Re: Not a "plain" file question

[nparker@cie-2.uoregon.edu (Neil Parker)]

In article <Pine.SOL.3.91.950913224934.22297A-100000@apollo> Don
<leed@sfsu.edu> writes:
>                                    At various times when I try to 
>dwonload from the grind or caltech, etc... Sometimes I get the message 
>that the file is not a "plain" file.  I assumed that meant it wasn't a 
>text file so I switched to binary mode and still no luck, so I tried 
>again in ascii mode, and still no luck.  That isn't a problem with 
>programs like Zlink that have multiple versions up in bsq, SHK, etc..., 
>but Hera and Hera.dec94 don't seem to have other versions.  Anyone know 
>how to download those files, or know of other versions that I can 
>download from somewhere?  And what is a "plain" file anyway?  Thanks!

I presume the "file" you're talking about is /apple2/8bit/games/Hera on
Grind?  It's not a file at all, it's a subdirectory.  You don't download
it...you "cd" into it, and download the files inside it. 

A "plain file" is just that...a file that you can access in the usual
manner.  On UNIX and UNIX-like operating systems (such as what Grind is
running), there are several different kinds of things you might encounter
other than "plain files."  The most common "non-plain file" that you'll
encounter is a subdirectory.  UNIX also offers such strange critters as
device special files ("files" which, when opened, give you direct access to
some physical device instead of to data on the disk) and (in some versions)
named pipes ("files" which provide a channel of communication between two
different programs running simultaneously).

When FTPing, subdirectories are the only "non-plain" file you're likely to
find...very few systems put other kinds of "non-plain" files in their FTP
areas.

               - Neil Parker

P.S.  When FTPing to UNIX systems like Grind, I usually use the command
"ls -CF" to get directory listings.  In addition to formatting the output
in multiple columns, this also puts a "/" character on the end of the name
of every subdirectory, which makes it very easy to distinguish the
subdirectories from the "plain" files.
-- 
Neil Parker                       | No cute quote, no cute ASCII art, no cute
nparker@cie-2.uoregon.edu         | disclaimer, no deposit, no return....
nparker@cie.uoregon.edu           | (This space intentionally left blank:
http://cie-2.uoregon.edu/~nparker |                                           )