[comp.sys.mac.misc] Need help with ftp-->pc-->mac

SAACC@CUNYVM.BITNET (Shermane Austin) (02/09/91)

I'm a very new MAC user(2 days) but veteran PC user who needs help trying to
get .sit files from ftp sites to work right on my MAC. It was given to me in
my office(I have a PC there too), but I didn't get much in the way of software.
What I did was gather up some archive apps.
   StuffIt1.5.1, BinHex 4,0 and 5.0 and something called Compact.
(Unfortunately, the only one other MAC users in my department know how to
use is StuffIt).

Anyway, I downloaded .hqx and .sit files obtained by FTP to my
IBM mainframe to my PC at home, then put them on my MAC(I used Kermit,binary).
I was eventually able to successly convert the .hqx files to .sit using BinHex
4.0 or 5.0 and then was able to unstuff them.
unstuff them, but had a problem with the .sit files(directly from FTP sites).
I had a problem though with  .sit files obtained from FTP.
StuffIt doesn't recognize them as .sit files, and the icon shown for them
is just the document(not the special one for .sit files). Is there some other
conversion needed here -  (uudecode? BinHex(didn't work)), or do I have
to somehow set up some special options?



Any help will be appreciated. Please email me at the address above.
Thanks.

ml27192@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (lanett mark) (02/10/91)

SAACC@CUNYVM.BITNET (Shermane Austin) writes:
>unstuff them, but had a problem with the .sit files(directly from FTP sites).
>I had a problem though with  .sit files obtained from FTP.
>StuffIt doesn't recognize them as .sit files, and the icon shown for them
>is just the document(not the special one for .sit files). Is there some other
>conversion needed here -  (uudecode? BinHex(didn't work)), or do I have
>to somehow set up some special options?

I would guess you're not using MacBinary when you download them. hqx files
are transferred as text, but .sit files must be transferred in binary _and_
converted from the MacBinary format. Most software (like NCSA Telnet) handles
both automatically. Just make sure you send the 'binary' command when in
ftp before you transfer.

Mark Lanett
--
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Mark Lanett						ml27192@uxa.cs.uiuc.edu

sm196103@seas.gwu.edu (Scott Cherkofsky) (02/10/91)

>SAACC@CUNYVM.BITNET (Shermane Austin) writes:
>>unstuff them, but had a problem with the .sit files(directly from FTP sites).
>>I had a problem though with  .sit files obtained from FTP.
>>StuffIt doesn't recognize them as .sit files, and the icon shown for them
>>is just the document(not the special one for .sit files). Is there some other
>>conversion needed here -  (uudecode? BinHex(didn't work)), or do I have
>>to somehow set up some special options?

Another thing that people tend to overlook when downloading files is
to make sure that when they are transfering them from FTP site to their
home mainframe with the right protocal.
 
For instance, a .sit file is a BINARY file and should be treated as such
at the FTP transfer as well as the PC transfer.  To do this, you can either
type in I at the FTP promtp or Binary.  Both will tell the host to send in
binary format instead of text.  You will also have to remember to send the
file down to the PC using binary format (Usually Macbinary for Mac's).
 
I must say that a lot of these problems stem from the fact the Sumex-Aim
only carries .hqx (text) files and when someone goes to another FTP
site (usually one the holds IBM files as well as Macintosh) the files are
stored in BINARY format.  I am not putting down Sumex - their system makes
it easier although longer to transfer files (especially since those files
can be mailed by text only mailers) and they should be aplauded for thier
network services!
 
Anyway, in summary, remember to treat Binary files as such at both the FTP
and PC end.
 
Hope this add insight to everone's day!

Scott
-- 
Scott Cherkofsky			"The experience of going through
sm196103@seas.GWU.edu			 life may be intended as a warning
Mechanical Engineering student		 not to do it again."
Executive Office of the President		-- Ashleigh Brilliant

Jim.Spencer@p510.f22.n282.z1.mmug.edgar.mn.org (Jim Spencer) (02/14/91)

Shermane Austin writes in a message to All

SA> Anyway, I downloaded .hqx and .sit files obtained by FTP to my 
SA> IBM mainframe to my PC at home, then put them on my MAC(I used 
SA> Kermit,binary). I was eventually able to successly convert the 
SA> .hqx files to .sit using BinHex 4.0 or 5.0 and then was able 
SA> to unstuff them. unstuff them, but had a problem with the .sit 
SA> files(directly from FTP sites). I had a problem though with .sit 
SA> files obtained from FTP. StuffIt doesn't recognize them as .sit 
SA> files, and the icon shown for them is just the document(not the 
SA> special one for .sit files). Is there some other conversion needed 
SA> here - (uudecode? BinHex(didn't work)), or do I have to somehow 
SA> set up some special options? 

