From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:00 1992 Subject: Prerecorded garbo instructions ------------------- begin prerecorded message ---------------------- From: Prof. Timo Salmi Moderating at garbo.uwasa.fi anonymous FTP archives 128.214.87.1 Faculty of Accounting & Industrial Management; University of Vaasa Internet: ts@uwasa.fi Bitnet: salmi@finfun ; SF-65101, Finland There are some frequently asked questions about the programs available from garbo.uwasa.fi, by anonymous ftp, from the /pc/.. directories here at the University of Vaasa, Finland, site 128.214.87.1. Below you will find many of them prerecorded with answers. Please notice that the questions & answers are not in any logical order. The order has more or less been dictated by the arriving questions. And, there is overlapping. If you are well familiar with FTP and mail servers please note the following. Using automated FTP (batchftp) is preferred, since it minimizes the connection time (it is convenient for you, anyway). Furthermore, use mail servers *ONLY* if you don't have the FTP potential. ....................................................................... FTP archives garbo.uwasa.fi, U of Vaasa, Finland, moderated by Timo Salmi ts@uwasa.fi Publicity, MsDos, selected MsDos uploads Harri Valkama hv@uwasa.fi MsDos, Win, Mac, Unix, uploads, garbo SysMgr Hannu Hirvonen hh@uwasa.fi Unix, chyde SysMgr, postmaster ....................................................................... 1) What is this anonymous ftp? 2) Send file(s) to me by email. (Or how to use the mail server?) 3) Why announce programs in c.b.i.p.a when not everybody can ftp? 4) Do you announce all additions to your archives in c.b.i.p.a? 5) How is anonymous ftp used? 6) When I try to unpack the package I received, it is corrupt. 7) Send me a list where on Simtel20 I can find the same programs. 8) What is garbo.uwasa.fi guest user-id? 9) The .arc .arj .lzh .pak .zip .zoo extensions, what are they? 10) I have made some programs myself. Are you interested? 11) I want a description of the programs to decide what to get. 12) Why don't you reply to my email messages? 13) I get an "unknown packing method" error message. 14) I need a program for such and such purpose. Any directions? 15) What are these peculiar files with a .Z extension? 16) Where does one get the files listed in files-mm.zip? 17) What if my site does not know garbo or connection refused? 18) Is there any way of automating getting the files? 19) Why doesn't your mail server respond to my correct request? 20) Are garbo files mirrored? Which directories? How to connect? 21) The answer to my question is not in this list, what next? ................................................................... From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:01 1992 Subject: What is anonymous FTP 1. ***** Q: I do not understand this getting files with anonymous ftp. What does it mean? A: FTP stands for file transfer program, which is a standard feature in many mainframe Unix and VAX/VMS systems. It also means that you must have a network connection to reach the University of Vaasa. Please contact your computer's system manager for more information on the connection. When this is ok, just follow the instructions in Appendix A at the end of this prerecorded message. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:02 1992 Subject: Email server instructions 2. ***** Q: Many of us users have no ftp access. Would you please send programs to me by email. A1: To get files sent to you by email, please use our mail server. To get more information write a message to mailserv@garbo.uwasa.fi. The subject line of this message must be garbo-request The message must contain just the following text (at the beginning of the line): send help Do not include a signature because it may confuse the server. If you do not understand, please don't send the mail server request. If you have ftp capability, please use FTP only, since it causes less load. A2: Our customary format for the file names when announcing programs for ANONYMOUS FTP is e.g. garbo.uwasa.fi:/pc/dirutil/dirmat20.zip or /pc/dirutil/dirmat20.zip IMPORTANT!!! The format for the MAIL SERVER is slightly different: send pc/dirutil/dirmat20.zip In other words omit / from the path when using our mail server. .... Here are some common examples of INCORRECT requests: send pc/dirutil/dirmat20.arc The format is correct, but there is no such file. Look at the file list more carefully. .... send pc/dirutil/dirmat19.zip The format is correct, but the package has just been updated with a more recent version. Look at the directory list again. .... send /pc/dirutil/dirmat20.zip send dirutil/dirmat20.zip The directory path is incorrect. .... send pc/ts/dirmat20.zip The format is correct, but the file is not in that directory. .... send pc/dirutil/DIRMAT20.ZIP The system is case sensitive. Almost all the files and all the directories are lower case. .... send pc/dirutil/dirmat*.zip No wildcards. