Date : Thu, 24 Nov 1988 20:20:00 MST
From : Keith Petersen <W8SDZ@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: SIMTEL20 archive blurb
[In response to several requests here is the latest SIMTEL20 archive blurb]
THE SIMTEL20 ARCHIVES
OVERVIEW
There is a collossal amount of free public domain software for the
CP/M, PCDOS/MSDOS and UNIX operating systems, and for the DoD standard
programming language, Ada, in several archives on WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL,
a DECsystem-20 running the TOPS-20 operating system at White Sands
Missile Range. Archives of correspondence for several newsgroups,
including INFO-CPM, are also available.
You can obtain these files using the InterNet file transfer protocol,
FTP (described in a following paragraph), with user-name "anonymous".
For a login password, use your host-name or any other string of
printing characters. Throughout this message, FTP examples are given
in a GENERIC syntax. You will have to consult either local
documentation or your friendly system wizard to learn the actual
syntax used with your local mainframe operating system. For the sake
of brevity, the full host name "WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL" will be
dropped from further references to SIMTEL20 in this discussion.
To obtain directory listings, connect to SIMTEL20 via FTP and do this:
get pd2:<cpm>cpm.crclst
get pd2:<cpmug>cpmug.crclst
get pd2:<sigm>sigm.crclst
get pd1:<msdos>msdos.crclst
get pd1:<pc-blue>pc-blue.crclst
get pd1:<misc>misc.crclst
get pd2:<unix-c>unix-c.crclst
get pd2:<ada>ada.crclst
The <CPM> and <MSDOS> archives are the ones to watch for the very
latest CP/M and MSDOS offerings, as they are updated frequently. The
<CPMUG>, <SIGM> and <PC-BLUE> archives contain software distributed by
the CP/M Users Group, the SIG/M Users Group and the PC-Blue Users
Group respectively. This software is available on diskettes from the
associated users groups, and the archives are updated as new volumes
are issued. The <PC-BLUE> archive contains software for the IBM-PC
and similar machines. Some runs under CP/M, and some under
PCDOS/MSDOS. The <MSDOS> archive also contains software for the MSDOS
and PCDOS operating systems; but this archive is locally managed, and
therefore is updated more frequently than the <PC-BLUE> archive. The
<UNIX-C> archive contains a variety of UNIX tools. Those which apply
specifically to CP/M are in the directory <UNIX-C.CPM>. The <ADA>
archive is growing rapidly. Information about this archive is in
directory PD2:<ADA.GENERAL>. In general, the archived software is
very good, having been worked-over and refined by many users. The
documentation and comments tend to be complete and informative. Files
in all of these archives can be obtained using the FTP procedures
described in this message.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the large number of files available, the archive
maintainers cannot possibly attempt to validate the proper operation of
the various programs. When a program bug is reported, immediate action
is taken to either correct the error or remove the offending program
from the archives. Still, users must understand that all archive
programs are offered AS IS, and the archive maintainers specifically
disclaim any liability should these programs malfunction or cause
damage, incidental or otherwise. When testing ANY new software, be
certain that all information stored on disk is backed-up before you
start, so that you can recover if files are damaged or erased. This is
particularly true if you have a hard disk, in which case malfunctions
can be spectacularly disasterous.
FILE TYPES
Files are stored in two formats: Text files such as those with names
that end with DOC, HEX, INF and ASM are sometimes stored as ASCII
files, but usually these files are stored in binary squeezed form.
Binary storage is also used for executable (COM) and library files.
Squeezed and library files are described below. All binary data are
stored as four 8-bit bytes per 36-bit SIMTEL20 word, with the low-order
four bits of each word filled with zeros. If such a file is
interpreted as a contiguous string, as will happen if a straight binary
transfer is made to a 16 or 32-bit UNIX machine, the four zero filler-
bits per 36-bit group will cause rather bizarre and frustrating
results. The methods for dealing with this situation, which differ
from machine to machine, are explained in a following paragraph.
Squeezed and crunched files have been compressed using programs
available in directory <CPM.SQUSQ> to obtain a significant size
reduction. Squeezed files can be identified by the letter Q in the
second letter of the extension field. For example, the file
PD2:<CPM.ASMUTL>RMACPAT.AQM is a squeezed file. It must be
transferred as a binary file, and then unsqueezed. The unsqueezing
can be done on a CP/M system using USQ-xx.COM (where "xx" is the
current version) from directory <CPM.SQUSQ>, or there are several
host-based unsqueezers in the <CPM> and <UNIX-C> archives (see for
example, directories <MISC.TOPS-20> and <UNIX-C.CPM>). Files with
the letter Z as the second letter of the extension field are crunched.
