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-The !MacTerminal MINI-HOWTO
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!! The !MacTerminal MINI-HOWTO
-
-!!Robert Kieslingv1.4, 9 November 1997
-
-
-----
-''This mini HOWTO describes the 1,002nd use for a dead Macintosh (grin):
-how to configure the Mac for use as a Linux terminal. Configurations
-using getty and the terminal program kermit are described, as well as
-using kermit peer-to-peer networking between between Linux and a
-Macintosh. This document may be reproduced freely, in whole or in
-part, provided that any usage conforms to the general copyright notice
-of the HOWTO series of the Linux Documentation Project. See the file
-COPYRIGHT for details. Send all complaints, suggestions, errata, and
-any miscellany to
-kiesling@terracom.net, so I can keep this document as complete and
-up to date as possible.''
-----
-
-
-
-
-!!1. Introduction.
-
-
-
-
-!!2. Setting up a serial link.
-
-
-
-
-!!3. Client-server connection with kermit.
-
-
-*3.1 Macintosh resources.
-
-
-
-
-
-!!4. Logging in via kermit.
-
-
-*4.1 Other Mac terminal programs.
-
-
-
-
-
-!!5. Conclusion.
-----
-
-!!1. Introduction.
-
-
-This mini-HOWTO should give you some Insanely Great ideas for how to
-make your Macintosh work with Linux. Unfortunately, I have been very
-busy, and so I haven't been able to include even half of what I wanted
-to include, like using MacTCP and Open Transport to connect to your
-Linux box via a PPP line. That will need to wait for future versions.
-
-
-This mini-HOWTO doesn't cover networking with !LocalTalk and !AppleTalk,
-either. I might explore these avenues if there's enough interest in,
-say, printing to a !LaserWriter printer from Linux. Otherwise, it
-seems to me that such applications, being more trouble than they're
-worth (not to mention pricey), are beyond the scope of this document.
-
-
-I don't plan to cover !MkLinux in this document, either. It's more than
-adequately documented elsewhere.
-
-
-So if you have ideas for this document, drop me a line at the e-mail
-above. Both systems embody a lot of the beginner's mindset as well as
-technical prowess, and in my opinion they don't talk to each other
-nearly enough.
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!2. Setting up a serial link.
-
-
-To set up a serial link between a Mac and a Linux machine, you will
-need, on the Linux side, either a DB9 Female-to-DB25 Male serial cable
-or a DB25 Female-to-DB25 Male serial cable, depending on your serial
-port. On the Macintosh side, you will need a DIN9-to-DB25 Male
-high-speed modem cable.
-
-
-Make sure that the cable is labeled a "high speed" cable, because some
-older Macintosh cables are configured with their handshaking lines
-tied high, which makes them useless for high-speed serial connections.
-
-
-You will also need a null modem adapter, available at Comp USA, Radio
-Shack, and similar outlets, and a DB25 Female-to-DB25 Female serial gender
-changer to connect the two serial cables.
-
-
-I have heard that Mac printer cables are really null modem cables in
-disguise, but I can't confirm this. Some of them are DIN9-to-DIN9
-anyway, and wiring one into a serial link would be more trouble than
-it's worth.
-
-
-If this sounds like Greek to you, read the Serial-HOWTO for details of
-RS-232 cable configurations and data transmission protocols.
-
-
-Before connecting the Mac and the Linux machines, you should determine
-that you have a working serial port on both machines, either by
-connecting a modem and dialing out to another computer with minicom
-(Linux), ZTerm (Mac), kermit (either), or the communications
-program of your choice.
-
-
-The latest version of minicom is available from
-sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/apps/serialcomm/dialout and mirror
-sites.
-
-
-ZTerm is a complete, easy to use comm program. Unfortunately, it's
-shareware. A current version is available from
-mac.archive.umich.edu and
-outlets like it.
-
-
-The kermit program has been ported to every computer and
-operating system in existence. The archives are located at
-ftp.columbia.edu/kermit.