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:03 1992 Subject: Poor souls without FTP 3. ***** Q: Why announce programs in the UseNet newsgroups when many users do not have the ftp capability? A1: Look at it this way. I know this is a problem. In fact I once had an interesting and lengthy email discussion with one user about this dilemma. Let me put forward my own view about the c.b.i.p newsgroups. I feel that the primary purpose of groups like these is (or should be) to disseminate and exchange useful information about PC programs. A secondary purpose is to exchange information about getting files. In getting the files there are five major alternatives, that is posting in binaries, ftp, emailing between users, using mail servers, and BBSes. What this amounts to is that even if you do not have the ftp capability, the information may give you useful hints what programs to look for via the many alternative methods of getting the files. A2: The garbo file collection is also available on a CDROM which can be obtained from WasaWare Oy, Harri Valkama, Palosaarentie 31, SF-65200 VAASA, FINLAND, Telephone & Fax: 358-61-173365, Email: hv@uwasa.fi. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:04 1992 Subject: Are all programs announced 4. ***** Q: Do you announce all your new programs in the UseNet news? A: Not quite. With the exception of the programs in the /pc/ts directory (which have always been announced) we have announced programs that we have felt particularly interesting for one reason or another. This also goes for the uploads that users make to us, but since the beginning of 1992 we have tried to post all the upload announcements (cf question 10 and /pc/UPLOAD.INF). But do take a look at /pc/_files.in. It gives a monthly list of all our new MsDos files. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:05 1992 Subject: FTP transfer commands 5. ***** Q: I have the ftp (file transfer program) capability and a network access that includes your 128.214.87.1 site garbo.uwasa.fi. But how do I transfer the files? What are the commands? A: The information and examples in Appendix A of this message should enable you to get the files. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:06 1992 Subject: Allegedly corrupt packages 6. ***** Q: I have received the programs but the package is corrupt. When I try to unpack them with my unpacking program (pkxarc, pkunpak, arc, pkunzip, lharc, zoo, arj, etc.) the unpacking fails or produces files that lock my PC. A: The files with the .zip, .zoo, .arc, .arj, .lzh, .pak, and .exe extension are binary packages and you have to use the correct transfer mode when you transfer the programs from the remote FTP site to our host, and when you transfer the files from our main frame to your PC. Very frequently the problems the users report are due to failing to set the binary mode when transferring the files from the user's host to the users PC. Please see Appendix B for more information. There have been over million of successful downloads a year from us, and it is very unlikely that the original file at garbo.uwasa.fi is really corrupted. It is not impossible, but first check all the other possibilities. Perhaps the most common error is failing to make the transfer binary. There is another common cause for allegedly corrupt packages besides failing to use the correct mode in the file transfer from the FTP site to one's own host, or in the file transfer from one's own host to one's PC. This is failing to use the correct version of the relevant archiver for archived packages. In particular, if a .zip file at the FTP site has been constructed with Unix zip version 1.0, and you try to unzip it with old (pre 1.1) PKZIP versions, you'll get an error message indicating a CRC error. This is a misleading error message since it really is an incompatible version error. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:07 1992 Subject: SIMTEL20 questions 7. ***** Q: I would rather like to get the files from SIMTEL20 (or some other archive site near me) since I have an easier access there. Send me a list telling in which directories the files are at SIMTEL20 or some other near-by FTP archive. A: We are often asked this (and other) information about SIMTEL20. We like to and do cooperate much with SIMTEL20, but nevertheless this is really something you should be finding out from SIMTEL20, not us. SIMTEL20 archives maintainer is Keith Petersen w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu. The SIMTEL20 filelist to get is PD1:SIMLIST.ARC. North American downloaders should first try one of the many archives in the USA such as SIMTEL20 and wuarchive.wustl.edu instead of overseas sites to cut down the load on the overseas link. For the other users the reciprocal seems logical. First take a look at garbo.uwasa.fi archives (or some other European site). There is a good list of MsDos FTP sites in garbo.uwasa.fi:/pc/pd2/moder*.lst. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:08 1992 Subject: What is garbo's guest user-id 8. ***** Q: Do you have a guest user-id? I cannot ftp, but I can reach your site through the net. I type anonymous at the login: and then try to give my email address at the Password:. I am not let in, but get a "Login incorrect" message instead. A: We do not accept guest users. This means that what you tried, is not allowed at our site. The only way you can get connected to our system is using the true ftp system, which is described in Appendix A. