Kermit?

General discussions related to the Altair 8800 Clone

Kermit?

Postby jibanes » February 21st, 2014, 1:22 am

Has anyone been able to compile kermit on the clone?

ftp://kermit.columbia.edu/kermit/a/cpkerm.txt

This is what I got:

B>mload kerm411=cpsker,cpvosb
MLOAD ver. 2.5 Copyright (C) 1983, 1984, 1985
by NightOwl Software, Inc.
Loaded 26185 bytes (6649H) to file B0:KERM411.COM
Start address: 0100H Ending address: 742BH Bias: 0000H
Saved image size: 29568 bytes (7380H, - 231 records)

B>kerm411
Kermit-80 v4.11 configured for Osborne 1


For help, type ? at any point in a command
Kermit-80 0B:>show
Autoreceive is off
Block check type: 1-character
Multi-sector buffering at 64 of a maximum of 64
File COLLISION: RENAME
Debugging off
Current default disk: B
Display file size on DIRECTORY command on
Escape char: Control-\
File Mode default
Flow control off
IBM flag off
Disposition for incomplete files is discard

* * * Press any key to continue * * *


Local echo off
Logging to B:KERMIT.LOG is off
Parity: none
Printer copy off
RECEIVE packet length 80
RECEIVE start-of-pkt char ^A
SEND packet length 80
SEND start-of-pkt char ^A
Current speed is: 300 bps
Current TACTrap Status/Intercept Character: off
Timer off
Current user number: 0
Terminal display is REGULAR
Terminal emulation is VT52
File warning on


I can produce other binaries for other systems, but none seem to be able to establish serial traffic, using the osbourne "mode", I can only switch at 300 and 1200, but when I go 1200, the clone freezes, as obviously there's got to be a system specific version for altair.

When I try the "dec vt180" version (cpvrob.hex), this is the output:

B>mload kerm411=cpsker,cpvrob
MLOAD ver. 2.5 Copyright (C) 1983, 1984, 1985
by NightOwl Software, Inc.
Loaded 26306 bytes (66C2H) to file B0:KERM411.COM
Start address: 0100H Ending address: 74A3H Bias: 0000H
Saved image size: 29696 bytes (7400H, - 232 records)

B>kerm411
Kermit-80 v4.11 configured for VT180 Robin

For help, type ? at any point in a command
Kermit-80 0B:>SHOW
Autoreceive is off
Block check type: 1-character
Multi-sector buffering at 64 of a maximum of 64
File COLLISION: RENAME
Debugging off
Current default disk: B
Display file size on DIRECTORY command on
Escape char: Control-\
File Mode default
Flow control off
IBM flag off
Disposition for incomplete files is discard

* * * Press any key to continue * * *


Local echo off
Logging to B:KERMIT.LOG is off
Parity: none
Port in use is: indeterminate (not SET)
Printer copy off
RECEIVE packet length 80
RECEIVE start-of-pkt char ^A
SEND packet length 80
SEND start-of-pkt char ^A
Current TACTrap Status/Intercept Character: off
Timer off
Current user number: 0
Terminal display is REGULAR
Terminal emulation is OFF
File warning on

Kermit-80 0B:>set port general

nothing seems to be coming out of the second serial port.
jibanes
 
Posts: 58
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 1:07 pm

Re: Kermit?

Postby jibanes » February 21st, 2014, 2:39 am

After further investigation, I found "cpvgen", the generic kermit implementation.

B>mload kerm411=cpsker,cpvgen
MLOAD ver. 2.5 Copyright (C) 1983, 1984, 1985
by NightOwl Software, Inc.
Loaded 26086 bytes (65E6H) to file B0:KERM411.COM
Start address: 0100H Ending address: 73C7H Bias: 0000H
Saved image size: 29440 bytes (7300H, - 230 records)

B>kerm411
Kermit-80 v4.11 configured for Generic CP/M-80 with Generic (Dumb) CRT Terminal type selected

Kermit-80 0B:>SET PORT ?
CRT device
PTR device
TTY device
UC1 device
UR1 device
UR2 device

Although I've tried all the different ports, I'm unable to send anything through the second serial port, Mike, do you know what could be wrong here?
jibanes
 
Posts: 58
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 1:07 pm

Re: Kermit?

Postby AltairClone » February 21st, 2014, 11:06 am

Now this sounds like a fun project!

I'd recommend creating the "System-Dependent Module" for the Altair.

The "Generic Kermit" version won't work because Altair CP/M does not implement the IOBYTE functions. The source code for the Altair CP/M BIOS is available on the Altair Clone website, so a second alternative would be to implement the IOBYTE in the Altair CP/M BIOS. However, this implementation will be slow compared to creating a system-dependent module for Kermit as all I/O has to go through CP/M. Max baud rate may be just 1200 baud or so.

