

     =============== WILDCAT! FILE SYSTEM TUTORIAL ==================

     The files area allows users to move files between your system and 
     WILDCAT!. Downloading is the process of moving files from WILDCAT! 
     to your computer, and uploading is moving files from your computer 
     to WILDCAT!.  

     Data transfer can be done in a number of ways in WILDCAT!.  New 
     error checking protocols are being added on a regular basis, but 
     the most common transfer methods are XMODEM, YMODEM and standard ASCII.
     XMODEM protocol was originally developed by Ward Christensen, a 
     pioneer in micro communications.  XMODEM is included in many 
     communications programs including PC-TALK III, QMODEM, CROSSTALK, 
     SMARTCOM and many more.  Before talking any more about specific 
     protocols, lets review the general method of locating a file or 
     program to download from a WILDCAT! system.  

     The explaination which follows assumes the SYSOP has adopted the 
     standard WILDCAT! Files System Menu, and is using the recommended 
     prompts. Since every WILDCAT! system has the option of changing the 
     wording of this menu, you may find some slight variation of the 
     menu prompts which will perform the same functions.  

     WILDCAT! allows the System Operator the option of storing files in 
     separate subdirectories or areas, each of which is devoted to different 
     types of files or programs.  File areas usually have names like GAMES, 
     UTILITIES, etc., and contain files of that type.  Select the LIST command,
     usually displayed as [L]ist on the menu and you will be prompted for the 
     specific file area you wish to view.  The complete names of the files 
     available will be listed along with file size, date added to the system, 
     time needed to download at your baud rate, the number of times it has 
     been downloaded, and a brief description of each file.  


     XMODEM FILE TRANSFER

     WILDCAT! supports two variations of the XMODEM protocol called 
     XMODEM and XMODEM/CRC respectively.  One of these two protocols is 
     required if you intend to transfer files with extensions of EXE, 
     OBJ, COM, ARC, LBR, xQx, as well as tokenized BASIC programs.  
     Files containing the IBM PC special ASCII characters (ones with 
     ASCII values above 128) must also be transferred with XMODEM, 
     including Wordstar files.  These files cannot be transferred in 
     ASCII mode since ASCII transfer is only 7 bit and these types of 
     files require the full 8 bit transfer of the data with no 
     translation of the contents of the file.  

     XMODEM also offers the advantage of error checking on a block by 
     block basis to assure that the data sent contains no errors.  It 
     does this by adding a checksum byte to the end of each block of 
     data; the receiver calculates its own checksum and compares it to 
     the one received.  If an error is detected in the transmission, 
     XMODEM will request that WILDCAT! retransmit the block of data.  

     In addition to the above checksum comparison, XMODEM/CRC adds 
     another level of error detection using a complex CYCLICAL 
     REDUNDANCY CHECK algorithm.  

     Please be certain to select and use matching protocol types for 
     accurate data interchange.  QMODEM, a product of John Friel and the 
     FORBIN PROJECT supports both XMODEM and XMODEM/CRC, and will usually 
     contain additional protocols added to WILDCAT!. 

     To perform an XMODEM file download, first determine the name of a file 
     by using the <L>IST command. 

     1.  Select <D>OWNLOAD from the FILES MENU

     2.  Enter the COMPLETE file name.  WILDCAT! will check to make sure the 
         file exists and then proceed.  If the file is not found, check the 
         spelling in the [L]ist. 

     3.  Select the transfer protocol you want to use by entering the 
         number which corresponds to it, ie. 3 for XMODEM/CRC. 

     4.  WILDCAT! will indicate how many blocks are to be sent and wait 
         for you to begin you transfer procedure.  Once WILDCAT! indicates 
         it is READY TO SEND you should then open your recieve or capture 
         file (QMODEM & PC-TALK.III Alt-R command) and start the XMODEM 
         receive process.  PC-TALK.III starts XMODEM for you ONLY IF you put 
         '=X' at the end of the download filename.  QMODEM will ask for the 
         protocol type much the same way as WILDCAT! 

