1 03/08/88 kermit
2
3 Syntax as a command: kermit -control_args
4
5
6 Function: invokes the Multics implementation of the Kermit file
7 transfer program. The Multics Kermit program provides the capability
8 to transfer files between a Multics system and a remotely located
9 system e.g. a personal computer using the KERMIT protocol. Once
10 invoked, Multics Kermit prompts you for the various file transfer
11 requests. Multics Kermit has been implemented with a server feature
12 that permits you to login to Multics from a remote site and specify
13 file transfer operations without having to escape back and forth
14 between the Multics system and the remote system.
15
16
17 Control arguments:
18 -abbrev, -ab
19 enables abbreviation expansion of request lines.
20 -io_switch STR, -iosw STR
21 specifies that communication with the remote system be done over the
22 I/O switch whose name is STR. If you omit it, the user_i/o switch
23 is assumed.
24 -no_abbrev, -nab
25 does not enable abbreviation expansion of request lines. Default
26 -no_prompt, -npmt
27 suppresses the prompt for request lines in the request loop.
28 -no_request_loop, -nrql
29 does not enter the request loop after performing any operations
30 given by -request.
31
32
33 -no_start_up, -nsu, -ns
34 does not execute the start_up exec_com.
35 -profile PATH, -pf PATH
36 specifies the pathname of the profile to use for abbreviation
37 expansion. The suffix "profile" is added to PATH if you don't
38 include it explicitly on the command line. This control argument
39 implies -abbrev.
40 -prompt STR, -pmt STR
41 sets the request loop prompt to STR. Default: ^/Multics-Kermit^
42 ^d^:^2x
43 -quit
44 exits the Kermit program after performing any operations given by
45 -request.
46
47
48 -request STR, -rq STR
49 executes STR as a Kermit program request line before entering the
50 request loop.
51 -request_loop, -rql
52 enters the Kermit program request loop after performing any
53 operations given by -request. Default
54 -start_up, -su
55 executes the Kermit program start_up exec_com start_up.kermit. The
56 users home directory, the project directory, and >site are searched,
57 in that order, for the start_up. The exec_com is executed before
58 the request_string and before entering the subsystem request_loop.
59 Default
60
61
62 List of requests: The following is a summary of requests used to
63 respond to prompts from the Kermit program. In this summary "-ca"
64 is used as shorthand for "-control_args". For a complete
65 description ofany request, issue the Kermit request:
66 help request_name
67 .
68 prints a line describing the current invocation of the Kermit
69 program.
70 ?
71 prints a list of requests available in the Kermit program.
72 abbrev -ca, ab -ca
73 controls abbreviation processing of request lines.
74 do rq_str args, do rq_str args
75 executes/returns a request line with argument substitution.
76
77
78 exec_com ec_path ec_args, ec ec_path ec_args
79 exec_com ec_path ec_args, ec ec_path ec_args
80 executes a file of Kermit program requests that can return a value.
81 execute cmd_line, e cmd_line
82 execute active_str, e active_str
83 executes a Multics command line or evaluates a Multics active
84 string.
85 finish
86 sends a request to a remote server to shut down server operation and
87 return the remote system to its request's loop.
88 get remote_source_path local_destination_path
89 sends a request to a remote server requesting that the named files
90 be sent from the remote system.
91
92
93 help topics -ca
94 prints information about Kermit program requests and other topics.
95 If you supply no topics, methods for getting help are listed.
96 list_help topics, lh topics
97 displays the name of all Kermit program info segments on given
98 topics.
99 list_requests STRs -ca, lr STRs -ca
100 prints a brief description of selected Kermit program requests. You
101 can use STR to specify that only specific requests be listed.
102 log PATH -ca
103 directs the Kermit program to start logging transactions.
104 logout
105 sends a request to the remote server directing it to log you out
106 from the remote system.
107
108
109 quit, q
110 exits the Kermit program.
111 quit_log
112 directs the Kermit program to stop logging transactions.
113 receive PATH, r PATH
114 receives a file or file group from the other system.
115 send local_source_path remote_destination_path
116 s local_source_path remote_destination_path
117 sends a file or file group to the other system.
118 server
119 instructs the Kermit program to cease taking commands from the
120 keyboard and to receive all further instruction in the form of
121 Kermit packets.
122 set mode STR
123 establishes or modifies various modes for file transfers.
124
125
126 show modes
127 displays mode values.
128 statistics, st
129 shows statistics about the most recent file transfer.
130 subsystem_name, subsystem_name
131 prints/returns the name of this subsystem.
132 subsystem_version, subsystem_version
133 prints/returns the version number of this subsystem.
134
135 The following list of modes are recognized by the Kermit program
136 and the set and show Kermit requests. The values associated with
137 each mode are also given.
138
139
140 List of modes affecting file storage:
141 file_type STR
142 indicates the type of file being transferred. STR can be either
143 binary or ascii.
