Appendix C. TELNET Command Reference

 

The MultiNet TELNET utility uses the Internet-standard TELNET protocol to establish a virtual terminal connection between your terminal and a remote host. This appendix lists the commands you can use during a TELNET session.

Command Summary

The below table lists the TELNET commands:

Command:

Description:

ABORT

Sends an ABORT OUTPUT sequence to the remote host.

ATTACH

Detaches the terminal from the calling process and reattaches it to another process.

ATT

Sends an INTERRUPT PROCESS sequence to the remote host.

AYT

Sends an ARE YOU THERE sequence to the remote host.

BINARY

Attempts to negotiate binary (8-bit) mode with the remote system.

BREAK

Sends a BREAK sequence to the remote host.

BYE

Closes any open TELNET connection and exits to DCL.

CLOSE

Closes the TELNET connection.

CONNECT

Establishes a TELNET connection to a host.

CREATE-NTY

Connects the local end of a TELNET connection to an NTY pseudo-terminal device.

DEBUG

Displays TELNET option negotiations.

ECHO

Turns on or off remote host character echoing.

EXIT

Closes any open TELNET connection and exits to DCL. EXIT is the same as BYE and QUIT.

HELP

Displays help information for the specified TELNET command.

LOG_FILE

Enables or disables logging of the TELNET session.

PUSH

Starts and attaches a DCL subprocess.

QUIT

Closes any open TELNET connection and exits to DCL. QUIT is the same as EXIT.

SET ABORT-OUTPUT-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the ABORT OUTPUT sequence.

SET ARE-YOU-THERE-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the ARE YOU THERE sequence.

SET AUTO-FLUSH

Turns auto-flushing on or off.

SET BREAK-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the BREAK sequence.

SET DEBUG

Enables or disables the display of TELNET option negotiations.

SET ERASE-CHARACTER-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the ERASE CHARACTER sequence.

SET ERASE-LINE-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the ERASE LINE sequence.

SET ESCAPE-CHARACTER

Sets the character that switches TELNET to command mode.

SET EXTENDED

Causes TELNET to go into extended command mode automatically whenever you type the TELNET ESCAPE character, Ctrl+^ by default.

SET INTERRUPT-PROCESS-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the INTERRUPT PROCESS sequence.

SET LOCAL-FLOW-CONTROL

Specifies whether or not Ctrl+S and Ctrl+Q should be treated by the local terminal driver as XON and XOFF.

SET LOG-FILE

Enables or disables logging of the TELNET session.

SET REMOTE-USERNAME

Specifies the user name to which you want to log in using Kerberos.

SET UNIX-LINE-TERMINATOR

Causes TELNET to use the 4.3BSD UNIX end-of-line specification, Ctrl+NULL.

SPAWN

Executes a single DCL command, or if entered without options, starts a subprocess with the same effect as PUSH.

STATUS

Displays the status of the current TELNET connection and parameters.

TERMINAL-TYPE

Specifies a terminal type for the TELNET session.

VERSION

Displays the TELNET version number.

 


 

ABORT

Sends an ABORT OUTPUT sequence to the remote host. If the remote host is running MultiNet, the TELNET ABORT OUTPUT sequence is treated as a Ctrl+O.

 

FORMAT

ABORT

 

RESTRICTIONS

Use this command only in extended mode.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sends the ABORT OUTPUT sequence to the remote system.

TELNET>abort

 

 

 

 


 

ATTACH

Detaches the terminal from the calling process and reattaches it to another process. Use the SPAWN SHOW PROCESS /SUBPROCESSES command to list the names of subprocesses. Use the DCL LOGOUT command to return to the original process. If the MULTINET_DISABLE_SPAWN logical is enabled, ATTACH does not work.

 

FORMAT

ATTACH process-name

 

PARAMETERS

process-name

Specifies the name of a process to which you want your terminal attached. (Not all subprocesses can be attached; some testing may be required.)

 

 

 

 


 

ATTN

Sends an INTERRUPT PROCESS sequence to the remote host. If the remote host is also running MultiNet, the TELNET INTERRUPT PROCESS sequence is treated as a Ctrl+C.

 

FORMAT

ATTN

 

RESTRICTIONS

Use this command only in extended mode.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sends the INTERRUPT PROCESS sequence to the remote system.

TELNET>attn

 

 

 

 


 

AYT

Sends an ARE YOU THERE sequence to the remote host. If the remote host is also running MultiNet, the ARE YOU THERE sequence is treated as a Ctrl+T.

