(MULTICS KERMIT, Paul Amaranth, Oakland University, Rochester Michigan)

5/6/83 kermit

Function: Kermit allows files to be transferred between computers.  The files
          may be ascii or binary.  A kermit program must be available on the
          target (micro) computer.


Syntax:  kermit [<control_args>]


Control arguments:

   -logout  Logout after successfully transfering the file.  Must be used
            in conjunction with -send or -receive.  Will not logout if
            errors arise during the transfer.

   -send <star_name>  Send one (or a group) of files to the target system.

   -receive [<pathname>]  Receive a file from the micro.  Send and receive are
                          mutually exclusive arguments.

   -set <options>  Set the options to the indicated state.  This must be
                   the last control_arg on the line. NOT IMPLEMENTED.

   -server   Turn on the Kermit server mode.  This will not be implemented
             until more information becomes available.

   -debug  Debugging option.  Do not use.


Usage:

    The standard usage of Kermit to transfer files takes the following form:

    1) Start Kermit on the micro.
    2) Set any desired parameters (eg baud rate for the IBM PC).
    3) Connect to the mainframe.  The micro now appears to be an ordinary
       terminal.
    4) Login to Multics as usual.
    5) Execute the Multics command kermit.  You will get the Multics prompt
       of Kermit-Multics> .
    6) Set any desired parameters.
    7) Execute either a SEND or a RECEIVE command.
    8) Use the escape sequence ctrl-] c to get back to command level at the
       micro.  You will see the micro Kermit prompt.
    9) Execute the corresponding command (ie if the mainframe is expecting
       to RECEIVE a file, execute a SEND command and vice versa).
   10) The micro will display the status of the transmission.  After
       the file is transfered, a COMPLETED message will be displayed.
       If, for some reason, the file could not be transferred a FAILED
       message will be displayed.
   11) To transfer more files, issue a CONNECT command to the micro.  You
       will be back in Multics-Kermit.  Type a carriage return to get the
       prompt.  Go back to step 7.
   12) If you are finished transferring files, EXIT (or QUIT also q) from
       Kermit and logout.
   13) Use the ctrl-] c escape sequence to get back to micro-command level
       and exit the local Kermit.


Alternative usage:

    Kermit may also be invoked as a command without entering the request
    loop.  In this case, the action specified by a control argument is
    performed and Kermit will return to Multics command level.  If the
    -logout arg is specified, Kermit will log you out on the Multics
    end if the transfer was completed successfully.  This usage looks like:

    1) Start Kermit on the micro.
    2) Set any desired parameters (eg baud rate for the IBM PC).
    3) Connect to the mainframe.  The micro now appears to be an ordinary
       terminal.
    4) Login to Multics as usual.
    5) Issue the command   kermit -receive  or  kermit -send file_name
       to receive or send a file.  The file_name is optional on the -receive
       command, but necessary on the -send command.  You can also put the
       -logout argument on the line to automatically log you out after
       the transfer completes successfully.
    6) Use the escape sequence ctrl-] c  to get the prompt on the micro.
    7) Issue the corresponding SEND or RECEIVE command to the micro.
    8) The micro will display the status of the transmission.  When
       completed, you will get the micro Kermit prompt.
    9) If the -logout argument was given, you do not have to reCONNECT
       to Multics, you will have been automatically logged out.
   10) If the -logout argument was not given, CONNECT to Multics.  You
       will be at command level, even though you may not see a ready message.
       Logout.  You should also CONNECT if the transfer was unsuccessful.
       In that case, you can try again.  The -logout argument will be
       ignored if the transfer was not successful.




Available commands:

   The Multics implementation of Kermit allows the following commands.
   Optional arguments are enclosed in [].  Items to be replaced by actual
   names or parameters (eg segment names) are enclosed in <>.

   SEND <pathname>  or  SEND <starname>
     Sends either a single file to the micro or a group of files matching
     <starname>.  At least one filename must match <starname> or the
     command is in error.  If all is well, an OK prompt will appear and
     you can go back to the micro.

   RECEIVE [<pathname>]
     Receive either a single file or multiple files from the micro.  When
     sending files from the micro, the name of the file is also sent and
     will be used on the Multics side to name the segment.  In the case of
     sending a single file, the file may be renamed by using an absolute or
     relative pathname for <pathname>.  By default, the files will be
     placed in your working directory.  This may be changed by the SET DIR
     command (see below).  You will get an OK prompt when Multics
     is ready to receive your file(s).


