Date: Mon, 16 Sep 1991 14:00:00 EDT >From: Christine M Gianone Subject: MS-DOS Kermit 3.11 is Released! Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit 3.11, TCP/IP, MCGA, Dialing Directory, Windows 3.0 This is to announce the final release of MS-DOS Kermit 3.11 from Professor Joe R. Doupnik of Utah State University, and a new Second Edition of the documentation, "Using MS-DOS Kermit" (see message below). The major new feature of version 3.11 is its built-in support for TCP/IP networking, adapted from parts of the Waterloo TCP package from Erick Engelke of Waterloo University in Ontario. Also included are script language improvements that allow for a much improved DIAL command that can use a plain text file as a dialing directory, and VT220 emulation to fill the gap between VT102 and VT320. And finally, a last-minute, down-to-the-wire improvement: support for high-resolution Tektronix graphics on the PS/2 Model 25 and 30 MCGA video adapter. Give the command SET TERMINAL GRAPHICS VGA to use it (otherwise Kermit thinks the MCGA is a CGA, and uses low-resolution graphics). TCP/IP NETWORKING Why add TCP/IP to Kermit? Many people use both network and serial connections, and until now had to switch between a Telnet program (which doesn't support serial connections) and Kermit (which didn't support Telnet connections). For file transfer, the TCP/IP FTP protocol, while fast, does not support many of Kermit's advanced features. Kermit offers you features not found in Telnet and FTP: a script programming language, flexible key mapping, macros, international character set translation, and VT320 and Tektronix 401x terminal emulation. Perhaps most important of all, now you have a single application program and a common user interface for both serial and network communication. Kermit's TCP/IP and TELNET implementation takes up only about 30K of additional program space. It runs only over Ethernet-style packet drivers (see Joe's article below) available from your network board vendor, or via anonymous FTP from Clarkson University, host sun.soe.clarkson.edu [128.153.12.3], cd pub/ka9q, use "type binary", get the appropriate zip, arc, zoo, etc, files, use PKUNZIP, PKXARC, or ZOO on your PC to unpack them, read the files READ.ME, MANIFEST.DOC, and INSTALL.DOC, and take it from there. Copies are also available on watsun.cc.columbia.edu in kermit/packet-drivers (source and documentation) and kermit/packet-drivers-bin (PC binaries). Kermit supports downloading of its network parameters from BOOTP and RARP servers, making it possible for all users of a corporate or campus network to have the same initialization file -- a big plus for network managers. Keep your network information in a central database, rather than spread around on scattered PC hard disks and diskettes! Kermit's TELNET implementation automatically negotiates TELNET protocol parameters such as local echoing, so connecting to a linemode TELNET server (such as found on an IBM mainframe) works automatically. However, Kermit does not include built-in 3270 terminal emulation, so it is not (yet) a replacement for tn3270. But, it can be used with reverse telnet terminal servers connected to IBM 7171 or other 3270 protocol converters. Contrary to expectations, Kermit *can* make TCP/IP connections from within a Microsoft Windows 3.0 Enhanced Mode window. Kermit does not support multiple simultaneous TCP/IP sessions, and the fact that you can run it under Windows is not, unfortunately, an escape clause to this rule. The packet driver only allows one one application per protocol; this also means, for example, you can't use Kermit and (say) NCSA telnet at the same time for TCP/IP connections. However, you can still have multiple copies of Kermit running, as long as each one is using a different communication method, or a different serial port. Read the new help and beware files for more information about TCP/IP. DIALING DIRECTORY AND MODEM SUPPORT Kermit's new dialing directory is an ordinary plain-text file that Kermit's DIAL macro searches using Kermit's new OPEN, READ, and CLOSE commands. To take advantage of this new feature, make sure you get a copy of the new sample initialization file, MSKERMIT.INI, as well as the Hayes modem dialing script program, MSIHAY.SCR (which you must rename to HAYES.SCR). A sample dialing directory is available as MSIDIA.TXT (which you must rename to DIALUPS.TXT). Kermit can also manage other types of modems besides Hayes. Two steps are necessary: (1) change the definition of the "_modem" variable in MSKERMIT.INI, and (2) write a dialing script program for your modem, to substitute for HAYES.SCR. An example is provided for the IBM/Siemens/Rolm CBX data phone (ROLMphone) in the file MSIROLM.SCR (which you should rename to ROLM.SCR). Readers are encouraged to develop scripts for other kinds of modems and dialing methods, following the conventions used in HAYES.SCR and ROLM.SCR, and send them in to us for distribution. NEW FILES: Internet anonymous ftp EARN/BITNET watsun.cc.columbia.edu KERMSRV@CUVMA Description GENERAL FILES kermit/a/mskerm.hlp MSKERM HLP Help file (plain text) kermit/a/mskerm.bwr MSKERM BWR "Beware File" (bugs & limitations) kermit/a/mskermit.ini MSKERMIT INI Sample initialization file kermit/a/mskermit.pch MSKERMIT PCH Sample patch file kermit/a/msidia.txt MSIDIA TXT Sample dialing directory file kermit/a/msihay.scr MSIHAY SCR Hayes modem dialing script kermit/a/msirolm.scr MSIROLM SCR ROLMphone dialing script EXECUTABLES kermit/bin/msvibm.exe (none) Executable Kermit program for IBM PC kermit/bin/msvibm.pif (none) Microsoft Windows 3.0 PIF file kermit/a/msvibm.boo MSVIBM BOO BOO-encoded .EXE file for IBM PC kermit/bin/msvgen.exe (none) Generic MS-DOS exectable kermit/a/msvgen.boo MSVGEN BOO BOO-encoded .EXE for generic DOS SOURCE FILES kermit/a/ms*.asm, ms*.h MS* ASM, MS* H Microsoft assembler source files kermit/a/msn*.* MSN* * C-language network source files kermit/a/msv*.lnk MSV* LNK Linker command files kermit/a/msv*.mak MSV* MAK Makefiles for "make" All MS-DOS 3.11 IBM PC Kermit files have been removed from the test directories, kermit/test/ms*.* on watsun and T:MS* * on KERMSRV. The ".boo" files for each version are .EXE files encoded in a printable ASCII format, suitable for BITNET, e-mail, and other nontransparent modes of transmission. You can decode the boo-files back into .EXE files using any of the MSBPCT.* programs available in kermit/a/msbpct.* or MSBPCT * from KERMSRV. See msbaaa.hlp for details. For a detailed description of the MS-DOS Kermit file naming conventions, see the file msaaaa.hlp (MSAAAA HLP). The MS-DOS Kermit implementations for non-IBM compatibles (except the generic DOS version) have not yet been upgraded to 3.11 level -- volunteers? Once again, thanks to Joe for his skill, generosity, patience, dedication, perserverence, and endurance (we're running out of adjectives for Joe!) in putting this new MS-DOS Kermit version together and sharing it with us. And thanks to the beta testers who sent in such prompt and detailed reports of problems so Joe could fix most of them so quickly! ------------------------------