Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-sd!sagpd1!jharkins
From: jharkins@sagpd1.UUCP (Jim Harkins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: simtel20
Keywords: simtel
Message-ID: <513@sagpd1.UUCP>
Date: 1 Nov 89 22:03:39 GMT
References: <442@ringwood.Morgan.COM> <996@kosman.UUCP>
Reply-To: jharkins@sagpd1.UUCP (Jim Harkins)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Scientific Atlanta, Government Products Div, San Diego, CA
Lines: 40

In article <996@kosman.UUCP> kevin@kosman.UUCP (Root) writes:
> [concerning simtel]
>I tried it, and it does not work for me.  I get a "remote protocol error"
>message and some bounced mail.
>
>I could sure use some help finding a email file server for this uucp-
>only site.

Put the following in a file called 'getsimtel' (UNIX only I'm afraid)

============== snip snip ====================
#! /bin/sh
file=$HOME/.simrequest
if [ $# -ne 3 ]
then
	echo
	echo "usage: getsimtel <disk> <directory> <filename>"
	echo
	echo "Example: getsimtel pd1 msdos.filutil simibm.arc" 
	exit
fi
echo "/PDGET MAIL $1:<$2>$3 (UUENCODE" > $file
mailx ncr-sd\!hp-sdd\!ucsd\!LISTSERV%VM1.NODAK.EDU < $file


========

You may need to change the mailer and mail path, but this works for me.
Note the files don't need to be upper case, SIMIBM.ARC == simibm.arc.

Now for my wish list on simtel.  When you make a mistake you get a message
back saying 'request garbled' or something, and a nice long help file
that says nothing useful.  How about changing things so it includes your
request so you know where you made the mistake?  Would be even nicer if
it would give an idea of where it crapped out when parsing the line.  It
took me 3-4 days (only 3 requests per day) to figure out how to get it
to work.

jim
"My life needs a rewind/erase button, and a volume control"