Uncrunch programs can be found in the same directories as the
unsqueezer programs.
CP/M library and archive files (those with names ending in LBR and ARK)
combine several regular CP/M files into a single BINARY file which
contains an internal directory of its contents. LBRs are created using
the CP/M library utility LU310.COM or some other compatible utility.
The complete packages for LU310 and a newer compatible program called
NULUxx (where "xx" is the version) can be found in directory
PD2:<CPM.ARC-LBR>. C-language source code for compatible UNIX
utilities for System V and Berkeley versions of UNIX are in directory
PD2:<UNIX-C.ARC-PROGS>.
For more information on ARC, ARK, LBR, squeezed and crunched files,
get PD2:<CPM>-FILES.DOC and/or PD1:<MSDOS>-FILES.DOC.
Although the type of storage used for a particular file can usually be
inferred from the file-name, this is not always true. It is a good
idea to check the appropriate "crclst" file to ascertain the storage
format used for each file of interest. Now, and for the foreseeable
future, storage formats for files in the <SIGM>, <CPMUG> and <PC-BLUE>
archives can be determined from their "generation numbers", as shown by
the FTP directory command. For example, the FTP command:
dir pd1:<pc-blue.vol001>
will yield results of the form:
-CATALOG.001.2
ABSTRACT.001.2
BW.ASM.2
BW.BAS.1
BW.EXE.1
COLOR.ASM.2
COLOR.BAS.1
COLOR.EXE.1
...and so on
All files with names ending in ".1" are stored in binary format, and
those with names ending in ".2" are stored in ASCII. This relationship
will continue to apply for files in the <SIGM>, <CPMUG> and <PC-BLUE>
archives until further notice.
WARNING: Because the public domain archives on SIMTEL20 consume a huge
amount of disk space, storage capacity will be conserved by the
greatest practical use of libraries, archives, crunched and squeezed
files, all of which are stored in binary format. If you cannot
properly transfer binary files, you are going to be VERY FRUSTRATED!
If you need help, please contact your local system wizard and provide
him/her with a copy of this message. Having done that, if you are
still unable to make things work correctly, send a message to
INFO-CPM-REQUEST@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL and I will try to help you.
Please provide the following information:
1. Machine and operating system (e.g., VAX-11/780, 4.2 BSD UNIX)
2. Network software in use (e.g., 3-Com UNET)
3. Complete list of available FTP commands (e.g., GET, PUT, etc.)
Important files in the <CPMUG> and <PC-BLUE> archives are the
CATALOG files. These files, which are stored in ASCII, contain the
"-CATALOG.nnn" files from all the volumes of their respective archives.
To obtain these composite catalog files, connect to SIMTEL20 via FTP
and do this:
get pd2:<cpmug>cpmug.cat
get pd1:<pc-blue.vol000>pcblue.cat
Similar files exist for the <SIGM> archive, but they are stored in
squeezed form. These files, when unsqueezed, yields SIG0.CAT and
SIG1.CAT (the catalog). They can be obtained using the FTP command:
get pd2:<sigm.vol000>sig0.cqt
get pd2:<sigm.vol000>sig1.cqt
(NOTE: That's "L-and-three-zeros" in "vol000")
FILE TRANSFER VIA FTP
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, a formalized procedure for
moving files among machines on the Defense Data Network (DDN) and other
networks that connect with the DDN. The protocol is implemented by a
program often called FTP. The different mainframe operating systems
implement FTP with variations in command syntax. Some systems have the
remote-file-name precede the local-file-name in the command. Others
reverse this order. Some versions have the whole command on a single
input line, while others use multiple lines. Read the documentation
for your local system, or consult a friendly system wizard for the
details of your local FTP command syntax.
UNIX users can do something like "man ftp" for on-line instructions.
However, not all UNIX FTP programs are called "ftp", so you may have
to snoop around in the system directories or ask a system wizard for
the correct local name to use with the "man" command. ITS users can
do ":INFO FTP", and "HELP FTP" works on TOPS-20 and some other
operating systems. I will be happy to update this message with
pointers to other sources of on-line documentation if they are sent
to INFO-CPM-REQUEST@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL.
FTP transfers from SIMTEL20 can be made with user-name "anonymous".