-
-
-You should strongly consider using kermit on both machines at
-this stage at least, because 1) it's free (although it's not covered
-by the Free Software Foundation's General Public License); and 2) it's
-a lot less confusing to have kermit on both machines than two
-completely different communications programs.
-
-
-If you have another way to determine that the serial ports of the two
-machines are operational, feel free to use that. The point is to ensure
-that both machines have working serial ports.
-
-
-Making the actual serial connection should be easy, given the
-directions above. In case it isn't, the connection looks like this:
-
-Linux PC DB9- or DB25- Null Gender DIN9-to- !MacBox
---------- to-DB25 male Modem Changer DB25 Mac --------
-| | serial cable. | | | | Serial Cable | |
-| |-----------------| |--| |-----------------| |
-| | | | | | | |
---------- Adapter --------
-
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!3. Client-server connection with kermit.
-
-
-This is the most transient of all the configurations described
here.
-It requires the least amount of system configuration, although in
-operation, it is the more difficult to use of the systems described
-here.
-
-
-In brief, you start kermit on both the Linux machine and the
-Mac, and place one of them in server mode. It doesn't matter which
-machine is the client ant which is the server, because this is a
-peer-to-peer connection. However, the Linux kermit can take
-advantage of Linux's superior scripting abilities, so it seems logical
-(to me at least) to designate the Linux-side kermit as the
-server, because this is the more readily automated task.
-
-
-You should ensure that kermit is installed correctly on both
-the Mac and the Linux PC. Follow the instructions in the respective
-kermit distributions. On the Linux machine type kermit at
-the shell prompt to start it. You may need root permissions in order
-to set the port and baud rate.
-
-
-kermit, the recent POSIX versions for Unices, supports baud
-rates up to 115 Kbps. The more recent Macintosh versions support
-serial port speeds up to 57.6 Kbps. This should be more than
-sufficient for any dumb tty-type application, but if you need a
-higher-speed connection, you're s.o.l, as far as kermit and
-serial lines are concerned. However, kermit provides
-facilities for communication over a TCP/IP link, but I haven't been
-able to test it. See the alternative in the following sections. Just
-remember, especially on the Mac side, to use a different port for
-kermit serial connections than your TCP/IP connections,
-because Mac kermit will rudely hose a serial port that is
-already in use.
-
-
-With that in mind, your .kermrc file would contain something
-like this:
-
-echo Executing site initialization file /usr/local/bin/ckermit.local.ini....
-set prompt Chanel3 >
-set line /dev/ttyS0
-set baud 38400
-set send packet-length 2000
-set receive packet-length 2000
-set block 3
-set file type binary
-
-Then, in your ~/.kermrc file, you would have a line like
-
-take /usr/local/bin/ckermit.local.ini
-
-On the Macintosh side, set the same communication parameters for bps,
-stop bits, parity, and word length. Some older versions of Mac Kermit
-do not support 2k packets, so you might need to set a smaller packet
-size. Howerver, kermit sets the communication packet length
-based on the receive packet-length setting, so you need to set a shorter
-packet size on the Linux end, too.
-
-
-To actually communicate over the link, you need to enter server mode
-on either the Mac or Linux side. It doesn't matter which. See the
-kermit docs for details of server mode.
-
-
-
-
-!!3.1 Macintosh resources.
-
-
-
-This is one of the very few kermit applications where setting
-a text file type for transfers is useful. This is because
-Macintosh files have two parts: the __data fork__ and the
-__resource fork__. The data fork corresponds to what we in the
-Linux world think of as a file: it's the actual data. The resource
-fork contains bitmaps for the icons, keymaps, font specifications, and
-the like. If you transfer a file from Linux to the Mac, the file
-won't be recognized as a text file by the Mac, if you use binary mode.
-
-
-When transferring binary files between the two systems, you should use
-the Macintosh .hqx !BinHex format, which is a 7-bit encoding
-of an 8-bit data file. Mac utilities like !BinHexer or !StuffIt will
-covert the file to its binary form.
