Very Computer

Does anyone know how to get minicom to talk over a serial line directly
for simple file transfer?  It doesn't seem to know anything about this,
and wants all kinds of modem commands (setting them all blank doesn't seem
to help in itself).  I know that it is possible, because I've read before
of people using it for this purpose sucessfully.

I would use kermit, but I need to transfer the files to/from windows
machines, for which DOS C-kermit doesn't often work, g-kermit doesn't seem
to have a port for yet, and the windows c-kermit is $too much: it seems to
be a choice between this and direct fiddling about with the serial port,
which I *don't* fancy.

Thanks for any help

John

Quote:

>Does anyone know how to get minicom to talk over a serial line directly
>for simple file transfer?  It doesn't seem to know anything about this,
>and wants all kinds of modem commands (setting them all blank doesn't seem
>to help in itself).  I know that it is possible, because I've read before
>of people using it for this purpose sucessfully.

>I would use kermit, but I need to transfer the files to/from windows
>machines, for which DOS C-kermit doesn't often work, g-kermit doesn't seem
>to have a port for yet, and the windows c-kermit is $too much: it seems to
>be a choice between this and direct fiddling about with the serial port,
>which I *don't* fancy.

It works the same way if using HyperTerminal in Windows to connect to a
Linux (or other Unix) box.  However, you cannot connect minicom to a Win
box unless it is running some sort of BBS host program (there used to be
an old DOS shareware Procomm that would do that).

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Quote:> Does anyone know how to get minicom to talk over a serial line directly
> for simple file transfer?  It doesn't seem to know anything about this,

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John P.Lee

in hyperterm: Alt-t then 's' for a send protocol menu.
                      Alt-t then 'r' for a receive protocol menu

BTW the -o switch will also make minicom bypass the check for a lock file on
the serial port so be carefull to not open two minicoms at once

hope this helps
bluster

Quote:

> Does anyone know how to get minicom to talk over a serial line directly
> for simple file transfer?  It doesn't seem to know anything about this,
> and wants all kinds of modem commands (setting them all blank doesn't seem
> to help in itself).  I know that it is possible, because I've read before
> of people using it for this purpose sucessfully.

> I would use kermit, but I need to transfer the files to/from windows
> machines, for which DOS C-kermit doesn't often work, g-kermit doesn't seem
> to have a port for yet, and the windows c-kermit is $too much: it seems to
> be a choice between this and direct fiddling about with the serial port,
> which I *don't* fancy.

> Thanks for any help

> John

  http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/msk95.html

: ... g-kermit doesn't seem to have a port for yet...
:
And if it did, it wouldn't help you -- it's not a communications program,
it's the far end for Kermit transfers over an existing connection (similar
to rz/sz on Unix).  This makes sense in Unix, but not in Windows.  You can't
log in remotely to a Windows shell and run arbitrary programs.

: ... and the windows c-kermit is $too much: it seems to
: be a choice between this and direct fiddling about with the serial port,
: which I *don't* fancy.
:
So your time is worth something?

As others have pointed out, you can use some combination of minicom and rz/sz
on Linux and Hyperterminal on Windows, but this assumes the two PCs are in
the same room and you can control both of them from their keyboards.  This
is apparently your situation.

Others who might want to do the same thing, but at a distance, using modems
(or Telnet), might be interested to know that Kermit 95 for Windows includes
a "host mode" that receives incoming serial (direct or dialed) or Telnet
connections, requires the caller to login, and then presents a menu offering
various choices, including uploads and downloads.  More info:

  http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/k95.html      Kermit 95 for Windows
  http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/k95host.html  Kermit 95 host mode
  http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/ckermit.html  C-Kermit for Linux

- Frank

Quote:> : ... g-kermit doesn't seem to have a port for yet...
> :
> And if it did, it wouldn't help you -- it's not a communications program,
> it's the far end for Kermit transfers over an existing connection (similar
> to rz/sz on Unix).  This makes sense in Unix, but not in Windows.  You can't
> log in remotely to a Windows shell and run arbitrary programs.

You say it's the 'far end.'  From the gkermit man page:

        -r      RECEIVE.  Wait for incoming files.
        -s fn   SEND.  Send file(s) specified by fn.

Ie. both the 'far' and 'near' ends?  I presume I'm misunderstanding what
you mean by 'far end.'

Quote:> : ... and the windows c-kermit is $too much: it seems to
> : be a choice between this and direct fiddling about with the serial port,
> : which I *don't* fancy.
> :
> So your time is worth something?

Quote:> As others have pointed out, you can use some combination of minicom and rz/sz
> on Linux and Hyperterminal on Windows, but this assumes the two PCs are in
> the same room and you can control both of them from their keyboards.  This
> is apparently your situation.

Yes.

[snipped stuff about other situations]

Thanks

John

Quote:> Start minicom with the -o switch eg :
> minicom -o
> This tells minicom not to init the modem (which isn't there) since you'r
> using the nul-modem cable (direct serial connection)
> Start the term on the windows box (HyperTerm or equiv).
> Once you have the minicom and hyperterm screens up typing on one kbd should
> show up on the other screen (if everything's working).

Quote:> If this works then you'r ready to use the file transfer commands in the term
> prog's
> eg:
> in miniterm[sic]: Alt-z then 's' for a send protocol menu.
>                     Alt-z then 'r' for a receive protocol menu

> in hyperterm: Alt-t then 's' for a send protocol menu.
>                       Alt-t then 'r' for a receive protocol menu

Hyperterminal works in both directions (win 95 <-> win 98).  Linux <-> win
98 doesn't.  Any thoughts?

Thanks for any help

John

: You say it's the 'far end.'  From the gkermit man page:
:
:       -r      RECEIVE.  Wait for incoming files.
:       -s fn   SEND.  Send file(s) specified by fn.
:
: Ie. both the 'far' and 'near' ends?  I presume I'm misunderstanding what
: you mean by 'far end.'
:
No, "send and receive" and "far and near end" are orthogonal concepts.  E.g.,
you can send from the far end to the near end (download) or from the near
end to the far end (upload); conversely for receive/get.

G-Kermit works only on the far end.  So even if you had G-Kermit on Windows,
how would you get to it if you were coming in from Linux?

- Frank