Use GUEST for the password. For anonymous logins, SIMTEL20 supports
the FTP "change working directory" command. (Your local syntax may
be something like CD, or CWD). Ignore the message which may appear
that prompts you to enter a password. This command allows you to
specify a default SIMTEL20 directory to be used for all file
retrievals, and thereby relieves you from having to repeatedly type
"pdx:<whatever>" as part of each filename. For example, you can do
something like this:
cd pd2:<cpm.goodstuff>
get filename-1
get filename-2
...and so on
instead of using the longer filename forms shown in previous examples.
Users of TOPS-10, TENEX, TOPS-20 or ITS systems can use "image" or
"paged" mode for ALL transfers. UNIX users must use "ascii" mode for
ASCII files, and "type tenex" or "type L 8" mode for binary files.
MULTICS users can use "ascii" mode for ASCII files, but binary files
require special treatment that is best described by the following
example provided by Paul Schauble <Schauble@mit-multics.arpa>:
!ftp simtel20
220 WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL FTP Server Process 5Z(14)-7 at [date/time]
user_ftp: !login anonymous
331 ANONYMOUS user ok, send real ident as password.
Password: !guest
user_ftp: !quote "type l 8" <--(NOTE: That's lowercase "L" 8.)
200 Type L bytesize 8 ok.
user_ftp: !get micro:<cpm.zcpr3>alias.hlp alias.hlp
150 Retrieve of MICRO:<CPM.ZCPR3>ALIAS.HLP.1 started.
226 Transfer completed.
Total elapsed time: 35.7 seconds.
4348 bytes transferred in 18.5 seconds (1850 bits/sec).
user_ftp: !quit
221 QUIT command received. Goodbye.
Lines beginning with "!" are typed by the terminal user. The received
files are stored on MULTICS with one 8-bit byte per 9-bit word, and can
be transferred to a microcomputer with Kermit (described in a
following paragraph).
All aspects of the FTP process for UNIX machines have been automated
to a high degree by a program in directory PD2:<UNIX-C.CPM>. With this
program, a simple command like "mb modm700.com" can connect to
SIMTEL20 and transfer the binary file "modm700.com" from directory
PD2:<CPM.MODEM7> to a local file also named "modm700.com", all with no
user intervention. Batch command files containing multiple lines of
the form in the above example can be run in no-hangup background mode
to transfer whole directories without the user even remaining
logged-in on his local system. For more information, get the file
PD2:<UNIX-C.CPM>AUTOFTP-DOC.TXT.
PROGRAMS FOR TRANSFERRING FILES AMONG MAINFRAMES AND MICROS
Christensen Protocol Mainframe Programs:
For a micro to reliably exchange files with a mainframe, cooperating
file transfer programs with automatic error detection and
retransmission of faulty blocks must be running on both computers. One
such family of programs uses a popular protocol created by Ward
Christensen and enhanced by others. Directory PD2:<UNIX-C.XYZMODEM>
contains several programs, XMODEM, UC and the older UMODEM (all
written in C), which implement this protocol on UNIX machines. See
the file PD2:<UNIX-C>UNIX-C.CRCLST for a list of other useful UNIX
utilities.
On ITS machines, file transfer using the Christensen protocol can be
done using MMODEM (type :MMODEM for instructions), or LMODEM.
Documentation for LMODEM is in file .INFO.;LMODEM HELP. Other useful
ITS utilities include:
TYPE8 - types an ASCII file stored in ITS binary format.
TYPESQ - types an ITS binary format "squeezed" file (see the first
paragraph under FILE TYPES).
USQ - creates an unsqueezed version of a squeezed file.
HEXIFY - creates an Intel hex format file from an ITS binary format
COM file.
COMIFY - creates a COM file from an Intel hex file.
CRC - computes the Cyclic Redundancy Check value for a file, using
the same algorithm that is used by the CP/M program CRCK.
Brief instructions for any of these utilities except LMODEM can be
obtained by typing ":utility_name" (for example, :CRC).
The ITS utilities listed above are also available for use with TOPS-20,
but since ITS binary format is no longer being used for the SIMTEL20
archives, these utilities have been converted to work with TOPS-20
binary formats. A collection of TOPS-20 utilities for transferring and
manipulating files can be found in directory PD1:<MISC.TOPS-20>. See
PD1:<MISC>MISC.CRCLST for a list of available programs.
File transfer and conversion utilities for use with VAX/VMS machines
are contained in directory PD1:<MISC.VAXVMS>. See MISC.CRCLST for
details.
