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From: ranjit@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Ranjit Bhatnagar)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: DNET (was: Re: UW)
Summary: DNET is RAD, but it likes to BOOGIE.  Also needs AREXX.
Message-ID: <8373@netnews.upenn.edu>
Date: 25 Feb 89 10:24:46 GMT
References: <6106@super.ORG> <418a531c.1285f@maize.engin.umich.edu> <6591@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <6354@super.ORG> <6389@super.ORG>
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Reply-To: ranjit@eniac.seas.upenn.edu.UUCP (Ranjit Bhatnagar)
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In article <6389@super.ORG> rminnich@metropolis.UUCP (Ronald G Minnich) writes:
>One thought. You folks who are having trouble all know that DNET's 
>serial line parameters are PREFERENCES-driven, right? All dnet knows
>about the serial line it gets from prerences. Screw up preferences,
>and dnet will not work.

Well, I just now ftp'd the very latest DNET from ucbvax, and checked it
out:

% grep SERF *.c
sernet.c:    ios.io_SerFlags = SERF_SHARED|SERF_XDISABLED|SERF_RAD_BOOGIE;
sernet.c:    ior->io_SerFlags = SERF_SHARED|SERF_XDISABLED|SERF_RAD_BOOGIE;

Unfortunately, the RAD_BOOGIE mode uses 8 bits, no parity, no matter
what I say in preferences.  That means that the teeming masses of us
who need 7 bit communication (with parity) are still out of luck.

I don't understand the serial device well enough to know whether I
could just delete that SERF_RAD_BOOGIE (what a name!) and have it
still work... I bet that even if it did run that way, DNET would fail;
it probably has built-in dependencies on 8-bit communications.

KERMIT is able to work over 7-bit lines by somehow encoding 8-bit
files into 7 bits - maybe this can be added to DNET?  (Only for file
transfers!  For terminal sessions, 7 bits is fine.)

Heck, while I'm at it: it would be neat to have an AREXX port in
DNET, too.  I want to be able to edit my source files at home, press
a key, and have the editor upload only the changes (I've only
got 2400 baud), compile the file on UNIX (using cc, latex, or
whatever is appropriate for the file), download the error list,
and automatically move the cursor to the first error in the file.
Besides being handy, this would also make my friends with Macs
green with envy... :-)  

But wait, there's more!  (If you're not convinced that the AREXX port
would be handy.)  Run your favorite ray tracer on UNIX, and have it
automatically pop open a screen to show you each image as it finishes.
Make an icon-window interface to UNIX.  I love thinking these things
up...

OK, I admit that actually designing the interface would be hard.  One
has to create a script language for DNET, and try not to leave out
anything that anyone would ever want.  Should there be a script 
handler on the unix side?  (Probably - so that macro commands could
be sent back and forth as atomic units, rather than translating
them into shell commands and then trying to translate the unpredictable
results back into AREXX commands and status info.  This would also
save communication time when long, complex scripts are running -
since each DNET macro keyword could be encoded as a single byte for
transmission.)  If done well, the AREXX interface would allow many
amiga programs, even some without AREXX ports, to operate as DNET
servers without modification.  The idea is to be able to add new
servers just by writing scripts...

Hey.  How about a DPIPE device that runs over DNET, or a DNET device
which remotely mounts your UNIX directory on DNET:.  I'm just
bursting with silly ideas at 5 AM.

	copy dpipe:~/mbox to speak:  (oh boy.)

   - Ranjit 



"Trespassers w"   ranjit@eniac.seas.upenn.edu	mailrus!eecae!netnews!eniac!...
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