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:09 1992 Subject: The .arc .arj .lzh .pak .zip .zoo extensions 9. ***** Q: I now have the files, but they have this .arc (or .arj, .lzh, .pak, .zip, .zoo) extension and they won't run then I write their name at my DOS prompt. A: The files are packed (also often called archived) entities. These are special formats of compressing files and packing several files together. This is usually standard knowledge for PC users, and if you are not familiar with the system, just ask a knowledgeable fellow user. What you need is the proper unpacking programs such as ARJ, ARC, PKXARC, PKUNPAK, PKUNZIP, PAK, LHARC, LHA,ZOO and so on. And, you will find all the necessary tools for handling packed files in the /pc/arcers directory. For example, if the extension is .zip get the self-extracting pkz110eu.exe utility (or whatever is latest version). Note that if you use an out of date PKUNZIP version, it may report a CRC error in your .zip file although the true reason for your problems is using the out of date version. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:10 1992 Subject: Upload instructions 10. ***** Q: I have made some programs myself which I think might be of general interest. Or I have obtained this fabulous program which I think would be of general interest. Or I have a more recent version of this program than you have on your archives. Would it be possible to upload them to your system. A: Please see garbo.uwasa.fi:/pc/UPLOAD.INF and /pc/UPTEXT.INF for the full information on this question. In brief, we welcome quality MsDos uploads in many but not all categories. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:11 1992 Subject: Need file descriptions 11. ***** Q: Is there a description of the programs? I would like to have some information on the files before I start transferring them. A1: Yes, certainly. This approach is even recommended. There is a file called /pc/INDEX.ZIP (with MsDos eolns) which is the annotated list of the MsDos files on garbo. This index file is also available in the (more bloated) ascii format as /pc/INDEX and Unix compressed format /pc/filelist/garboidx.Z (Unix eolns). Furthermore, there are three news files /pc/pd2/news-pd2, /pc/ts/0news-ts, and /unix/ts/0news-u. Note that /pc/pd2/news-pd2 contains selected news on all /pc (MsDos) directories, not just on /pc/pd2. Finally there is a /pc/INDEXTS.ZIP. It contains detailed information on the contents of each package in the /pc/ts directory. For the annotated contents of our Unix directories see /unix/INDEX. A2: Even if I like to try to help whenever I can, I cannot answer questions asking me to describe particular files, or to take a closer look what is in them on behalf of an individual user. I simply cannot afford the time. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:12 1992 Subject: Problems with sending replys 12. ***** Q: I sent you a message a couple of weeks ago. Did you receive it? Why don't you reply? A: I try to reply to all queries I have received. But getting the reply to you successfully is not always technically possible. The reason for this is, that the reply address which the mail program gives, is sometimes not adequate. My reply bounces back to me as a consequence. Therefore you should include your InterNet and/or BitNet address in your message. Using proper signatures in email is customary, anyway. This does not guarantee a successful reply, but it definitely increases the possibility of getting an eventual reply. Since 1991 I have had to backtrack on this promise. I now get so much email that if my reply bounces I simply can't afford the time to try to fix it. So if you don't hear from me within a week, contact your own system manager. Ask him/her to see to it that your email address in your message header is a returnable address. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:13 1992 Subject: Unknown packing methods 13. ***** Q: When I try to unpack the package I get something like an "unknown packing method" error message. What is wrong? A: First check that you are using the correct unpacking program by looking at the extension of the file name, and select the unpacking program accordingly. If this does not help, you are most likely using an outdated version of the relevant unpacking program. Get the latest version. The /pc/arcers directory at garbo.uwasa.fi has a good collection of these tools. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:14 1992 Subject: Looking for particular programs 14. ***** Q: I am interested to know if there exists a program for such and such purpose. Would you point me in the right direction. (This question also often occurs in the news postings, especially in the comp.binaries.ibm.pc.wanted newsgroup.) A1: Most often the best answer is to look through file lists. We have several such lists which should together have quite a good coverage of the PD programs in circulation. These lists are /pc/INDEX.ZIP and /pc/INDEXTS.ZIP (these are the MsDos file lists for our site, garbo.uwasa.fi), /pc/filelist/cbbs_dos.zip, /pc/filelist/files-mm.zip (a good English speaking Finnish BBS), and /pc/filelist/simlist.zip (SIMTEL20 list). A2: How to find MsDos files on garbo.uwasa.fi: If you are looking for a particular program at garbo.uwasa.fi you should start by getting the following files: /pc/INDEX.ZIP (/pc/INDEX in the heavier ascii form) /pc/INDEXTS.ZIP (ts-package contents) For seeing what is new in the /pc and /pc/ts directories, get /pc/pd2/news-pd2 (selected news on all MsDos directories) /pc/ts/0news-ts (all news on ts-programs) A3: There is more advice on finding files in the Frequently Asked Questions collection /pc/ts/tsfaq28.zip (or whatever version number is current), and the garbo feedback files /pc/pd2/post##.lst (where ## = 01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09 at the time of writing this). -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:15 1992 Subject: Files with .Z extension 15. ***** Q: I have noticed that some directories at garbo.uwasa.fi archives include files that have a .Z extension. What are they? A1: They are Unix files that are processed with compress, uncompress, and zcat. The garbo.uwasa.fi archives are on a Unix system, and many these files are related to handling the PC files without having first to transfer them to from the Unix mainframe to the PC. Please see /unix/ts/0news-u and /pc/ts/tsfaq28.zip (or whatever is the current version number) for more details and instructions. Also try man compress on a Unix system for information. A2: You can handle these compressed files also on your MsDos PC. For that you need a program like /pc/unix/comp430d.zip (or whatever version is the latest). Note for text files that Unix and MsDos use different eolns (end-of-lines). You may filter them properly eg with unix2pc.exe which is in /pc/ts/tsfilt19.zip (or whatever version number is current). -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:16 1992 Subject: File list of unavailable files 16. ***** Q: Exactly where does one obtain the files listed in files-mm.zip? There didn't seem to be any indication to that effect in the FILES.TXT file, and I'm almost certain you don't keep them at garbo.uwasa.fi... A: They are available at FidoNet node 2:220/22, Micro Maniacs Opus, Finland, phone 358-0-463636. The reason for having files-mm.zip is to have a file list of one good BBS so that the users can look what kind of files are available in one good bulletin board, even if SIMTEL20 or garbo.uwasa.fi do not have all these files. There is also a huge file list of another BBS on garbo.uwasa.fi archives, that is /pc/filelist/cbbs_dos.zip. The phone is 358-0-5063329. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:17 1992 Subject: I cannot make the connection 17. ***** Q: What if my site does not know garbo or connection refused? (This question comes in various formats, but the point of all the queries is that the user cannot connect to garbo). A: Garbo, the system, is managed by Harri Valkama (hv@uwasa.fi), and our main system chyde is managed by Hannu Hirvonen (hh@uwasa.fi) who is also our postmaster. Timo Salmi specializes in garbo publicity, and MsDos material. Nevertheless, here is some general information. In general if you are having problems in reaching garbo (not problems with garbo itself) the first person to contact is your own site's system manager. For example, if you might get an error message like "host unknown". This means that your own host does not know garbo.uwasa.fi. The garbo information is missing from your site's hosts-file, and your host is not using distributed name service. There is nothing we can do about from this end. (You can try to use the IP number 128.214.87.1 in that case as a temporary measure). You might also get a more radical error message like "Access to the Scandinavian nodes has been discontinued, due to the slowness and unreliability of the network connections." Again this is a problem that has nothing to do directly with garbo. It is probably a question of your site's net privileges and arrangements, or a problem between different networks quite beyond our control. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:18 1992 Subject: Automated downloads (see this) 18. ***** Q: The ftp session is repetitive and tedious, and the connection is not always available. Is there any way to automate getting files from garbo.uwasa.fi by anonymous ftp. A: Yes, there is a useful facility called batchftp by Shawn Cooper, which achieves this if you have a BSD Unix system. You can get it by downloading /unix/ftp/batchftp102.tar.Z (or whatever version is the latest). The package contains documentation, and also see /unix/ftp/batchftp.inf and /unix/ts/0news-u for brief instructions. This system has the added advantage of cutting down the unnecessary idle time inherent in "manual" ftp connections. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:19 1992 Subject: Problems with mail server requests 19. ***** Q: I sent a mail server request to garbo.uwasa.fi but I get no response at all. And I am sure that I did everything as instructed. A: In that case your, or your system's email address is probably badly configured. Please contact your own system manager. DON'T send a repeat request until your email address problem has been resolved!!! This is very important, so I repeat DON'T! What happens is this. We get your request, but when garbo.uwasa.fi tries to honor your request to send you the file(s) by email, the email bounces back to us because of the problems in your email address. If you send repeat requests, it will just clog our post-master with the bounced email. Try using a corrected mail address to return the requests. You can do this by adding the following command to (the body of) your message to our mail server. path e.g. path youruserid@yourmachine.yourdomain.yourcountry send WhateverYouWant You should contact your system manager to asses an optimized path especially if you are using UUCP or BANG paths to get your mail delivered to us. Our mail server checks the mail queue every 15 minutes so if you don't get response in a reasonable time you'd better check this one out with a little help from your friends. You can use this command with or without the <> characters. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:21 1992 Subject: Garbo mirrors 20. ***** Q: Are garbo files mirrored? Which directories? How to connect? A: Garbo is mirrored in North America by wuarchive.wustl.edu. Oceanian users are referred to the archie.au mirror. The mirrors are independent operations. Therefore you should direct any detailed questions about the mirroring to the relevant moderators of those sites, not to us. Note, however, that much of what is in Appendix A on how to download the files is directly applicable to the mirrors as well. See garbo.uwasa.fi: /pc/pd2/moder*.lst for preliminary information on the main mirror directories, and the mirror moderators' email addresses. Also note that there is no guarantee that the mirror will not lag even week(s) behind, _or_ might not have all the files. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:21 1992 Subject: Answer not found 21. ***** Q: The answer to my question is not in this list, what next? A: It depends very much on your question. Try take a look at the /pc/ts/tsfaq28.zip (or whichever version is current) Frequently Asked Questions and the /pc/pd2/post*.txt (* = 01,02,...) garbo information files. If these do not help document your problem carefully. Please note that I cannot guarantee that we have the answer, or that I will have the time to look for it. I like to help, but I often simply cannot afford the time. Therefore you should save a copy of your question so that you can consider posting it to the UseNet news when relevant. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:51 1992 Subject: Appendix A: FTP downloading A. ***** Q: APPENDIX A: Obtaining (downloading) the Programs by FTP ========================================================== You can obtain the file(s) from garbo.uwasa.fi (128.214.87.1) using the InterNet ftp (file transfer program) with username "anonymous". For a login password use your electronic mail address. If you are using ftp from a VAX/VMS system, set case lower before proceeding. Consider as an example the programs of Timo Salmi. The files are in directory /pc/ts. At the ftp> prompt first type binary (for binary files). To go to the relevant directory apply cd /pc/ts. To see its contents apply ls or dir. To download a file, use get filename or mget filenames. The files have been packed with Unix Zip so on MsDos you will need PKUNZIP from PKWARE or some other unzip program to unpack them on your PC. The following contains the same information by giving the commands needed for transferring vaasa.inf (contains text on Finland, Vaasa, and University of Vaasa) and tspfon29.zip as an example. In the example its is assumed that you are calling from a Unix system. The usage for a VAX/VMS system is quite similar. ftp #Invoke the file transfer program open 128.214.87.1 #Connect to garbo.uwasa.fi at the University #of Vaasa anonymous #Use this name to get temporary privileges Give your email address as your password cd /pc/ts #Go to the relevant directory dir (or ls -lF) #Directory of available files ascii #vaasa.inf is an ordinary text file get vaasa.inf #Copy the file to your default directory binary #tspfon29.zip is a binary file mget tspfon*.zip #mget allows wildcards close #Terminate the connection quit #Quit the file transfer program -------------------------------------------------------------------- From ts@uwasa.fi Tue 26 May 00:00:52 1992 Subject: Appendix B: Your host -> your PC B. ***** Q: APPENDIX B: Transferring the Programs to PC ============================================== After you have received the files to your host, there still remains the task of transferring the programs to your PC. This is familiar to most users, but occasionally there are problems. It impossible to give advice that would cover resolving all the difficulties, but the most common can be described. The most usual file transfer method between the host and the user's PC is MsKermit. (Zmodem and others may be used as well, but I would guess that most often persons using these alternatives are advanced users, and can resolve any problems by themselves.) The most common problem is probably that after getting a packed file to one's PC, the file appears damaged. Almost always this is due to failing to set correctly the Kermit parameters at ONE or BOTH ends of the transfer. What you have to do is the following. In your host Kermit set file type binary, set parity even (or none or whatever), and in your PC MsKermit you must have the SAME parity you set for your host (select host Kermit parity on the basis of your PC's). If you fail to get these compatible, the transfer will not result in what you want. Transferring text files does not lead to problems so often. The trick is set file type text (or ascii depending on your Kermit version). Finally, if nothing else, absolutely nothing else(!), seems to resolve the problem, please let us know, and we will check that the file at our site is good and proper. -------------------- end prerecorded message -----------------------