Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uw-beaver!milton!max!scott
From: scott@max.u.washington.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: (repost) FTP Help
Message-ID: <13380.25ed5b44@max.u.washington.edu>
Date: 2 Mar 90 01:26:28 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle WA
Lines: 48

In article <90045.015733MLADAIR@MTUS5.BITNET>, MLADAIR@MTUS5.BITNET (PHANTOM) writes:
> I have been trying to download files from a couple of FTP sites using
> Kermit 2.2 but I haven't had any luck.
 
> I never know when to use ASCII
> or Binary.
 
Well...one good generality to follow is that files ending with
".doc", ".txt", or ".readme" are of type ASCII.
Since these files are of type ASCII you DO NOT have to wait until
they are downloaded to the C64 to be read. They can be read from the system
as soon as you GET these files from the FTP-site. Well that was the
idea of these ascii files in the first place. Before you commit yourself in
downloading a file to the C64, you can
read these infomation-files beforehand to findout more about the
program in question and decide whether or not to go ahead and download it
to the C64.
This way there is less likelyhood of a major "let down", and also save
some of your valuable time in the process in unwanted software.   :-)
But then again, presently most of the programs in the FTP-sites are
worthy of having them.  :-)
 
 
> When I finally do get a file [using Kermit2.2]
> downloaded to my disk, it doesn't run, even if it is supposed to be
> an executable file.  Can anyone help me.  By the way, I am using a
> C-128D computer, if it matters.
 
When using Kermit, did remember to set the type of file transfer to
binary? With kermit, you also need to tell your host-kermit what the
type of the file is by typing:
               set file type binary
 
AND ALSO need to tell it to the C64 kermit by typing:
               set file-type binary
 
(note the "-" between "file" and "type")
 
 
With Kermit, it always advisiable to always set the file type to binary
since there is no drawback even when you are transfering ascii files.
 
Now your set to begin transfer.......engage and good luck.
 
 
 
Sincerely,
Scott K. Stephen