[Simh] RSTS/E 10.1-L and Paper tape

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2016-01-06 16:08, Will Senn wrote:
> Johnny,
>
> Thanks for the information. Responses inline.
>
> On 1/6/16 8:44 AM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
>> There is no way to software wise reset the paper tape from the OS. The
>> paper tape is a physical thing. I real life, you would need to
>> actually take the paper tape and "mount" it in the reader, and set the
>> reader online. And after that, the tape can be read by software.
>>
> I get it... now :), thanks.

I would hope/assume that you can reset the device from the simh prompt, 
though. Since that would be the equivalent of physically setting up a 
new paper tape on real hardware.

>> As for transferring files to and from your RSTS/E system, you do know
>> of KERMIT, right? Telnet into the RSTS/E system, start a kermit server
>> there, switch back to your local kermit, and then send/receive files
>> to your hearts content.
>>
> Ha! Let's just say that I used KERMIT once back in the early 90's and
> have never used it since. I seem to recall something called zmodem that
> was easier to use (at least for the year my wife was in grad school and
> I had to connect to the internet through my DEC Rainbow 100 running DOS
> 3.10b and a super fast 300 baud modem to the university's VMS system).
> But then again, it was all ftp and browsers the year after that (and a
> 486 with 56K modem, Windows 95, and trumpet tcp I think). I may be old
> enough for vague recollections of bbses and such, but experientially,
> I'm solidly post tcp/ip, post-Mosaic, and post www. Everything old is
> new to me!
>
> When you say, start a kermit server, I don't think there is one already
> on the system. I have to get it on the system somehow first. If there's
> a tape or disk image available that RSTS can use, then it's just a
> matter of installing and running it. I say just, I'm still getting up to
> speed on installing and running programs in RSTS. I'll be working on it...

Saw that you started to figure this out later. :-)

>> Other options could be using a disk with the files on it, setting up
>> tapes, but also, if simh supports it, possibly using the virtual DOS
>> device, that other emulators have, as well as using DECnet.
>>
> Does the virtual DOS device work in linux/mac?

Does the DOS device exist in simh would be the first question...

> As for "using" DECnet... hmm, I'm working on getting DECnet working, the
> install and configuration of sim seem to be reasonable. I just don't
> know what to do with it once it's running. This is my refrain, I'm
> working on it :). The list of items on my "To Understand" list far
> outnumber the "Understood" list. My unfounded belief is that DECnet is
> quite different from modern networking and that it doesn't have a
> toolset that I'm familiar with - no ping, no ssh, no telnet, not even
> rcp or rsh and such so if I get it running. What might a copy from host
> to sim look like? copy HOST:FILE SY:FILE or something similar?

Yes, if you have DECnet up and running, you can access files pretty 
straight forward from RSTS/E. I don't know if RSTS/E supports giving 
hostnames in the file name at the command prompt. It might be that you 
need to run a special program to access files on remote machines.

But at least in VMS and RSX (using DCL), you can type COPY HOST::FILE 
LOCALFILE

>> If you have some RSX, RT-11 or VMS system nearby, you can also use
>> TCP/IP on those systems, and then transfer using one of the above
>> suggested methods to just get the files over to RSTS/E.
> I only have simh systems, no real systems. I have RT-11, but I don't
> think it has TCP/IP. I'll be working on it...

TCP/IP for RT-11 exists. Search the internet...

	Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol