3-FEB-83 page 1 To: RTCOM users From: R. S. Frazer, 7523, 4-7863 Subj: RTCOM user guide, version of 7-OCT-82 RTCOM connects an RT-11 console terminal to an external host CPU, processing the full ASCII character set, with only two exceptions: BREAK - halts most LSI-based systems, goes to ODT LF - initiates local RTCOM/RT11 functions Local (RTCOM) functions are initiated by entering a line feed at the terminal. The RTCOM prompt '>' is answered with one of the listed characters, and either a or a to terminate the command. Unrecognized characters are treated as . LF - send LF to host CR - return to RTCOM, no action taken A - ABORT - clear all I/O, and buffers B - send BREAK to host C - CLOSE - any open file at RT-11 - CLEAR - resets XON/XOFF bits in RTCOM, if entered in response to 'HOST or PRINTER is stalled ' message. D - DISPLAY - toggle the 'display ?' question on/off - This question is asked (or not asked) during setup for file transfers. If the answer is N, or the question is not asked, no display of transmitted (echoed) or received data is given. This includes any error messages from the host. E - EOF - enter/change HOST eof sequence, giving decimal equivalents of ASCII characters. ie. VAX NOS ascii CR $ Control-C null decimal 13 36 3 0 F - FILES - toggle the 'binary ?' question on/off This question is asked (or not asked) during setup for file transfers. If the answer is N, or the question is not asked, files are passed 'as-is', including special characters. If Y, files are passed as hexadecimal characters. H - HARD - toggle line printer on/off L - CRLF to host - toggle LF on/off - Usually off, meanning that lf's are NOT sent to the host immediately after a cr, since the host supplies one. If on, you will be apt to see double spacing in files sent to the host. 3-FEB-83 page 2 Q - QUIT - release files and return to RT11SJ R - READ - enter file spec. for write to host S - START - re-start program. W - WRITE - enter file spec. for read from host X - HOST TYPE- change to NOS or VAX type host. If NOS, number of 1 msec delays after CR will be requested. Suggestions: baud 300 1200 2400 4800 9600 delays 132 32 16 8 5 These allow time for the CR and three char. times. XON/XOFF (ctrl-Q, ctrl-S) are never sent to a NOS type host. They are sent to a VAX type host. ERROR messages are meant to be self-explanatory. Monitor traps go through RTCOM, restoring the RT-11 environment before processing the trap. RTCOM can be run again, and the host will never know it was gone. Characters from the host will be lost in the interim. Monitor traps disable host interrupts, and restore RT-11 vector addresses. RT-11 files are left hanging, so a RESET command to RT-11 would be advisable after a trap exit. The ONLY correct exit from RTCOM to RT-11 is via the QUIT command. This provides for an orderly restoration of the RT-11 interrupt and trap vectors, and proper disposition of RT-11 files and devices. TO READ A FILE FROM RT-11 TO HOST: *** VAX *** *** NOS *** COPY TT: HOSTFILE NEW, lfn TAPEIN note use of to prompt RTCOM >R >RT-11 file to be READ by HOST = DEV:NAME.EXT DEV = 2 or 3 character device name with : NAME = 1 to 6 character file name with . EXT = 1 to 3 character extension If no device entered, DK0: is assumed. If neither a name nor an extension is given, the device is copied. If no entry, just a , the RTCOM function is cancelled. 3-FEB-83 page 3 >FOUND, BLOCKS = decimal block length of file -or- >DEVICE START BLOCK (decimal) = starting block of random access device (sequential devices always start with block 0.) >HOW MANY BLOCKS (decimal) = how many blocks to transfer for sequential or random acess DEVICES. >BINARY ? A A=Y If the file is to be converted to hexadecimal before being transferred. The question is switchable on/off. >DISPLAY ? A A=Y if the echo from the host is to be displayed. The question is switchable on/off. >DEV:NAME.EXT --Are you sure ? A A=Y if yes, anything else restarts, asking for a filespec. RTCOM then sends a to the host, to terminate the host command, and waits for a CR,LF echo before proceeding. *** VAX *** *** NOS *** Must receive a Control-Q (tape reader ON), then wait one sec. before proceeding. >****RT-11 TRANSFER STARTING**** conditions are met, start transfer. File transfers from RT-11 to the host continue until a null byte is sensed in a non-binary file, or until the block count is exhausted on a binary file. You send the character that terminates the copy operation at the host (control-C for NOS). Please be aware that no error checking is currently done. Transfers proceed a character at a time until complete, or until halted by the host (XOFF). If the 'stalled' message should appear, try to clear it by the RTCOM function >C (clear). TO WRITE A FILE FROM THE HOST TO RT-11: *** VAX *** *** NOS *** COPY HOSTFILE TT: OLD, lfn TAPEOUT note terminator >W 3-FEB-83 page 4 >RT-11 file to be WRITTEN by HOST = DEV:NAME.EXT DEV = 2 or 3 character device name with : NAME = 1 to 6 character file name with . EXT = 1 to 3 character extension If no device entered, DK0: is assumed. If neither a name nor an extension is given, the device is copied. If no entry, just a , the RTCOM function is cancelled. >FILE OPENED LENGTH = decimal maximum available blocks for file. -or- >DEVICE START BLOCK (decimal) = start block random access device. sequential devices start at block 0. >HOW MANY BLOCKS (decimal) = how many blocks to copy for both sequential and random access devices. >BINARY ? A A=Y If the file is to be converted from hexadecimal to binary before being stored. The question is switchable. >DISPLAY ? A A=Y if input from the host is to be displayed. The question is switchable. > after CR-LF, EOF SEQUENCE (decimal equiv) ? dd,dd is only asked if none present (you never entered one). See the E (EOF) command, page 1. This sequence is used to check for the host prompt, signalling the end of the file transfer. >DEV:NAME.EXT --Are you sure ? A A=Y if yes, anything else restarts, asking for a filespec. RTCOM then sends a to the host, to terminate the host command, and waits for a CR,LF echo before proceeding. *** VAX *** *** NOS *** Must receive a CR before pro- Must receive a Control-R (record ON) ceeding. before proceeding. >****RT-11 TRANSFER STARTING**** Conditions met, start transfer. File transfers from the host to RT-11 continue until the RT-11 block count is exhausted, or an EOF sequence is received after a CRLF. If the host sends none of the above, the file can be closed locally (). NULL characters are never put into an RT-11 file as received. 3-FEB-83 page 5 BINARY files sent to the host are formatted as (16(Z4.4,1X), hexadecimal. While reading a BINARY file from the host, only the hexadecimal set of characters is converted and stored. The first non-hex character received terminates the conversion of anymore char- acters until a CRLF is received. This allows commenting of lines from the host. All characters received are displayed, if requested. On VAX, program HDUMP is available to dump files in a form compatible with RTCOM. Program LSIIN reads binary files from RTCOM. RTCOM should be 'customized' by the user before running it for the first time, by running RTSET. You will be asked for the name of the save file to be modified (NOT copied to a new file). In most cases this will be RTCOM.SAV . The current set-up for the program will be displayed, and you can make changes 'by the numbers'. When done, the program will ask if the changes should be made permanent before exiting. I suggest that you copy the modified file to another file with a name indicative of the type of host, ie., NOS.SAV or VAX.SAV . Be aware that when the LP is on, ALL incoming characters from the host are passed to it. This can create interesting displays on the printer while running some editors, EDT, for instance. You should turn it off () before editing, if it was ON. To run RTCOM (or whatever you called it): .R RTCOM