Christensen Protocol Microcomputer Programs:
An excellent program for transferring files between micros, or between
micros and mainframes is called MODM700. This program, often referred
to as MODEM7 (the name of its easier to pronounce ancestor), uses the
popular Christensen protocol to transfer files with automatic error
detection and retransmission of erroneous blocks.
To get started with MODM700, you should first FTP and examine the "DOC"
and "MSG" files from the binary library file PD2:<CPM.MODEM7>MODM700.LBR.
The "DOC" and "MSG" files are actually stored in the library in
squeezed form, so you will have to perform three steps to get them:
1. FTP the binary library file.
2. Extract the elements having filename extensions of "DQC" and
"MQG". If you have no facilities for doing this on your
mainframe host (see the earlier comments on mainframe-based
library utilities), then you will have to transfer the library
to a microcomputer and extract the necessary elements there.
If this requirement seems to put you in a "Catch-22" situation
because you have no facilities for mainframe-to-microcomputer
transfers, there is a way out; read the "Getting Started"
section which follows.
3. Use an "unsqueezer" (described above) to convert the "DQC" and
"MQG" files extracted from the library into "DOC" and "MSG"
files. As in the case of the library extractions, unsqueezing
can be done on either a mainfrome host or a microcomputer,
depending on your circumstances.
Together, these files will tell you just about all there is to know
about getting MODM700 to run on your machine. Take the time to read
them; they're quite informative. You will also get some helpful
insights from reading some of the overlay files. These overlays,
described in file PD2:<CPM.MODEM7>M7OVL-yy.LST, are used to customize
MODM700 for particular machines without having to edit and assemble
the huge MODM700 source file. Complete instructions for performing
this procedure are contained in each overlay file. The letters "yy"
in the above filename should be replaced with two digits giving the
current version number as determined from CPM.CRCLST.
And then, there is MEX. MEX stands for "modem executive", and it is
just what the name implies, a communications and file-transfer
program with a built-in mini operating system that runs under CP/M.
This program can do file transfers using either the Christensen or
Compuserve protocol, and it has an enormous potential for highly
automated operations because it can read and execute command-scripts
pre-stored in disk files. These scripts can include sending
commands to a remote computer, as if they had been sent manually
from the microcomputer in terminal-mode. Users of this relatively
new program are still exploring its possibilities. For more
information, look in CPM.CRCLST under the heading "PD2:<CPM.MEX>",
and then get the various files that have "DQC" and "IQF" in their
names. These DOCumentation and INFormation files are stored in
squeezed form (note the "Q" in the filename extensions), so you will
have to unsqueeze them. Overlays for MODM700 will also work with
MEX, but they will not provide all of the extended MEX features.
Kermit:
Another excellent program for transferring files is called KERMIT. This
program has the advantage of being available for an impressively large
number of mainframes and micros. It is, for example, available for the
IBM-PC, and it DOES NOT require CP/M.
To get started with KERMIT, connect to CUNIXC.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU using
FTP, and do this:
login anonymous
user guest (or answer guest if it asks for a password)
cd ker
get readme.doc
Note that this file is NOT on SIMTEL20, and the name is subject to
change. If you cannot find a file with this name, snoop around in the
first half-dozen or so files in the alphabetical listing obtainable
using the FTP directory command:
dir
You should find something useful.
Questions can be addressed to INFO-KERMIT-REQUEST@CUNIXC.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU.
Getting Started:
In order to get MODM700, MEX or KERMIT running on your micro, you must
first transfer the necessary files from mainframe to micro. If you
already have a receive-to-disk communications program of some sort, you
can use it to move the needed files. In the long-run it is essential
to be able to transfer 8-bit binary files, but initially it is not
absolutely necessary. Some of the files are quite large. For example,
MODM700.COM is over 18K bytes, and the HEX file (which you will need if
you can't transfer 8-bit files) is over 45K. Moving large files to
your micro without using an error detecting protocol can result in
frustrating errors, but it can be done by receiving multiple copies and
using manual or machine-assisted comparisons to locate and repair bad
parts of the code. However, there IS a better way.
