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From cmg  Tue Aug 20 12:17:24 1991
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From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V14 #2
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Info-Kermit Digest         Tue, 20 Aug 1991        Volume 14 : Number 2

Today's Topics:

         New Lotus 1-2-3/V Key Mapping File for MS-DOS Kermit
               Kermit With DOS 5.0 Task Swapper
        Windows 3.0 and High-Speed Kermit Connections
                  Window Slot Sizes
           Unique Log File Names for MS-DOS Kermit?
            Keyboard Bug in MS-DOS Kermit
                   Kermit Archives

Digest submissions may be sent to [e-mail],
requests for addition to or deletion from the Info-Kermit subscriber list to
[e-mail] or to [e-mail].

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.  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: Mon, 8 Jul 1991 15:20 CST
>From: [e-mail]
Subject: New Lotus 1-2-3/V Key Mapping File for MS-DOS Kermit
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit, Lotus

Here at Southeastern Louisiana University, we have Lotus/123 on our VAX/VMS
system.  Many of our users use PCs with Kermit to access the VAX system and we
would like to have some method of maintaining transparency for the user, i.e.
we want the user to be able to use Lotus/123 on the Vax from his PC and have
it look and feel as though he were using PC Lotus.

I have created a Lotus 1-2-3 key mapping file for enhanced keyboards.  I am
sending that to you separately.  Feel free to make any suggestions/comments,
etc. and use it in the digest.

Ravi
BITNET:  RAVI@SLU
Southeastern Louisiana University

[Ed. - Thanks very much, Ravi!  The new file is in kermit/a/msi123.ini on
watsun, and MSI123.INI on KERMSRV.]

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

Date: Mon, 15 Jul 91 23:47:17 EDT
>From: Dick Elnicki <[e-mail]>
Subject: Kermit With DOS 5.0 Task Swapper
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit and DOS 5.0, DOS 5.0

DOS 5.0 and Kermit appear quite compatible.  I am currently using Kermit
with my EasyK scripts for this e-mail.

A program applicaton for Kermit access to our IBM VTAM services is in my DOS
Shell.  Before starting it, I enabled the Active Task list.  Then I clicked
on the program name to auto dial into our VTAM services.

Once signed on, I can press ALT with ESC to toggle back to the DOS Shell.
At the shell, I can start a second application, e.g., PCWrite or Lotus 123.
This, of course, depends on the free memory available.

The ALT with TAB's also works as described.  One can toggle through the
active tasks.  The name appears at the top of the screen.  A choice is make
by pressing Enter for a named task.

The ALT with ESC choice gives the DOS Shell as noted above. Here you can
also double click on the desired active task to return to it.  Or, you can
click on another program to start it (if you have enough free memory).  And,
you can click on an active task, then on FILE, and then on DELETE to shut
down an application.

My mouse works as desired.  It is an inexpensive 3-button mouse that is not
from IBM, Microsoft, or any other "name" brand.  The roller ball runs the
cursor, the left button is set to ENTER, the middle button is PF7 (scroll up
in the VTAM world), and the right button is PF8 (scroll down).

DOS 5.0 is certainly worth the price of admission.  It does run a number of
my applications that DOS 4.0 could not handle.  The DOS Shell run with the
mouse is easier to use than my old dozen-or-so AAA.BAT-type application
start-up screen.  The HELP is great, too.

This is not a commercial.  I don't have any stock in Microsoft.  I do hope
you can use the above to pass on to other Kermit users how they might use
DOS 5.0.

Best regards,
Dicke

[Ed. - Thanks for the encouraging report, Dicke!  It seems that we are going
through a period of Microsoft pulling the rug out from under Kermit with new
releases of Windows, DOS, etc.  Unfortunately, the reports are not all
completely positive.  One user reports that Kermit cannot keep up with serial
port input at high speeds -- 19,200 bps or above, depending on the processor
model, under DOS 5.0.  Apparently, DOS 5.0 can lose serial port interrupts
where previous versions of DOS did not, most likely because of its new memory
management features.]

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

Date: Thu, 25 Jul 91 16:06:52 EDT
>From: [e-mail]
Subject: Windows 3.0 and High-Speed Kermit Connections
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit and Windows 3.0, Windows 3.0

If you desire to run MS-Kermit at speeds higher than 9600 bps under
Windows 3.0 (MS-DOS) you need a third party driver (i.e. TurboComm)
because the native Windows 3.0 communication driver maxes out at 9600.
You also need to have 16550a UART chips in your serial ports too.

H.W.Payne

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

Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 15:57:35 -0700
>From: [e-mail] (Charles Lloyd)
Subject: Window Slot Sizes
Keywords: Sliding Windows, Packet Length, Performance

How does one determine the best size for a window slot?  I have a line which
has between 1 to 2  seconds roundtrip delay  (variable wrt time  of day) and
have not improved effective throughput much with choices or 1, 4, or 8.

Slot count = 1 : Significant idle time on LEDs of modem.
Slot count = 4 : Sporadic idle time, rapid acknowledgements on SD LED.

Slot Count = 8 : Alomost continuous flow on the RD light, almost continuous
blips on SD light.  Yet, the throughput only went from 5Kbps to 7 Kbps in
going from 1 to 8.  (I didn't check for slots = 4).

Is it unadvisable to play with packet size?

Is it possible to set the slot count too big so that data overruns cause
more errors than with a smaller window?  What's the rule of thumb?

Many thanks,
Charles.

