Re: Need Help Downloading

[CUTjefbla@bconnex.net (Jeff Blakeney)]

On Wed, 27 May 1998 13:52:58 -0500, Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>
wrote:

>     Yes. The problems with http:// downloading from many A2 sites and
>author web pages is something which needs to be mentioned regularly. Too
>many users waste too much time doing downloads which end up being of no
>value.

I don't think I have yet had a problem doing this.  Mind you, I do
usually do my file transfers via FTP but when I do web transfers using
Internet Explorer v3.01 under Windows 95, as long as I right-click on
the link to the file and choose the "Save Target as ..." menu item
from the pop up menu, I have not have any problems.

>     It boils down to whether or not the download is corrupted. From
>some sites, the odds of obtaining a good http:// download of any .SHK
>file appear to be nearly zero. The problem is with how the site
>communicates with popular browsers under http. For some reason, the
>result is often a file which contains numerous Text line-enders which,
>naturally, corrupts the file.

The problem seems to be that when simply clicking on the link,
something needs to determine whether the file should be downloaded in
text or binary mode.  Unfortunately, browser authors didn't bother
putting in a dialog asking the user which method should be used so it
makes up its own mind and it is sometimes wrong.

If a file is transferred in text mode then end of line characters will
be converted if you are transferring from dissimilar operating
systems.  This is because the different operating systems use
different end of line indicators.  Apple IIs and Macs use carriage
return, Unix uses line feed and DOS/Windows uses carriage return plus
line feed.  So when tranferring a ShrinkIt file in text mode from a
Unix machine to a Windows machine, all carriage return characters in
the ShrinkIt file will be changed to carriage return plus line feed.
This, in essence will corrupt the file.

However, a simple Applesoft program (maybe with an assembly add on to
speed things up) could be written to remove all the extra line feeds
from the corrupted file to return the file to normal.

Unfortunately, this cannot be done with a file that has been
transferred to a Unix machine as it would be impossible to determine
which line feeds were carriage returns before conversion.  Some of the
line feeds would have been in the original file.

>     With FTP:// the results have been very good. Could you explain how
>to do a "Gopher" download?

FTP is definitely the way to go.  Just remember to make sure you are
transferring ShrinkIt files in binary mode when you do.  :)

I can't help with the Gopher stuff, though.  Never came across an
Apple II related Gopher site but then I never did look for one.  :)

=== I've had enough SPAM.  Cut the obvious from my address to email me. ===
         Jeff Blakeney - Dean of the Apple II University on Delphi