ftp

[Jerry Peek]

In article <YJS+75$@irie.ais.org> garath at ais.org (Belgarath) writes:
>      1)  Is there a way to set up a file so when I ftp, I am automatically
>          set to binary and bell mode?

Some versions let you put startup setups in your .netrc file.
Here's a .netrc file under SunOS 4.1, for example:

	machine kumquat.xyz.edu login freddy password xxxxxxx
	macdef init
	cd "freddy 191"
	account yyyyyy
	binary

	machine uunet.uu.net login anonymous password freddy at kumquat.xyz.edu

The "macdef init" line means that the commands after it, up to the empty
line, will be run after the connection to the "kumquat.xyz.edu" machine
is completed.  The netrc(5) man page has details (on SunOS 4.1, at least).


>      2)  Will getting a text file with binary mode on cause problems when
>          trying to read it?

That depends on the systems you're transferring the files between.
I use ftp all the time to transfer both text and executable files between
two identical Suns... no problem, because the files are stored the same
way on both systems.

--Jerry Peek, jerry at ora.com