-
-
-If you have a text file which inadvertently ends up as a data-only
-file on the Mac, it's likely that it won't even appear in an Open
-dialog list box. What you need to do is open the file with !ResEdit,
-which is available from mac.archive.umich.edu. !ResEdit will
-tell you that the file you're opening has no resource fork and then
-asks if you would like to add one. You should answer "Yes" to this
-question. You can then edit the file's Type and Creator by selecting
-the Open Special option of the File menu. All Macintosh text files
-are type TEXT, so replace the question marks in the Text box
-with that. The Creator code depends on your text editor or word
-processor. Each one is unique, incidentally, and is how the Mac
-identifies different apps. The Creator code for GNU Emacs on the Mac
-is EMAC, for example. If in doubt what the creator code of
-your text editor or word processor is, use ttxt, which is the
-creator code for !TeachText (which is the Mac equivalent of
-EDLIN.EXE.) Then your real word processor or text editor can
-translate the file from !TeachText to its native type.
-
-
-There are many other neato things which !TeachText can do, so it's
-worthwhile to keep it permanently on your Mac. The book ''Voodoo
-Mac,'' by Kay Yarborough Nelson, is a good source of tried-and-true
-Macintosh tricks that use !ResEdit, !TeachText, the Finder, and other
-overlooked programs.
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!4. Logging in via kermit.
-
-
-Configuring Linux to use the Mac as a login: terminal is even
-easier. kermit is ideal for this purpose, because it is one
-of the few free communication programs which provides credible
-VT100/120/220 emulation.
-
-
-Essentially, what you want to do is start kermit on the
-Macintosh side as in the previous section, but rather than issue
-server commands, you enter connect mode. This is the normal
-terminal emulation mode that most people use, anyway.
-
-
-On the Linux side, the serial line must be configured with a
-getty on it to start a login: shell. To do this,
-you need to tell init that the serial line has a terminal on
-it. In your /etc/inittab file you will need a line something
-like this:
-
-T1:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100
-
-Be sure to substitute the appropriate serial device for
-/dev/ttyS0 and the correct baud rate for 9600 in the
-command line above.
-
-
-This command tells getty to start login (the
--L switch) on the terminal display, and, when the login times
-out, to re-start (respawn) the login program until someone
-logs in. If no device is connected to the serial line, or if the
-connection is defective, you may see a message on the system console
-like: /dev/ttyS0 respawning too fast: disabling for 5
-minutes. If this happens, you can return things to normal by (as
-root) killing the getty process, or using the
-init q command. Both of them have the effect of re-spawning
-the getty processe(s). If everything is in order, you should
-see the Linux banner and login prompt on the Mac's kermit
-window. That's all there is to it.
-
-
-Also, if you use something besides vanilla getty, like
-getty_ps, the command above will look somewhat different.
-The important thing to remember is that everything to the right of
-/sbin/getty is an argument for getty itself; not
-init. You should look at the manual pages for
-getty, init,and inittab if you have
-questions concerning the setup of init and getty.
-
-
-The Serial HOWTO provides helpful details on how to configure
-/etc/inittab for getty_ps, if that's what your
-system uses.
-
-
-To transfer files back and forth between the Macintosh and the Linux
-machine, you can (via the Mac's Kermit) issue the kermit -x
-command to start the Linux kermit in server mode. You can
-then use the normal file transfer commands to send files across
-the serial line. It's useful to set a prompt in your
-~/.kermrc with a line like
-
-set prompt Linux-kermit >
-
-Otherwise, remembering which machine you're on can quickly become
-confusing.
-
-
-
-
-!!4.1 Other Mac terminal programs.
-
-
-
-This method should work equally well for any other Mac terminal
-program. If you have ZTerm, you can use rz and sz
-on the Linux machine to transfer files via the ZModem protocol. If
-Microphone Lite came bundled with your fax modem, that works
-equally well, albeit without kermit's superior scripting and
-configuration facilities.
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!5. Conclusion.
-
-
-If you have questions about any of this material, or suggestions for
-future directions of Mac-Linux serial-line connectivity, don't
-hesitate to drop me a line at kiesling@terracom.net.
-----
+Describe [HowToMacTerminal]
here.
