Date: Mon, 1987 Dec 21 12:08 EST From: (John F. Chandler) PEPMNT@CFAAMP.BITNET Subject: Announcing IBM Mainframe VM/CMS Kermit Version 4.0 Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit, VM/CMS Kermit, CMS Kermit Xref: IBM Mainframe, Also see IBM 370 Xref: VM/CMS Kermit, Also see VM/CMS Kermit, IBM 370 This is to announce CMS Kermit Release 4.0. The program is now a member of the generic family Kermit-370 and appears in the Kermit distribution under a new prefix: all CMS-specific files begin with IKC, while generic Kermit-370 files begin with IK0 (I K Zero). Kermit-CMS no longer consists of a single source file. Instead, the source is split into sub-files, some generic and some CMS-specific. The separate pieces are to be recombined into a single composite source (or made into a macro library) for installation. See the file IKCKER.INS for instructions. Generally, the files formerly known as CMSKERM.* have been replaced by new IKCKER.* files. The companion TSO Kermit Release 4.0 is still in the testing and debugging stage, but should be available soon. Anyone interested in helping to get Kermit-TSO ready for release should contact John Chandler . Below is a list of the more important additions in Version 4.0: --- generic features --- 1. Code reorganization into generic 370 and system-specific sections. 2. Optional separate translation tables for counteracting the system conversion of terminal I/O. 3. New GIVE command for saving a modified translation table. 4. A new, RAW debug mode for recording the packet traffic as actually sent and received on "GRAPHICS" and "SERIES1" devices. 5. Preservation of the case of commands as typed, with uppercase conversion of only those words that must be uppercase. 6. New SET MARGIN command for limiting the width of a file to be sent. 7. Settable tab stops for Kermit's conversion of tabs to spaces (alternative to the default 1, 9, 17, etc.). 8. Replace SET SERIES1 subcommand with new SET CONTROLLER. Support for multiple terminal controller types. 9. New DIRECTORY and HOST subcommands following Kermit standard. 10. Combination of file-attribute SET subcommands (FILE-TYPE, LRECL, and RECFM) into a new group SET FILE. 11. Separate retry limits for initial and subsequent packet exchanges. 12. Pad binary records on disk with nulls, rather than blanks. 13. Automatically tune packet length when sending long packets according to heuristic optimum based on sparse Poisson statistics, provided that transmission errors do occur. 14. Expand STATUS report to include the number of files in the last transfer, throughput statistics, heuristic optimum packet length (when long packets are enabled), and the reason for any file rejection based on A-packets. 15. New command TDUMP NAMES to display the list of files sent in the last transfer. 16. Add file creation date to A-packet repertoire. 17. REMOTE COPY and REMOTE RENAME commands to a server at the other end. 18. Allow long packets through a 7171 with VTAM. 19. New type D-BINARY for binary files with undelimited variable-length records. 20. SET 8-BIT-QUOTE. Allow 8-bit data where possible via SET PARITY. 21. SET SYSCMD, so that Kermit can be told to try "illegal" subcommands as host system commands instead of just rejecting them. 22. SET PROMPT subcommand. 23. Do not forget parameters specified by the other Kermit in I-packets. 24. Keep track of truncated records during a RECEIVE operation and report the count in STATUS; also call truncation an error after everything is received. 25. SET HANDSHAKE subcommand to alter or suppress handshake character Kermit-370 sends out after each packet. --- CMS-only features --- 26. System commands issued through Kermit via the subcommands CMS or HOST are automatically passed on to CP if (a) CMS rejects them and (b) IMPCP is set ON. 27. Kermit subcommands may be executed directly from CMS EXEC's. 28. Reject files known (via A-packets) to be too big for available storage. 29. Bypass user translation tables and set TERMINAL SCROLL CONT for protocol mode on TTY lines. 30. KERMBOOT avoids the loading problem (VIRTUAL STORAGE CAPACITY EXCEEDED) due to large GLOBAL TXTLIB's and preserves the untokenized command line so that Kermit may be given mixed-case or long words as part of the initial commands.