8bitfiles.net/archives/archives.tar/archives/compuserve-file-archive/02 Help & Utilities/BEGIN.HLP

Text File | 2019-04-13 | 9KB | 180 lines

A Beginner's Guide To File Transfers
Prepared for CBM Applications Forum by Marte Brengle, 76703,4242

Downloading

    One of the most commonly asked questions is "How do I
download?" Downloading a file is not a complicated procedure,
but, like anything else that is new, at first it can seem more
intimidating than it really is. While this file obviously can't
give exact instructions for every available terminal program, it
will give some basic instructions that can be adapted to just
about any situation.

    Having said that, it's important to note that there are a few
programs that won't let you download or upload.  If you are using
the "VicTerm" or "64 Term" or "Higgyterm" programs that came with
some of the Commodore modems, or most versions of AutoCom, which
came with Westridge and Anchor modems, you won't be able to
download files.  Some of those programs will let you capture text
in a buffer, but if you want to download  you will have to find
another program.  In the ARC/Help/Forum Utils Library in CBMAPP
(Library 2) you can find a file called SIMPLE.TXT that contains a
type-in terminal program that will let you download another
program of your choice from either the C64 Telecom Library (12)
or the C128 Telecom Library (13).

    This brief overview of the file transfer process will
concentrate on Xmodem downloads, because most Commodore programs
have Xmodem available.  There are only a few that allow "B
Protocol" (also known as Vidtex) downloads, and a B Protocol
download is a fairly automatic process so extensive instructions
are not really necessary.

    To begin with, the most important advice we can give you
about file transfers is that you should learn how to do them in
the free Practice Forum. Just type GO PRACTICE to get there.  In
the Practice Forum you are not charged for your connect time, so
you can spend as much time as you need learning the process.

    The key to successful file transfers is to learn how your
terminal program works before you connect to CompuServe.  Start
with the instructions for your terminal program, if you have them
available.  If the program allows protocol downloads (the most
common are Xmodem and Punter) there will be a way to select that,
either from a menu or by pressing a combination of keys.  You
will need to use a protocol when you download program files, in
order to insure that the file gets saved to your disk without any
errors in transmission.

   CompuServe does not support Punter protocol, which is
Commodore-specific.  If your program comes up with Punter
protocol, check to see if there is a way to switch that to
Xmodem.  If you only have Punter available, you can't download
files from CompuServe and you will have to find another program.

    All right.  Having found out that you can use Xmodem, you
should check the instructions or experiment with the program to
find out what you have to do to tell your program "Start
downloading."  With many programs, you select "Receive a file"
from a menu, or perhaps press Commodore-R, to start the transfer.
(You will probably also have to specify whether you are
downloading a SEQ or a PRG file.)  Once you are sure of what it
is you have to do to tell your program to begin the transfer, the
next step is to connect to CompuServe and find the file you wish
to download.

    If you're not sure which file you want, you can browse
through the files in the Libraries, or you can read the directory
in each Library to find out what's in it.  Most Forums supply a
directory of some kind for their Libraries; check with the Sysops
to see what the files are called. To read the directories in
CBMAPP, go to the Library and type REA LIBnn.DIR (putting the
number of the Library you're in, in place of the nn; for example,
LIB12.DIR)  To browse through all the files in the Library, and
see the full description for each one, just pick "Browse" from
the menu, or type BRO at the prompt.  You may also want to check
in the Practice Forum's Help Library (Library 1) for a file
called ACROSS.TXT, which gives complete instructions for the
"Across Library Search" feature that can make finding a file even
easier.

    If you know which file you want, simply go to the Library
containing that file, and at the prompt, type DOW FILNAM.EXT/PRO:XMO.
(You'll put in the proper filename for your program, of course.)
This tells the system that you want a particular file
(DOWnload FILNAM.EXT), and you want to download it with Xmodem
(PROtocol:XMOdem).  When the system says "Begin the transfer on
your computer," you do whatever it is that your program requires
to start a download.  Your disk drive should whir and the download
should proceed. Some programs will give you a graphic representation
of how the download is proceeding.

