





Burroughs KERMIT


     Kermit is written for the Burroughs in ALGOL.  In general, as much intel-
ligence  as  possible  was  put into Kermit-7800 to allow smooth communication
with even the most minimal Kermit implementations.  Packet lengths  are  typi-
cally limited to 88 characters of data.

     Burroughs file specifications are of the form:

     (USERCODE)NAME1/NAME2/.../NAMEX

     with up to 12 names, each containing up to 17 characters.
     Most micros have file names of the form:

     namename.ext

     where namename may be up to 8 characters long and  .ext  is  an  optional
name extension up to 3 characters long.

     For files transferred from the Burroughs, the filename sent is  the  name
following  the final slash (ie. NAMEX in the example above).  If the name fol-
lowing the slash is longer than 8 characters, a "." (period) will be  inserted
after the 8th character.  If the name is longer than 11 characters, it will be
truncated, eg.:

     Burroughs filename :               sent as :
     (USERCODE)NAME1/.../LONGERTHAN11   longerth.an1

     For files transferred to the Burroughs,  if  the  filename  contains  any
'special characters' (as far as the Burroughs is concerned...) the filename on
the Burroughs disk will be enclosed in  quotes.   Special  characters  include
just about anything except alphanumeric characters and slashes.  Refer to your
WFL manual for a precise definition.

     Since the default character set on the Burroughs is EBCDIC, all  text  is
appropriately  translated to/from ASCII by Kermit. Files written by Kermit are
translated to EBCDIC; files read by Kermit are translated to ASCII.  There  is
no  provision  for overridding this, but since a full 8-bit translate table is
used there is no loss of information.  Kermit,  by  default,  changes  between
fixed  and variable length records. Normally, trailing blanks are stripped off
of records transmitted by the Burroughs.  Records  received  which  are  short
have  trailing  blanks added to produce fixed length records, and long records
are split into more than one fixed length record. These features are user con-
trollable with the SET FILE command.

     Kermit-7800 must be run interactively and can be run only in remote mode.
All file transfer is done over the job's controlling terminal line.  What Bur-
roughs presumes is that your terminal is really another computer  running  its
own copy of Kermit.

     Kermit commands can be  abbreviated  using  the  minimum  distinguishable
string.  For example, as a command 'SE' could be 'SET' or 'SEND' and will pro-
duce an error; 'R' is sufficient for  'RECEIVE'.   Abbreviations  are  context









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sensitive. As a command, 'SE' is ambiguous; as an argument to 'STATUS' one can
abbreviate 'SEND' with 'S'. One  can  check  for  ambiguous  abbreviations  by
entering an abbreviation followed by '?' with no intervening space.

     Here are the Kermit-7800 commands:


EXIT      Exit from Kermit-7800, closing any open debugging  log  files.   You
          may  also  stop  Kermit-7800  in  the  midst of a transfer or during
          server operation by typing ?DS.

HELP      Gives a list of command verbs.  Typing <command> ? will give options
          available for that command.

QUIT      A synonym for EXIT.

RECEIVE   Receive a file or group of files from other Kermit.

SEND <filespec1> <filespec2> ...
          Send file(s) specified by <filespec1> <filespec2> ... to  the  other
          Kermit.   This  command  may  be  used  to send files to any Kermit,
          server or not.

          You should escape back to your local Kermit  and  give  the  RECEIVE
          command.   If  you  don't  do  this fast enough, several "send-init"
          packets may arrive prematurely; don't worry, Kermit-7800  will  keep
          sending them until it gets a response.

SERVER    Act as a Kermit  Server  with  default  options,  or  with  whatever
          options  have  been established by previous SET commands.  Note that
          all options remain as long as the server is running -- there  is  no
          way  to  change them without shutting down the server and restarting
          with new options.  The server may be shut down from the local Kermit
          using  a  FINISH command, or by connecting back to the Burroughs and
          typing ?DS.  A FINISH command halts the server without  logging  off
          CANDE.

