Please read this description on how to download, open and view files. If you wish to print it out, use the Print command in your File menu. The attached file is the same text as in this description; if you download it, you will have a duplicate of what you have just printed out.
Downloading FAQ:
The following has a few tips and pointers on how to download
files, how to process files that you have downloaded if they are
compressed, and how to view the files after they have been processed.
How do I download files?
Downloading is actually the easiest of the three things mentioned. While
you are looking at the file list in the libraries, you simply can either
choose Download Now or Download Later.
Download Now initiates a download command and you will see a dialog box
asking where you wish to put the file. Once you give the file a name (or
select the name that is given to you in the dialog box) you click on the
save button and you will see a small window with a gauge in it. When
this gauge fills up you have finished downloading. If you are on a Mac
or using a PC with a sound card you will hear the words "File Done"
Download Later put the file name into the Download manager. Once you
have picked all the files that you wish to download, you simply go to the
file menu and choose the "Download Manager" Menu Item. This will open up
a window with several Icons at the bottom. If you are downloading for
the first time I suggest that you forget about the other Icons and simply
choose the "Start Download" button. You will then see a dialog box that
asks you if you wish to log off after the download. If you plan on not
doing any more online exploring after you have downloaded your files then
click on the box and your machine will sign you off after the downloads
have been completed. Also after you have downloaded the files they will
automatically be put in the Downloads directory which is inside the
directory that has the AOL softare. For Windows Machines this would be
C:\WAOL\Download, For Dos Machines using the GEOS version of AOL it would be C:\AOL\Download, for Macs it would be a folder inside the America Online 2.X folder named Online Downloads.
How do I process files that I have Downloaded?
There are two types of files that need to be processed before you can
view them. They are .ZIP files and .SIT files. These files have been
compressed so they take less time to download. Files that end in .TXT
(Text files) don't need processing.
.Zip files are created by a utility called PKZIP. This compression
utility has become the defacto standard for IBM type machines. The
Windows and DOS versions of AOL 2.0 and below can handle Zip files made
by earlier versions of PKZIP (PKzip 1.10) However, PKZIP has evolved and
now there are later versions. Your version of WAOL may not be able to
handle the later compression formats.
.SIT Files are created by the Macintosh using Stuffit. Stuffit is the
Standard on the Mac. To use these files you will need a utility that
will uncompress them.
There is a utility in the Religions and Ethics Forum Called "Stuffit
Expander for Windows" that will handle both .ZIP files and .SIT files and
is very easy to use. Stuffit Expander for Windows also handles a lot
more formats that you might run into while browsing the internet. It is
an all around handy utility that I think you would be happy to own. And
what is best about this utility is that the company that made it gives it
away for free.
If you are using a Macintosh and are using version 2.1, I suggest that
you go to Keyword UPGRADE and download the latest version of the Mac AOL software. This version is 2.6. The AOL for the MAC handles both .ZIP
files and .SIT files with ease so you don't need another utility to process them. However if you are looking for a good Utility for processing files that you download on other services I can suggest Stuffit Expander for the Mac. Like its sister application on the IBM it handles a varity of different file formats that are in use in other machines.
Once you have processed the .Zip files and .Sit Files then you can go ahead and view them.
How do I view files that I have downloaded?
Once you have processed your ZIP files or SIT files, Remember .TXT files
don't need to be processed, you are ready to view them.
If the file is Text (.TXT) then all you have to do is load it into a word
processor. A simple word processor in Windows would be Windows Write.
This text processor is found in the Accessories Icon under the Windows
program manager. Also remember that AOL can read text files but it has a
very small buffer so if the file is over 16k in length you will only see
the first portion of the file.
On the Mac a simple Word processor would be Teachtext or SimpleText.
Remember that any word processor will work on viewing text files. I
suggest that you use the one that you are comfortable with.
If the file is a .JPG (Jpeg) or .GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) then
you might need another utility to view the file. WAOL 2.0 has multimedia
capibilities built in to it and has the ability to View both Gif files
and JPG files. However there are better Utilities out there for viewing
files. Vpic and Cshow come to mind as Utilities that are able to view files.
How do I print a file?
Once you have opened a file in your word processer then all you have to
do to print is to use the print command. This command is usually found
under the file menu. Once you do this you only have a few minutes to
wait before you have a hard copy.
Printing Graphic files is a bit different and I would use a good graphic
program for the printing of graphics. However you can print a graphic
using AOL just by using the Print command under the file menu.
