work if the other Kermit has also implemented this feature. 8. Both Kermits have a command to set the disposition of a file which is incompletely received. The default action is to discard the file. If the disposition is set to KEEP, any portion of a file which is received is kept, even if the file transfer is aborted (by an error or by the new control-X and control-Z command characters). Kermit-10 --------- There have been quite a few changes made to Kermit-10 for version 2.0. It has been basically rewritten. The following describes the changes that have been made. 1. It now uses KERMSG.BLI from Kermit-32 for the message processing. This allows us to only have one module to fix or enhance as required for both the VAX and the DECsystem-10 version. 2. CONNECT processing now works to the VAX. Kermit-10 (TOPS-10 problem, "feature") used to send nulls that would get in the way of the VAX. 3. It is now possible to set the parity type to be used on the communication line. The default remains no parity. 4. SEND command now takes full wild card file specifications. 5. SERVER mode is now implemented. Kermit-10 supports the server functions for GET (with full wild carding allowed), SEND, LOGOUT, and FINISH. 6. SERVER commands, FINISH, BYE, LOGOUT, SEND and GET are implemented, when Kermit-10 is running in local mode. 7. AUTO-BYTE mode is now available. This is not as reliable as it is in Kermit-20, but should work if the conventions are followed. AUTO-BYTE mode (which is now the default for FILE-BYTE-SIZE) is treated the same as SEVEN-BIT when Kermit-10 is receiving a file. When Kermit-10 is sending a file in AUTO-BYTE mode, it will make a guess whether the file should be sent as SEVEN-BIT or EIGHT-BIT. This guess is based on the I/O mode stored in the retrieval block for the file. If the I/O mode is binary (.IOBIN, 14), image binary (.IOIBN, 13), image (.IOIMG, 10) or dump record (.IODPR, 16), the file will be sent in EIGHT-BIT mode. All other I/O modes will be sent in SEVEN-BIT mode. This should be correct for most files. There is one case which will cause problems. Kermit-10 version 1 wrote all files (whether SEVEN-BIT or EIGHT-BIT) in binary mode (.IOBIN, 14). Therefore, any files which were written by Kermit-10 version 1 will be sent in EIGHT-BIT mode if AUTO-BYTE is used. This can be corrected by either explicitly setting FILE-BYTE-SIZE SEVEN-BIT, or by changing the I/O mode which is stored in the file's retrieval block. The DIRECTORY command can be used to determine the I/O mode used to write the file. 8. The SET LINE and CONNECT commands will now accept either a terminal name (i.e., TTY10:) or a node name and line number (i.e. KL1282:: 5). This allows the use of a network terminal line without needing to know its current terminal number. Kermit-10 will also do the NODE. call to connect the terminal, so it is not necessary to ensure that the terminal is currently connected to your host node before running Kermit. 9. Kermit-10 now supports a Kermit.INI. This file can contain any Kermit-10 commands. It is useful for setting parameters to non-default settings. 10. Kermit-10 will accept a command on the monitor command line if a Kermit command is added to TOPS-10. An example is: .KERMIT SERVER 11. Kermit-10 supports CCL entry. If Kermit-10 is started with a run offset of 1, it will look for TMP:KER. and accept commands from there. 12. There are a number of new SET commands. See the .HLP file for details. The following files make up Kermit-10: 1. K10UNV.MAC - Definitions of common symbols. 2. K10MIT.MAC - Command parser, basic support routines for file and terminal I/O. 3. K10WLD.MAC - Wild-card file processor (derived from WILD). 4. K10SYS.MAC - System interface routines. Currently only contains a couple routines for time information. Any new system interface routines for SERVER functions will go in here. 5. K10MSG.MAC - Protocol handling module. This is actually produced by BLISS-36 from VMSMSG.BLI. 6. VMSMSG.BLI - Common BLISS (BLISS-36/32/16) source for the protocol handling module. Yes, the name really is VMSMSG.BLI, not K10MSG.BLI. This file is shared with VMS Kermit. This is the source from which BLISS-36 produced K10MSG.MAC. 7. VMSCOM.REQ - BLISS-36 require file which defines various common parameters. This is required by VMSMSG.BLI. 8. K10ERR.R36 - BLISS-36 require file needed by VMSMSG.BLI to define the error codes passed between the protocol module and the rest of Kermit-10. 9. K10TT.MAC - Terminal text output support routines for the protocol module. This are used for debugging output as well as file specification and packet number typeout. This file is generated by BLISS-36 from VMSTT.BLI. 10. VMSTT.BLI - Common BLISS source for the terminal text output support. This is the source from which BLISS-36 produced K10TT.MAC. Kermit-32 --------- There have been the following changes for the VAX/VMS Kermit-32 version 2.0. 1. SET PARITY command has been added. 2. The maximum number of retries for initial connections and packets can be set from Kermit command level. 3. It is now possible to stop VMS Kermit when it is running in remote mode. Typing a control-Y should cause VMS Kermit to prompt for a new command. If VMS Kermit is running in remote mode, it will take two control-Y's to stop it and return to DCL command level. This is due to the implementation of the control-X and control-Z file skipping commands. 4. There are a number of new SET commands. See the .HLP file for details.