This is an attempt to describe how to transfer files between the Mathematics/Computer Science Department server, math and personal floppy disks (3.25 inch). This describes the procedure used at the Kenna, Orradre, and O'Connor labs on Windows95 machines ONLY.
Those machines use a Windows versions of FTP, "File Transfer Protocol." A command-line version of the program is available on other systems (VMS, Unix, DOS) and can be used to transfer files between one mainframe or workstation and another (see below).
Those who wish to use Macs may find the transfer protocol similar, but if difficulties occur, please speak to the lab TA.
On the Windows95 desktop, click on the University Network Resources folder icon. Then click on the Rapid FTP icon.
Rapid FTP will normally open two windows: the background window is titled Rapid FTP and lists all files on the local and remote machines in a split screen format, and the foreground window is titled Open a Remote File System and is a form to enter information about connectinf to a remote computer.
In the foreground window, Open a Remote File System, click on the Remote Host Name box, then erase whatever is there (if anything), and then enter math (or any other machine name to which you have access and wish to transfer files to or from).
Next, click on the User Name box. Erase whatever username is there (if any) and enter your username for the math.
Next, click on the Password box and enter your password (asterisks should appear in place of charcters).
Finally, click on the OPEN button along the bottom of the window (or press the Enter key).
The program should connect you to math and then eliminate the foreground window, Open a Remote File System.
What you should now see in the Rapid FTP window (after the connection has been made) is a split screen with the files in your directory on math in the lower half and files on the local machine (or network drive) in the upper half.
To instruct the program to recognize a floppy disk in drive a: on the local machine, click anywhere in the upper half of the split window. One of the filenames should change to white letters in a black box.
Then click on the first (left-most) item along the upper menu bar in this window, on the word File. A menu window will open up and near the bottom there will be an option to Change Directory. Click on this option and another window will open. Click on the white box in this window and enter a: and then press the enter key or click on the Change button along the bottom of the window.
After this, the filenames in the upper half window should change and the window should indicate that it is now listing the files on the diskette in floppy drive a:.
You are now ready to transfer files between math and your floppy disk.
TO PRESCRIBE THE FILE TYPE FOR TRANSFERRING FILES FROM math TO THE PC, move the cursor to the lower half screen and click on any filename in the lower half screen. Then click on Options in the upper menu bar, and then click on Transfer Options (the topmost item in the new menu window which will appear).
The program is normally set to try to determine the file type and transfer files accordingly, but this can lead to scrambled text files when transferring between a Unix operating system and DOS/PC diskettes. Thus, click on the check-mark in the box that indicates an automatic file type determination to turn it off. Then, for text files, click on the ASCII file circle to prescribe file transfer according to that mode.
TO TRANSFER FILES, move the cursor to the filename in either half screen and click on the filename while dragging the filename icon to the other half screen. When you release the mouse button, the program should transfer the file appropriately. Alternatively, click on the filename, and then click on Copy on the right side menu.
If you do not predetermine the file transfer mode, in some instances, a new window will appear. This will occur when the program cannot detect the type of file accurately. Texts files should be transferred in ASCII mode and program (executable) or compressed (e.g., "ZIPped" files) should be transferred in binary mode. Even if this window appears, the resulting file transfer may result scrambled data.
When file transferring is completed, once again click on the first (left-most) item along the upper menu bar, on the word FILE. A menu window will open up and at the bottom is the option Exit. Click on this option to have the program log you off math and then exit the Rapid FTP program and close the window.
Before beginning the process of transferring files, on local machine one should be in the correct directory to receive or send a file. (Many versions of ftp include an internal command lcd for "local change directory" which enables a user to change directory on the local machine, but some versions of ftp lack this command.)
The command to initiate ftp is
ftp machine domain name
at the user prompt. For example, to login to "math" from another
large machine, one would type the command:
ftp math.scu.edu
One then gives one's username and password as if one
were logging into the system to do work.
One can connect to the desired directory using the standard DOS/Unix cd command (followed by the directory path name).
If one needs to check which files are in the directory on the remote machine, one can give the command dir or the command ls. (Some versions of ftp include the command lls to get of listing of files in the local directory.)
To obtain a file from the remote machine, one uses the command "get." For example, to download a file from the distant machine to the local machine named "report.txt" one gives the command:
ftp> get report.txt
When the transfer is complete, one gets the "ftp" prompt again.
To transfer a file from the local machine, one uses the command "put." For example, to upload a file from the local machine to the distant machine named "prog1.cxx" one gives the command:
ftp> put prog1.cxx
If one wishes to transfer several files and make use of the
* "wildcard," one should use the command mget and
mput (for "multiple get/put") instead, as follows:
ftp> mput prog*.cxx
If one wishes to transfer binary files (such as graphics, picture, executable files, e.g., .gif, .mpeg, .exe files), one should first convert to binary mode by typing the command bin and the use the put/get commands as needed.
To quit ftp, type the command quit.
Additional information can be obtain by typing help> or ? at the FTP prompt and or typing help followed by a command name. Additional information may be obtained typing man ftp when logged in to a Unix system.
This page is maintained by Dennis C. Smolarski, S.J.
dsmolarski@math.scu.edu
© Copyright 1998, 1999 Dennis C. Smolarski, SJ, All rights reserved.
Last changed: 15 April 1999.