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From: milne@ics.uci.edu (Alastair Milne)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: bin files
Keywords: ftp, bin help!
Message-ID: <13119@paris.ics.uci.edu>
Date: 2 May 89 07:14:08 GMT
References: <14326@duke.cs.duke.edu> <5382@cs.utexas.edu>
Sender: news@paris.ics.uci.edu
Reply-To: Alastair Milne <milne%ics.uci.edu@orion.cf.uci.edu>
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Organization: Educational Technology Center, Dept. of ICS, UC Irvine
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knapp@cs.utexas.edu (Edgar Knapp) writes
> currier@romeo.cs.duke.edu  writes:
>[..]
>>The bin files do NOT work, tho... I have tried ftp in both bin and ascii mode,
>>and Kermit (from my Unix host) in no and even parity, only to have Stuffit and
>>and binhex barf.  What is special about the bin files?  What am I doing wrong?
>
>The following works for me: After binary FTP I use Kermit with 'set
>file type binary 8' and macbinary Kermit in VersaTerm.
>
>Edgar

     If you are bringing binary files from UNIX to the Mac, you *have* to make
     sure you are using *binary* mode (usually to the data fork).  If you
     leave it in text mode, Kermit will apply any regularising that a Mac text
     file would need, and you lose the file's format.

     The only use I have ever seen in parity, at least when communicating with
     UNIX, is to drop the data path to 7 bits to allow for possibly restricted
     communications hardware, which might cause trouble with 8 bits.  And I
     haven't had to try that for quite some time now.

     Unless even using binary mode fails you, I wouldn't even give a thought
     to parity (beyond, of course, being certain it's the same at both ends).

     BTW, you should be aware that MacKermit will have no idea what the file 
     type or creator should be, so it applies its own.  When we get a version 
     that recognises MacBinary format, perhaps that will change.  (Though it
     seems that the Kermit protocol in VersaTerm already has it, and there
     maybe other communications programs with Kermit that do.)


     Alastair Milne