Contents
NFTP is a text-mode ftp client for OS/2. Comparing to popular ncftp, it has a number of enhancements:
The biggest advantages over majority of PM ftp clients (like FTP-PM, sftp etc.) are the ability to 'reget' (continue transfer after interruption), speed of simple and effective text-mode interface, small memory requirements.
In my opinion, LW-FTP while being very elegant is useless due to big overhead of Workplace Shell object creation/deletion (I haven't found it usable on my 486DX4/100, 32MB system with Matrox Millennium).
The drawback, however, is that NFTP isn't free as ncftp although registration fee is only US$ 20 -- and you'll get support by e-mail at this price!
Unpack archive nftp*.zip into some directory and run install.cmd. After answering some question necessary files will be copied to the directory you specified and your WPS desktop will hold two new objects -- "NFTP" (executable) and "NFTP Manual". You probably already done that because you're reading that "NFTP Manual"!
If you want to install NFTP by hand (without install.cmd), copy all files into the directory of your choice (eg, "d:\apps\tcpip\nftp"), load nftp.ini into your favourite ASCII text editor (eg, TEDIT shipped with Warp) and insert your e-mail address (it will be used as a password for anonymous logins) at the appropriate place (line
anonymous-password="your-e-mail-address"
). I also suggest to decide where you will keep your bookmarks and
transfer history and set corresponding variables accordingly. If you like to launch
programs from desktop, create program object for NFTP. Put supplied nftp.mrk file
into the directory which you've chosen in nftp.ini.
install.cmd creates Workplace shell object to run NFTP. This feature can be useful even you die-hard command-line user. NFTP can run in a fullscreen session or in a VIO window. Installation script sets it to run in a window, and window will not be closed automatically after exit -- this can help to diagnose problems. Turn it off when everything works as expected.
After installation, run nftp.exe (from command line or WPS object). If you're launching NFTP from WPS object created by installation script you will be asked to enter "FTP server to log in"; simply press ENTER now. You should see list of bookmarks on the screen. Use cursor keys to select one of them and press ENTER. If everything is set up right, you'll see client-server negotiation and then finally list of files and directories on the ftp server you've chosen. Hit SPACE to view control connection window (and it is scrollable!), TAB to view local files/directories. Return to remote directory view by pressing space/tab another time. Move pointer with cursor keys, press ENTER on a directory to enter it. Select files to download with INSERT or simply press F5 to transfer single file. To upload file to server, switch to local files view (with TAB), select file(s) and press SHIFT+F5. To view local or remote file, move pointer to it and press F3 (of course, remote file will be downloaded first -- that will probably take some time). Navigating in the viewer is simple and intuitive: scroll file with cursor keys. Press F10 to log off and exit NFTP.
You often already know where the file you need right now is located. Let's suppose, say, you want to retrieve RFC 959 from
src.doc.ic.ac.uk:/pub/rfc/
Launch nftp in the following fashion:
nftp src.doc.ic.ac.uk:/pub/rfc
or
nftp src.doc.ic.ac.uk/pub/rfc
After logging in into src.doc.ic.ac.uk nftp will change directory
for you to /pub/rfc. You will then locate required file and download it.
The command line format for NFTP is:
nftp [hostname[[:[port]]directory] [userid]
"hostname" is the name of ftp server ('src.doc.ic.ac.uk' in the above
example), ":" can be omitted, "directory" is remote directory
('/pub/rfc' in the above example), "port" is port number (don't use it if you
don't know what's it). If you have an account on ftp server
(i.e. you're not anonymous user), you can specify your userid in the
command line. You will be asked for a password. An important note --
there shouldn't be any spaces between hostname and directory! Another examples are:
nftp private.crlf.net:7500/users (nonstandard port)
nftp ftp/pub (domain suffix omitted)
nftp 128.128.128.128:/mydir (IP number instead of host name)
nftp lnfm1.sai.msu.su/home/asv asv (login with explicit directory)
Specifying directories in a command line is a pretty useful feature: when you've found some reference, paste it directly into the command line (e.g., File Commander/2 1.4 allows this) and you'll get right into the place without typing anything except 'Ctrl-Ins' and 'Shift-Ins'! Note that it's impossible to specify filename on the command line -- use directory name, not file name (i.e. /pub/rfc instead of pub/rfc/rfc959.txt.gz in the above example).
NFTP will try to use any text mode you have set before starting it. Modes with 80 columns work rather good, but do not expect this from 132-col or other modes.