Do you have a version of Kermit that runs under Windows or Linux with which you're testing?

Mike
AltairClone
Site Admin
 
Posts: 632
Joined: April 5th, 2013, 10:55 am

Re: Kermit?

Postby jibanes » February 21st, 2014, 12:33 pm

Mike,

Thank you for looking into this.

At this time, I'm using "C-Kermit 8.0.211, 10 Apr 2004, for Linux" on the remote host, my idea would obviously be to make this linux host a kermit file server (possibly a Pi inside the Altair, to be decided), as we all know that space is rather limited on the local altair storage. Kermit is sufficiently efficient, even 1200 is deemed good enough by my standards.

How much work would it be to implement IOBYTE?
jibanes
 
Posts: 58
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 1:07 pm

Re: Kermit?

Postby AltairClone » February 23rd, 2014, 10:51 am

I implemented the portions of IOBYTE functionality required by Kermit in the Altair CP/M BIOS and can now transfer files with Kermit. From what I can tell, it works at 9600 baud, though a fall back to 4800 baud may be necessary in some cases.

However, the "partial" implementation of the IOBYTE grated on my nerves, so I went ahead and implemented full IOBYTE support. The Altair CP/M BIOS now provides I/O to a number of standard Altair hardware devices including both ports on the 2SIO board, the older SIO board, the 88-ACR cassette interface and the 88-LPC line printer controller.

I will post a disk image with the updated Altair CP/M and Kermit in the CP/M folder on the support page soon. Eventually, I'll probably make this version of CP/M the default version on all the CP/M 2.2 disks and generated by MOVCPM.

Mike
AltairClone
Site Admin
 
Posts: 632
Joined: April 5th, 2013, 10:55 am

Re: Kermit?

Postby jibanes » February 23rd, 2014, 12:16 pm

Mike,

This is amazing, thanks a lot!
jibanes
 
Posts: 58
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 1:07 pm

Re: Kermit?

Postby jibanes » February 27th, 2014, 1:13 am

Hello Mike,

Did you release the new images yet?

cheers,
Jerome
jibanes
 
Posts: 58
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 1:07 pm

Re: Kermit?

Postby AltairClone » February 27th, 2014, 10:11 am

Yes, a Kermit disk image with the updated CP/M 2.2a that supports IOBYTE is in the "kermit" directory at http://altairclone.com/downloads/cpm/CPM%202.2/. Also at this location in the "programs" folder is the updated PCGET and PCPUT that can perform file transfer over the 2SIO port B.

Mike
AltairClone
Site Admin
 
Posts: 632
Joined: April 5th, 2013, 10:55 am

Re: Kermit?

Postby jibanes » February 27th, 2014, 11:03 pm

Thanks Mike,

I was surprised to see that Mbasic isn't on this image, but afterall, I think things are better this way, where the first disk is more 'system' oriented, leaving the second disk for 'languages'. Mbasic isn't my favorite language on the altair anyway, there are much better choices, such as mulisp and others, although I admit that Mbasic is still a relatively good basic, although, not my language of choice.

Nevertheless, I am delighted to see that you have completed the BYTEIO implementation, this opens the door to many, many things. Kermit is going to be of great use, not only as a virtual terminal, but also to exchange programs with other machines (such as notably, hp calculators). This is really great.

Thank you for the hard work, I'll be testing BYTEIO this weekend.
Jerome
jibanes
 
Posts: 58
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 1:07 pm

Re: Kermit?

Postby virtualaltair » March 1st, 2014, 10:52 pm

Great Work! I use Kermit to transfer files from a Vector Graphic CP/M machine to a Windows PC. Kermit is a great addition to the Altair platform because of the number of Kermit implementations. The reason I use Kermit is that XP HyperTerm supports Kermit batch transfer and XMODEM protocol implementations on PC may not support batch or wild card transfer. I ported HypeTerm to Windows 7 and will try Windows 8.

>I was surprised to see that Mbasic isn't on this image, but afterall, I think things are better this way, where the first disk is more 'system' oriented, leaving the second disk for 'languages'.

I agree about separate language disks. MBASIC4 and MBASIC5 and some tools I have may fill one diskette image. A MS BASIC Compiler may take another disk. MBASIC is my language of choice for the Altair for at least two reasons. The MBASIC4 dialect is almost identical to Altair BASIC. The same dialect can be compiled with the compiler /4 switch. BASIC can be ugly, but some bad reputation is due to bad programmers.

I love the Altair Clone. Mike has advanced Altair software technology and the work is portable to the original hardware.
virtualaltair
 
Posts: 30
Joined: June 20th, 2013, 11:47 pm
Location: New Mexico, USA

Next

Return to General Discussions

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests

cron