 

Note: AYT does not work if the terminal is not enabled for broadcasts. Invoke the DCL command SET TERMINAL /BROADCAST before using AYT if broadcasts have been disabled.

 

 

FORMAT

AYT

 

EXAMPLE

This example shows how to ensure the host is still active.

TELNET>ayt
EXAMPLE::_VTA81: 01:37:57 (DCL) CPU=00:00:01.83 PF=2298 IO=530 MEM=345

 

 

 

 


 

BINARY

Attempts to negotiate binary (8-bit) mode with the remote system.

 

FORMAT

BINARY

 

RESTRICTIONS

Use this command only in extended mode.

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>binary

 

 

 

 


 

BREAK

Sends a BREAK sequence to the remote host. If the remote host is running MultiNet, the BREAK sequence is treated as a Ctrl+C.

 

FORMAT

BREAK

 

RESTRICTIONS

Use this command only in extended mode.

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>break

 

 

 

 


 

BYE

Closes any open TELNET connection and exits to DCL. BYE is the same as EXIT.

 

FORMAT

BYE

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>bye
$

 

 

 

 


 

CLOSE

Closes the TELNET connection.

 

FORMAT

CLOSE

 

USAGE NOTES

If you specified the remote host in the DCL TELNET command, exit to DCL. If you connected to the remote host in TELNET command mode, return to general command mode.

On most remote hosts, closing the connection is seen as a modem-style terminal hang-up. If the remote host is also running MultiNet and OpenVMS virtual terminals are enabled, the remote login session becomes detached.

 

RESTRICTIONS

Use this command only in extended mode.

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>close

 

 

 

 


 

CONNECT

Establishes a TELNET connection to a host. TELNET connections may be established using INTERNET protocols; the default is INTERNET.

 

FORMAT

CONNECT [protocol] host [port]

 

PARAMETERS

protocol

Specifies the protocol to use to establish the connection. The protocol is INTERNET (the default).

 

host

Specifies the host to which to establish the connection. With the INTERNET protocol, the host can be a name or a numeric IP address.

 

port

Specifies the remote port number or name to use for the connection. With the INTERNET protocol, the default is the TELNET port.

 

RESTRICTIONS

Do not use this command in extended mode.

 

EXAMPLE

This example shows how to connect to a remote system.

TELNET>connect internet unix
Trying... Connected to UNIX.EXAMPLE.COM
login:

 

 

 

 


 

CREATE-NTY

Connects the local end of a TELNET connection to an NTY pseudo-terminal device. This device can be used by other applications such as KERMIT. This command includes the remote host and port number in the SHOW TERMINAL “remote port information” field.

 

FORMAT

CREATE-NTY

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>create-nty
TELNET session now connected to _NTY3:
%DCL-I-ALLOC, _NTY3: allocated
$

 

 

 

 


 

DEBUG

Displays TELNET option negotiations.

 

FORMAT

DEBUG [mode]

 

PARAMETERS

mode

Specifies whether debugging is enabled (default) or disabled (OFF). Debug mode causes TELNET to display option negotiations between the local host and the foreign host.

 

EXAMPLE

This example shows how to enable DEBUG mode.

TELNET>debug on

 

 

 

 


 

ECHO

Turns on or off remote host character echoing.

 

FORMAT

ECHO mode

 

PARAMETERS

mode

Specifies whether the server handles character echoing. If you specify OFF, TELNET performs local character echoing. If you specify ON, the remote system performs the echoing.

 

RESTRICTIONS

Use this command only in extended mode.

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>echo off

 

 

 

 


 

EXIT

Closes any open TELNET connection and exits to DCL. EXIT is the same as BYE and QUIT.

 

FORMAT

EXIT

 

EXAMPLE

This example shows how to exit TELNET.

TELNET>exit
$

 

 

 

 

 


 

HELP

Displays help information for the specified TELNET command. Type HELP ? to see a list of HELP topics, or type HELP with no argument to see general information regarding TELNET.

 

FORMAT

HELP [command]

 

PARAMETERS

command

Specifies information about this command.

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>help
HELP
Displays help information for the specified TELNET command.
Type HELP ? to see a list of HELP topics, or type HELP with no
argument to see general information regarding TELNET.
Format
HELP [command]
Additional information available:

ATTACH   BYE    CONNECT    DEBUG    EXIT    HELP    LOG-FILE
PUSH     QUIT   SET        SPAWN    STATUS  TERMINAL-TYPE
VERSION
Topic?

