APPLYING PATCHES TO MS-DOS KERMIT

Sometimes errors are discovered in MS-DOS Kermit programs after they are
released.  Rather than issue a new release to correct these problems, we
"patch" them at runtime.  The patches are contained in a small file called
MSKERMIT.PCH.  This file contains checking information -- the MS-DOS Kermit
version number and internal checksum must agree -- plus patches that Kermit
should apply to itself when it starts up.  The MSKERMIT.PCH file should go
in the same directory as your MSKERMIT.INI file.

When the simple instructions below are followed Kermit will read the file
MSKERMIT.PCH and make changes to the copy of itself which is currently running
in memory.  The executable Kermit program file on your disk is not modified.

CAUTION: These patches should be applied only to the executable version of
MS-DOS Kermit that was obtained from Columbia or from the book "Using MS-DOS
Kermit" (KERMIT.EXE on disk in the book, or MSVIBM.EXE over networks from
Columbia Kermit Distribution, or translated from the Columbia MSVIBM.BOO
file), and NOT to a version you built yourself from the source using a
possibly different assembler and linker!

Patch instructions:

 1. Make sure you have the version of Kermit for which these patches are
    intended.  Run Kermit and type the VERSION command.

 2. Obtain a copy of the the appropriate patch file from Kermit Distribution
    at Columbia University.  Don't trust copies of this file that came from
    anywhere else!  Those who are connected to Columbia through the academic
    computer networks can transfer this file in text mode to a local computer
    host, and then use Kermit in text mode to transfer it to their PCs.	 The
    patch files are:

    MSKERMIT.PCH -- The patch file that applies to the current version.
    MSR311.PCH	 -- Patches for version 3.11
    MSR312.PCH	 -- Patches for version 3.12
    MSR313.PCH	 -- Patches for version 3.13
    etc.

 3. If you got your copy of MSR3xx.PCH on paper from Columbia University, you
    must type the file in to your PC using a text editor or word processor.
    Be sure to use the "ASCII" or "TEXT-ONLY" option of your word processor
    and be very careful not to make any typographical errors.  Double check
    your typing.
	
 4. Copy the MSR3xx.PCH file to the same disk and directory where you keep
    your MSKERMIT.INI file, and name it MSKERMIT.PCH, for example:

      C:\> copy msr313.pch c:\kermit\mskermit.pch

    NOTE: In MS-DOS Kermit 3.13 and later, you don't need to rename this file.
    If Kermit does not find a file called MSKERMIT.PCH in the PATH or current
    directory at startup time, then it looks for MSRxxx.PCH, where xxx is the
    three-digit program version number, e.g. MSR313.PCH.

 5. Your MSKERMIT.INI file includes PATCH as its first command.	 This is
    what installs the patches.	If the patch file is not found, or if it
    disagrees in any way the version of Kermit you are running, an error
    message is printed and the patches are ignored.

 6. Now CD to your normal working directory, type "kermit" to start the
    Kermit program.  The startup banner and the VERSION command display the
    patch level.

If the patching process succeeds then no messages are issued.  See the patch
file itself (it's a text file) for a description of each patch, and also be
sure to read MSKERM.BWR (KERMIT.BWR) for futher information.

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