The Kermit Script Library

(New York City) The popular Kermit programs have (mostly) mutually compatible command languages for making connections and transferring and managing files: C-Kermit, MS-DOS Kermit, Kermit 95, IBM Mainframe Kermit, and so on. But the command language of C-Kermit for UNIX, VMS, VOS, AOS/VS, Plan 9, and other platforms; Kermit 95 for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP; and MS-DOS Kermit for Windows 3.x and DOS includes something extra: script programming, in which variables, conditional branching, loops, macros, functions, etc, with special features for programmed input/output across the communication connection, are all integrated into the command language itself, allowing for automation of any task you can do by hand.

The script language of C-Kermit and K95 is virtually identical for any pair of concurrent releases of the two programs, except that K95 has a lot of commands and features (mostly related to terminal emulation) that C-Kermit does not, and of course the details of device and filename syntax differ (as, in fact, they do between UNIX, Windows, VMS, VOS, AOS/VS, and other platforms where C-Kermit and K95 run). Aside from these differences, compatibility is assured by the fact that C-Kermit and k95 have the same command processor.

The script language of MS-DOS Kermit 3.15 and later (which has an entirely separate code base from C-Kermit and K95) is a large subset of that of C-Kermit and K95, including FOR, WHILE, SWITCH, etc, as well as arrays, functions, built-in variables, and so on. It is greatly advanced over MS-DOS Kermit 3.14 and earlier.

A library of sample scripts is available for each of these programs through the links below. Most of these scripts are oriented more towards recent releases of Kermit than towards earlier ones.

User submissions are welcome. Send them to:

[email protected]

indicating clearly which Kermit program and version are required. Include comments explaining what the script does, what features it illustrates, hints for adapting it to other situations, etc.


Libraries

Links:


Kermit Script Library / Columbia University / 12 Jul 2001