Difference between revisions of "Tymshare Base-Host Protocol"

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(This version from 1975.)
(It's called message, not packet. Add message type column.)
Line 5: Line 5:
 
This documents the protocol, as used around 1975, between a PDP-10 host and Varian 620 Tymbase.
 
This documents the protocol, as used around 1975, between a PDP-10 host and Varian 620 Tymbase.
  
−
Packets start with a 4-octet header.  More data may optionally follow after the header, depending on the packet type.
+
Messages start with a 4-octet header.  More data may optionally follow after the header, depending on the message type.
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
−
| Packet type
+
| Message number
 
| Port
 
| Port
 
| Subtype
 
| Subtype
Line 14: Line 14:
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
Packet types.  Any number not in this list is illegal.
+
Messages.  Any number not in this list is illegal.
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
| Number
 
| Number
 +
| Type
 
| Name
 
| Name
 
| Comment
 
| Comment
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1
 
| 1
 +
| A
 
| ANS
 
| ANS
 
| System is answering.
 
| System is answering.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 2
 
| 2
 +
| A
 
| SHT
 
| SHT
 
| System is up but shut.
 
| System is up but shut.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 3
 
| 3
 +
| A
 
| CRS
 
| CRS
 
| Sender is crashed.
 
| Sender is crashed.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 4
 
| 4
 +
| A
 
| DIE
 
| DIE
 
| Recipient should crash.
 
| Recipient should crash.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 5
 
| 5
 +
| A
 
| NSP
 
| NSP
 
| Base taken over by new supervisor.
 
| Base taken over by new supervisor.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 6
 
| 6
 +
| B
 
| LOG
 
| LOG
 
| Login, next 4 data characters are the info about terminal type, and port or origin, then name, etc.
 
| Login, next 4 data characters are the info about terminal type, and port or origin, then name, etc.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 7
 
| 7
 +
| B
 
| AUX
 
| AUX
−
| Supervisor response to establishing auxillary circuit.
+
| Supervisor response to establishing auxiliary circuit.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 10
 
| 10
 +
| B
 
| NOP
 
| NOP
−
| Backpressure on.
+
| Back pressure on.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 11
 
| 11
 +
| B
 
| OUP
 
| OUP
−
| Backpressure off.
+
| Back pressure off.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 12
 
| 12
 +
| B
 
| GOB
 
| GOB
 
| Character gobbler.
 
| Character gobbler.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 13
 
| 13
 +
| B
 
| ZAP
 
| ZAP
 
| Circuit zapper.
 
| Circuit zapper.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 14
 
| 14
 +
| B
 
| EDC
 
| EDC
 
| Enter deferred echo mode.
 
| Enter deferred echo mode.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 15
 
| 15
 +
| B
 
| LDC
 
| LDC
 
| Leave deferred echo mode.
 
| Leave deferred echo mode.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 16
 
| 16
 +
| B
 
| GRN
 
| GRN
 
| Green ball.
 
| Green ball.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 17
 
| 17
 +
| B
 
| RED
 
| RED
 
| Red ball.
 
| Red ball.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 20
 
| 20
 +
| B
 
| YEL
 
| YEL
 
| Yellow ball.
 
| Yellow ball.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 21
 
| 21
 +
| B
 
| ORG
 
| ORG
 
| Orange ball.
 
| Orange ball.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 22
 
| 22
 +
| B
 
| HNG
 
| HNG
 
| Hang character - not used.
 
| Hang character - not used.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 23
 
| 23
 +
| B
 
| ETM
 
| ETM
 
| Enter 2741 transparent mode.
 
| Enter 2741 transparent mode.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 24
 
| 24
 +
| B
 
| LTM
 
| LTM
 
| Leave 2741 transparent mode.
 
| Leave 2741 transparent mode.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 25
 
| 25
 +
| C
 
| LOS
 
| LOS
 
| Lost ball, data has been lost from buffers.  The data filed may tell how many were lost.
 
| Lost ball, data has been lost from buffers.  The data filed may tell how many were lost.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 26
 
| 26
 +
| C
 
| SUP
 
| SUP
 
| Supervisor request (aux circuits).
 
