File MSSAAA.HLP January 1990 INSTRUCTIONS FOR BUILDING MS-DOS KERMIT 3.00 FROM SOURCE CODE MS-DOS Kermit is written in assembly language for the Microsoft MASM assembler. To assemble any of the Kermit modules, file MSSDEF.H must be on the default disk. The source modules are: MSSDEF.H Symbol definitions for all modules MSSCMD.ASM Command parser MSSCOM.ASM Communications (packets, system-independent) MSSFIL.ASM File i/o MSSKER.ASM Main program MSSRCV.ASM Receive module MSSSCP.ASM Script module MSSSEN.ASM Send module MSSSER.ASM Server module MSSSET.ASM Set command module MSSSHO.ASM Show command module MSSTER.ASM Terminal emulation (system-independent) The program needs an MSX module (system-dependent i/o, interrupt handling, etc) for the desired system, plus an MSU modle (keyboard translator), plus an MSY module (terminal emulation) for the same system (if there is one), and possibly an MSZ module (in case the MSY module got too big). The MSX and MSY file may come with associated .HLP or .BWR files, which you should read. Also, if you can't find the MSU, MSX and MSY modules for your system, read file MSAAAA.HLP, which lists the naming conventions. ASSEMBLING: For version 3.00 of MS-DOS Kermit, Microsoft MASM 5.0 or later, or compatible assemblers, must be used. Some of Kermit's modules have too many symbols for earlier MASM versions. MASM can be used without any special switches. Each .ASM file is assembled independently to produce a .OBJ file. Note that the standard header file MSSDEF.H must be present with the .ASM file during assembly. Compatible versions of MASM and LINK should be used together; check the file dates. A typical command is A>masm msscom; LINKING: Once all the required object modules exist, they may be linked together to produce Kermit. For example, for the IBM PC version: C>link Microsoft Overlay Linker V3.61 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1983-1987. All rights reserved. Object Modules [.OBJ]: msscmd msscom mssfil mssker mssrcv mssscp + msssen mssser mssset msssho msster msgibm msuibm msxibm msyibm mszibm Run File [MSSCMD.EXE]: Kermit; (or other convenient name) C> If a convenient Link command file is used, such as MSVIBM.LNK below, then the appropriate command is just A>link @msvibm.lnk USING MAKE: Makefiles (for those who have the Microsoft DOS version of the UNIX 'make' program) to build each version of MS-DOS Kermit are in MSVxxx.MAK. MSVIBM.MAK builds the IBM version, MSVRB1.MAK builds the Rainbow 100 version, etc. To execute a makefile, type the command "make msvxxx.mak", where xxx is ibm, rb1, etc. The makefiles show the assembly, link, and BOO steps. Even if you don't have a 'make' program, they will show you which files are necessary for which version. The advantage of using "make" is that only those steps that are necessary will be performed -- e.g. .ASM files will not be reassembled if there is already a corresponding .OBJ file with a later creation date. Note: For the IBM PC version of MS-DOS Kermit 3.0, there is also a Xenix makefile, MSVIBX.MAK, and a Borland TASM makefile, MSVIBB.MAK. USING DOS BATCH: There are also MSS*.BAT file which can also be used to assemble and link MS-DOS Kermit for * = IBM, RB1, GEN, etc. THE LINK STEP: Both the makefile and the batch file rely on the presence of an MSVxxx.LNK Linker command file for each implementation. For instance, here is MSVIBM.LNK for the IBM PC family: msscmd+msscom+mssfil+mssker+mssrcv+mssscp+msssen+mssser+ mssset+msssho+msster+msgibm+msuibm+msxibm+msyibm+mszibm msvibm; [End of MSSAAA.HLP]