lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au (Tony Lim) (05/26/91)
Two weeks ago, I posted here to ask if there are any applications that enable me to download files in one-go. I have got overwhelming answers. Thanks to everyone who has emailed me directly or posted on the net regarding the question. I appreciate your responses. Due to the large number of responses I received, I won't be able to reply to you individually. The following are the original question and the responses. QUESTION: >Can anyone tell me if there are any communication application which allow me >to download/upload files in one-go? I am using a Mac+ connecting to the >Unix system through Telnet. To download files from an anonymous FTP site, >I have to >A) Transfer file from anonymous FTP site to our Unix system > 1) ftp ftp_site_address > 2) TYPE anonymous > 3) Type anything as password > 4) Go to the right directory > 5) Type get filename > 6) Quit from ftp by typing "bye" >B) Transfer file from Unix to Mac > 1) In Telnet, choose "Set Transfer Directory..." > 2) choose "Send FTP command" under Network > 3) type "Send filename" > 4) type "bye" to quit from ftp >C) Decode binaries files > 1) Decode the BinHexed file > 2) Unstuffit file > 3) Using other decompress application if the above procedure fails. >All the above involve a lot of work (and repeat every time). So, I am >looking for an application which only need me to put in > 1) Where is the file from: ftp_site_address, directory, and filename > 2) Where is the file to: the folder name in my Mac disk >and the application takes care all other procedures. >Is such a smart thing avaiable? I am sure this is the way to go. ANSWERs: 1) If your Mac is connecting to Unix via MacTCP, the best is to run XferIt and Downline at the same time under multifinder. Downline will automaticaly un-binhex and un-stuff files. It is GREAT!!! This is almost what I want! I like this approach, but XferIt (1.3.1 or order) still does not work for some people. The author of XferIt just released (5/24/91) a new version 1.4b1. I have tried it, it works great. You can anonymous ftp the file at mondo.engin.umich.edu under the directory /pub. The Downline can be anonymous ftped at sumex-aim.stanford.edu. It can automatically un-binhex and decompress those filed compressed by stuffit or packit. According to the author of Downline: "Stuffit Classic, Stuffic Deluxe, and Compator files are not decoded by Downline, and won't be until the creators of these products publish their archive format or send me the specifications. If you want to speed up process, write them and tell them that archive formats by their nature should be public domain and that you are boycotting any proprietary formats, including theirs". So, let us write to the authors of above compressing products and ask them to forward their archive formats to the author of Downline. In that case, We would only need to run XferIt and Downline, and quickly get those ready-to-use applications. 2) Using HyperTCP and Downline. HyperTCP seems works well for most people. However, it seems much slow than XferIt. So, if XferIt don't like you, just use HyperTCP. 3) A commercial application called MacFTP which will download, un-binhex and un-stuff all at once. It also handles multiple files, folers, etc. It's being sold by Network Resources Corp. as MacFTP; you can call (408) 263-8100 or send mail to NRC.MKTG@applelink.apple.com for more information. I sent an email to them, but yet to receive their response. 4) Using 'proxy' feature in NCSA's Telnet to directly transfer files from anonymous_site to your Mac, so forget the midman Unix. I have tried this, but failed in the last step. ie. "proxy get <filename>" I have not found out the problem yet. Has any people directly anonymous FTP files from remote site to Mac? 5) If your mainframe is Unix, then write scripts. 6) You can use macros companying with terminal emulator, like "Red Ryder" or "White Night" or third party macros like "QuicKeys" For more details, read the following responses. ******************************************* The following are responses, either through email or post to the newsgroup: From: Matti Pellinen <k34340j@puukko.hut.fi> If there is such a macro or program that does all you asked, please let me know too. I wonder why all this have to be so complicated so that only very skilled persons are capable to do ftp:ing etc. with computers. In fact I made a script that: -opened microphone II when the mac was started -opened a script that called my University -logged to my account there -transferred files that I put there earlier to my directory -finished and logged out -saved the session -and shut down the machine after all this a timer switched off the power automatically within about 30 minutes or so what was left. Anyway, this happened during the night and I was so excited that I couldn't sleep, I had to wake up and see is it working there or not... Matti Pellinen ---------------------------- Date: Tue, 14 May 91 01:39:35 EST From: r.addie@trl.oz.au (Ron Addie) Message-Id: <9105131539.AA02110@lynx.trl.OZ.AU> To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au Subject: Re: Downloading files in one-go? Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm References: <2281@diemen.utas.edu.au> Status: OR Something I have started doing recently to simplify the Unix->Mac process is to tar the files on the Unix host and download the tar file then untar the tar file on the Mac, using a tar program which I got from the net. It is also possible to use shar, because shar is also available on the Mac (you can find it on the ditmela info-mac shadow archive, or presumable on the original). To improve efficiency, it would also seem top be possible to compress the tar file or shar file on the Unix host and then uncompress it on the Mac (uncompress is also available from ditmela). Another very handy facility is the Mac utility dehqx (I think thats the name) which will de-hex a whole folder in one go. This is also available on ditmela. This usually leaves the task of un-stuffit-ing the dehqx-ed files -- I dont know of a utility to do this. If you here about a way of doing all that you have suggested, let me know. Ron Addie r.addie@trl.oz.au Telecom Australia Research Laboratories ---------------------- -------------------------- Date: Mon, 13 May 91 12:03:34 EDT From: hoepfner@heawk1 (Patrick Hoepfner) Message-Id: <9105131603.AA18265@heawk1> To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au Subject: Re: Downloading files in one-go? Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm References: <2281@diemen.utas.edu.au> Reply-To: hoepfner@heasfs.gsfc.nasa.gov Organization: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Status: OR ..... You can record much (if not all) of the above in the form of a script from you Terminal emulator (assuming your terminal emulator has scripting ability) or you can use a 3rd party macro recorder like QuicKeys 2. NOTE: Some of the macro recorders have the ability to have you enter a string to be used by the recorder at a later date. Also, Tempo II Plus is a good macromaker but there are some deficiencies in that it may not run with some macs (my IIsi has problems with it). What I am saying is that you can enter the name of the file to be FTPed with the full path (e.g. 'info-mac/games/xxx.hqx') and have it wake up and FTP these files after midnight while you are sleeping. One additional thing. Since you can FTP from your Mac, why not directly FTP from the source and leave out the unix middleman? That is unless you don't have the ability to FTP outside of your domain and that is where you want to go. Another suggestion. Check out LISTSERV. This allows you to mail a request to a machine and that machine will mail back the files (or a directory listing of available file) to you. This way you don't have to waste your time sitting around while these files are being FTPed. Hope this helps. -- Pat -- +--------------------------+---------------------------------------+ / Patrick Hoepfner | NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center \ / America Online: PatrickH9 | Internet: hoepfner@heasfs.gsfc.nasa.gov \ +-----------------------------+------------------------------------------+ ----------------- Date: Mon, 13 May 91 09:34:40 +1200 Message-Id: <9105122134.AA12845@cc-server1.massey.ac.nz> To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au Subject: Re: Downloading files in one-go? Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm In-Reply-To: <2281@diemen.utas.edu.au> Organization: Massey University Computer Centre Cc: Status: OR What you want is a conmbination of two programs, you need XFerIt 1.3.1 which is a ftp client that works directly from your mac (you need MacTCP drivers in your system folder as well), and Downline which works in the background and unbinhexs and unstuffs files automatically. >From memory both of these applications are available from sumex (36.44.0.6). Hope this helps, if you have any questions, drop me a line and I'll see what I c an do. Cheers Al -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allan Burton Phone +64 63 69099 x8564, Fax +64 63 505607 Macintosh Consultant, TimeZone GMT +12, Internet A.K.Burton@massey.ac.nz Computer Centre, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------- Date: Mon, 13 May 91 08:07:27 -0400 Message-Id: <9105131207.AA07870@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> From: Jim Matthews <Jim.Matthews@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au (Tony Lim) Subject: Re: Downloading files in one-go? Status: OR > Is such a smart thing avaiable? I am sure this is the way to go. I thought so too, so I wrote an FTP program that basically does what you want (i.e. it downloads, un-binhexes, and un-stuffs all at once). It also handles multiple files, folders, and has some other cute features. It's being sold by Network Resources Corp. as MacFTP; you can call (408) 263-8100 or send mail to NRC.MKTG@applelink.apple.com for more information. Jim Matthews Dartmouth Software Development --------------------- Date: Sun, 12 May 91 17:20:18 EDT From: Fuat C. Baran <fuat@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> Message-Id: <9105122120.AA25473@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au Cc: fuat@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu Subject: Re: Downloading files in one-go? Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm In-Reply-To: <2281@diemen.utas.edu.au> Organization: Columbia University Center for Computing Activities Status: OR In article <2281@diemen.utas.edu.au> you write: >Hi, netters, > >Can anyone tell me if there are any communication application which allow me >to download/upload files in one-go? I am using a Mac+ connecting to the >Unix system through Telnet. To download files from an anonymous FTP site, >I have to You seem to be using ftp between your UNIX machine and your Mac. Can you ftp the file directly to your Mac from the archive site? If so, try that and also this new item I saw on info-mac (comm/downline.hqx): ---------- Date: Tue, 19 Mar 91 07:54:51 EST From: saher@neptune.aoe.vt.edu (Saher Lahouar) Presenting Downline, a really useful Multifinder utility for those of you who constantly download binhexed and stuffed files from SUMEX and similar archive sites. It performs batch de-binhexing and unstuffing in the background using the convenient DROP FOLDER concept. To operate it, you designate an input and an output folder (which could be the same) in which you drop various binhexed, stuffed and packed files. The application magically performs the necessary operations. One extremely handy benefit of the program is that it can run at the same time as files are being downloaded (if you download them to the right folder) so you end up with ready to use files. It is very easy to use, so enjoy... (I'm posting this with permission of the author. Please report bugs to the addresses specified in the ABOUT box, or to SAHER@VTCC1.VT.CC.EDU) Saher Lahouar Virginia Tech ---------- -------------------- -------------------- Date: Sun, 12 May 91 15:09:39 -0400 From: Stuart M Castergine <scasterg@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> Message-Id: <9105121909.AA29590@bottom.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au Subject: Re: Downloading files in one-go? Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm In-Reply-To: <2281@diemen.utas.edu.au> Organization: The Ohio State University Cc: Status: OR The answer to your question is: SCRIPTS! (plus maybe the unix programs unsit and mcvert) First, make a file in your hom edirectory called .netrc It's contents should look something like this: machine sumex-aim.stanford.edu login anonymous password scasterg@magnus.ircc.ohi o-state.edu machine titan.rice.edu login anonymous password scasterg@magnus.ircc.ohio-state. edu machine ftp.apple.com login anonymous password scasterg@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.e du ------------------------ That will eliminate the need to type a password when you log on. Next make a file called anything you find easy to remember, like "sumex.scr" In that file write a script of the procedure you want to go through once you long onto sumex: cd info-mac/comm get maclayers-10.hqx cd ../util get extractor.hqx ------- then make an alias for the command you usually use in your .cshrc file: alias sumex 'ftp sumex-aim.stanford < sumex.scr' from then on, all you have to do is edit the script file, type sumex, and the transfers will be taken care of for you. this can be further automated. get the file mcvert.shar from sumex in info-mac/unix. It is a program that unbinhexes files. You can then write a script that will go something like this (I haven't test it so there may be minor errors, but it will probably work OK): ftp sumex-aim.stanford.edu < ~/sumex.scr mcvert *.hqx ftp yourmac < ~/send.scr (before you can use this script, you will have to make sure it is executeable by running the following command: chmod u+x myscript ------ the file send.scr will look something like this binary mput *.bin ------ .bin is the extension mcvert gives to all the files it unbinhexes. there is also a program called unsit.shar, but I don't use it and I don't know if it creates the kind of files you need for ftp. I send via modem, so I prefer to keep the file stuffed until I get it to my mac, to cut down on transmission time. If unsit works for you, you can work it into the script, so that files arrive on your mac all unstuffed and ready to use. ----- What will be really helpful to you is if you read up a little bit on how shell scripts are written. try 'man sh' or 'man csh' or 'man whatever-your-login-shell-is' (mine is tcsh) You'll get some info on all the commands available in shell scripts. the better shells have almost complete programming languages available for writing scripts. Good luck. Drop me a message if this was totally confusing ... or if it wasn't! -- scasterg@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu Stuart M Castergine "Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out alive." -- Bugs Bunny ----------------- Date: Sun, 12 May 91 09:56:26 EDT From: jorgej@cs.rpi.edu (Joaquim Jorge) Received: by cs.rpi.edu (4.1/1.2-RPI-CS-Dept) id AA00532; Sun, 12 May 91 09:56:26 EDT Message-Id: <9105121356.AA00532@cs.rpi.edu> To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au (Tony Lim) In-Reply-To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au's message of 12 May 91 01:46:07 GM Subject: Downloading files in one-go? Status: OR Actually, there is something close to what you described, if your Mac is con- nected to the ethernet network (it looks like it does by your posting): check the stack hyperftp in sumex-aim.stanford.edu (should be in /info-mac/comm under the name hyperftp-13.hqx). Here is an excerpt from the description: "HyperFTP is a HyperCard stack that acts as an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client. With it you can transfer files between your Macintosh and FTP host computers over the TCP/IP internet. You must have HyperCard version 1.2 or later, and MacTCP (Apple Computer's TCP/IP drivers) installed. MacTCP is available for about $100 from APDA (800/282-2732)." HyperFTP will de-binhex the files for you, but I don't think it will invoke stuffit to de-compress them. You'll still have to do that manually :-) If you don't have MacTCP, there are some tools to alleviate the pain of down- loading files: check sumex-downloader.hqx under /info-mac/card; I've never used it personally, but it can be used to generate scripts for the unix ftp program from the recent-files.txt and all-files.txt lists available in sumex-aim. I use a small shell script to to this, in conjunction with my .netrc file. Incidentally, you can save yourself the trouble of typing the Username "anonymous" and Password "<anything>" when dowloading, if you create a file called ".netrc" in your login directory (in the unix host), with a line like this: machine sumex-aim.stanford.edu login ftp password anything You can have as many lines as the machines you want to download from. ftp will look for the entry corresponding to the machine you are trying to connect to, and send the username and passwd for you, if it finds one. Also you might want to look into a couple of unix tools in sumex-aim.stanford.ed u. They are in /info-mac/unix, and are very useful in their own right - I use them all the time: mcvert-16.hqx - de'binhexes files in the Unix host macbin-??.hqx - convert macget/macput to macbinary format unsit-16.hqx - unstuffs Stuffit 1.5 archives on the unix host. You need macbin to convert the unstuffed files to download them, though. Hope this helps Joaquim Jorge ====================================================================== Rensselaer Design Research Center | E-mail: jaj@rdrc.rpi.edu CII 7015 | jorgej@turing.cs.rpi.edu RPI,Troy, NY 12180 | Phone: (518) 276 5762 ====================================================================== Date: Sun, 12 May 91 9:37:17 EDT From: scharff@ucunix.san.uc.EDU (Guillermo Scharffenorth) Subject: Smart Communication Software To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.AU Message-Id: <9105121337.AA00601@ucunix.san.uc.edu> X-Envelope-To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.AU X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11] Status: OR Hi, You can use "Red Ryder" or "White Night" macros to accomplish what you want. If youuse binhex and stuffit on your mac you can write a macro to do a1-6 and b1-4. If you use mcvert and unstuff on your unix machine you can do the whole thing with a macro. If you want to try this you can download "Red Ryder9.4" from sumex.stanford.edu which is shareware. I am sure this will do the job find, but if you want to create more sophisticated macros you should buy "White Night" Hope this helps. Guillermo Scharffenorth scharff@ucunix.san.uc.edu ------------------ Date: Sat, 11 May 91 21:59 CDT From: george@swbatl.sbc.com (George Nincehelser 5-6544) To: lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au Subject: Re: Downloading files in one-go? Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm In-Reply-To: <2281@diemen.utas.edu.au> Organization: Southwestern Bell Advanced Technology Laboratory Cc: Status: OR If you are using MacTCP, there are a couple of options I know of. 1) HyperFTP- A HyperCard stack that does FTP. Should be on sumex. 2) XferIt (or something like that) - An application that does what you want. I'm not sure if it is on sumex or not. Both can handle several formats (i.e. they go from an .hqx to a sit file automatically) -- / George David Nincehelser \ george@swbatl.sbc.com \ / / Southwestern Bell Telephone \ Phone: (314) 235-6544 \ / / / Advanced Technology Laboratory \ Fax: (314) 235-5797 \ / / / /\ 1010 Pine, St. Louis, MO 63101 \ de asini umbra disceptare \ From: bskendig@dew.Princeton.EDU (Brian Kendig) In article <2281@diemen.utas.edu.au> lin@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au (Tony Lim) writes : >Can anyone tell me if there are any communication application which allow me >to download/upload files in one-go? I am using a Mac+ connecting to the >Unix system through Telnet. Yes, there is an easier way that what you describe. >To download files from an anonymous FTP site, I have to >A) Transfer file from anonymous FTP site to our Unix system A friend of mine told me (just last night, even!) about a command named `proxy' in ftp, whereby you can open two connections at once in one session, and files you `get' from one would be automatically `put' to the other. I haven't tried it yet, but I believe you just type `proxy <command>' instead of just `command' for everything you want to go to the second connection. Therefore at this point you would: - Hit Command-F to open an ftp session from NCSA Telnet to your Mac - Go to the right directory - Type `proxy open sumex-aim.stanford.edu' (or whatever other site name) - Type `anonymous' as the user name, then anything at all for the password - Type `proxy cd <path>', `proxy ls', or whatever else to navigate - Type `proxy get <file>' or `proxy mget <regexp>' or whatever - Quit from ftp by typing `bye' If I'm right, the files should end up on your Mac without ever landing on the Unix machine. Am I correct? (I haven't tried this yet.) >C) Decode binaries files > 1) Decode the BinHexed file > 2) Unstuffit file > 3) Using other decompress application if the above procedure fails. There's a Multifinder program named `Downline' (available from all the normal places) that will watch a folder for files to appear in it. When it finds a text file there it will un-binhex it, then it will unstuff stuffed archives, and finally place the finished product into another folder. So it seems to me that the easiest way to cope with ftp is to set up Downline on your Mac, then feed files to it through a proxy ftp connection. Piece of cake! (Downline works like a charm.) ------------ -