25-Sep-91 15:58:30-GMT,16849;000000000001 Return-Path: Received: by watsun.cc.columbia.edu (5.59/FCB) id AA11541; Wed, 25 Sep 91 11:58:15 EDT Date: Wed, 25 Sep 91 11:58:13 EDT From: Christine M Gianone To: Info-Kermit Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V14 #7 Reply-To: Info-Kermit@watsun.cc.columbia.edu Queries-To: Info-Kermit-Request@WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU Errors-To: Info-Kermit-Request@watsun.cc.columbia.edu Message-Id: Info-Kermit Digest Wed, 25 Sep 1991 Volume 14 : Number 7 Today's Topics: New IBM Mainframe Kermit Release Announcing IBM Mainframe Kermit-370 Version 4.2.2 List of Supported Front Ends for Kermit-370 Announcing IBM Mainframe Kermit-370 for CICS Announcing IBM Mainframe VM/CMS Kermit-370 Version 4.2.2 Announcing IBM Mainframe MVS/TSO Kermit-370 Version 4.2.2 ROSCOE Kermit Digest submissions may be sent to Info-Kermit@WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU or KERMIT@CUVMA.BITNET. Requests for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list should be sent to LISTSERV@CUVMA.BITNET or LISTSERV@CUVMA.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU. These messages must be of the form: SUBSCRIBE I-KERMIT (To start a subscription) UNSUBSCRIBE I-KERMIT (To cancel a subscription) REGISTER I-KERMIT (To correct your name) Kermit files may be obtained over networks and by mail order. On the Internetwork, use FTP to log in to host WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a SUN-4/280 running UNIX (SUNOS 4.1), IP host number 128.59.39.2. Login as user anonymous (note, lower case), any password, and GET or MGET (MULTIPLE GET) the desired files. The Kermit files are in directories kermit/a, kermit/b, kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e. Test versions are in kermit/test. All files in these directories should be transferred in text (ASCII) mode. Binaries are in kermit/bin (use ftp in binary mode). You can also get Kermit files over the BITNET/EARN network; to get started send a message with text HELP to KERMSRV, the Kermit file server, at host CUVMA. For detailed instructions, read the file kermit/a/aanetw.hlp (AANETW.HLP on KERMSRV). To order by mail, request a complete list of Kermit versions and an order form from Kermit Distribution, Columbia University Center for Computing Activities, 612 West 115th Street, New York, NY 10025 USA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1991 14:25:32 EDT From: Christine M Gianone Subject: New IBM Mainframe Kermit Release Here comes a battery of announcements from John Chandler of the Harvard/Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for IBM Mainframe Kermit-370 version 4.2.2 for the major IBM mainframe operating systems. Most notable among these is a brand new version for CICS, which can be used under either MVS or DOS/VSE. People have been asking for this for nearly ten years! Now they can shave off their long white beards... The new files are in ~kermit/b/ik*.* on watsun for anonymous FTP over the Internet, and on BITNET/EARN as IK* * from KERMSRV at CUVMA. Included are brand new versions of the user manuals in plain-text (.DOC), "line printer" with carriage control (.LPT), and PostScript (.PS), one for each major version: IKCKER (VM/CMS), IKTKER (VMS/TSO), and IKXKER (CICS). Also included are detailed installation instructions (the IK*KER.INS files) and other documentation (.HLP, .BWR, etc). Each version comes in two parts: the system-independent part (IK0), and the system-dependent part (IKC, IKT, IKX). You have to get both parts: ftp watsun BITNET/EARN cd kermit/b KERMSRV@CUVMA VM/CMS ik0*.* and ikc*.* IK0* * and IKC* * MVS/TSO ik0*.* and ikt*.* IK0* * and IKT* * CICS ik0*.* and ikx*.* IK0* * and IKX* * Many thanks to John and to all the contributors and beta testers for these significant new Kermit releases. Now, if only somebody will produce a Kermit program for the AS/400, and Systems /34, /36, and /38, we will have Kermit programs for all the major IBM machines and operating systems. ------------------------------ Date: Monday, 1991 August 19 14:08 EDT From: "John F. Chandler" Subject: Announcing IBM Mainframe Kermit-370 Version 4.2.2 Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit Xref: IBM Mainframe, Also see IBM 370 Kermit-370 version 4.2.2 is now available for CMS, TSO, and CICS. The changes are primarily generic, but there are also some system-specific updates in each variant. See the accompanying system-specific announcements for the details: IKCKER.ANN (CMS), IKXKER.ANN (CICS), and IKTKER.ANN (TSO). The most important of the generic updates are: 1) New "CC" option along with the line range for sending files. This option specifies that the file has carriage control in column 1 and that it should be converted to ASCII control characters. 2) More careful avoidance of built-in packet-size limits. 3) V-binary (or D-binary) file transfers work all the way up to records of 64K-1 bytes. 4) Leaving server mode if packet I/O errors recur. 5) More liberal recognition of STOP commands in protocol mode. 6) Extra explanatory error message, if available, now displayed upon completing a subcommand, along with basic status. Also, any reason for cancellation is included in the E-packet text and noted in the transaction log. 7) Time tags in transaction and packet logs. 8) New TRANSPARENT transfer character set, which applies a null translation to all incoming and outgoing files. 