IN-180.2 Methods to Transfer Files Betwen the Macintosh and VAX Liz Quigg Peter Heinicke Data Acquisition Software Group Fermilab Computing Department 10-Apr-1987 Methods are described for transferring files between the VAX and Macintosh. Procedures are suggested for converting MacPaint and MacDraw documents so that they can be printed and integrated with DSR files on the VAX. Keywords:Macintosh,VAX Systems Supported: Macintosh, VAX/VMS Page i Acknowledgments We would like to thank Frank Nagy and Chris Quigg for sharing their knowledge and experience. CONTENTS ______________________________________________________________________ Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii 1 TYPES OF FILES TO BE TRANSFERRED . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 Transferring Text Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 Transferring Non-text Files . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2 PRINTING TO THE TALARIS PRINTER ON VAX . . . . . . . 5 2.1 MacPaint Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.2 MacDraw Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ii Introduction The following is a list of methods to transfer files between the Macintosh and VAX. These methods were used on the VAX Cluster. They may require slightly different commands on other VAXes at Fermilab. The document assumes that Kermit and Versaterm are distinct applications. If you have the Switcher Application on your Mac, you can go back and forth between Versaterm and MacKermit. MacKermit is public domain software. Newer versions of Versaterm support Kermit File Transfer so they probably can be used to do all of the following and avoid using Switcher if you want both applications easily available. These methods have been tested, but are not guaranteed if the VMS system is upgraded 1 TYPES OF FILES TO BE TRANSFERRED There are basically two types of files that can be transferred: text files and non-text files such as MacPaint, MacDraw, and MacWrite documents, or applications. MacWrite documents can be saved as text files as well as documents on the Mac by selecting "text only" instead of "entire document" and specifying that you want carriage returns between paragraphs rather than lines. Transferring text files is relatively easy. Both types are described below. 1.1 Transferring Text Files The following methods can be used to transfer Text files (files saved as "Text only", not "Entire Document") 1.1.1 Kermit On VAX And MacKermit On Mac - This is very easy since Kermit on the VAX does most of the work. There is no need to give information on how to open files, etc. On Cluster VAX, issue: $SETUP KERMIT (issued once to use KERMIT.) (SETUP KERMIT_VMS on BISON) $KERMIT SERVER On MAC, use MacKermit File menu and respond to prompts. Transfers are complete when "TRANSFERRED OK" message comes on Mac screen. After this message, click the mouse. 1 To receive file from VAX to Mac, use menu option: Get File from Server to: (type filename.ext on VAX) File filename.ext will be created on MAC. To send file from Mac to VAX, use menu option. Send file.. Select drive and file name on Mac. Resultant file on VAX may not have extension. You can change the default volume (drive) for receiving a file by selecting Send file from File menu, choosing a file on the desired drive, and cancelling. Underlines indicate menu options. To terminate transfer use "FINISH" in Remote menu for Kermit and type RETURN to get the VAX prompt. 1.1.2 Versaterm + DCL On VAX - This is not quite as easy as using Kermit. It involves using the "SAVE STREAM" and "SEND STREAM" commands for Versaterm. You have to set "Text Xmodem" in the File menu by clicking that item until it displays Text Xmodem instead of Mac Xmodem or Mac Binary Xmodem (or Kermit). Be sure that the TYPE DCL command on your VAX does not causes pausing after each page. To download from VAX to Mac type "TYPE filename.ext" (no return) or "COPY filename.ext TT:" (no return) set "save stream" thru Versaterm File menu. type RETURN to issue the TYPE command above. When transfer is complete, click "save stream" to terminate file transfer. (This removes the check mark next to "save stream"). Your Vax file will be saved to the file that you have selected with the "save stream" command. To upload from Mac to VAX, type CREATE command to the VAX, set "send stream" thru File menu on Mac and then issue a CONTROL Z to terminate file transfer. 