144 file_warning STR
145 indicates the action to be taken when an incoming file name has the
146 same name as an existing file name in the default directory when
147 receiving files. STR can be either on or off. If file_warning is
148 on, the Kermit program renames the file to avoid overwriting the
149 preexisting one; if file_warning is off, the incoming file replaces
150 the preexisting one. If logging transactions, the log indicates the
151 name of the file in which the data was stored. Default: on
152
153
154 incomplete STR
155 indicates the action to be taken if a file was not completely
156 transferred. STR can be either keep or discard. If you specify
157 keep, all incomplete files are saved; if you give discard,
158 incomplete files are discarded. Default: keep
159
160
161 List of modes affecting file transfer:
162 control_prefix CHR, cp CHR
163 is the character to use for quoting of control characters, where CHR
164 is any character in the range ! through > or ` through ~, but
165 different from eight_bit_prefix and repeat_prefix. Default: #
166 eight_bit_prefix CHR, ebp CHR
167 is the ASCII character Multics Kermit program uses, when
168 transmitting binary files via a 7-bit connection, to quote
169 characters that have the 8th bit set. CHR is one of the following,
170 but different from control_prefix and repeat_prefix:
171 Y
172 characters with the 8th bit set are quoted if the remote system
173 requests it.
174 N
175 characters with the 8th bit set are not quoted.
176
177
178 &
179 or any character in the range ! through > or ` through ~. Use
180 the specified character for quoting characters with the 8th bit
181 set. If the Multics Kermit program's eight_bit_prefix character
182 is different from the remote program's, then no 8th bit prefixing
183 is done.
184 The value of this mode is ignored if line_byte_size is 8. Default:
185 &
186 end_of_packet CHR, eop CHR
187 is the character the Multics Kermit program uses as a line
188 terminator for incoming packets, where CHR is an ASCII character
189 between SOH 001 octal and US 037 octal inclusive and different
190 from the start_of_packet character. Default: carriage return 015
191 octal
192
193
194 line_byte_size N
195 indicates whether data is being transmitted via a 7-bit or 8-bit
196 connection, where N can be either 7 or 8. A 7-bit connection is
197 desirable when transferring ASCII files or when the 8th bit of each
198 transmitted byte is required for parity or changed by intervening
199 communications equipment. Use an 8-bit connection for transferring
200 binary files, as it decreases protocol overhead. If you can't use
201 an 8-bit connection for a binary file transfer, then you can use a
202 7-bit connection with the eight_bit_prefix mode enabled to transfer
203 binary files. Default: 7
204
205 packet_length N, pl N
206 is the maximum packet length the Multics Kermit program can receive,
207 where N is an integer between 20 and 94 decimal. Default: 80
208
209 NOTE: Long packets can be selected when the user has explicitly
210 selected N which is larger than 94 with a SET command. The maximum
211 length of long packets can be up to 1500 characters.
212
213 parity STR
214 used for communicating with systems or networks that require the 8th
215 bit for character parity. The parity used must be the same for
216 Kermit programs on both the local and remote system. STR can be one
217 of
218 none
219 eight data bits and no parity.
220 mark
221 seven data bits with the parity bit set to 1.
222 space
223 seven data bits with the parity bit set to 0.
224 even
225 seven data bits with the parity bit set to make the overall
226 parity even.
227
228
229 odd
230 seven data bits with the parity bit set to 1 to make the overall
231 parity odd.
232 The value of the mode is ignored if line_byte_size is 8. Default:
233 none
234 repeat_prefix CHR, rp CHR
235 is the character the Multics Kermit program uses to indicate a
236 repeated character, where CHR can be any character in the range !
237 through > or ` through ~, but different from the control_prefix and
238 eight_bit_prefix. Space " " denotes no repeat count processing is
239 to be done. If the Multics Kermit program repeat_prefix character
240 is different from the remote system's, then no repeat prefixing is
241 done. Default: ~.
242
243
244 retry_threshold N, rt N
245 specifies how many times to try sending or receiving a particular
246 packet before giving up, where N is an integer between 5 and 15
247 inclusive. Default: 5
248 start_of_packet CHR, sop CHR
249 is the character to be used for the start of packet, where CHR is an
250 ASCII character between NUL 000 octal and US 037 octal
251 inclusive. The start_of_packet character must be the same for
252 Kermit programs on both the local and remote system, but different
253 from the end_of_packet character. Default: SOH octal 001
254 timeout N
255 specifies how many seconds the Multics Kermit program wants the
256 remote system to wait for a packet from Multics before trying again,
257 where N is an integer value between 5 and 20. Default: 15
258
259
260 Notes on kermit development: The KERMIT protocol was developed at
261 Columbia University. Many implementations of KERMIT are avaiable from
262 the KERMIT group at Columbia. Direct inquiries about KERMIT to
263 KERMIT Distribution
264 Columbia University Center for Computing Activities
265 7th Floor, Watson Laboratory
266 612 West 115th Street
267 New York, New York 10025
268
269
270 Notes on remote systems: The Multics Kermit program supports the
271 transfer of 7-bit ASCII files and 8-bit binary files. You can transfer
272 ASCII files between any two systems, whereas you can only transfer
273 binary files between systems that are able to retain the original value
274 of the data byte. For example, sending a Multics binary file in which
275 all bits of the 9-bit byte are used to a system that uses 8-bit bytes
276 results in the loss of the most significant bit i.e. the transferred
277 file on the remote system differs from the original file sent.