    Once the download is finished, your program will probably
tell you that the file transfer is complete.  It may give you a
message, or it may switch from the graphic display back to the
Library display.  Your drive will stop whirring and the light
will go out.  At that point, you press <return> once to tell the
system that you've finished receiving the file.  And that's all
there is to it!


Uploading

    Uploading works very much like downloading, which should come
as no surprise.  However, there are a few more things you need to
know before you upload a file.

    Again, you begin by getting familiar with your own terminal
program before you connect to CompuServe.  Once you've figured
out the commands your program needs to "send" or "upload" a file,
you need to pay careful attention to what kind of file you
want to send (text, program, picture, whatever).  You also need
to keep in mind that while Commodore programs can have filenames
that are quite long, CompuServe Library files can be no more than
six letters long, with a three letter extension.  Thus you can't
tell the system that you want to upload a file called
DISSERTATION; you have to make the file name fit into "six plus
three" letters (or less).  In addition, you'll be asked to fill
in a description and keywords for each file you upload.  To do
this, you will use the Library software's built-in editor, which
is a bit different from the one you may be accustomed to use
while typing in messages on the message board.  We recommend that
you practice uploading files and filling in the descriptions in
the Practice Forum so you can see how it all works and get help
if it doesn't work the way you expect it to (which happens to
everyone somewhere along the line!)

     To upload a file using Xmodem, go to the Library in which
you wish to upload the file and type UPL FILNAM.EXT/PRO:XMO
(putting in the proper file name, of course).  You will then get
a menu that asks which kind of file you want to upload.  Now,
here is where another caution comes in.  For some reason, Xmodem
transfers of text (SEQ) files to CompuServe tend to be less than
successful.  The most common thing that happens is that your
terminal program will not translate the Commodore ASCII
(PETASCII) to standard ASCII, so your file arrives in the Library
with all of its upper and lower case letters reversed.  Another
common mishap for SEQ files is that they arrive with carriage
returns but no linefeeds, so every line overwrites the next.  For
the most successful transfer of SEQ files to CompuServe it is
best not to use Xmodem at all, but to send them directly from
your program's buffer or from a disk if your terminal program
will allow it.  If you need help with this, please leave a
message in CBMAPP addressed to SYSOP mentioning the name of the
terminal program you are using and asking for instructions on how
to transfer a text file.

     If you're sending a program (PRG) file, there should be no
problem.  Make sure that if your terminal program allows
PETASCII-to-ASCII translations, the file is not translated during
the upload.   When you are asked for a file type, pick "Binary."
(If your file is a GIF or RLE file, pick the appropriate kind of
picture; but do not use the GIF or RLE file type if you're
uploading a picture made with one of the Commodore graphics
programs like Doodle, geoPaint or Koala--use Binary instead.)

     The system will then tell you to begin the transfer.  Make
sure the disk with your file on it is in your drive, and then
tell your program to start transferring the file.

     Once the file is transferred you'll be asked for a
description and then for keywords.  Try to be as "descriptive" as
you can, so that others will know what your file is all about.
When you're done, you'll have a chance to edit your description
or proceed to typing in the keywords.  The keywords should be a
few brief words that will let people see what kind of file it is,
such as  FORMATTING TEXT PAPERCLIP or something similar.  The
system will then show you what you typed, and if you don't like
it, it will give you a chance to change things till you're
satisfied. (This is where your time in the Practice Forum will
pay off.)

    That's all there is to it!  If you need additional
information on file types, and the various kinds of files you're
likely to encounter in the Libraries, you should read a file
called UPDOW.HLP, which is also available here in CBMAPP's
ARC/Help/Forum Utils Library (Library 2).  And you can leave a
message addressed to SYSOP at any time if you need additional
help.