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- Date: Sun, 31 Jul 1994 10:20 EST
- From: "Don't Panic!" <ABRODY@vax.clarku.edu>
- Subject: FAQ on download (using binary or ascii)
-
- To anyone having problems with downloading files:
- Here is a simple easy to use FAQ (Frequently Answered Questions file)-
- Using gopher and ftp to download files can be error free, if you know the
- following. Most downloadable files on the NET have the following extensions:
- .sea, .hqx, .sit, .zip, .z, .gif, .jpg, .moov., .txt, and .c. There are
- files
- with other extensions that I am not aware of, and I'd be glad to update this
- FAQ
- with information about those extensions if anyone has information about them.
- Some files require a binary download, others require an ASCII download.
- Files with the above extensions each require either binary or ASCII.
- In the following table you will see which is required, as well as a sample of
- a
- program that can open the file once it is downloaded onto your Mac.
-
-
- extension | xfer method | expansion program
- --------- |--------| -----------------
- .sea | binary | Compact Pro 1.3.5
- .hqx | ascii | Stuffit Expander 3.5
- .sit | binary | Stuffit Expander 3.5
- .zip | binary | ZipIt 1.2.6, PKZIP
- .z | binary | compress/uncompress (UNIX based)
- .gif | binary | GIFConverter, commercial ColorIT
- .jpg | binary | JPEGView 3.3 & Quicktime 1.6
- .moov | binary | EasyPlay & Quicktime 1.6
- .txt | ascii | TEXT file, any WP
- .c | ascii | TEXT file, any WP, or C language
-
- If using a command line ftp program, you need to specify "binary" or "ASCII"
- before writing the "get" or "mget" command. If using a command line based UNIX
-
- or VAX/VMS gopher client, and you have trouble saving binary files, add a
- tilde
- slash (~/) to the beginning of the file name before saving the binary file.
-
- If downloading the file over modem, many protocols (Zmodem, Xmodem and Kermit
- are protocols) allow you to specify binary or ascii download. Use the "xfer
- method" appropriate for the file extension you are downloading when you use a
- download protocol. For instance I would say sz -b SL9.gif, and sz -a
- compact-pro-135.hqx to download using Zmodem a binary and ascii file
- respectively.
-
- Hope this helps.
- Usual disclaimers apply (such as I am not the author of any of the above
- sample programs), however, I am interested if any of the above information is
- inaccurate, as I will update the FAQ to correct for mistakes.
- Thank you.
- Sincerely,
- ABRODY@VAX.CLARKU.EDU
-
-