BK(4)							     Kernel Interfaces Manual							     BK(4)

NAME

       bk - line discipline for machine-machine communication (obsolete)

SYNOPSIS

       Not currently supported under 2.11BSD

DESCRIPTION

       This  line  discipline  provides a replacement for the old and new tty drivers described in tty(4) when high speed output to and especially
       input from another machine is to be transmitted over a asynchronous communications line.  The discipline was designed for use by the Berke-
       ley  network.  It may be suitable for uploading of data from microprocessors into the system.  If you are going to send data over asynchro-
       nous communications lines at high speed into the system, you must use this discipline, as the system otherwise may detect high  input  data
       rates  on terminal lines and disables the lines; in any case the processing of such data when normal terminal mechanisms are involved satu-
       rates the system.

       The line discipline is enabled by a sequence:

	    #include <sgtty.h>
	    int ldisc = NETLDISC, fildes; ...
	    ioctl(fildes, TIOCSETD, &ldisc);

       A typical application program then reads a sequence of lines from the terminal port, checking header and  sequencing  information  on  each
       line  and  acknowledging  receipt  of each line to the sender, who then transmits another line of data.	Typically several hundred bytes of
       data and a smaller amount of control information will be received on each handshake.

       The old standard teletype discipline can be restored by doing:

	    ldisc = OTTYDISC;
	    ioctl(fildes, TIOCSETD, &ldisc);

       While in networked mode, normal teletype output functions take place.  Thus, if an 8 bit output data path is desired, it  is  necessary	to
       prepare	the  output  line  by putting it into RAW mode using ioctl(2).	This must be done before changing the discipline with TIOCSETD, as
       most ioctl(2) calls are disabled while in network line-discipline mode.

       When in network mode, input processing is very limited to reduce overhead.  Currently the input path is only 7 bits wide, with newline  the
       only  recognized  character, terminating an input record.  Each input record must be read and acknowledged before the next input is read as
       the system refuses to accept any new data when there is a record in the buffer.	The buffer is limited in length, but the system guarantees
       to always be willing to accept input resulting in 512 data characters and then the terminating newline.

       User level programs should provide sequencing and checksums on the information to guarantee accurate data transfer.

SEE ALSO

       tty(4)

DIAGNOSTICS

       None.

BUGS

       The Purdue uploading line discipline, which provides 8 bits and uses timeout's to terminate uploading should be incorporated into the stan-
       dard system, as it is much more suitable for microprocessor connections.

4th Berkeley Distribution					 January 27, 1996							     BK(4)