 






     Software
     Product
     Description

     ________________________________________________________________

     PRODUCT NAME:  VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3 SPD
     28.51.03

     DESCRIPTION

     VAX Public Access Communications (VAXPAC) is a software product
     that provides the MicroVAX user with a mechanism for connecting
     the VMS Operating System to a remote system using asynchronous
     lines. A remote system may be any system that accepts and dis-
     plays data using an asynchronous interface compatible with RS-
     232C, RS-422, or RS-423. The description that follows applies to
     MicroVAX II, MicroVAX 2000, and VAXstation 2000 systems running
     either the full MicroVMS Operating System or the VMS Operating
     System only.

     All the features of VAX Public Access Communications are avail-
     able using menus and forms. There is extensive online help to
     assist the user of VAX Public Access Communications.

     VAX Public Access Communications has the following features:

     Establishing a Connection

     o  Connect using phone lines or direct connections to remote
        systems (for example, connections to public data sources
        such as CompuServe[R], NewsNet[R], The SOURCE[R], Dow-
        Jones News/Retrieval Service[R], WESTLAW[R], and Digital
        Village[R], and to private data sources).

     o  Supports autodial, dial from keyboard or dial from handset
        for suitable modems.


                                  DIGITAL                  March 1991

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     VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3       SPD 28.51.03



     o  Allows two levels of predefined connections - standard con-
        nections (those available to all users of the system) and
        personal connections (allow individual users to define
        connections only that individual can use). Each connec-
        tion defines the phone number, the terminal port, and the
        characteristics for the line once a connection has been
        established.

     o  As well as using predefined connections, a user can choose to
        make a manual connection. In this case, the user defines the
        connection immediately prior to establishing the connection.
        The user has the option of saving the connection in the list
        of predefined connections once satisfied with it.

     During the Connection

     o  Terminal pass thru mode

        Allows the user to operate as if the user's terminal was
        directly connected to the remote system. While the user
        is operating in terminal pass thru mode, all characters
        displayed by the remote system are displayed on the user's
        terminal and all characters sent from the terminal are passed
        directly to the remote system apart from the designated
        LOCAL key. The LOCAL key is a user-defined key that switches
        context between pass thru mode and the local system.

     o  Session logging

        Allows the user to selectively record all characters dis-
        played by the remote system. The user can enable/disable
        logging during a session, file the session logging data,
        print it on the system printer, or discard it. This feature
        can be used to capture a file from a remote system that has
        the facility to display a file.




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     VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3       SPD 28.51.03



     o  Send a text file

        Allows the user to upload a text file to a remote system as
        if it was keyed in from the user's keyboard. This feature
        can be used to transfer a file from the local system to
        any remote system that allows the creation of a file from
        keyboard input. It can also be used to upload a sequence of
        commands to the remote system, for example a simple login
        sequence.

     o  File transfer

        Allows files to be transferred with the remote system using
        error checking. File transfer requires cooperating software
        to be installed on both the local system and the remote
        system. The software on the local system is referred to as
        the file transfer method. The software on the remote system
        is referred to as the file transfer server. Essentially, the
        file transfer server is passive, reacting to file transfer
        commands from the file transfer method operating on the local
        system.

        VAX Public Access Communications has built-in support for
        KERMIT[R] file transfer.

        Note: A version of KERMIT is contained in this product. Al-
        though KERMIT is free and available to anyone who requests
        it from Columbia University, Columbia does not warrant, in
        any way, the KERMIT software nor the accuracy of any related
        documentation; neither the authors of any KERMIT programs
        or documentation nor Columbia University nor any other con-
        tributing institutions acknowledge any liability resulting
        from program or documentation errors.

        In order to use KERMIT file transfer, the remote system must
        have a version of KERMIT installed that supports server mode.



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     VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3       SPD 28.51.03



        Because of limitations in KERMIT, there are restrictions
        on the types of files that can be transferred. Text files
        can usually be expected to transfer successfully. There is
        also provision for transferring VMS executable images and
        sequential files with variable length records. Currently,
        there is no provision for transferring indexed files or
        relative files.

        VAX Public Access Communications provides an interface that
        allows other file transfer software to be invoked instead of
        KERMIT. This is explained in the Maintenance Features section
        of this Software Product Description (SPD).

     o  Change setup for connection

        Allows the user to change the characteristics for a connec-
        tion during a session.

     o  Send Break

        Allows a break signal to be passed to the remote system.

     Maintenance Features

     o  Provides users who have system privileges with the facility
        to define the terminal ports that may be used and the char-
        acteristics for the communication line required to establish
        a connection. Terminal ports may be placed in groups so that
        the software will automatically try a second port if the
        first one is in use.

     o  Provides users who have system privileges with the facility
        to define the characteristics of the modems that will be
        attached. When VAX Public Access Communications is first
        installed, the definitions will exist for DEC DF03, DEC
        DF112, DEC DF224 (Scholar), DEC DFA01, and modems using the
        Hayes[R] command set.


