Message-ID: <6407@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 6-Dec-84 15:32:02 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.6407
Posted: Thu Dec  6 15:32:02 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 9-Dec-84 03:27:53 EST
Sender: news@brl-tgr.ARPA
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 186

Info-Kermit Digest         Thu,  6 Dec 1984       Volume 1 : Number 42

       Special Issue: Announcement of CP/M-80 Kermit Version 4

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed 5 Dec 84 15:28:40-EST
From: Charles Carvalho 
Subject: New Release of Kermit for CP/M-80
To: info-kermit@CU20B.ARPA

This is to announce version 4.03 of CP/M-80 Kermit.  This is a "beta test"
of a major new release, and will not replace the current version (3.9A),
until it has proven to be stable.

The major change is the decomposition of the program into a collection of
modules, a`la MDMxxx, with a new procedure that allows combining custom
"configuration overlays" with the system-independent portions of the
program.  This allows fixes or new features to be added to the protocol
without requiring reassembly of the program for each system supported, and
conversely, allows support for new systems to be added (or old ones fixed)
without reassembly for the other systems.  An added benefit of the breakup
of the old monolithic source file into smaller files is managability on
systems with limited disk storage -- at 176K, the version 3.9A source file
exceeded the capacity of many common floppies.

The modular decomposition is not quite complete, however, since the
system-dependent code for all systems is still combined in one module,
with assembly time conditionals for each system.  A future release will
break this module, CP4SYS.ASM, into separate, unconditionalized modules
for each system.

Here are some of the new features of version 4:

* Support for New systems:

Support has been added for several new systems or configurations:

    Apple II, Z80 Softcard, 6551 ACIA
    BigBoard II
    CPT-85xx word processer
    Digicomp Delphi 100
    Morrow Micro Decision I

Support that was recently added to version 3 of CP/M Kermit for systems
like the Heath H8 and Compupro Interfacer 3/4 is not included; volunteers
are needed to do the conversions.

* Terminal support:

For micros without integral consoles, one of several terminals may be
chosen (among them VT100, VT52, and ADM-3A), as well as the generic "CRT".

* Debugging aids:

SET DEBUG ON will add two fields to the SEND/RECEIVE display, labelled
"Spack" and "Rpack".  These display the last packet sent or received.
Of course, this slows down the transfer, especially if the console is an
external terminal.  SET DEBUG OFF removes these fields.

The VERSION command displays the name, edit number, and edit date of
several of the modules that make up Kermit.

* TAC support:

ARPAnet TACs (and probably some other communication devices like modems,
multiplexers, port contention units) use a printing character (normally
"@") as an intercept character, to allow commands to be issued to the TAC.
In order to send this character to the host, it must be typed twice.  The
command "SET TAC CHARACTER" to Kermit enables the TACtrap and asks the
user to specify the TAC intercept character.  This character will be
automatically doubled when it appears in Kermit protocol messages (sent by
the SEND or RECEIVE commands) or when it appears in a file being sent with
the TRANSMIT command.  It is not automatically doubled when typed by the
user in CONNECT mode.  "SET TAC ON" enables the TACtrap but does not
change the TAC intercept character, which is initially "@".  "SET TAC OFF"
disables the TACtrap.

* File buffering:

Previous versions of Kermit-80 buffered only one sector (128 bytes) at a
time during file transfer operations.  This version buffers 16Kbytes at a
time, reducing the number of times the floppy drive must be spun up and
down, and increasing the effective throughput of the link.  If the disk
transfer rate is too slow, howver, the remote Kermit may time out and
retransmit packets.  This will show up on the screen in the "Retries:"
field; if this occurs after disk activity, you may want to increase the
timeout value on the remote Kermit, or reassemble Kermit with a smaller
value for MAXSEC (in CP4SYS.ASM).  This buffer is also used by the
TRANSMIT command; the log file enabled by the LOG command is still written
a sector at a time.

* Baud Rate Setting:

The format of the SET BAUD-RATE command has been changed for several
systems.  Rather than requesting the user to enter a letter for the speed,
the desired baud rate is supplied on the command line (e.g. "SET BAUD
1200").  A list of supported baud rates may be obtained by typing "SET
BAUD ?".  If Kermit cannot change the baud rate for your system, it will
reply "(not implemented)".