9) New SET TTABLE KP option which enables a full 8-bit translation table based on Hollerith codes. 10) Proper control-quoting on 8-bit analogs of ordinary control characters. 11) Suppression of echoing on LU1 3770-type front ends. 12) New VERSION subcommand, which displays the version number and date. 13) New "End-of-attributes" attribute. 14) 8th-bit quoting for the XECHO subcommand. The new release is in the form of updates to be applied to the 4.2 source. The updates are cumulative, so they include those that were already released to make version 4.2.1. In addition, the generic 370 part of the User's Guide has been updated to reflect version 4.2.1. Many thanks to the beta testers who have helped work out the bugs. ------------------------------ Date: Tuesday, 1991 August 20 19:40 EDT From: "John F. Chandler" Subject: List of Supported Front Ends for Kermit-370 Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit Xref: IBM Mainframe, Also see IBM 370 There is a new version of IK0AAA.HLP to go with release 4.2.2 of several variants of Kermit-370, and this seems like a good time to summarize the changes in the list of supported "front ends". Here is the list of new entries added since the version of April 1990, complete with references to footnotes in the new list. The types shown are the abbreviation of the relevant controller types in Kermit-370. Those marked (3) are still questionable, i.e., the reports were not conclusive. Of the additions, only one (the IBM 3174 AEA) represents an enhancement of Kermit itself; the others are simply new reports or changes in the status of the "front end" software. In this time span, there have not been any new reports of UNsupported front ends, just a reconfirmation of the limitation of the IBM 3708 to linemode Kermit transfers. Name, model Type Manufacturer Notes -------------- ---- ------------------------- ----- Amdahl 4705 T Amdahl (2) Datalynx 3174 G Andrew Data Systems (3) Datalynx 3274 G " (3) IBM 3174 AEA A IBM (6) IBM 3745 T " (2) Jupiter 1000 T Intel (14) K200 T Fibronics (14) K310 T " (14) K2000 T " (14) Renex PCM G Renex Corp (8) Renex RPAD G " (8) SIM3278 TCP/IP S Simware (1,4) SIM3278/VM S Simware (1,4) STNxx T STRTC (13) tn3270 S Greg Minshall (1,2,11) For the complete list of supported configurations, and for the footnotes, see IK0AAA.HLP in the Kermit distribution. ------------------------------ Date: Monday, 1991 August 19 14:08 EDT From: "John F. Chandler" Subject: Announcing IBM Mainframe Kermit-370 for CICS Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit, CICS Kermit Xref: IBM Mainframe, Also see IBM 370 Xref: CICS Kermit, Also see CICS Kermit, IBM 370 There is now a variant of Kermit-370 for CICS. The new Kermit has been tested under releases 1.7 and 2.1 of CICS and with CICS running under both VSE and MVS. This is a full-function Kermit, like other variants of Kermit-370, but is still a test program, since it has not been subjected to any large-scale testing, and several planned refinements have not yet been implemented. Kermit-CICS is both a traditional interactive Kermit and a CICS program that can be invoked to carry out a specific file transfer or group of transfers and then quit. Thus, it is suitable both for "open" CICS systems where the users are permitted to log in as "operators" and controlled systems where all activity is performed through menus. Kermit-CICS surmounts the lack of a real CICS file system by managing its own storage directories assigned to specific users, where each directory has members described by eight-character names; the assignment of directories is done according to an algorithm chosen by the local installer. In addition, Kermit supports transfers of TD and TS queues. The initial version is release 4.2.2 and includes a number of enhancements that are also appearing in the new releases for CMS, TSO, MUSIC, and ROSCOE. However, these enhancements are not listed here, since this is the first version of Kermit-370 for CICS. See the relevant announcements for more details. Work on Kermit-CICS is continuing, but some of the tasks necessary for making it a full-fledged production program have not even been started. Features that need to be improved or added include: - IKXDYNAL for both CICS/VSE and CICS/MVS. The former would probably support only spool files, but the latter should support both spool files and MVS data sets. - Sample exit routines for supporting userid algorithms besides the OPID and TERM options. - Sample package of security exit routines. - Enqueuing on extra-partition TD names before opening. - Support for data objects on a remote CICS. - Cleaner performance of server-mode BYE function, dependent on local conventions. - Support for indirect TD queues. - Testing linemode operation. - Mechanism for flushing terminal output from Kermit (such as from the TYPE subcommand). - Mechanism for collecting "terminal" output from invoked programs. - Testing under CICS/VM. Anyone interested in working on these or other improvements should first get in touch with the Center for Computing Activities at Columbia University to find out