| Supervisor request (aux circuits).
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 27
 
| 27
 +
| C
 
| SUR
 
| SUR
 
| Supervisor response (aux circuits).
 
| Supervisor response (aux circuits).
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 30
 
| 30
 +
| C
 
| AXC
 
| AXC
 
| Supervisor string character.
 
| Supervisor string character.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 31
 
| 31
 +
| F
 
| TSP
 
| TSP
 
| Test pattern probe.
 
| Test pattern probe.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 32
 
| 32
 +
| F
 
| TSR
 
| TSR
 
| Test pattern response.
 
| Test pattern response.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 33
 
| 33
 +
| F
 
| SAD
 
| SAD
 
| Host sad.
 
| Host sad.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 34
 
| 34
 +
| B
 
| ECN
 
| ECN
 
| Echo on.
 
| Echo on.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 35
 
| 35
 +
| B
 
| ECF
 
| ECF
 
| Echo off.
 
| Echo off.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 36
 
| 36
 +
| D
 
| TCS
 
| TCS
 
| Term characteristics, first data byte indicates which characteristics second data byte indicates value to set to.
 
| Term characteristics, first data byte indicates which characteristics second data byte indicates value to set to.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 37
 
| 37
 +
| C
 
| TCP
 
| TCP
−
| Term characteristcs probe, data byte indicates which terminal characteristic were requested.
+
| Term characteristics probe, data byte indicates which terminal characteristic were requested.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 40
 
| 40
 +
| D
 
| TCR
 
| TCR
−
| Term characteristcs response, data is just like TCS, comes in response to a probe; also is reflected by remote when terminal characteristics are sent.
+
| Term characteristics response, data is just like TCS, comes in response to a probe; also is reflected by remote when terminal characteristics are sent.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 41
 
| 41
 +
| C
 
| HSI
 
| HSI
−
| Host up and answereing with # of ports in port byte, and host # in data byte.
+
| Host up and answering with # of ports in port byte, and host # in data byte.
 
|}
 
|}
  

Revision as of 07:40, 28 April 2022

Humorous visualization of Tymnet protocol

This documents the protocol, as used around 1975, between a PDP-10 host and Varian 620 Tymbase.

Messages start with a 4-octet header. More data may optionally follow after the header, depending on the message type.

Message number Port Subtype Data

Messages. Any number not in this list is illegal.

Number Type Name Comment
1 A ANS System is answering.
2 A SHT System is up but shut.
3 A CRS Sender is crashed.
4 A DIE Recipient should crash.
5 A NSP Base taken over by new supervisor.
6 B LOG Login, next 4 data characters are the info about terminal type, and port or origin, then name, etc.
7 B AUX Supervisor response to establishing auxiliary circuit.
10 B NOP Back pressure on.
11 B OUP Back pressure off.
12 B GOB Character gobbler.
13 B ZAP Circuit zapper.
14 B EDC Enter deferred echo mode.
15 B LDC Leave deferred echo mode.
16 B GRN Green ball.
17 B RED Red ball.
20 B YEL Yellow ball.
21 B ORG Orange ball.
22 B HNG Hang character - not used.
23 B ETM Enter 2741 transparent mode.
24 B LTM Leave 2741 transparent mode.
25 C LOS Lost ball, data has been lost from buffers. The data filed may tell how many were lost.
26 C SUP Supervisor request (aux circuits).
27 C SUR Supervisor response (aux circuits).
30 C AXC Supervisor string character.
31 F TSP Test pattern probe.
32 F TSR Test pattern response.
33 F SAD Host sad.
34 B ECN Echo on.
35 B ECF Echo off.
36 D TCS Term characteristics, first data byte indicates which characteristics second data byte indicates value to set to.
37 C TCP Term characteristics probe, data byte indicates which terminal characteristic were requested.
40 D TCR Term characteristics response, data is just like TCS, comes in response to a probe; also is reflected by remote when terminal characteristics are sent.
41 C HSI Host up and answering with # of ports in port byte, and host # in data byte.

This information comes from the SUMEX-AIM monitor file TYMSRV.MAC, written by Michael A. Heathman in 1975.

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