Mackermit Information:

This is an "alpha" release of the program.  Much of the code is sloppy
and buggy, but I believe that all the program's funadmentals work 
adequately.  This program is cheifly an adaptation of Columbia's Unix
kermit.  The kermit file transfer system is a communication between two 
running programs, one on each computer.  This document is minimal 
information concerning the operation of the Macs end of the program.  
Please see your systems manual pages for kermits operation there.


Any questions or comments can be mailed over the networks to 
engel@harvard.

Kermit is a file transfer program, and has four main modes, which can
be selected by clicking the appropriate item on the mode menu.  

Controls:

This mode allows the user to change the  type of communication to
adequately interface with the other computer.  Selecting this option
and pressing the appropriate buttons on the screen  changes the baud
rate, the number of bits passed, the number  of stop bits, and the type
of parity, if any.


Connect:

Connect mode allows kermit to behave as a dumb terminal.   Control 
characters can be sent using the clover leaf key.  
The enter key sends a break across.  The terminal is 
hardwired for 9600 baud eight bit, one stop bit connection.    Clicking the 
mouse button exits this mode, and breaks communication.  Occasional
characters may be lost.

Transmit:

In this mode the Mackermit sends a file  to the other machine.  After
sending some initial data, it will prompt the suer for a filename.  At
this time the file entered must be on the disk in the internal drive.
The filename must also be compatible with the receiving machine.  
All filenames are translated to lower case, and any spaces are removed.
Once communicating Mackermit prints out a few status messages during 
transmission.






                                                        2



Receive:

Mackermit receives files sent over by other kermits.  They can be of any
name with the exception of names already used on the Mac's 
current disk.

Protocol:

     To send (upload) files:

     Run Mackermit.  Select connect mode, and login to the appropriate
     machine.  Note that this machine must have a working kermit.
     Type to the shell, "kermit r  <cr> ".  Hit the mouse button to exit
     connect mode.  Select the appropriate option. (see below)  Select
     transmit mode.  A prompt for filename will appear.  Enter the
     appropriate one.  Mackermit will report either success or failure.

To receive (download) files:

      Do the same as above until typeing kermit r to the shell.  Instead
      type "kermit s filname <cr> ", where filname can be any readable
      file.  Disconnect by hitting the mouse button, select the appropriate 
     option, and finally select receive mode.  Again mackermit will
     report either success or failure.


Options:

The options menu concerns how kermit handles carriage returns in  files.
The macwrite mode allows kermit to handle those type files nicely,
by mapping CRs to NLs on sending, and doing the reverse upon receiving
a file.  The image mode is a holdover from the Columbia version.  If it
is turned off, NL is mapped to CRLF on output, and CRs are ignored on
input.  If it is selected, NLs and CRs are left alone.   Selecting image
also allows eight data bits to be sent or received. Note that macwrite
may be selected along with an image option, but that its operations are 
executed first.  The third mode, executable, allows the
transfer of executable Macintosh code .  If selected, it places the data
passed over into the resource fork of an "application" file.  If the code
passed over was valid Macintosh machine code and resource data, the
file can be successfully run on the mac.   The code must be sent
over by the non-mac kermit as eight bit data, however.  This is why selecting
executable always also selects image.


Additional features (Kermit 1.1):

	The terminal mode now accepts many escape sequence, and feebly emulates
	a VT100

	Debug option may now be selected.  This causes information about
	all packets sent and received to be displayed.  Each packet
	is displayed until the mouse button is pressed.

	Pressing a key during execution causes the last packet to be
	resent.  This is useful if, for example, a packet length comes
	across distorted, and Mackermit waits for characters that are not
	coming.