* Generic CP/M 2.2 Support:

The "generic" Kermit-80 for CP/M 2.2 (assembly switch GENER) supports six
port selections, to improve the chances of finding one that works.  Kermit
reads from PTR: and writes to PTP: by default; if this does not work, try
"SET PORT TTY".  The following table lists the CP/M devices used for each
option:

	SET PORT xxx	input from	output to
	    CRT		   CRT:		   CRT:
	    PTR		   PTR:		   PTP:
	    TTY		   TTY:		   TTY:
	    UC1		   UC1:		   UC1:
	    UR1		   UR1:		   UP1:
	    UR2		   UR2:		   UP2:

In all cases, the console (CON:) and list (LST:) devices used are those
selected when Kermit is started.

* How to Get It:

The files are in KER:CP4*.* on CU20B, available via anonymous FTP.  CU20B
is Internet host [192.5.43.128].  The source files have the extension
(file type) .ASM, the hex files .HEX.  There is also a new Kermit User
Guide chapter in KER:CP4KER.DOC and .MSS (Scribe text formatter source).
A list of known bugs and deficiencies is in KER:CP4KER.BWR (this file will
be updated as reports come in).  The edit history and internals are
documented in KER:CP4KER.UPD.

Note that a new, somewhat more complicated, installation procedure is
required.  Two hex files -- the system-dependent part, and the
"configuration overlay" -- must be combined and then loaded.  Detailed
instructions are given in KER:CP4KER.DOC.

The program may be built with the public-domain assembler and linker,
LASM and MLOAD, or on the DEC-10 or DEC-20 with Bruce Tanner's MAC80 and
LINK80.  Unfortunately, it can no longer be built with ASM and LOAD because
multiple files are used (this is the price we pay for modularity).
LASM, MLOAD, MAC80, and LINK80 are all in the  area on CU20B,
for those who need them.   can be referred to as KT:, as in
KT:MLOAD.HEX.

The following systems are supported:

Symbol  Filename System
------  -------- ------
AP6551  CP4APL   Apple II, Z80 Softcard, 6551 ACIA in serial interface
APMMDM  CP4APM   Apple II, Z80 Softcard, Micromodem II in slot 2
BBII    CP4BB2   BigBoard II (terminal required)
BRAIN   CP4BRN   Intertec SuperBrain.
CPM3    CP4CP3   "generic": CP/M 3.0 (CP/M Plus) systems (terminal req'd)
CPT85XX	CP4CPT	 CPT-85xx word processors with CompuPak CP/M
DELPHI  CP4DEL   Digicomp Delphi 100 (terminal required)
DMII    CP4DM2   DECmate II with CP/M option
GENER   CP4GEN   "generic": CPM 2.2 systems with IOBYTE (terminal req'd)
HEATH   CP4H89   Heath/Zenith H89.
KPII    CP4KPR   Kaypro-II (and 4; probably supports all Kaypro systems)
MDI     CP4MDI   Morrow Decision I (terminal required)
MIKKO   CP4MIK   MikroMikko
MMDI    CP4UDI   Morrow Micro Decision I (terminal required)
OSBRN1  CP4OSB   Osborne 1
OSI     CP4OSI   Ohio Scientific
ROBIN   CP4ROB   DEC VT180
TELCON  CP4TEL   TELCON Zorba portable
TRS80LB CP4TLB   TRS-80 model II with Lifeboat 2.25C CP/M Display
TRS80PT CP4TPT   TRS-80 model II with Pickles + Trout CP/M Display
VECTOR  CP4VEC   Vector Graphics.
Z100    CP4Z00   Z-100 under CP/M-85

The "symbol" is used in CP4SYS.ASM for assembly purposes.  The filename
shows where to find the .HEX file in KER: on CU20B, e.g. KER:CP4Z00.HEX.

Please try out the new version and report any bugs to Info-Kermit@CU20B.
Also, please feel free to add support to CP4SYS.ASM for systems that are
not supported, and to make enhancements to those that are; for instance,
most systems are still not able to send a 250ms BREAK signal.

Version 3.9A of CP/M-80 Kermit continues to be available as KER:CPM*.*
on CU20B, but will eventually be phased out.

------------------------------

End of Info-Kermit Digest
*************************
-------