Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    try BAGELS::USER1$:[BRANNON.UNPACK]KERMIT.DOC
    
    lots of info about the various KERMIT implementations, not too sure
    how much user guide info in there.
    
    -dave

    we have some kind of help library entry...if interested, let me
    know, and I'll try to extract it...
    scott.
    

   1.)  I tried to get a copy of the Kermit documentation from BAGELS
        but I got the message "file not found".  Does anybody know anywhere
        else where I can pick it up?
   2.)  Not having a printer, I tried to upload VT200.DOC to my VAX account
    	using Smokey(0.6) and Kermit but got the message "protocol error".
     	Anybody know what I did wrong?  The steps I took were:
    		A.)  $ RUN KERMIT
		B.)  KERMIT32> SET FILE TYPE ASCII
    		C.)  KERMIT32> RECEIVE SMOKEY.TXT
    		D.)  On the Amiga, I waited until I got a n# symbol
    		E.)  I moused over to KERMIT RECEIVE and let the button
    		     go.
    		F.)  "protocol error" shows up on FILE XFER WINDOW,
    		     it never asked for the local file name either
    		G.)  Incidentally, it failed with the transfer type
    		     set to ASCII or BINARY

    re: .3
    
    Oh, I forgot to menttion that I used all the default parameters
    on Smokey (0.6) when my file upload failed>

    If you had the VAX set to RECEIVE, then Smokey should have been
    sent to TRANSMIT, not RECEIVE.
    
    

    	
    	A copy of the Kermit User's Guide can be found in 
    PUERTO::disk$public:[alvarez.public]kermit.doc.
    
    	About kermit protocol errors: I get them once in a while
    when transfering large files (100Kbytes +), usually trying again
    the next day will work fine.
    
    Miguel A. Alvarez 

    I had to move over to an alternate system and I need the newest
    versions of KERMIT and XMODEM.  Anybody know where the most recent
    working versions are so I can move them over?

I don't know if it's the latest, but I have XMODEM on WJG::AMIGA:

John

    Kermit.exe and Xmodem.exe are available on PAULY"AMIGA"::
    

    What about Ultrix versions of kermit?  Or do I have to go to MIT?
    

    You can get a copy on penang::/usr/local/kermit
    
    Steph

    If you care, crltrx::/usr/local/bin/kermit has the latest version
    from Columbia.  I can supply sources if you want.
    
    	- Win
    

    Thanks.  I grabbed a Columbia version myself, since no one at UEG
    seems to know anything about kermit.  The version listed in .11
    on penang:: is some strage duck.  Typing 'kermit' alone produced
    an error message instead of going into command mode.

    It's an old version which I find quite useful for uploading and
    downloading from a PC...  ``kermit r'' to receive (or ``kermit ri''
    to receive in image mode) and ``kermit s filename'' to send.
    
    Steph
    

    Hi All:
    
    I'm using Handshake 1.6, which gives me a choice of 7-bit or 8-bit
    binary Kermit transfers.  Which should I use for VMS Kermit?  I
    tried downloading Handshake210, and de-ARCing it caused Amy to crash
    big-time.
    
    Tim                    

    re .-1
    
    Kermit likes to transfer files that are in fixed length or variable
    length formats. Xmodem likes to transfer files in STREAM_LF format.
    Kermit will transfer stream_lf but then when you de_ARC the file
    it GURUs the machine. HANDSHAKE210.ARC is on the net in STREAM_LF
    format. To download it either use xmodem (from vms XMODEM -is filename
    and then xmodem receive on the amiga) or use CVTARC to convert the
    file and then use kermit again.
    
    	CVTARC {uv} <from file> [<to file>]
    		u = convert to stream_lf
    		v = convert to fixed length

    you can do a dir/full to see what format the file is in on VMS.
    
    tom

    AAARRRGGGHHHH!!
    
    Yes, it all comes flooding back now, the reason I gave up downloading
    stuff from the EasyNet.  Guess I'll have to poke around for a copy
    of CVTARC......Thanks.
    
    Tim Hicks

    
    And since I just went through this last night...
    