SET <parameter> <value>
          Set the specified parameter to the specified value.  Some parameters
          have their own parameters.  Possible settings:

          BINARY <value>
                    On some systems, transmitting 8 bit data  over  a  typical
                    terminal  line  may  result  in corruption of the 8th bit.
                    Kermit uses "binary quoting" to indicate to  the  receiver
                    that  a  byte  is to be stored with the high bit on.  This
                    method involves extra overhead, and should  only  be  used
                    when  necessary  to guarantee the integrity of the 8th bit
                    of your data.

                    ON        Use "binary  quoting"  when  transmitting  bytes
                              with the high bit on.











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                    OFF       Do not send any "binary quotes"  when  transmit-
                              ting.   The  received  value  of the high bit is
                              assumed to be arbitrary.  This is the default.

          DEBUGGING <mode>
                    When KERMIT is not transferring files successfully, it may
                    be  useful  to  inspect the messages that are sent between
                    the  two  Kermits,  or  the  internal  state  transitions.
                    Several options are available.

                    STATES    Shows the packet number  and  type  or  internal
                              state,  for  each  packet.  The packet types and
                              states are:

                              S    Send Initiate
                              R    Receive Initiate
                              F    File Header
                              D    Data
                              Z    End of File
                              B    Break Transmission
                              C    Transfer Complete
                              E    Error
                              A    "Abort" Transmission
                              T    Timeout

                    PACKETS   Display the actual incoming and  outgoing  pack-
                              ets.   For  a  description of the packet format,
                              see the Kermit Protocol Manual.

                    LOG-FILE <filespec>
                              Debugging display cannot be done to  the  screen
                              since  Kermit-7800  cannot  run  in  local mode.
                              This option allows the data to be  logged  to  a
                              file.  If a SET DEBUG command has not previously
                              been issued, this command will also force DEBUG-
                              GING  mode  to  STATES.   SET DEBUGGING OFF will
                              close the log file, as will the EXIT,  BYE,  and
                              FINISH  commands.  (This option is currently not
                              implemented completely.  The log file is  called
                              KERMIT/LOG  and  may  not  be  changed  via  the
                              <filespec> but can be file-equated).

                    OFF       No debugging information will be displayed.   If
                              debugging was previously in effect, debugging is
                              turned off and any debugging log file is closed.
                              Debugging is OFF by default.  The default <mode>
                              for the SET DEBUG command, however, is STATES.

          DELAY <d>
                    Specify the delay, in seconds, before  sending  the  first
                    send-init packet.  This gives you time to "escape" back to
                    your local Kermit and issue  a  RECEIVE  command.   Normal
                    delay is 5 seconds.










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          FILE <parameter> <value>
                    File parameters allow Kermit to control some attributes of
                    the  files  being  processed.  FIXED applies only to files
                    being read.  The rest apply to files being written.

                    BLOCK-SIZE <d>
                              This option sets the number of UNITS  per  block
                              for the receive file.  Default BLOCK-SIZE is 420
                              (UNITS/block). Also see RECORD-SIZE and UNITS.

                    EXPAND-TABS <value>
                              Since not all software and hardware on the  Bur-
                              roughs can deal with tabs this option allows one
                              to have tabs expanded into blanks.  The tabs are
                              fixed  at  8 columns per tab, and not modifiable
                              by Kermit.  The default setting is ON, but  set-
                              ting RAW will turn this option OFF.

                              ON        Expand tabs into blanks.

                              OFF       Store the tab characters received into
                                        the output file.

                    FIXED <value>
                              Most Kermits deal with variable  length  records
                              on their host machines.  In order to be compati-
                              ble with these systems, Kermit on the  Burroughs
                              converts  files  from  fixed  length to variable
                              length records by stripping trailing blanks from
                              each  record  before  transmitting.   This  also
                              helps reduce the number of bytes transmitted.

                              ON        Do not strip tailing blanks.  Send all
                                        the data bytes.

                              OFF       Do not transmit trailing blanks.  This
                                        is the default.

                    RAW <parameter>
                              The  Burroughs  tends  to  handle   fixed-length
                              records   more   easily   than   variable-length
                              records.  This option  allows  for  receiving  a
                              file  and  packing it into records regardless of
                              'end-of-line' characters.

                              ON        Records   are   filled   character-by-
                                        character.   A  new  record is started
                                        only when the current record is full.