Directory PD2:<CPM.STARTER-KIT> contains a short starter-program called
PIPMODEM.ASM that can be FTPed to your mainframe, printed, and then
entered into your microcomputer by hand and assembled. This can then
be used to down-load either MBOOT3.ASM or BMODEM.BAS (depending on
whether you prefer assembly language or BASIC), both of which can
receive files using the error detecting Christensen protocol. Once you
have this capability, you can download the full-function file transfer
program of your choice. To examine this option, connect to SIMTEL20
via FTP and do this:
get pd2:<cpm.starter-kit>pipmodem.asm
get pd2:<cpm.starter-kit>pipmodem.doc
get pd2:<cpm.starter-kit>mboot3.asm
get pd2:<cpm.starter-kit>bmodem.bas
get pd2:<cpm.starter-kit>bmodem.doc
All are ASCII files. Read PIPMODEM.DOC first, then look at MBOOT3.ASM
and BMODEM.DOC. PIPMODEM.DOC explains the situation very nicely.
Questions concerning these programs should be sent to
INFO-CPM@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (NOT to INFO-CPM-REQUEST).
NEWSGROUP CORRESPONDENCE ARCHIVES
Copies of correspondence for several newsgroups are kept on SIMTEL20
in directories with names of the form PD2:<ARCHIVES.KEYWORD>, where
"KEYWORD" has been chosen to indicate the associated newsgroup. At
present, the following correspondence archives are available:
newsgroup mail archive filename
--------------- ---------------------
ADA-SW PD2:<ARCHIVES.ADA-SW>
AMETHYST-USERS PD2:<ARCHIVES.AMETHYST>
INFO-68K PD2:<ARCHIVES.68K>
INFO-APPLE PD2:<ARCHIVES.APPLE>
INFO-CPM PD2:<ARCHIVES.CPM>
INFO-FORTH PD2:<ARCHIVES.FORTH>
INFO-HAMS PD2:<ARCHIVES.HAMS>
INFO-MICRO PD2:<ARCHIVES.MICRO>
INFO-XMODEM PD2:<ARCHIVES.XMODEM>
INFO-MODEMXX PD2:<ARCHIVES.MODEMXX>
INFO-MODULA-2 PD2:<ARCHIVES.MODULA-2>
NORTHSTAR-USERS PD2:<ARCHIVES.NORTHSTAR>
PACKET-RADIO PD2:<ARCHIVES.PACKET>
INFO-PASCAL PD2:<ARCHIVES.PASCAL>
UNIX-SW PD2:<ARCHIVES.UNIX-SW>
INFO-XENIX310 PD2:<ARCHIVES.XENIX310>
Descriptions of these and other newsgroups can be obtained via FTP with
anonymous login (as for SIMTEL20) from the Network Information Center's
host SRI-NIC.ARPA. Ask for the file PS:<NETINFO>INTEREST-GROUPS.TXT
(an ASCII file). And please note, this is NOT on SIMTEL20.
File names for SIMTEL20 newsgroup correspondence archives have two
forms. For example, PD2:<ARCHIVES.CPM>CPM.ARCHIV.ymmdd is a group of
files containing INFO-CPM correspondence going back several years. The
characters "ymmdd" in the file names are actually digits giving the
year, month and day of the last message in each particular file. Current
correspondence is kept in the file PD2:<ARCHIVES.CPM>CPM-ARCHIV.TXT, which
is constantly changing. Although INFO-CPM has been used as an example
here, the same naming scheme is used for the other newsgroup files as
well. For a complete list of available files, connect to SIMTEL20 via
FTP and do this:
dir PD2:<ARchives>
You will receive a list of names of the form:
KEYWORD.DIRECTORY.n
where "n" is one or more digits. For example, the INFO-CPM listing
currently appears as "CPM.DIRECTORY.1" To then get a list of files in
a particular archive, do this:
dir PD2:<ARchives.keyword>
where "keyword" (for example, "cpm") is chosen from the preceding list,
and the word "directory" and the number "n" are not used. At present,
all of these files are stored in ASCII.
ADDITIONS, IMPROVEMENTS AND CORRECTIONS
Suggestions for additions, improvements and corrections to this
message are always welcome. Please send them to
INFO-CPM-REQUEST@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL.
Contributions of public domain software are actively solicited. If
you have something that seems appropriate for inclusion in the <CPM>,
<MSDOS> or <MISC> archives, please contact Keith Petersen
<W8SDZ@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>. Likewise, contact Richard Conn
<ADA-SW-REQUEST@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL> if you wish to contribute to
the <ADA> archive, and Dave Curry
<UNIX-SW-REQUEST@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL> if you have something for the
<UNIX-C> archive.
Happy computing!
Keith Petersen
W8SDZ@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL
End of INFO-CPM Digest
******************************