if someone else has already begun a similar project (and, if so, who). ------------------------------ Date: Monday, 1991 August 19 14:08 EDT From: "John F. Chandler" Subject: Announcing IBM Mainframe VM/CMS Kermit-370 Version 4.2.2 Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit, VM/CMS Kermit Xref: CMS Kermit, See VM/CMS Kermit, IBM 370 Kermit Kermit-370 version 4.2.2 is now available for CMS. As usual, the new version comes in VM/SP and VM/XA/SP flavors, but the changes are the same for both. Version 4.2.2 has numerous improvements over 4.2.1, but many of them are generic (shared among all the variants). See the accompanying generic Kermit-370 announcement for more details. The most important of the CMS-specific updates are: 1) New, more flexible on-line help facility with a separate file available for each subcommand. This can be used in connection with the CMS help menu system or with Kermit's internal help processor (or both). The old-style, single help file is also still available. 2) Improved recovery from a "stolen" screen, fullscreen I/O errors, the classical VTAM lockup at the start of a SEND (caused by having too long a SEND delay), or a 4994 buffer overrun. 3) Kermit-CMS now invokes CMS commands in a way that closely matches the behavior of commands entered directly to CMS. A more complete description of the changes can be found in IKCKER.BWR. The new release is in the form of updates to be applied to the 4.2.0 source. The updates are cumulative, so they include those that were already released to make version 4.2.1. In addition, the help file has been revamped, and the User's Guide has been partly updated (but not actually brought up to date with 4.2.2). The new files are IKCKER.UPD, IKCKER.BWR, IKCKER.MSS, IKCKER.DOC, IKCKER.LPT, IKCKER.PS, IKCKER.HLP, IK0KER.MSS, IK0AAA.HLP, and IK0KER.UPD (the latter is only a catalog of all the updates, not the updates themselves). The new code has been tested pretty thoroughly (many thanks to the beta testers!), but problems may still turn up. Bug reports are welcome, as usual. In particular, reports of any kind are needed for the new facility for supporting 8-bit transfers in line mode -- this has barely been tested. A similar release 4.2.2 is also available for TSO and CICS -- see the corresponding announcements. ------------------------------ Date: Monday, 1991 August 19 14:08 EDT From: "John F. Chandler" Subject: Announcing IBM Mainframe MVS/TSO Kermit-370 Version 4.2.2 Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit, MVS/TSO Kermit Xref: TSO Kermit, See MVS/TSO Kermit, IBM 370 Kermit Kermit-370 version 4.2.2 is now available for TSO. The new version has numerous improvements over 4.2.1, but many of them are generic (shared among all the variants). See the accompanying generic Kermit-370 announcement for more details. The TSO-specific updates are: 1) Correct UNIT selection for new datasets uploaded to TSO. This fixes a bug introduced with version 4.1. 2) Multiple subcommands allowed on the initial invocation command line, provided the Kermit delimiter is defined in one of the initialization files. 3) Current status code available to CLIST's as &LASTCC. A more complete description of the changes can be found in IKTKER.BWR. The new release is in the form of updates to be applied to the 4.2.0 source. The updates are cumulative, so they include those that were already released to make version 4.2.1. In addition, the help file has been revamped, and the User's Guide has been partly updated (but not actually brought up to date with 4.2.2). The new files are IKTKER.UPD, IKTKER.BWR, IKTKER.MSS, IKTKER.DOC, IKTKER.LPT, IKTKER.PS, IKTKER.HLP, IK0KER.MSS, IK0AAA.HLP, and IK0KER.UPD (the latter is only a catalog of all the updates, not the updates themselves). The new code has been tested pretty thoroughly (many thanks to the beta testers!), but problems may still turn up. Bug reports are welcome, as usual. In particular, reports of any kind are needed for the new facility for supporting 8-bit transfers in line mode -- this has barely been tested. A similar release 4.2.2 is also available for CMS and CICS -- see the corresponding announcements. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1991 Mar 29 22:04 EST From: "John F. Chandler" Subject: ROSCOE Kermit Keywords: IBM 370 Kermit, ROSCOE Kermit Xref: IBM Mainframe, Also see IBM 370 Xref: ROSCOE Kermit, Also see ROSCOE Kermit, IBM 370 Xref: MVS/TSO Kermit, Also see MVS/TSO Kermit, IBM 370 I have stored two new files on WATSUN: IKRKER.BWR and IKRKER.UPD. These constitute the collection of all known tips, fixes, and workarounds for running TSO Kermit under ROSCOE. This is not what I would call a full- fledged new variant of Kermit-370, since ROSCOE Kermit is only slightly changed from "vanilla" TSO Kermit. Hence, installers of ROSCOE Kermit will still need to fetch all IKT*.* files and follow the instructions in IKTKER.INS with only a few alterations based on IKRKER.BWR. If further reports come in, I'll add them to the collection. Also, I would be glad to include code updates, especially if some user should feel motivated to add support for native ROSCOE files or other ROSCOE-specific features. John ------------------------------ End of Info-Kermit Digest *************************