weiner@terminator.cc.umich.edu (Jeff Weiner) (03/15/91)
This is a beginner's guide to ftp. It is intended only to get you on your
way to ftp happiness. Please let me know if you have any comments,
questions, or suggestions.
weiner@atari.archive.umich.edu
Jeff Weiner's FTP Basics Vol.1 #1
Part 1: Logging in
To begin an ftp session, the first thing you need to do is log in to our
machine. You can do this by issuing the 'ftp atari.archive.umich.edu'
command. You should then see something like this:
Connected to atari.archive.umich.edu.
220 atari.archive.umich.edu FTP server (Version 4.169 Wed Jan 2 17:03:56 EST 199
1) ready.
Name (yourhost.domain.edu:yourusername):
At this prompt you'll want to type 'anonymous'. On some hosts, the word
'guest' will work, but 'anonymous' is always a sure bet.
If you don't see this login prompt, but instead get something like
'Our host was unable to trace a name back to (some internet address).
We only accept ftp from properly registered hosts', then you'll have to
ask your sys-admin to properly register your machine in its name servers.
There's nothing we can do on this end, so please don't bother asking.
Assuming you recieved the above prompt, you'll then be asked for a
password. Use your mail address. For example, I would use
'weiner@atari.archive.umich.edu'
Part 2: Basic Commands
Once you're logged on, there's a few basic commands you'll want to know about.
ls : lists the names of files of sub-directories in a directory.
dir : does the same thing as ls, but is needed on some other machines
ls -l : A verbose listing of files. Includes permissions, filesize, etc.
cd : changes directories (i.e. 'cd atari' would put you in the atari area)
cd .. : Goes 'back up' a directory, to the one you came from.
These are about all you need to get moving around the archive.
Part 3: Getting the Goddies
The main reason you want to ftp in the first place is to quickly transfer
files. More often than not, you'll want to transfer the files from
the archive to your account. You can do this using the following commands:
First, find the file you want to download.
Second, issue the command 'type binary'. This tells our machine that
you'll be transferring a binary file.
Third, issue this command 'get <filename.ext>'. This will instruct
the archive host to send <filename.ext> to your account.
The last thing you'll want to do is use the 'quit' command. This
tells our machine you're no longer interested in ftping files, and would
like to go back to your command prompt.
Part 4: A Few Words on Net Ettiquette
Net Ettiquette is something that every net user should be aware of.
Relating to ftp, and our archive, it is essentially this:
1) Try to keep ftp usage to an absolute minimum during business hours,
in our time zone. That would be 9 am to 5 pm , EST. This roughly means
upload or download on file and little else during these hours. After
5pm, have a blast. Go nuts. We probably won't mind nearly as much.....
2) If you have a question about some aspect of ftp service or some
other area of your computer, please ask around at your site first. Don't
immediately fire off all of your questions to us. I don't mind answering
questions about the archive, problems with logging in, or something
similar. But I tend to get upset when people ask me questions like,
"Jeff, how come I can't get the fgrep command to work properly on
my sparc station...."
3) Please try to upload files that you know the archive doesn't have. I
know it's not the greatest thing to do, but if you can find time to
download stuff, I think you can find time to return the favor and
upload things also.
If you have any reasonable questions, any comments or concerns, etc.
please mail them to me, weiner@atari.archive.umich.edu.
Thanks,
weiner
--
Jeff Weiner weiner@terminator.cc.umich.edu Jeff_Weiner@ub.cc.umich.edu
Mail Dennis_Devine@ub.cc.umich.edu and ask if he'd like a tuna melt
Atari.archive.umich.edu Caretaker||192M and climbin'|| "So like take off eh?"