topic Re: Telnet to VMS node and send text file in Operating System - OpenVMS

Telnet to VMS node and send text file

francp — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:06:35 GMT

HI

I currently use Hyperterminal to connect to a VMS node using TCP/IP on Port 23 {telnet}. I then send a text file..all very easy...

I now want to connect using a telnet cmd prompt for improved logging. I can connect fine but what is the command for sending the text file??

Thanks for any help

F.

Re: Telnet to VMS node and send text file

Robert Gezelter — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:07:13 GMT

francp,

While it is possible to use a command along the lines of COPY SYS$INPUT , I strongly recommend the use of a file transfer program. Generally, I recommend C-KERMIT (http://www.columbia.edu/kermit ). KERMIT provides flow control and error detection/correction, as well as the ability to bi-directionally transfer arbitrary binary files.

Hyperterm has support for the KERMIT file transfer protocol.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

Re: Telnet to VMS node and send text file

Steven Schweda — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:17:37 GMT

Why not use FTP (or something similar)? A
File Transfer Protocol would, at first
glance, seem to be more appropriate for
transferring a file than, say, Telnet.

Re: Telnet to VMS node and send text file

Willem Grooters — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:32:55 GMT

Hyperterminal is not the best solution to connect to VMS (to use an understatement ;)) though the PRO version IS better. Nevertheless, I would prefer one of the commercial products, or PuTTy - which is FREE. Set the scroll buffer large engough and copy all you need to any file on your normal werkstation.

(http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/)

WG

Re: Telnet to VMS node and send text file

Hoff — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:50:20 GMT

There are two Hyperterm packages out there. There's the ancient, buggy and incompatible version embedded in Windows, and there's the far more reasonable and far more current version available for download.

PuTTY and Kermit do quite well.

VTstar is the best emulation around (since it's using the real VT terminal code), and it can capture files. It's on the Freeware.

Most of these packages contain xmodem or zmodem or other such tools for file transfers, and most (all?) of these support logging.

telnet exposes user and password pairs in cleartext to anyone monitoring the WiFi or the network cable, and the entire contents of any mail messages read, etc. ssh (and its sftp capabilities) are a better choice here, and sftp is much easier to configure through firewalls than is ftp. (Most auditors will stomp on telnet use.)

If you're logging on a session for a console or for regulatory purposes or such, there are console management packages available. Some of these are mentioned in the OpenVMS FAQ. http://www.hoffmanlabs.com/vmsfaq has the most current edition, grab the text file or the PDF and download it.

And there are system-level ways to monitor exactly what objects an application has touched, if that's why you're looking for logging.

Stephen Hoffman
HoffmanLabs LLC

Re: Telnet to VMS node and send text file

Craig A Berry — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:20:20 GMT

TeraTerm is another good free terminal emulator and it includes support for file transfers with Kermit, XMODEM, ZMODEM, and a couple of others:

http://www.ayera.com/teraterm/

Re: Telnet to VMS node and send text file

DECxchange — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 03:45:06 GMT

Hello,
Occasionally, you can purchase an older, yet perfectly suitable, copy of KEA, SmarTerm, or Reflection off eBay. These generally go for not much money, although there seems to be some people out there who know what they are and thus, a residual demand for them.

I like KEA the best. It will allow you to do Telnet and FTP transfers very nicely between your networked PC and VMS system. It will also provide a great serial RS232 terminal emulator.

Reflection is a good one as well. But I like KEA the best, because you can easily pop up an onscreen VT style keyboard which you can press the correct keys with your mouse, such as the DO Key and the TPU/EDT editor keypads properly. This way, you don't have to redefine keys to the PC style keyboard.

Powerterm is another good terminal emulator and it is available for free download on the HP site (I think). But I don't think it is as good as KEA.