                           Manual for aFTP
                           ===============
                      v1.55beta from 04.12.1999

Program aFTP is GEM FTP client, working with MiNT-NET or STiK and using AV
protocol, which is implemented ie. in excellent desktops Thing or Jinnee.
                                                                          
   Warning !
   ---------
   Exist two versions of aFTP, one for MiNTnet and one for STiK.
   Type is in 'about' dialog.
   
   What do you need?
   -----------------
   
   * MiNT at least version 1.08 + MiNTnet or STiK/STiNG
   * AES supporting popup- and sub-menus (AES at least version 3.30
     or MagiC with XMEN_MGR.PRG)

   We recomend
   -----------
   * MiNT 1.15.x with MiNTnet 1.04
   * N.AES 1.2.0
   * THING 1.27 as desktop and as AV-SERVER or application supporting 
     some messages of AV protocol
   
   Connect to server
   -----------------
After selecting item 'Hotlist' in menu 'File' you can see dialog, where
you can enter name of ftp server or in form number address (ie.  127.0.0.1)
or hostname (ie. ftp.zcu.cz) and than select or anonymous login to server or
after its check enter user name and password for this server. In this 
dialog you can specify the directory within you want be after the login. 
                                                                           
There is possibility select directory in dialog, in which the client tries
change immediately after connect to server. After press button 'Connect', the
client tries connect to entered server and when he is successfull, it means
he found it and connected it, he tries for login. If the login isn't right,
the program tries it itself again (you can set number of tries).
After login the list of directory, in which you are now (home directory on
the far server), copies; than the window with files and directories opens.
                                                                         
Of course, you can use Hotlist for connect, there you can save up to 25
most often visiting servers, including way of login and startup directory.
Later you can use items saved in Hotlist for quicker connect by select item
right in submenu after select item 'Connect to' in menu 'Server'.


   Command line or VA_START
   ------------------------
If you start the program with parametr or you send by VA_START string
in form 'ftp://ftp_server/dir/', the program connects to ftp server,
logins as anonymous user, change to setting directory and the window with
the list of files in opens, or if it is in form
'ftp://ftp_server/dir/file_name', it connects to ftp server, login as
anonymous user, gets file file_name to directory set in config dialog,
disconnects from ftp_server and finishes.
Template for starting parametr:
ftp://[login_name:login_password]host_name[:port][/login_dir/[file_name]]
You can easily use groups in the Thing/Taskbar as a hotlist!

   File download
   -------------
Now you can by doubleclick move on the far computer and by doubleclick on
files you can watch them on your computer - it's the same as you use
doubleclick in desktop. (At view the file is get into the TEMP directory 
to your local computer and then will have displayed). If you want the file
get to you in any directory on your local disk, mark one or more files on
the far server (by rubber or by click on items) and simply use drag&drop
to icon of disk or directory. In case you select directories, all files
and subdirectories get recursively too (it create the same directory 
structure on your local disk).

Files are moved if 'Control' key is pressed (only if you have set the 
appropriate rights).

   File delete
   -----------
Same as above, but you drag file(s) to trash or you can select item 
Commands -> Delete in menu.

   Send file to server
   -------------------
Take icon from desktop and drag it on aFTP's window with listing actual
directory on server. You can send more files at once, of course. The 
recursive sending of directories works too.
   
Drag&Droped files will be send into the directory which contents is 
displayed in the main window!
   
(Files are moved if 'Control' key is pressed).
   
   Renaming files
   --------------
All selected files/dirs will be renamed by selecting menuitem Commands ->
Rename to.
   
   Menu EDIT
   ---------
If you connect on server and open window with list of files, you can use
function in menu edit. Or select or deselect all files in list - then you can
use usually way for getting selected files or you can copy list to CLIPBOARD.
If no file is selected, the list of all files copies. The list is an exact copy
of list in window (sort; show lenght, date, ...). If you during click of mouse
or hotkey to copy to clipboard hold shift key, the list is appended to actual
clipboard, in any case is clipboard (SCRAP.TXT) overwriten.
   
   Setting environment
   -------------------
   
   o Fonts
     ~~~~~
aFTP supports FONT protocol: you can use the nearest font selector on the
window aFTP listing. The Thing is very successful, because its internal font
selector works very good. We recommend use proportional fonts. If you select
item in menu, the program finds env. variable FONTSELECT or xFSL and calls
font selector. In both cases you can set type, size and color of font !

   o Configuration files
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Program saves setting (aftp.cfg, which contain all important program settings)
and Hotlist (ahotlist.def) to $HOME directory or to aFTP's directory.
If the HOME is not set, programs try read config files from start directory.

  The hotlist-file format
  -----------------------
aFTP has new file format for file with frequently visited servers. This file
is ASCII now so you can edit it easily with any ASCII editor. In case you cross
>from older version (<1.4) you can convert your hotlis by hotconv.tos program.
This program you can find within the aFTP pack or on our WWW homepage.
  