                              OFF       Records   are   filled   character-by-
                                        character.   A  new  record is started
                                        each time a NL (newline) character  is
                                        received.  This is the default.










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                    RECORD-SIZE <d>
                              The Burroughs uses  fixed-length  records,  usu-
                              ally.   RECORD-SIZE  sets the length in terms of
                              UNITS, for the receive  file.   Default  RECORD-
                              SIZE is 15.

                    UNITS <type>
                              CHARACTERS --  The  RECORD-SIZE  and  BLOCK-SIZE
                              receive  file attributes are measured in charac-
                              ters (bytes).

                              WORDS -- The RECORD-SIZE and BLOCK-SIZE  receive
                              file  attributes are measured in Burroughs words
                              (48 bits/word).  This is the default.

          INCOMPLETE <disposition>
                    Normally, when a file transfer cannot  be  completed  (for
                    instance,  because  the communication path suddenly breaks
                    or becomes too noisy), the side receiving  the  file  nor-
                    mally  "aborts"  the  operation  --  that  is,  everything
                    received so far is discarded.   This  command  allows  the
                    user  of  Kermit-7800  to  specify the disposition of par-
                    tially received files upon abnormal termination of a  file
                    transfer:

                    DISCARD   Remove all traces of the partially received file
                              from the Burroughs disk.

                    KEEP      Keep the file on disk, containing all  the  data
                              that  was  transferred successfully up until the
                              error occurred.  This option may be useful  when
                              transferring  very long files, when it is possi-
                              ble to have the sending system  start  again  at
                              the  place  it was interrupted, e.g. by breaking
                              the end of the file  off  with  a  text  editor.
                              This is the default.

          RETRY <parameter> <d>
                    Set the maximum number of times Kermit-7800 will retry  an
                    operation  before  giving up and terminating the transfer.
                    Parameters are INITIAL-CONNECTION and PACKETS.  The normal
                    values  are 20 and 10, respectively, but can be set higher
                    when the connection is noisy or other problems  prevent  a
                    transfer from completing successfully.

RECEIVE <parameter> <value>
SEND <parameter> <value>
          These commands allow you to specify to the  other  Kermit  what  the
          packets  it sends should look like, or to inform this Kermit what to
          expect.

          END-OF-LINE <d>
                    The character the other Kermit should terminate its  pack-
                    ets  with,  CR  (ASCII  15)  by default.  Kermit-7800 does









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                    require the "line terminator" to be a CR.

          PACKET-LENGTH <d>
                    The longest packet  the  other  Kermit  may  send.   Legal
                    values are 10 to 94; the default is 94.

          PADDING <d>, PADCHAR <d>
                    Inter-packet padding.  The Burroughs  does  not  need  any
                    padding.

          PAUSE <d>
                    When receiving a  file,  pause  the  specified  number  of
                    tenths of a second between receipt of a packet and sending
                    the ACK or NAK.  Default is no pause.

          QUOTE <char>
                    The character the other Kermit should use for quoting con-
                    trol characters, normally ASCII 43 ("#").  There should be
                    no reason to change this.  Permissible values are 41 ("!")
                    to  176  ("~"), i.e. the ASCII characters in the printable
                    range.

          START-OF-PACKET <d>
                    The character the other Kermit will be using to start  its
                    packets.   Normally  ASCII  1 (SOH, CTRL-A).  If the other
                    Kermit is incapable of transmitting an ASCII  1,  you  may
                    use  this  command  to  tell Kermit-7800 what character to
                    expect.  Permissible values are 1 (CTRL-A)  to  37  (CTRL-
                    Underscore).

          TIMEOUT <d>
                    The minimum number of seconds after which the remote  Ker-
                    mit  should  time  out when waiting for a packet.  You may
                    adjust this  as  necessary  to  accommodate  various  line
                    speeds,  or  to compensate for slow systems.  Legal values
                    range from 1 to 94 seconds.  The default is 5 seconds.

SHOW [parameter]
STATUS [parameter]
          Show the settings of parameters that can be affected by the SET com-
          mand, plus information about SEND or RECEIVE parameters.  The param-
          eter (SEND or RECEIVE) will determine which set is  displayed.   The
          default is RECEIVE.

