[Ed. - There is an article in Kermit News #4 explaining in great detail how
to optimize Kermit's performance by varying the window slots and packet
length.  Kermit News #4 is on watsun as kermit/e/news.n4, NEWS.N4 on CUVMA
via KERMSRV.  Briefly, you should use the smallest window size that keeps
the modem receive or transmit light on continuously (depending on whether
you are sending or receiving files), and then increase the packet size to
the maximum allowed by the receiving Kermit.  Let's say you get continuous
transmission with 5 slots.  MS-DOS Kermit's total packet buffer size is
2000, so the maximum size for each packet is 2000 / 5 = 400.  Tell both
Kermits to SET WINDOW 5, and tell the receiving Kermit to SET RECEIVE
PACKET-LENGTH 400.]

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

Date: Sat Jul 20 19:13:04 1991
>From: Ben Olasov <syska.com![e-mail]>
Subject: Unique Log File Names for MS-DOS Kermit?
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit and Unique File Names

I'm trying to turn on a session log file prior to invoking a Kermit script
file.  While the command line:

  kermit take cbd.scr

works, the line:

  kermit log session d:\local\20\250.txt take cbd.scr

doesn't.

[Ed. - Multiple commands on the command line must be separated by commas:

  kermit log session d:\local\20\250.txt, take cbd.scr

Adding the comma after "250.txt" should fix the problem.]

The reason I'm turning on the session log first is so that I can expand a
system variable (from Waffle BBS software) into a filename at the time
that the kermit command line is executed, thereby logging each session to
a unique filename.  If anyone knows how to do this, or has an effective
alternative approach, I'd really like to hear from them.

Thanks,
  Ben Olasov

[Ed. - If you're using MS-DOS Kermit version 3.10 or later (you should be),
try this:

  SET COUNT 999
  DEFINE \%F \V(NDATE).\V(COUNT)

This makes the \%f variable be something like "19910727.999" (filename =
today's date, filetype = 999).  Now let's see if the file already exists:

  IF NOT EXIST \%F GOTO OK

If it does, decrement the COUNT variable and try again until you have a
name that's unique:

  SET COUNT 999
  :LOOP
  DEFINE \%F \V(NDATE).\V(COUNT)
  IF NOT EXIST \%F GOTO OK
  IF COUNT GOTO LOOP
  ECHO Sorry, you've already created 1000 log files today!
  STOP
  :OK
  LOG SESSION \%F

That should give you a unique filename.]

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

Date: Tue, 09 Jul 91 11:45:24 BST
>From: Brian Wood <[e-mail]>
Subject: Keyboard Bug in MS-DOS Kermit
Keywords: MS-DOS Kermit and Keyboard Drivers

I am surprised that this has not been picked up sooner as it is a bug which
appears to have been present in MS-DOS Kermit since version 2.31.

On an OPUS PC3, a turbo xt, which I suspect is also sold under different
badges, running MS-DOS 3.3 there is a clash between Kermit and the keyboard
driver installed using the KEYB.COM program.  I have only used the driver
for the UK keyboard but logically it should apply to them all.  After
varying amounts of time the PC will appear to hang and will not respond to
the keyboard except that you will get the beep to tell you that the keyboard
buffer is full.  This may well happen with other machines which use MS-DOS
3.3 and KEYB.COM.

The remedy is to use "set key off" to force kermit to use the DOS keyboard
routines rather than BIOS.

Cheers,

Brian Wood,
UMIST,
Manchester,
England.

[Ed. - This is not a Kermit bug.  Kermit is simply asking the BIOS for
keyboard input.  Kermit is not hanging the system, the BIOS and/or the
keyboard driver are doing it.]

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

Date: Fri 2 Aug 1991 11:33:26 EDT
>From: Christine M Gianone <[e-mail]>
Subject: Kermit Archives
Keywords: Kermit Archives

We receive a lot of complaints that it's difficult to find things in the
Kermit archives, and suggestions about how to reorganize them.  Many people
would like to see us put the MS-DOS related files into ZIP archives, the
UNIX-related files into compressed tar archives, or put each version in its
own subdirectory, etc etc.

The Kermit archives are designed to be written to industry standard ANSI "D"
or IBM OS "VB" labeled tapes that can be read on a wide variety of computers.
These tapes can only have text files on them; they consist of "records" that
are lines of text, and they can't have any kind of directory structure.  Tapes
are sent out by mail order, and the income from these orders pays for the
Kermit Development and Distribution operation and subsidizes network access.
We don't have the disk space or the time to keep multiple copies of the
hundreds of different Kermit implementations in the many different formats
that network users ask for.  If we were better funded and staffed, of course,
it would be a different story.

Here is a brief road-map to the Kermit files.  There are five major Kermit
areas, A through E.  On watsun.cc.columbia.edu, which offers anonymous FTP
access to the Internet, there is a kermit directory.  It contains a file
called read.me, which explains the organization of the directories and files
underneath it:  kermit/a through kermit/e, plus several special directories
for binary files, test versions, etc.  On BITNET/EARN, Kermit file access is
handled by a file server called KERMSRV at CUVMA.  You can ask KERMSRV for
any file by name, as long as it is in one of the A through E areas.  Binary
files are not available on KERMSRV, but  test versions can be requested by
prefacing filenames with "T:", for example T:MSTIBM.BOO.

Each directory, a through e, contains a group of files whose names start
with "aa", for example aavers.hlp.  These are text files that list all the
Kermit versions, sorted in various ways: by computer, operating system,
language, area, release date, etc.

Within each directory, files for each version are grouped together by
filename.  Related files start with the same 2- or 3-letter prefix, for
example all the MS-DOS Kermit files start with "ms".  When there are many
files for a particular Kermit version, there is usually an "aaa" file for
that version, for example msaaaa.hlp or ckaaaa.hlp, that explains the file
naming conventions.

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

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