More commands:
   HELP not implemented.

   EXIT, QUIT, Q
     Leave Kermit and return to the Multics command level.

   EXEC <line>  or  E <line>
     Send <line> to the Multics command processor.  Allows Multics commands
     to be executed without leaving Kermit.


The set command:
   SET <mode> <option> <value>  or  SET <option> <value>
     Sets the specified option to <value>.  The parameter <mode> may be
     either SEND or RECEIVE.  Many of these options are provided for
     compliance with the Kermit standard and are not very useful on
     Multics;  TIMEOUT, DELAY, DIR, and FILE-WARNING are probably the
     most useful.  All options default to standard values.  The
     list of available options for SEND or RECEIVE are

     PADDING <n>  Set the number of padding characters to n.  The default
                  is zero.

     PADCHAR <o>  Set the padding character to that specified by the octal
                  number o.  Note that this is OCTAL.  The default is the
                  null character (octal 000).

     TIMEOUT n>   Set the number of seconds to wait before giving up on a
                  transmission and retrying.  Defaults to 20.

     PACKET-LENGTH <n>  Set the length of the packet to n.  The default
                  (and maximum allowable) legth is 94.

     END-OF-LINE <o> Set the end of line character to that specified by the
                  octal number o.  The default is a carriage return (octal 15).

     QUOTE <o>    Set the quote character to that specified by the octal number
                  o.  The default is the # character (octal 43).  This
                  options can only be set for the SEND mode.


   Other Set Options:
   These options take the command form SET <option> <value>.

     DELAY <n>   Set the delay time to n seconds.  This is the time to
                 wait before sending a file after the SEND command has been
                 entered.  The default is to wait 8 seconds.

     DIR <pathname> Set the default directory for segments to be placed in
                 during RECEIVE.  The default is the working directory at
                 the time Kermit was invoked.  <Pathname> may be an absolute
                 or relative DIRECTORY pathname.  To reset this parameter
                 to your current working directory, the -wd argument may be
                 substituted for <pathname>.

     FILE-WARNING <on | off> Set the file warning switch to on or off.  When
                 on, will not let you overwrite files with the same names
                 without trying to tell you.  This will cause transmission
                 to halt when sending a group of files and one tries to
                 overwrite a previous file.  The default is off. NOT IMPLMNTD.

     TEXT <on | off> Sets the file transfer mode.  The default is ON.  When
                 on, character addition to the file halts when a ctrl-Z is
                 encountered in the input stream.  This should not affect
                 text file transfers from any microcomputer.  It is used
                 only for RECEIVE.  To transfer binary files or files with
                 control characters (specifically ctrl-Zs) turn this mode
                 off.  See additional info in notes.

     TRACE <on | off> Turns a trace facility on to log all packets in a file
                 call Kermit.trace.  This is a debugging feature only.  The
                 default is off.


   More Kermit commands:

   SHOW [<option>]
     Displays the status of the user settable option specified.  If entered
     without an option, all options are displayed.  Option may be chosed
     from SEND, RECEIVE, DELAY, DIR, FILE-WARNING or TRACE.


   STATUS
     Displays the status of the last transmission.  If an error occurred,
     a message stating the error will be shown.


Notes:
   All commands may be in any mixture of upper and lower case.

   File names are translated into all lower case on the Multics side.
   (except when using the pathname option on the RECEIVE command)

   Files are transmitted VERBATIM.  No assumptions are made concerning line
   length, carraige returns, line feeds, control characters, line delimiters
   or anything else.  Carraige return - line feeds on files transfered TO
   Multics are converted to single line feeds.  When sending files to
   micros, the single line feed is turned into a CR-LF combination for
   the micro kermit to handle as it will.

   If text mode is on, binary files may not be transferred properly.  This
   is an unfortunate ramification resulting from an inconsistency in the
   IBM PC operating system.  If text is on, file transfer halts when either
   a) the end of the file is reached by the micro or b) an end of file
   character (ctrl-Z) is encountered in the input stream on the Multics
   end (this is the default mode).  This should not affect the transfer of
   straight text files.  Binaray files or files containing control Z characters
   required that text mode be turned off for proper uploading.  This
   whole issue does not pertain to files transferred FROM Multics TO the
   micro.

   Source files for various micro implementations are available in
   >am>KERMIT>info.  If you do not find a version for your micro, contact
   ACS.