Software Product Description ________________________________________________________________ PRODUCT NAME: VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD 28.51.03 DESCRIPTION VAX Public Access Communications (VAXPAC) is a software product that provides the MicroVAX user with a mechanism for connecting the VMS Operating System to a remote system using asynchronous lines. A remote system may be any system that accepts and dis- plays data using an asynchronous interface compatible with RS- 232C, RS-422, or RS-423. The description that follows applies to MicroVAX II, MicroVAX 2000, and VAXstation 2000 systems running either the full MicroVMS Operating System or the VMS Operating System only. All the features of VAX Public Access Communications are avail- able using menus and forms. There is extensive online help to assist the user of VAX Public Access Communications. VAX Public Access Communications has the following features: Establishing a Connection o Connect using phone lines or direct connections to remote systems (for example, connections to public data sources such as CompuServe[R], NewsNet[R], The SOURCE[R], Dow- Jones News/Retrieval Service[R], WESTLAW[R], and Digital Village[R], and to private data sources). o Supports autodial, dial from keyboard or dial from handset for suitable modems. DIGITAL March 1991 AE-JT81D-TK VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD 28.51.03 o Allows two levels of predefined connections - standard con- nections (those available to all users of the system) and personal connections (allow individual users to define connections only that individual can use). Each connec- tion defines the phone number, the terminal port, and the characteristics for the line once a connection has been established. o As well as using predefined connections, a user can choose to make a manual connection. In this case, the user defines the connection immediately prior to establishing the connection. The user has the option of saving the connection in the list of predefined connections once satisfied with it. During the Connection o Terminal pass thru mode Allows the user to operate as if the user's terminal was directly connected to the remote system. While the user is operating in terminal pass thru mode, all characters displayed by the remote system are displayed on the user's terminal and all characters sent from the terminal are passed directly to the remote system apart from the designated LOCAL key. The LOCAL key is a user-defined key that switches context between pass thru mode and the local system. o Session logging Allows the user to selectively record all characters dis- played by the remote system. The user can enable/disable logging during a session, file the session logging data, print it on the system printer, or discard it. This feature can be used to capture a file from a remote system that has the facility to display a file. 2 VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD 28.51.03 o Send a text file Allows the user to upload a text file to a remote system as if it was keyed in from the user's keyboard. This feature can be used to transfer a file from the local system to any remote system that allows the creation of a file from keyboard input. It can also be used to upload a sequence of commands to the remote system, for example a simple login sequence. o File transfer Allows files to be transferred with the remote system using error checking. File transfer requires cooperating software to be installed on both the local system and the remote system. The software on the local system is referred to as the file transfer method. The software on the remote system is referred to as the file transfer server. Essentially, the file transfer server is passive, reacting to file transfer commands from the file transfer method operating on the local system. VAX Public Access Communications has built-in support for KERMIT[R] file transfer. Note: A version of KERMIT is contained in this product. Al- though KERMIT is free and available to anyone who requests it from Columbia University, Columbia does not warrant, in any way, the KERMIT software nor the accuracy of any related documentation; neither the authors of any KERMIT programs or documentation nor Columbia University nor any other con- tributing institutions acknowledge any liability resulting from program or documentation errors. In order to use KERMIT file transfer, the remote system must have a version of KERMIT installed that supports server mode. 3 VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD 28.51.03 Because of limitations in KERMIT, there are restrictions on the types of files that can be transferred. Text files can usually be expected to transfer successfully. There is also provision for transferring VMS executable images and sequential files with variable length records. Currently, there is no provision for transferring indexed files or relative files. VAX Public Access Communications provides an interface that allows other file transfer software to be invoked instead of KERMIT. This is explained in the Maintenance Features section of this Software Product Description (SPD). o Change setup for connection Allows the user to change the characteristics for a connec- tion during a session. o Send Break Allows a break signal to be passed to the remote system. Maintenance Features o Provides users who have system privileges with the facility to define the terminal ports that may be used and the char- acteristics for the communication line required to establish a connection. Terminal ports may be placed in groups so that the software will automatically try a second port if the first one is in use. o Provides users who have system privileges with the facility to define the characteristics of the modems that will be attached. When VAX Public Access Communications is first installed, the definitions will exist for DEC DF03, DEC DF112, DEC DF224 (Scholar), DEC DFA01, and modems using the Hayes[R] command set. 4 VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD 28.51.03 o Provides users who have system privileges with the facility to define additional file transfer methods. When VAX Public Access Communications is first installed, support will be defined for KERMIT file transfer. o Provides users who have system privileges with the facility to define additional file transfer servers. File transfer servers allow systems dialing into a host system with VAX Public Access Communications installed to transfer files be- tween the host system and a local system that has cooperating software. When VAX Public Access Communications is first in- stalled, support will be defined for KERMIT file transfer server in 3 modes. These are for ASCII text files, binary files suitable for sequential files with a record length less than 1024 bytes, and fixed files suitable for files with 512 byte fixed-length records such as VMS task images. o Provides users who have system privileges with the facility to define additional interrupt procedures. When VAX Public Access Communications is first installed, support will be defined for both interrupt to DCL and interrupt to the A-to-Z Interrupt Menu. o Provides users who have system privileges with the facility to define system defaults. System defaults are used to spec- ify the default line characteristics for connections as well as defaults for the interrupt procedure and file transfer method. o Provides users who have system privileges with the facility to restrict the use of certain connection features and the use of the interrupt key. Additional Features o File Transfer VAX Public Access Communications allows text (ASCII) files to be sent and received between the computer system on which it 5 VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD 28.51.03 is installed and any remote ASCII database that permits such file transfers. Guidelines for transferring remote public database files are contained as part of the terms and conditions of subscribing to such public databases. Technical guidance for file trans- fer, including protocol(s) supported, are typically contained in documentation for using such public databases. For file transfer with error-correction, both participating computer systems must have VAX Public Access Communications software or another KERMIT server installed. KERMIT is pro- vided as a part of VAX Public Access Communications, with the permission of Columbia University, and such inclusion is within the guidelines provided by Columbia University for incorporation of KERMIT into commercial products. Note: ANY SUBSTITUTION OR REPLACEMENT OF THE KERMIT CODE AND/OR MODIFICATION OF THE KERMIT CODE PROVIDED AS PART OF THIS PRODUCT INVALIDATES ALL WARRANTIES MADE ON THE PRODUCT. This product is not intended for export except to countries where PTT certification has been obtained. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS VAX, MicroVAX, VAXstation, or VAXserver configuration as speci- fied in the System Support Addendum (SSA 28.51.03-x). SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS VMS Operating System Refer to the System Support Addendum (SSA 28.51.03-x) for avail- ability and required versions of prerequisite/optional software. 6 VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD 28.51.03 ORDERING INFORMATION Software Licenses: QL-VFHA*-** Software Media: QA-VFHA*-** Software Documentation: QA-VFHAA-GZ Software Product Services: QT-VFHA*-** * Denotes variant fields. For additional information on avail- able licenses, services, and media, refer to the appropriate price book. SOFTWARE LICENSING This software is furnished under the licensing provisions of Digital Equipment Corporation's Standard Terms and Conditions. For more information about Digital's licensing terms and poli- cies, contact your local Digital office. LICENSE MANAGEMENT FACILITY SUPPORT This layered product supports the VMS License Management Facil- ity. License units for this product are allocated on a CPU-capacity basis. For more information on the License Management Facility, refer to the VMS Operating System Software Product Description (SPD 25.01.xx) or the License Management Facility manual of the VMS Operating System documentation set. For more information about Digital's licensing terms and poli- cies, contact your local Digital office. 7 VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD 28.51.03 SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES A variety of service options are available from Digital. For more information, contact your local Digital office. SOFTWARE WARRANTY Warranty for this software product is provided by Digital with the purchase of license for this product as defined in the Software Warranty Addendum of this SPD. KERMIT is a communication protocol, free and available to anyone who requests it from Columbia University. KERMIT Copyright 1985, Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. Permission is granted to any individual or institution to use, copy, or re-distribute this software so long as it is not sold for profit, provided this copyright notice is retained. [R] CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe, Inc. [R] NewsNet is a registered trademark of NewsNet, Inc. [R] The SOURCE is a registered trademark of Source Telecomput- ing Corporation, Assn. of The Reader's Digest, Inc. [R] WESTLAW is a registered trademark of West Publishing Com- pany. [R] Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. [R] KERMIT is a registered trademark of Henson Associates, Inc. [R] Digital Village is a registered trademark of Global Vil- lages, Inc. 8 VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD 28.51.03 [R] Hayes is a registered trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. [TM] SmartModem is a trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. [TM] The DIGITAL Logo, BI, CI, DEC, MicroVAX, MicroVMS, Q- bus, Scholar, VAX, VAXcluster, VAXft, VAXPAC, VAXserver, VAXstation, and VMS are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. 9