    CVTARC is really touchy. For me to get it to work I had to specify
    both an input and output file and THE OUTPUT FILE COULDN'T ALREADY
    EXIST! Took me several hours of fiddling to finially get it to work!
    
    Ray
    

    kermit loves stream-lf, you just have to tell it to do that with
    a SET FILE TYPE BLOCK before starting the transfer.
    
    -dave

    Many hours of fiddling, with the following results:
    
    CVTARC crashes with obscure (to me) error messages (references to
    illegal access, stacks, registers and such)
    
    XMODEM hangs after sending the first block; completely unrecoverable.
    
    Kermit still won't send stream_lf files (we knew that already)
    
    I remember  going through this same nonsense with xmodem before.
    No matter what I try, XMODEM NEVER gets a file across without it
    being corrupted.  I am connected via 1200bps modem to Tymnet, to
    TSN, to a X.25 server on the LAN in Waltham, to VAXcluster NEMAIL.
    There are just too many things in between here and there.  Kermit
    works OK, albeit glaciers move faster.
    
    I haven't the foggiest idea why cvtarc won't work.  Any ideas??    
    BTW I copied it from LEDS3::USER6:[ACCIARDI.AMIGA] (thanks, Ed).
    
    Tim (who really ought to go to bed now) Hicks

    Didn't see note .19......We'll give it a try...

    re .19
    
    I didn't know about the block setting. I'll have to try that.
    
    re .20
    
    If you "run CVTARC" you get the access violations. you have to make
    it a symbol.
    
    	$ cvtarc == "$ disk:[directory]cvtarc"
    
    Now you can say cvtarc by itself at the dcl prompt. If you say cvtarc
    without any arguments you still get the access violation but we're
    getting there.
    
    	$ cvtarc u
    
    should prompt you with correct usage and
    
    	$ cvtarc u infile outfile
    
    should work.
    
    tom

    I'll try the cvtarc again, though I think I did try it (after doing
    the symbol stuff) with the parameters layed out correctly.
    
    I tried Kermit again with two arc'ed files, oned fixed length, one
    variable, SET FILE TYPE BINARY, should work OK.  No go.  They ARC
    T'ed with a CRC error on EVERY FILE!
    
    Getting to the end of options.
    
    Tim (WXMODEM on PLINK sure is nice!) Hicks

    re:.23
    
    have you tried the SET FILE TYPE BLOCK with Stream_lf arc files?
    I gave up on using BINARY and TEXT, I just use cvtarc to make
    everything a stream file before downloading.  VMS ARC was the
    thing that got me started doing that, since it creates a Stream_lf
    ARC file.
    
    -dave

	I did a number of experiments with CVTARC, XMODEM, Kermit, 
    and ARCVMS(VAX?). Files appeared to ARC to be corrupt on BOTH ends.
    ARC didn't like CVTARCed files at all.  I'm sorry, I just don't
    have the patience to try ALL the possible permutations and combinations
    of file schlepping.  I've given up.
    
    Has any programmer-type person out there ever attempted to develop
    a more reliable VMS version of these tools, one that is more forgiving
    of file types and data link layers?  I've never had a problem
    downloading from a BBS or the like, it always seems to be the VAX
    end that suplies the frustration.
    
    Tim (late-night file schlepper) Hicks
    

    Better file handling is an ongoing gripe -- see the notesfile
    HUMAN::KERMIT for more.  The problem boils down to the difference
    between UNIX-type files (stream) and VMS-type files (record-oriented).
    VMS C has _two_ sets of file routines, and many programmers porting
    stuff from elsewhere don't use the VMS-flavor calls.
    
    Yes, some people have volunteered to improve the tools, but since
    they are unsupported, they also tend not to be worked on for long
    periods of time.
    
    Wes

    Does anyone in REO (DECpark, Reading, UK) have a copy of Kermit
    I can borrow ?
    
    -Dave

    Dave, if you send me a disk. I'll put the VT200 emulator on it,
    which comes with KERMIT.
    
    my mail stop is
    
    Martin Ellis
    IS
    NLC