If you are transfering the files from your PC to the Mac ordinary binary that is your problem.  You need to convert them from the so-called MacBinary format to normal Mac format (MacBinary is a standard for converting the two fork Mac file with its resources etc. plus its file type and creator identifiers to a single stream file format.)  The easiest way to do this normally is to turn MacBinary on at the Mac end of the link.  Unfortunately I don't know if Kermit on the Mac provides for this.

If Kermit won't decode them for you and you don't have any other communications package that you can use, then your other option is to use the Apple File Exchange and the shareware MacBinary to Mac file converter.
 
--  
Jim Spencer - via The Minnesota Macintosh Users Group UUCP-Fido Gateway
UUCP: ...uunet!tcnet!kksys!edgar!mmug!22.510!Jim.Spencer
INET: Jim.Spencer@p510.f22.n282.z1.mmug.edgar.mn.org

tom@stubby.UUCP (Tom Roehl) (02/14/91)

From article <91040.012941SAACC@CUNYVM.BITNET>, by SAACC@CUNYVM.BITNET (Shermane Austin):
> I had a problem though with  .sit files obtained from FTP.
> StuffIt doesn't recognize them as .sit files, and the icon shown for them
> is just the document(not the special one for .sit files). Is there some other
> conversion needed here -  (uudecode? BinHex(didn't work)), or do I have
> to somehow set up some special options?
> 
I couldn't figure out your address from my site, so I had to poast, sorry.

One thing that I have found, is that StuffIt files sometimes do not get the
right file type set when you download them.  What I do is go into ResEdit, and
bring up the window that has the file.  Next hit command-I for info (DO NOT
double click.  This will bring up a new window with information about the file.
The first field is something like file type.  In my case, the type would be
'SITD' and I would have to change it to 'SIT!' ( it may be reversed for you.)
Anyway, reverse this field, and save the changes with command-S.  Quit ResEdit,
and try it again.  Hopefully, it should now work!

Tom


-- 
================================================================================
Thomas R. Roehl                       UUCP: ...!uunet!stubby!tom
Digital Analysis Corp.  Reston, VA    INET: tom%stubby@uunet.uu.net

ingemar@isy.liu.se (Ingemar Ragnemalm) (02/16/91)

Jim.Spencer@p510.f22.n282.z1.mmug.edgar.mn.org (Jim Spencer) writes:

>Shermane Austin writes in a message to All

>SA> Anyway, I downloaded .hqx and .sit files obtained by FTP to my 
>SA> IBM mainframe to my PC at home, then put them on my MAC(I used 
>SA> Kermit,binary). I was eventually able to successly convert the 
>SA> .hqx files to .sit using BinHex 4.0 or 5.0 and then was able 
>SA> to unstuff them. unstuff them, but had a problem with the .sit 
>SA> files(directly from FTP sites).
(stuff deleted)

>If you are transfering the files from your PC to the Mac ordinary
>binary that is your problem.  You need to convert them from the
>so-called MacBinary format to normal Mac format (MacBinary is a
>standard for converting the two fork Mac file with its resources
>etc. plus its file type and creator identifiers to a single stream
>file format.)  The easiest way to do this normally is to turn MacBinary
>on at the Mac end of the link.  Unfortunately I don't know if Kermit on
>the Mac provides for this.

MacKermit *does* this just fine. Put the PC/Unix machine/whatever's Kermit
in binary mode, and MacKermit in MacBinary mode.

Some ancient, obsolete versions of MacKermit does not support MacBinary,
i.e. versions 0.8 and 0.9 (and older, if they ever existed). I use version
0.98, which is a very good terminal emulator in most respects. (I am longing
for a fix to copy/paste though. Anyone got compilable sources?)

>If Kermit won't decode them for you and you don't have any other
>communications package that you can use, then your other option is
>to use the Apple File Exchange and the shareware MacBinary to Mac
>file converter.

Or better: get a newer MacKermit.

--
Ingemar Ragnemalm
Dept. of Electrical Engineering	     ...!uunet!mcvax!enea!rainier!ingemar
                  ..
University of Linkoping, Sweden	     ingemar@isy.liu.se