RFC 747 UNKNOWN TERMINAL · REMOTE ACCESS

SUPDUP extensions: Recent extensions to the SUPDUP Protocol

Optional SUPDUP negotiation fields for graphics capabilities and terminal line speeds.

On rfc-editor.org ↗
PUBLISHED
March 1978
AUTHORS
M.R. Crispin
STREAM
Legacy
NEW INITIAL-NEGOTIATION VARIABLES
SMARTS, ISPEED, OSPEED
UNKNOWN LINE SPEED
0
NEW TTYOPT BIT
%TPPRN (0,,200)
DOI
10.17487/RFC0747

RFC text

Original text · RFC Editor View on rfc-editor.org ↗
NWG/RFC# 747                                         MRC 21-MAR-78 44015
Recent Extensions to the SUPDUP Protocol



Network Working Group                                       Mark Crispin
Request for Comments 747                                           SU-AI
NIC 44015                                                  21 March 1978

Updates: RFC 734.  See also RFC 746.

                Recent Extensions to the SUPDUP Protocol

Recently,  some extensions  have been made to the SUPDUP protocol.   RFC
746,  by Richard   Stallman, documented  the SUPDUP  graphics extension.
In addition, a TTYOPT  bit has  been added and  two more  variables have
been added to the initial  negotiation.   This RFC describes the changes
from  RFC 734,  but excludes  the  detailed  information  in   RFC  746.
These  extensions  are  upwards  and   downwards  compatable,   and  are
completely  optional.    For most  SUPDUP   user  and  server  programs,
RFC   734   remains    an   adequate   description  of   the   protocol.
However,   it  is  suggested   that  if  the  console's  line  speed  is
known,  the  user SUPDUP  should be modified to  send the new ISPEED and
OSPEED  variables   (sending  0 for SMARTS if the  graphics extension is
not to  be used)  so  the server can  handle buffering for  the terminal
better.

Since these changes  are compatable  and optional, and since the  SUPDUP
protocol is being actively worked on at the present time, I have elected
to issue  this  update  RFC  rather  than  an  updated  version   of RFC
734.   An updated 734 will be issued when the protocol stabilizes again.

Three new variables  have  been added to  the initial  negotiation.   In
order,  they are SMARTS,  ISPEED,  and OSPEED.   Consequently, the count
should now be -10,,0, or, in octal, 777770000000.

The SMARTS  variable  specifies what "smarts" (in general, what graphics
capabilities)  the terminal  has.  Like the TTYOPT variable, a bit being
true implies  that the terminal has this option.  RFC 746 describes this
variable  and the  SUPDUP   graphics   option  in complete  detail.   If
the  graphics extension is not to be used, SMARTS should be set to 0.

The ISPEED  and OSPEED  variables are respectively the input and  output
baud rates  of the  terminal,  if  known.   For  example,  a  150./1200.
baud terminal  would  have an ISPEED of 150.   and an OSPEED of 1200.  A
speed  of zero means the line speed is indeterminate.

The %TPPRN   TTYOPT   bit  (value  0,,200) has  been  added.   This  bit
specifies  that the system should  swap parenthesis with square brackets
on input.   This is  often  desirable  for  LISP users  who  are using a
terminal  which has  parenthesis   as   a   shift  character   but   not
square   brackets. This bit is normally off and servers are not required
to implement it.




                                  -1-

ISO Plain Language

On this page
PROBLEMSUPDUP was being extended, and user programs needed a way to report graphics capabilities and terminal line speeds during initial negotiation.
MECHANISMThe update adds the SMARTS, ISPEED and OSPEED negotiation variables and a TTYOPT bit, %TPPRN, for swapping parentheses and square brackets on input.
COMPATIBILITYThe RFC says the extensions are optional and upward and downward compatible, and that RFC 734 remains adequate for most SUPDUP programs.

§1Optional Additions to SUPDUP

RFC 747 describes changes to the SUPDUP protocol specified in RFC 734, including the graphics extension documented in RFC 746. The author says the extensions are optional and compatible with older and newer programs; RFC 734 remains an adequate description for most SUPDUP user and server programs.

The update adds three variables to initial negotiation, in the order SMARTS, ISPEED and OSPEED. The variable count is now -10,,0, or 777770000000 in octal.

The additions are optional, so programs can continue using the earlier SUPDUP description. Newer programs can send extra details during startup negotiation.

§2SMARTS and Terminal Speeds

SMARTS describes terminal capabilities, especially graphics capabilities. If the graphics extension is not being used, SMARTS should be set to zero. RFC 746 describes the variable and graphics option in detail.

ISPEED and OSPEED report the terminal's input and output baud rates when known. A value of zero means the line speed is indeterminate. The RFC suggests sending these variables when the console line speed is known so the server can handle terminal buffering better.

SMARTS tells the server what the terminal can do. ISPEED and OSPEED tell it how fast input and output travel, or use zero when the speed is unknown.

§3Parenthesis and Bracket Mapping

The RFC adds the %TPPRN TTYOPT bit, with value 0,,200. When enabled, the system swaps parentheses with square brackets on input.

The author notes that this can help LISP users whose terminal has parentheses as a shifted character but does not have square brackets. The bit is normally off, and servers are not required to implement it.

The optional bit swaps parentheses and square brackets as the user types. It is intended for terminals where square brackets are not directly available.

§4References