NFTP has several ways to choose ftp server. First of all, you can specify it on the command line as an argument (see previous chapter, "USAGE: LAUNCHING NFTP"). Second, you can put server's hostname into the bookmark list if you frequent this site. Third, you can open it manually -- press Ctrl-L (for anonymous login) or Ctrl-N (for named login). to be continued
| GENERAL KEYBOARD COMMANDS | |
|---|---|
| Key | Meaning |
| Shift+F1 | program information and general keyboard commands |
| F1 | brings context sensitive help |
| F10 | logoff from site and quit NFTP |
| Ctrl-K | logoff from site |
| Ctrl-B | open bookmark list and log to site from it |
| Ctrl-L | login as anonymous into new site |
| Ctrl-N | login with userid/password into new site |
| Ctrl-V | display version information |
| Ctrl-A | toggle state of autocontrol flag |
| Ctrl-T | toggle ASCII/BINARY mode |
| Ctrl-D | redraw screen (do not re-read remote dir) |
| Alt-N | send NO OPERATION command (verify connection aliveness) |
| Alt-F | use/inhibit NLST with flags (default is on). Some servers do not like NLST -lLa. Try if you see strange messages from server when retrieving directory listing. NOT RECOMMENDED. |
| CONTROL CONNECTION WINDOW | |
|---|---|
| Key | Meaning |
| arrow keys | move viewpoint |
| Esc | bring you back to the end of history (same as End) |
| Space | switches to directory view |
| Alt-Q | send any string to server verbatim (quote) |
| Alt-C | change to arbitrary directory |
| FILE LISTING VIEW (REMOTE OR LOCAL) | |
|---|---|
| Key | Meaning |
| Navigating | |
| arrow keys | move cursor around |
| Ctrl-\ | change to root directory |
| Ctrl-PgUp | goto the directory level higher ("cd ..") |
| Ctrl-PgDn | chdir to directory under cursor |
| Enter | same as above |
| Alt-C | change to arbitrary directory |
| Space | switch to control connection |
| F2 | select drive letter -- local view only |
| Sorting file listing | |
| Ctrl-F3 | sort directory by name, dirs first |
| Ctrl-F5 | sort directory by time, then name, dirs first |
| Ctrl-F6 | sort directory by size, then name, dirs first |
| Ctrl-F7 | remove sorting, return to original state |
| Ctrl-F8 | reverse current sort order |
| Marking/unmarking | |
| Ctrl-num+ | mark all files in current directory |
| Ctrl-num- | unmark all files in current directory |
| Insert | mark/unmark file under cursor. Directory cannot be marked |
| Transferring files | |
| F5 | download file under cursor or marked files (if any) -- remote view only |
| Shift+F5 | upload file under cursor or marked files (if any) -- local view only |
| Viewing files | |
| F3 | view file under cursor, use fast internal viewer |
| Alt-F3 | view file under cursor, use external viewer |
| Creating/deleting files/directories | |
| F7 | make directory (you have to have permissions on remote) |
| F8 | delete file or directory under cursor |
| Ctrl-R | re-read directory (refresh file list) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| F4 | save this place as a bookmark |
| ENTRY FIELDS | |
|---|---|
| Key | Meaning |
| Esc/Enter | abandon/confirm |
| Left, Right, Home, End | move cursor around |
| Tab, Shift-Tab | move to next/previous field (if any) |
| Del, Backspace | delete characters |
| BOOKMARK LIST | |
|---|---|
| Key | Meaning |
| arrow keys | move cursor |
| Enter | select bookmark |
| Esc | abort (leave bookmark list) |
| Del | delete bookmark |
| Insert | create new bookmark |
| BUILT-IN FILE VIEWER | |
|---|---|
| Key | Meaning |
| arrow keys | scroll (note that you can scroll horizontally also) |
| Ctrl-Left/Right | scroll by 10 symbols horizontally |
| Esc | exit viewer |
NFTP comes without any warranty, express or implied.
NFTP is copyrighted by Sergey Ayukov.
Registration fee will be US$ 20. For people living in Former Soviet countries registration will cost only one postcard. For this price you'll get free updates (i.e. all future versions of NFTP) and support from author by e-mail. If you think that price is too high for this small utility, simply don't use NFTP.
Nothing else here at the moment. The program isn't complete, so there's nothing yet to pay for. Version 0.60 is free but time-limited (it will work until July 1, 1996).
You can reach me at asv@sai.msu.su.
Where to find new versions:
Note that first site is managed by myself so it always contains the latest version while Hobbes and cdrom archives often become outdated.
Sorry for my English. I will gladly accept any corrections to this short manual.
Planned for next version: