borton@uva.UUCP (Chris Borton) (09/29/88)
This problem has bitten me one too many times to keep quiet about it. As a
Mac programmer I know how/why this is done, which makes it more frustrating.
The problem: ftp creates all files in any transfer (like mput), but
DOES NOT CHECK THAT THEY WERE WRITTEN PROPERLY.
This is all too easy to encounter when the disk being transferred to is
full--NO WARNING message, nothing. ftp thinks everything is hunky-dory.
Then, after you finish up (like removing all those files you just
"transferred") and go back to the Mac, you are presented with a bunch of
zero K files.
I consider this a serious bug. Checking the File Manager codes after a write
is necessary, and alerting the user that the disk is full is necessary.
Nicely done: with the option to abort the mput.
Telnet is a very well-done program with a few minor annoying breaches of user
interface (scroll bars off 1 pixel ==> bad GrowIcon, I-beam cursor even when
no window, ftp cursor outside of the window...). I can put up with those.
But this file business has got to be fixed!
Just thought I'd warn others before they get bitten by this too...
-cbb
--
Chris Borton borton%uva@mcvax.{nl,bitnet,uucp}
Rotary Scholar, University of Amsterdam CS
"Macintosh programmers do it with their manager" -kh