Re: Serial comm program
On Wednesday 10 August 2005 01:13 am, Karl O. Pinc wrote:
> On 08/10/2005 12:27:50 AM, Chris Palmer wrote:
> > As Unix-like-system afficionados, we can't afford to get uppity about
> > what decade our software was designed and implemented in. :)
> >
> > Like Gregory, I find minicom entirely sufficient. In fact I very
> > nearly
> > like it.
>
> As for the rest of it, why have everything in one big wad?
> If you want a window with scrollback use an xterm.
> If you want ssh/scp/sftp/telnet/rsh then use that
> program. If you want session logging use script.
> If you want kermit/xmodem/ymodem/zmodem use kermit
> or sz/rz/sx/rx etc. And you can script it all to
> automate your tasks, which you can't do with a
> regular GUI. If you can't recall the commands and
> _must_ have them in a menu then wack something
> out with tcl/tk or make a special menu bar/drawer/applets
> with gnome or whatever.
I'm a Cisco tech for a very large organization. Half the time, I'm connected
to a router console via a serial port. The other half, I'm connecting
remotely. Our routers and switches only accept remote access via one
specific server. I SSH into that server, then telnet into the device. When
I'm working on a device, being able to scroll back to stuff that's scrolled
off the screen is vital. We're required to log everything we do to the
devices, so logging at all times is necessary. There are a number of actions
that are highly repetitive. Scripting them makes it much easier and reduces
the chances of error. I also need to paste in long configs. If the info is
pasted in too fast, the router or switch will drop characters, so I need
something with a configurable delay after pasting characters or lines from
the clipboard. Most of the time, I upload new IOS files via TFTP. If a
router crashes or the flash memory croaks or for whatever reason it will only
come up to the rommon> prompt, it may require transfer via xmodem. etc, etc.
Right now, I'm using SecureCRT on a company supplied Windows laptop. I'd
prefer to use my own, Linux laptop. SecureCRT handles everything I've talked
about easily. I was looking for something which could do the same thing in
Linux. Evidently, it doesn't exist. Yes, it is certainly possible to
accomplish everything I need via multiple programs. However, if I do go to
multiple programs, it all has to work together. I have to be able to log the
xmodem transfer, and I'd really like to be able to script the whole thing.
I'm well aware of the value of small, sharp tools and the Unix way. But I'm
also aware of the value of powerful programs that just work.
I wasn't slamming minicom or any of the other programs, nor was I intending to
"get uppity" about the decade it was written in. Minicom works great for
lots of things and if it works for you, more power to you. But it doesn't
have everything I need.
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