278 However, a binary file received by the Multics Kermit program from a
279 remote system that uses 8-bit bytes can then be sent by Multics Kermit
280 to a second such remote system. The resulting file on the second
281 system is identical to the original file sent.
282
283
284 Notes on file transfer: For transmission between systems, you must
285 assign files to one of two categories--ASCII or binary. On systems
286 with 8-bit bytes, ASCII files have the high-order bit of each byte set
287 to zero, whereas binary files use the high-order bit of each byte for
288 data, in which case its value can vary from byte to byte and must be
289 preserved.
290
291
292 Binary file transmission is permissible as long as the two
293 Kermit programs involved can control the value of the 8th bit i.e. it
294 is not being used for parity or changed by intervening communications
295 equipment. In that case the 8th bit of a transmitted character
296 matches that of the original data byte without any special 8th bit
297 prefixing. For example, to send or receive a binary file of 8-bit
298 bytes when an 8-bit connection is possible, set line_byte_size to 8,
299 set file_type to binary, and start the transfer. If an 8-bit
300 connection is not possible, then you can send binary files via a 7-bit
301 connection using the eight_bit_prefix. For example, set file_type to
302 binary, set line_byte_size to 7, set parity to str, set
303 eight_bit_prefixing to chr, and start the transfer. To send or receive
304 an ASCII file, set file_type to ascii, set line_byte_size to 7, set any
305 other desired modes, and start the transfer.
306
307
308 The Multics Kermit program does not support the transfer of 9-bit bytes
309 when the most significant bit is used for data. Thus sending a Multics
310 binary file to a second Multics site results in the loss of the most
311 significant bit of each byte.
312
313
314 Notes on procedure for using kermit multics/personal computer: Use
315 the following procedure to transfer files between Multics and a
316 personal computer using Kermit:
317 1. Start Kermit on the personal computer.
318 2. Set any desired modes.
319 3. Connect to Multics via the connect command. Once connected, the
320 standard Multics banner is displayed.
321 4. Login to Multics.
322 5. Start Kermit on Multics. It responds with the prompt
323 "Multics-Kermit:".
324 6. Set any desired modes.
325 7. Execute either a send or receive request, specifying the file or
326 file group.
327 8. Use the appropriate escape sequence to get back to Kermit command
328 level on the personal computer.
329
330
331 9. Execute the corresponding request on the personal computer. For
332 example, if you issue the send request on Multics, execute the
333 receive request on the personal computer or vice versa.
334 10. File transfer begins. The personal computer displays the status
335 of the file transfer.
336 11. To transfer more files, connect back to Multics Kermit and enter
337 a carriage return to get the "Multics-Kermit:" prompt. Go to
338 step 7.
339 12. Exit Multics Kermit by issuing the quit request and logout.
340 13. Use the appropriate escape sequence to get back to Kermit command
341 level on the personal computer.
342
343
344 Notes on procedure for using kermit multics server/personal computer:
345 Use the following procedure to transfer files between Multics and a
346 personal computer using the Kermit server:
347 1. Start Kermit on the personal computer.
348 2. Set any desired modes.
349 3. Connect to Multics via the connect command. Once connected, the
350 standard Multics banner is displayed.
351 4. Login to Multics.
352 5. Start Kermit on Multics. It responds with the prompt
353 "Multics-Kermit:".
354 6. Set any desired modes.
355 7. Execute the server request.
356 8. Use the appropriate escape sequence to get back to Kermit command
357 level on the personal computer.
358
359
360 9. Execute the Kermit server request on the personal computer for
361 sending or receiving files.
362 10. File transfer begins. The personal computer displays the status
363 of the file transfer.
364 11. To transfer more files, go to step 9.
365 12. Exit Multics Kermit by issuing the Kermit server quit request on
366 the personal computer.
367 13. Connect back to Multics and logout.
368 14. Use the appropriate escape sequence to get back to Kermit command
369 level on the microcomputer.
370
371
372 Notes on procedure for using kermit multics/multics: Use the
373 following procedure to transfer files between two Multics systems using
374 Kermit:
375 1. Login to the local Multics.
376 2. Connect to the remote Multics via the dial_out command.
377 3. Login to the remote Multics.
378 4. Start Kermit on the remote Multics.
379 5. Set any desired modes.
380 6. Execute the server request.
381 7. Use the appropriate escape sequence to start up Kermit on the
382 local Multics e.g. e kermit -iosw switch_name
383 8. Execute the Multics send request to send files to the remote
384 system, or the get request to receive files from the remote
385 system.
386
387
388 9. To transfer more files, go to step 8.
389 10. When done, execute the finish request to exit the remote server
390 and quit from the local kermit to reconnect to the remote
391 Multics, or execute the logout request to logout from the remote
392 Multics and then quit the local Kermit.