Before reading this file, which is just a collection of random notes, read the file VMSAAA.HLP, which tries to give a systematic overview of how to install VMS Kermit. ------------------ VMSINS.HLP --------------------------------- MOUNT tape specifying the blocksize: MOUNT dev:/BLOCKSIZE=8192 ------------------------------ Date: 29-AUG-1986 16:58:53 From: SYSTEM@UK.AC.CRC Subject: Help needed on VMS Kermit help files I have copied over Kermit for the Vax/VMS onto our microVax. It appears to run, but HELP does not work, it says cannot open !AS as input. I have copied vmsusr.hlp and vmssys.hlp into the help directory, do you know what I am doing wrong? We have only recently got the uVax, and I am not very well up on it, but we have the coloured books up and running, although we have not yet got ourselves into the name registration scheme. We are UK.AC.CRC (the Clinical Research Centre, part of the Medical Research Council) and are on 000044801000.ftp.mail. I am Eeoff Gibbs, although I am usually logged in as SYSTEM. Geoff Gibbs --------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 6 Sep 86 02:31 AST From: IUS%DACTH51@UK.AC.RL.EARN (Eberhard W. Lisse) Subject: Installing VMS Kermit help file VMS needs the ASCII files produced by RUNOFF to be installed into special HELP libraries with the LIBRARIAN utility so the HELP facility (SYS$SYSTEM:VMSHELP.EXE) can work on them. I have looked up the installation procedure and made up a file to do it for you. If you have only VMSYS.HLP and VMSUSR.HLP cut the second part, save it to INS.COM and run it. If you have KERMIT.RNH cut all of it and run it (the second part will not be executed) el (Eberhard W. Lisse) Technical University Aachen Medical School $! --------------cut here and save to INS.COM ------------ $! $! this one calls up from the VMS level $! $! $ @INS $! $! $! $! you are logged in under SYSTEM anyway, right ? $! $ ON ERROR THEN CONTINUE $! so the next instruction doesn't bomb $! $ LIBRARY/HELP/DELETE=KERMIT SYS$HELP:HELPLIB.HLB $! If there is an error, ignore it. $! As it is a first time installation there is no Kermit entry $! in the Help library. $! This is hust for completeness as one needs to do it like this $! when installing an upgrade. $! $! $ RUNOFF KERMIT.RNH/VAR=SYSTEM $! this produces KERMIT.HLP with the SYSTEM option which should $! be the same as your VMSSYS.HLP $! $ LIBRARY/INSERT/HELP SYS$HELP:HELPLIB.HLB KERMIT.HLP $! this installs it in the system HELP library where one can $! access it from VMS level $! $! $ HELP KERMIT $! $ RUNOFF KERMIT.RNH $! this produces KERMIT.HLP withOUT the SYSTEM option which $! should be the same as your VMSUSR.HLP $! $ LIBRARY/CREATE/HELP SYS$HELP:KERMIT.HLB KERMIT.HLP $! this is the HELP file Kermit is looking for (!AS not found ...) $! One might want to PURGE KERMIT.HLB when installing an upgrade $! $! $ EXIT $! $! $! $! if you don't have the KERMIT.RNH you do it like this: $! $! ------------cut here and save to file INS.COM ------------ $! $ ON ERROR THEN CONTINUE $ LIBRARY/HELP/DELETE=KERMIT SYS$HELP:HELPLIB.HLB $ LIBRARY/INSERT/HELP SYS$HELP:HELPLIB.HLB VMSSYS.HLP $ LIBRARY/CREATE/HELP SYS$HELP:KERMIT.HLB VMSUSR.HLP $ EXIT $! $! $! ---------end of INS.COM ------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 08 Sep 86 14:29:54 BST From: Mike_Brudenell To: syskermit @ UK.AC.LANCS.VAX1 Subject: Installing VAX/VMS Kermit made simple (?) Installing VMS Kermit (mainly concerned with its Help system) ===================== --------------------------------------- The following gives one possible method of installing VAX/VMS Kermit on a system without using System Manager priveliges (spelling?). As such it should be useable by all users. Unless a clever bit of jiggery pokery is done when calling VAX/VMS Kermit, attempting to use HELP *does* resort in the "cannot open !AS as input" message. I enclose some (hopefully reasonably clear, at least to VMS people) instructions on how I successfully got Kermit and its Help system up and running on our machine. Firstly, ensure you have the VMSUSR.HLP and VMSSYS.HLP files copied to your Kermit directory. These ".HLP" files are "source text" that must be "compiled" into a Help Library file with type ".HLB" using the Librarian facility. This is done as follows: VMSSYS.HLP This file is designed to be included in the system's main Help database. You will need access to this if you wish to insert it (eg. be the SYSTEM manager ... it is not essential to include this Help facility). Assuming you are on as SYSTEM in the Kermit directory, the command you need is along the lines of: LIBRARY/HELP SYS$HELP:HELPLIB VMSSYS.HLP VMSUSR.HLP This file is accessed from within Kermit. The name of the ".HLB" file should be the same as that of the Kermit ".EXE" file (eg. KERMIT.EXE and KERMIT.HLB). The ".HLB" file should be placed in the same directory as the rest of the Kermit files. It should be "compiled" as follows: LIBRARY/HELP/CREATE KERMIT VMSUSR.HLP Ensure that the resulting ".HLB" file is appropriately permitted (eg. R to Group and World). This has now compiled and installed the two Help libraries. The ".HLP" files are no longer needed. Now you have to ensure Kermit knows about them. You will need a "symbol definition" which can either be placed in the main system Login command procedure, or users can place it in their own individual LOGIN.COM files. You will also need a command procedure. In the following, I make the following assumptions: * The Kermit directory is on a device called "USER1" and called "[KERMIT]" * The executable file is held in KERMIT.EXE and hence (see above) the help library file is in KERMIT.HLB * The start-up command procedure is called KERMIT.COM * A Kermit initialisation file is held in KERMIT.INI Change any of these to the values appropriate to your system. Symbol definition (in either the main system Login file, ----------------- or a user's own LOGIN.COM) KERMIT == "@UQER1:[KERMIT]KERMIT" Command procedure (permitted at least Execute to Group and World!) ----------------- (Ensure the "$"s have no spaces before them!!) $ ! $ ! Command file to call Kermit on a VAX/VMS system. $ ! $ ! Author: Mike Brudenell $ ! Site: University of Newcastle upon Tyne $ ! Date: June 24, 1986 $ ! $ set noverify $ set noon $ ! $ on control_y then goto FINISH $ set terminal tt /nowrap/nomodem/noeight ! "Magic" for (only?) our network $ define/u kermdir USER1:[KERMIT] ! Directory holding Kermit files $ ! Delete the following line (and this comment) if you $ ! do not have/need a system Kermit initialisation file. $ define/u vmskermit kermdir:KERMIT.INI ! Kermit initialisation file $ define/u kermit kermdir:KERMIT ! "Magic" to access Help library $ define/u sys$input sys$command: ! Take input from keyboard $ run KERMIT ! Run Kermit (defaults to ".EXE") $ ! $ FINISH: $ set on $ exit