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     VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3       SPD 28.51.03



     o  Provides users who have system privileges with the facility
        to define additional file transfer methods. When VAX Public
        Access Communications is first installed, support will be
        defined for KERMIT file transfer.

     o  Provides users who have system privileges with the facility
        to define additional file transfer servers. File transfer
        servers allow systems dialing into a host system with VAX
        Public Access Communications installed to transfer files be-
        tween the host system and a local system that has cooperating
        software. When VAX Public Access Communications is first in-
        stalled, support will be defined for KERMIT file transfer
        server in 3 modes. These are for ASCII text files, binary
        files suitable for sequential files with a record length less
        than 1024 bytes, and fixed files suitable for files with 512
        byte fixed-length records such as VMS task images.

     o  Provides users who have system privileges with the facility
        to define additional interrupt procedures. When VAX Public
        Access Communications is first installed, support will be
        defined for both interrupt to DCL and interrupt to the A-to-Z
        Interrupt Menu.

     o  Provides users who have system privileges with the facility
        to define system defaults. System defaults are used to spec-
        ify the default line characteristics for connections as well
        as defaults for the interrupt procedure and file transfer
        method.

     o  Provides users who have system privileges with the facility
        to restrict the use of certain connection features and the
        use of the interrupt key.

     Additional Features

     o  File Transfer

        VAX Public Access Communications allows text (ASCII) files to
        be sent and received between the computer system on which it

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     VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3       SPD 28.51.03



        is installed and any remote ASCII database that permits such
        file transfers.

        Guidelines for transferring remote public database files are
        contained as part of the terms and conditions of subscribing
        to such public databases. Technical guidance for file trans-
        fer, including protocol(s) supported, are typically contained
        in documentation for using such public databases.

        For file transfer with error-correction, both participating
        computer systems must have VAX Public Access Communications
        software or another KERMIT server installed. KERMIT is pro-
        vided as a part of VAX Public Access Communications, with
        the permission of Columbia University, and such inclusion
        is within the guidelines provided by Columbia University for
        incorporation of KERMIT into commercial products.

     Note: ANY SUBSTITUTION OR REPLACEMENT OF THE KERMIT CODE AND/OR
     MODIFICATION OF THE KERMIT CODE PROVIDED AS PART OF THIS PRODUCT
     INVALIDATES ALL WARRANTIES MADE ON THE PRODUCT.

     This product is not intended for export except to countries
     where PTT certification has been obtained.

     HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

     VAX, MicroVAX, VAXstation, or VAXserver configuration as speci-
     fied in the System Support Addendum (SSA 28.51.03-x).

     SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

     VMS Operating System

     Refer to the System Support Addendum (SSA 28.51.03-x) for avail-
     ability and required versions of prerequisite/optional software.




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     VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3       SPD 28.51.03



     ORDERING INFORMATION

     Software Licenses: QL-VFHA*-**
     Software Media: QA-VFHA*-**
     Software Documentation: QA-VFHAA-GZ
     Software Product Services: QT-VFHA*-**

     *  Denotes variant fields. For additional information on avail-
        able licenses, services, and media, refer to the appropriate
        price book.

     SOFTWARE LICENSING

     This software is furnished under the licensing provisions of
     Digital Equipment Corporation's Standard Terms and Conditions.
     For more information about Digital's licensing terms and poli-
     cies, contact your local Digital office.

     LICENSE MANAGEMENT FACILITY SUPPORT

     This layered product supports the VMS License Management Facil-
     ity.

     License units for this product are allocated on a CPU-capacity
     basis.

     For more information on the License Management Facility, refer
     to the VMS Operating System Software Product Description (SPD
     25.01.xx) or the License Management Facility manual of the VMS
     Operating System documentation set.

     For more information about Digital's licensing terms and poli-
     cies, contact your local Digital office.






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     VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3       SPD 28.51.03



     SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES

     A variety of service options are available from Digital. For
     more information, contact your local Digital office.

     SOFTWARE WARRANTY

     Warranty for this software product is provided by Digital with
     the purchase of license for this product as defined in the
     Software Warranty Addendum of this SPD.

     KERMIT is a communication protocol, free and available to anyone
     who requests it from Columbia University. KERMIT Copyright
     1985, Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York.
     Permission is granted to any individual or institution to use,
     copy, or re-distribute this software so long as it is not sold
     for profit, provided this copyright notice is retained.

     [R]  CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe, Inc.

     [R]  NewsNet is a registered trademark of NewsNet, Inc.

     [R]  The SOURCE is a registered trademark of Source Telecomput-
          ing Corporation, Assn. of The Reader's Digest, Inc.

     [R]  WESTLAW is a registered trademark of West Publishing Com-
          pany.

     [R]  Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service is a registered trademark
          of Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

     [R]  KERMIT is a registered trademark of Henson Associates, Inc.

     [R]  Digital Village is a registered trademark of Global Vil-
          lages, Inc.




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     VAX Public Access Communications, Version 1.3       SPD 28.51.03




     [R]  Hayes is a registered trademark of Hayes Microcomputer
          Products, Inc.

     [TM] SmartModem is a trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products,
          Inc.

     [TM] The DIGITAL Logo, BI, CI, DEC, MicroVAX, MicroVMS, Q-
          bus, Scholar, VAX, VAXcluster, VAXft, VAXPAC, VAXserver,
          VAXstation, and VMS are trademarks of Digital Equipment
          Corporation.




























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