2 1.1.3 Versaterm + XMODEM On VAX - Peter Heinicke and Ark Lubinsky transferred text files to the VAX using VersaTerm-Pro and XMODEM on the VAX. The procedure was as : Log-on on a VAX and define symbol XMODEM == "$FNAL::LIB:[LIB.XMODEM]XMODEM" In VersaTerm-Pro on Macintosh, choose under FILE menu TextXModem by clicking menu item until TextXModem shows: To receive files from MAC to VAX enter : XMODEM R "filespec of file on Vax" choose under FILE menu for VERSATERM Send File... and select a file to be transferred on MAC and start transmission. Files transferred to the VAX may need to have their carriage returns removed by typing: $MCR TECO filename.ext .EX 3 1.2 Transferring Non-text Files 1.2.1 Versaterm + MACPUT And MACGET On VAX - Frank Nagy has made available software to send and receive files. Use the MAC X-Modem protocol in Versaterm by selecting it in the File Menu. To upload to VAX, use MACGET. Frank's software converts the data fork and resource fork on the Mac to three files *.INF, *.RSR, and *.DAT. To download use MACPUT, which combines the INF, RSR, and DAT files into the two forks. Software for this in my area on the VAX Cluster: USR$ROOT:[LIZ.MACINTOSH]. Files are MACMODEM.CLD, MACGET.EXE and MACPUT.EXE. MACGET and MACPUT on the VAX do have bugs. MACGET only works once per login to the cluster. MACMODEM.CLD assumes that the EXE files are in [LIZ.MACINTOSH]. If you copy these files to your own area, then be sure to edit them to point to your own executables. You must "set command macmodem" on the Vax to start. When downloading from VAX to Mac, tell MACPUT to send the INF file and it will combine all three files. As of V4 of VMS MACPUT and MACGET no longer work. Maybe they will be fixed in the future though. To transfer a file from MAC to VAX: On VAX, type $MACGET Respond to prompt "_To:" with VAX filename (no extension) On MAC, select send file in Versaterm File menu. To transfer a file from VAX to MAC: On Mac, select receive file in Versaterm File menu. On VAX, type $MACPUT Respond to prompt "_From:" 1.2.2 KERMIT + BINHEX Conversion (especially Good For Applications) - Files transferred without the conversion (i.e., binary files) can not always be transmitted through BITNET. This method converts them to text files which can be transmitted. Use BINHEX on MAC to convert files to HEX and then upload to VAX as a text file. File can be sent around to other VAXes and then downloaded again with KERMIT and converted back to BIN on MAC. Packet binary files can be created or unpacked using the MAC appplication PACKIT II. All these programs work with SWITCHER. 4 2 PRINTING TO THE TALARIS PRINTER ON VAX MacPaint and MacDraw documents can be transferred to the VAX for printing as well as for integrating them into a document using qdrive and DSR on the Cluster VAX. The latter is documented and supported by the Applications Group of the Computing Department. 2.1 MacPaint Documents There are three techniques possible- the first one seems to be the easiest. The latter two are suggested by Frank Nagy and have not been tested 2.1.1 Converting From A MacPaint Document To A QMS File - Macpaint Documents can be printed on the VAX to the Talaris Printer if they are first converted to a QMS file on the Mac. The Macintosh application PAINT2QMS converts the bitmap to a .QMS text file (also referred to as a QUIC file). Use Kermit ( or any method describe in the section on transferring text files) to upload this QMS file to the VAX and then issue the PRINT or COPY command on the VAX. PAINT2QMS does not work with SWITCHER. 2.1.2 BINHEX On MAC And MPAINTCNV On VAX - Use BinHex to convert the MacPaint file to text, transfer the text file to the VAX, use XBIN to convert back to binary and, finally, use with MPAINTCNV or Talaris's MCFLTR program to convert to QUIC code for the Talaris laser printers. 2.1.3 MacKermit - Use MacKermit to transfer the data fork of the MacPaint file to the VAX and then use MPAINTCNV or MCFLTR. Frank Nagy reports that the following software exists that is useful for converting MacDraw, MacPaint and clipboard images to the VAX. Quoting mail from Frank, "White Pine Software (75 Route 101A P.O. Box 1108 Amherst NH 03031 603-673-8151) sells for $99 a program called Reggie which they claim will convert MacDraw, MacPaint and clipboard images to DEC's ReGIS or SIXEL formats. Talaris provides a utility to convert SIXEL format to QUIC (I don't know offhand if 5 they also provide a ReGIS-to-QUIC filter) on the VAX." 2.2 MacDraw Documents MacDraw documents must be converted to MacPaint documents and then follow the instructions for MacPaint documents to allow printing them on the Talaris Printer on the VAX. The Mac applications MakePaint and DrawPaint PD do the conversion from MacDraw to MacPaint. The easiest method is: 1. Use MakePaint to convert from MacDraw to MacPaint 2. Touch up document with MacPaint 3. Use PAINT2QMS to convert to a .QMS file (text file) 4. Transfer to VAX with Kermit or Versaterm. 5. Print on laser printer Frank Nagy suggests the following procedure: 1. Make drawing with MacDraw 2. When "right", use MakePaint or DrawPaint PD program on Mac to convert a MacDraw file saved in PICT format to a MacPaint file. 2. Touch up file with MacPaint. 3. Use BinHex to make text file. 4. Transfer hexified file to VAX. 5. Use XBIN to bust file up. 6. Use .DAT file (data fork) with MPAINTCNV program to convert binary MacPaint data into QUIC code for the QMS laser printers. 7. Print file 6