This file has one command on every line. Every item in hotlist MUST starts 
with keyword SERVER, then follow the server's address. Next lines are not 
compulsory, but these lines MUST starts with a space or tab!
keywords (case independent):

SERVER ftp_server_name
STARTDIR start_directory
   - if it is ommited, the aFTP stay in current directory
NAME login_name
   - if it is omitted, the aFTP logs as anonymous user 
PLAIN password
   - this is uncrypted password (it will crypt with save hotlist by aFTP)
PASSWORD
   - this is already crypted password (by aFTP) 
PORT port_number
   - if this is set the program connect to this port number
PASSIVE
   - use passive mode (PASV command) for data connections (useful with
     IP masquerading)
   
Here is a short sample of hotlist:

SERVER ftp.zcu.cz
 STARTDIR /tmp
SERVER ftp.eunet.cz
 PORT 22


   o Menu 'Settings'
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   
   Item 'Global ...'
   -----------------
Item Global open dialog with basic datas about connecting with the ftp 
server. Here are number of attempts, time between two attempts, name and
password for logging. 
                      
 [X] Convert filenames to lowercase
     - aFTP can convert filenames to lowercase at uploading files to FTP.
     It works only when you put files from filesystem, which don't support
     lower/UPPER case in file names. So if you putting files from TOS FAT
     partition all chars in filename will be lowercase. 
     
 [X] Auto-reget files
     - if the transmision of file is not successful, the aFTP try get it 
     again, until the file is complete or user break.
     
 [X] Keep file date   
     - sets the date and time to value of file which is on the ftp server 
     
 [X] Keep file permitions   
     - sets the access' rights (rwx) of local file to same value as the 
     file has on ftp server after getting it from server (if the FTP server
     running on UNIX (Windows FTP servers usually know nothing obout it.
     Unfortunatelly some Windows FTP servers reports as UNIX and then this
     function does not work corectly) and if your filesystem support this
     permitions).
     
 [X] Auto-check links   
     If in the directory on FTP server is some link aFTP checks where the 
     link points, the lenght of the file and whether this is a directory.
     
 [X] Auto-refresh
     - the names of files are printed directly into the list window. When 
     the directory is complete all items are sort by yours setting.
     
 [X] Auto-reload
     - a directory listing is updated automatically after any change you
     made on a remote server (upload, delete, rename, make dir). This option
     is accessible via menu (List->Auto Reload) too.

 [X] PASV mode
     - set PASV mode as default. PASV mode is useful for connections
     through IP-Masquerading so you can use aFTP as CAB plugin again.

 [X] DHST protocol
     - this is protocol which use utility StartMeUp since v7.01. If you
     check this, all servers you connect to are puting into popup menu
     Documents in SMU! More information about DHST is in documentation
     for SMU 7.01.
     
 [Popup] Action after closing main window
     - aFTP connects to next server from Hotlist, when you close main window
     (you can save your mouse if you are browsing yours popular servers ;)
     - aFTP will be disconnected from current ftp server
     - aFTP ends
     
   Item 'Paths ...'
   ----------------
 [X] Logfile
     here is logging setting. You can switch logging and set the file where
     aFTP will write all commands to FTP server and answer from FTP server.
     
 [X] Cache
     - here you can switch the cache and set the path, where the cache will
     be saved. aFTP use two files (for index and data). In case you use the 
     cache browsing FTP archive is faster (If you enter into directory you 
     have been already then contents of this directory is read from the file
     not from the server) 

     Remark: If you want get files recursively from FTP server, you MUST 
     switch cache on and set an existing path !
     
 TEMP/Download path
     - here you can set temporary path. (files are puting into this 
     directory after doubleclick or selecting the items in menu)
     Tip: If you have a KGMD instalation of MiNT set this path to /tmp
     (this directory is cleaned during start of the system)
     
   Item 'Confirmations ...'
   ------------------------
Here you can set confirmations before destructive actions and if program
should clear working directory by end of aFTP. 
   
   Item 'Font ...'
   ---------------
After selecting this menu item the program try call fontselector and you
can choose type and colour of font for main aFTP window 
   
   o Environment variables
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
aFTP uses only one specific environment variable AFTP_LIST. It set maximal
amount of items (files + links + directories) in directory at FTP server. 
If this environment variable isn't set, the default value of 1000 items is
used (in case this amount fit not into memory the program use 1/3 of
available memory).
    
Program read and use all standard global environments as CLIPBRD, HOME,
AVSERVER, FONTSELECT, ...
   
   Known bugs and limitations
   --------------------------
This is beta release and every program have some bugs, then we presents
some of them here ;-)

-------------------------------------------------------------
   unsolved TIMEOUTs                          
   you can't delete directories recursively
-------------------------------------------------------------  

   Contact
   -------
   
   ATACK                         e-mail:  atack@szt.cdrail.cz
   Jan & Tomas Krivankove        FIDO  :  2:423/33
   Zizkova 26                    NeST  :  90:1200/7
   320 16  Plzen                 PR    :  OK1XKN @ OK0PPL.#BOH.CZE.EU
   Czech Republic

Latest version is available on http://www.pwp.cz/atack/

To this addresses send your comments, bug reports, experiences
with aFTP, money, presents, ... :-)

Many pleasures with InterNET and many interesting files geting by our
program. Good luck!

                              ATACK InterNET Division ! ;)