 

 

 

 


 

LOG-FILE

Enables or disables logging of the TELNET session. If you specify a log_file, everything received by the local system from the remote system is copied into this file.

 

FORMAT

LOG-FILE log_file

 

PARAMETERS

log_file

Specifies a file to which to write a log of the TELNET session. If you do not specify a file, logging is enabled to the file TELNET.LOG. If you specify the file name NONE, logging is disabled.

 

RESTRICTIONS

LOG-FILE is not supported in 3270 or 5250 modes.

 

EXAMPLE

This example shows how to enable TELNET output to be logged to the file ST_TMP:DEBUG.LOG.

TELNET>log-file st_tmp:debug.log
[Log file open (ST_TMP:<TMP>DEBUG.LOG.1)]
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

PUSH

Starts and attaches a DCL subprocess. If a parent process exists, attach to it. To return from DCL, use the ATTACH or the LOGOUT command. To switch back from a DCL subprocess, use the ATTACH command.  If the MULTINET_DISABLE_SPAWN logical is set, PUSH does not work.

 

FORMAT

PUSH

 

 

 

 


 

QUIT

Closes any open TELNET connection and exits to DCL. QUIT is the same as EXIT.

 

FORMAT

QUIT

 

EXAMPLE

This example shows how to exit TELNET.

TELNET>quit
$

 

 

 

 


 

SET ABORT-OUTPUT-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the ABORT OUTPUT sequence. The value set by this command is not the character passed to the remote host. The remote host receives an ABORT OUTPUT sequence; SET ABORT-OUTPUT-CHARACTER defines the key you press to tell TELNET to send an ABORT OUTPUT sequence. This character can also be set by invoking TELNET with the /ABORT_OUTPUT_CHARACTER qualifier.

 

FORMAT

SET ABORT-OUTPUT-CHARACTER character

 

PARAMETERS

character

Specifies which character sends the ABORT OUTPUT sequence to the TELNET server. If you type the command without specifying character, it defaults to Ctrl+O.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sets the ABORT OUTPUT character to Ctrl+A.

TELNET>set abort "^A"
[Abort Output character set to ^A]
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET ARE-YOU-THERE-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the ARE YOU THERE sequence. The value set by this command is not the character passed to the remote host. The remote host receives an ARE YOU THERE sequence; SET ARE-YOU-THERE-CHARACTER defines the key you press to tell TELNET to send an ARE YOU THERE sequence. This character can also be set by invoking TELNET with the /ARE_YOU_THERE_CHARACTER qualifier. The ARE YOU THERE sequence can be sent by pressing the ARE YOU THERE character or by issuing the TELNET AYT command.

 

Note: The ARE YOU THERE sequence only displays an information line from the host if broadcasts are enabled for the terminal.

 

 

FORMAT

SET ARE-YOU-THERE-CHARACTER character

 

PARAMETERS

character

Specifies which character sends the ARE YOU THERE sequence to the TELNET server. If you type the command without specifying character, it defaults to Ctrl+T.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sets the ARE YOU THERE character to Ctrl+T.

TELNET>set are-you-there "^T"
[Are-You-There character set to ^T]
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET AUTO-FLUSH

Turns auto-flushing on or off. You can also set this mode by invoking TELNET with the                    /AUTOFLUSH qualifier.

When you define an ABORT-OUTPUT character, enabling AUTO-FLUSH (SET AUTO-FLUSH ON) causes TELNET to flush any data which may be in the network buffers when the ABORT-OUTPUT character is typed. The TELNET client does this by sending a TIMING-MARK command to the TELNET server and discarding all data until one is received in response.

 

FORMAT

SET AUTO-FLUSH mode

 

PARAMETERS

mode

Turns auto-flush ON or OFF. If you do not specify mode, it defaults to ON.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sets the Auto Flush option on.

TELNET>set auto-flush on
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET BREAK-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the BREAK sequence. The value set by this command is not the character passed to the remote host. The remote host receives a BREAK sequence; SET BREAK-CHARACTER defines the key you press to tell TELNET to send a BREAK sequence. You can also set this character by invoking TELNET with the /BREAK_CHARACTER qualifier.

 

FORMAT

SET BREAK-CHARACTER character

 

PARAMETERS

character

Specifies which character sends the BREAK sequence to the TELNET server. If you type the command without specifying character, it defaults to Ctrl+A.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sets the BREAK character to Ctrl+A.

TELNET>set break "^A"
[Break character set to ^A]
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET DEBUG

Enables or disables the display of TELNET option negotiations. You can also set this mode by invoking TELNET with the /DEBUG qualifier.

 

FORMAT

SET DEBUG [mode]

 

PARAMETERS

mode

Turns debugging ON or OFF. If mode is not specified, the default is ON.

 

EXAMPLE

This example enables DEBUG mode.

TELNET>set debug on

 

 

 

 


 

SET ERASE-CHARACTER-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the ERASE CHARACTER sequence. The value set by this command is not the character passed to the remote host. SET ERASE-CHARACTER-CHARACTER defines the key you press to tell TELNET to send an ERASE CHARACTER sequence. This character can also be set by invoking TELNET with the /ERASE_CHARACTER_CHARACTER qualifier.

 

FORMAT

SET ERASE-CHARACTER-CHARACTER character

 

PARAMETERS

character

Specifies which character sends the ERASE CHARACTER sequence to the TELNET server. If you type this command without specifying character, it defaults to DEL.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sets the ERASE CHARACTER to Ctrl+A.

TELNET>set erase "^A"
[Erase character set to "^A"]
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET ERASE-LINE-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the ERASE LINE sequence. The value set by this command is not the character passed to the remote host; SET ERASE-LINE-CHARACTER defines the key you press to tell TELNET to send an ERASE LINE sequence. This character can also be set by invoking TELNET with the /ERASE_LINE_CHARACTER qualifier.

 

FORMAT

SET ERASE-LINE-CHARACTER character

 

PARAMETERS

character

Specifies which character sends the ERASE LINE sequence to the TELNET server. If you type the command without specifying character, it defaults to Ctrl+U.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sets the ERASE LINE character to Ctrl+U.

TELNET>set erase-line “^U”
[Escape Line character set to ^U
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET ESCAPE-CHARACTER

Sets the character that switches TELNET to command mode. This character can also be set by invoking TELNET with the /ESCAPE_CHARACTER qualifier.

 

FORMAT

SET ESCAPE-CHARACTER character

 

PARAMETERS

character

Specifies which character is used as the TELNET ESCAPE character. If you type the command without specifying character, it defaults to Ctrl+^.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sets the ESCAPE character to Ctrl+^.

TELNET>set escape "^\"
[Escape character set to ^\]
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET EXTENDED

Causes TELNET to go into extended command mode automatically whenever you type the TELNET ESCAPE character, Ctrl+^ by default.

 

FORMAT

SET EXTENDED mode

 

PARAMETERS

mode

Turns extended mode ON or OFF. If you do not specify mode, it defaults to ON.

 

EXAMPLE

This example enables the extended option.

TELNET>set extended on
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET INTERRUPT-PROCESS-CHARACTER

Sets the character that TELNET maps to the INTERRUPT PROCESS sequence. The value set by this command is not the character passed to the remote host. The remote host receives an INTERRUPT PROCESS sequence; SET INTERRUPT-PROCESS-CHARACTER defines the key you press to tell TELNET to send an INTERRUPT PROCESS sequence. You can also set this character by invoking TELNET with the /INTERRUPT_PROCESS_CHARACTER qualifier.

 

FORMAT

SET INTERRUPT-PROCESS-CHARACTER character

 

PARAMETERS

character

Specifies which character sends the INTERRUPT PROCESS sequence to the TELNET server. If you type the command without specifying character, it defaults to Ctrl+C.

 

EXAMPLE

This example sets the INTERRUPT PROCESS character to Ctrl+C.

TELNET>set interrupt-process "^C"
[Interrupt Process character set to ^C]
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET LOCAL-FLOW-CONTROL

Specifies whether or not Ctrl+S and Ctrl+Q should be treated by the local terminal driver as XON and XOFF. You can also set this mode by invoking TELNET with the
/LOCAL_FLOW_CONTROL qualifier.

Use of this qualifier causes a more responsive XOFF, which helps prevent data loss, but the remote system is unable to see any Ctrl+S characters.

The default under the MultiNet TELNET utility is to use the current setting of the VMS terminal       characteristic TT$_TTSYNC (set by the DCL command SET TERMINAL/TTSYNC), unless the remote host supports the TOGGLE-FLOW-CONTROL TELNET option. In that case, the LOCAL-FLOW-CONTROL option is set automatically by the TELNET server.

 

FORMAT

SET LOCAL-FLOW-CONTROL mode

 

PARAMETERS

mode

Turns local flow control ON or OFF. If mode is not specified, it defaults to ON.

 

EXAMPLE

This example enables local processing of Ctrl+S and Ctrl+Q.

TELNET>set local-flow on
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SET LOG-FILE

Enables or disables logging of the TELNET session. You can also set a log file by invoking TELNET with the /LOG_FILE qualifier.

 

FORMAT

SET LOG-FILE log_file

 

PARAMETERS

log_file

Specifies a file to which to write the log of the TELNET session. If you specify log_file, everything        received by the local system from the remote system is copied into this file. If you do not specify a file, logging is enabled to the file TELNET.LOG. If you specify the file name NONE, logging is disabled.

 

RESTRICTIONS

log_file is not supported in 3270 and 5250 modes.

 

 

 

 


 

SET REMOTE-USERNAME

Specifies the user name to which you want to log in using Kerberos. If you are not logging in with the /AUTH qualifier, TELNET prompts you to supply a user name.

 

FORMAT

SET REMOTE-USERNAME username

 

PARAMETERS

username

Specifies the user name to which you want to log in using Kerberos.

 

 

 

 


 

SET UNIX-LINE-TERMINATOR

Causes TELNET to use the 4.3BSD UNIX end-of-line specification, Ctrl+NULL. You can also set this mode by invoking TELNET with the /UNIX qualifier. This command is useful when using TELNET to connect to 4.3BSD UNIX systems whose TELNET server does not conform to the TELNET specification.

 

FORMAT

SET UNIX-LINE-TERMINATOR mode

 

PARAMETERS

mode

If mode is ON, TELNET uses the 4.3BSD UNIX end-of-line specification, Ctrl+NULL. If mode is OFF (the default), TELNET uses the standard end-of-line specification, Ctrl+LF.

 

EXAMPLE

This example enables use of a 4.3BSD UNIX-style line terminator.

TELNET>set unix-line-terminator on
TELNET>

 

 

 

 


 

SPAWN

Executes a single DCL command, or if entered without options, starts a subprocess with the same effect as PUSH. To return from DCL, use the LOGOUT command. If the MULTINET_DISABLE_SPAWN logical is set, SPAWN does not work.

 

FORMAT

SPAWN [command]

 

PARAMETERS

command

Specifies a command to execute. If you omit command, a DCL command line subprocess is created.

 

QUALIFIERS

/INPUT=file-spec

Specifies an input file to the command you enter with SPAWN.

 

/LOGICAL_NAMES

/NOLOGICAL_NAMES

Specifies that logical names and logical name tables are not copied to the subprocess.

 

/SYMBOLS

/NOSYMBOLS

Specifies that global and local names are not passed to the subprocess.

 

/WAIT

/NOWAIT

Returns control without waiting for the command to complete. Do not use this qualifier with commands that have prompts or screen displays.

 

/OUTPUT=file-spec

Specifies a file that retains the output of the command invoked with SPAWN. This qualifier only works when a single command is entered without creating a DCL subprocess. In addition, this qualifier is positional; you must enter it immediately after SPAWN or other qualifiers.

 

 

 

 


 

STATUS

Displays the status of the current TELNET connection and parameters.

 

FORMAT

STATUS

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>status
This is BIGBOOTE.EXAMPLE.COM, VMS Version V8.4
Connected to host CONE.EXAMPLE.COM, a VAXSTATION-4000-90 running VMS via TCP.
Remote host is echoing
Host is not sending binary
Client is not sending binary
NO Abort Output character
NO Interrupt Process character
NO Are-You-There character
NO Break Character character
NO Erase Character character
NO Erase Line character
Escape Character character is '^^'
Normal End Of Line mapping
Local Flow control
No log file
Terminal type is vt100
Remote host status reply:
BIGBOOTE::_VTA12: 16:40:02   (DCL)   CPU=00:00:03.21 PF=686 IO=196 MEM=514

 

 

 

 


 

TERMINAL-TYPE

Specifies a terminal type for the TELNET session.

 

FORMAT

TERMINAL-TYPE type

 

PARAMETERS

type

Refer to RFC-1340 for a list of possible terminal types. RFCs are provided on the MultiNet CD-ROM.  MultiNet TELNET permits you to specify any terminal type, even if the terminal type is not listed in the RFC. The TERMINAL-TYPE command has the same effect as invoking TELNET with the /TERMINAL_TYPE qualifier.

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>terminal-type dec-vt220

 

 

 

 


 

VERSION

Displays the TELNET version number.

 

FORMAT

VERSION

 

EXAMPLE

TELNET>version
This is MultiNet K5-TELNET V5.6(13)
TELNET>