     5.  The file will be transferred automatically block by block under 
         XMODEM until the entire file has been sent. You may abnormally 
         abort the transfer by sending WILDCAT! an ASCII CAN code (CTRL-
         X). PC-TALK.III & QMODEM will do this for you if you enter an 
         Alt-R during the file transfer, or it can be entered from the 
         keyboard.  

     7.  When the file transfer is finished, XMODEM automatically closes 
         your capture file for you. XMODEM also ensures that no garbage 
         gets into your file; binary files and text files are sent to 
         you with 99.6% error free transmission with XMODEM and better 
         than 99.9% with XMODEM/CRC.

     ASCII DATA CAPTURE

     ASCII transfer is simply the sending of information as characters, 
     and is limited to 7 bit information.  The transfer of files in 
     ASCII mode can be done if your system is capable of any type of 
     data capture.  To download a file using the ASCII method, follow 
     the same sequence of steps listed above for XMODEM, but select 
     protocol type 1, ASCII.  

     4.  WILDCAT! will ask which type of ASCII transfer you want,
              1.  PROMPTED
              2.  TIME DELAY
              3.  NO DELAY

     NO DELAY is the simplest and will cause WILDCAT! to send the file 
     full speed to your system with no pauses.  If it is a long file and 
     your system has only a small communications buffer, you may find 
     your computer is unable to keep up with receiving & writing the file 
     without losing some characters.  If so, change to a TIME DELAY as 
     indicated below.

     TIME DELAY will allow you to specify the amount of time between each 
     transmitted character in hundredths of a second.  For example you 
     could specify 10 as the time delay and WILDCAT! would wait 10/100 of 
     a second (one tenth) between each character sent.  A delay between 
     10 and 50 will allow almost any system to successfully receive ASCII 
     even if a buffer problem has been found.  

     PROMPTED transmission allows receiving the file line by line with a 
     pause between each line until a specified character has been 
     received by WILDCAT!.  You must tell WILDCAT! what character will be 
     sent by your system to signal that it is ready for the next line.  

     5.  Open your capture or receive file as indicated by WILDCAT! 
         (Opening your capture file is done by using the Alt-R command in 
         PC-TALK & QMODEM)  After setting up to receive the file on your 
         end, you have to send WILDCAT! one carriage return so that it 
         knows you are ready to start.  

     6.  The file will be sent a line at a time until the entire file is 
         sent.  You will see the lines of ASCII code (readable text and 
         numbers) on your screen as they flow to your system.  A Ctrl-X 
         (ASCII CAN) can be sent anytime to abort the transmission of the 
         data.

     7.  When the file transfer is finished, WILDCAT! will send you an 
         End Of File Marker (Ctrl-Z) and tell you to close your capture 
         file (PC-TALK & QMODEM Alt-R) 


     FILE UPLOADING

     File uploading to WILDCAT! is very similar to downloading.  

     Uploading of ASCII files can be done without interruption between 
     lines.  WILDCAT! can handle data uploading at up to 2400 baud 
     without any problem.  

     Before sending a file be sure WILDCAT! has enough disk space to take 
     the file. When you select <U>PLOAD at the File menu, the system will 
     tell you how much disk space is free on the upload drive. 

     UPLOAD GROUND RULES

     You are encouraged to donate programs to the library on this system.  
     Any type of program or document is welcome, however, a few ground 
     rules are in order.  The files donated must contain only information 
     that is in the public domain.  No private or commercial information 
     should be placed on this system.  The SYSOP is not responsible for 
     any of the data that is shared on this system. 

                        MUSTANG SOFTWARE
                                 3125 19th Street, Suite 162 
                                 Bakersfield, CA  93301-3118 
                                 VOICE (805) 395-0223 
                                 DATA  (805) 395-0650

                                 Jim Harrer        Rick Heming

