
FTP Menu Help

                                               version: 1.1.3
                                               created: 07/26/1999 {03:47:33 PM}
                                           last update: 10/06/2003 {01:09:42 PM}


This help file describes ftp interaction, and the "Ftp Menu".


	  	Table of Contents


"# Abstract"
"# Activating the FTP menu"
"# Basic usage"
"# Startup problem with Fetch"
"# Cache"
"# Mount points"
"# Titlebar Click"
"# Ftp filesets"
"# Passwords and Security"
"# Ftp Menu Items"
"# Ftp Menu Utilities"

<<floatNamedMarks>>


	  	Abstract


The FTP menu allows quick access to files on a remote ftp server, useful for
those that work on many different systems.  Files downloaded and opened in
Alpha with the help of the FTP menu are automatically uploaded again when they
are saved.  The idea is that the user can have the appearance of editing files
on a remote site.  To set this up, all that is needed is the name of the site,
and a valid username and password.

The FTP menu works together with the three ftp clients Interarchy, Fetch and
NetFinder, and with Alpha 8/X/tk can actually access ftp servers without the
help of any external client by using the ftp package contained in the 'tcllib'
distribution.

Note: If you actually wish to keep the 'master copies' of some files on your
local machine and have them mirrored on a remote site, then this can be done
either through HTML mode's 'Upload Home Page' facility, or for any fileset by
activating the 'Fileset Ftp Mirror' package.  In this case you will not be
using the FTP menu directly, and this documentation will not be that useful --
it is aimed at situations where the master copies of files are on a remote
system.


	  	Activating the FTP menu


The FTP menu is activated in the dialog "Config > Global Setup > Menus" .
Check the checkbox 'Ftp Menu' among the global menus.

Preferences: Menus

If using Alpha8 or AlphaX, you must also choose either Interarchy, Fetch, or
NetFinder as your ftp helper application.  You can select the menu item
"Config > Global Setup > Helper Applications" to set/change your helper app as
necessary.

Preferences: HelperApplications

All of Alpha 8/X/tk can act as ftp clients themselves.  To do this, select
'Use Tcl Service For Ftp' in the WWW pane of the dialog found by selecting
"Config > Preferences > Input-Output > WWW" and no external helper application
is necessary.  This is the default in Alphatk, although it can be turned off.

Preferences: WWW


	  	Basic usage


The first you need to do is to get a list of the files at a remote site.  This
can be done by using the menu item 'Browse RemoteÉ'.  A dialog is now opened
where you fill in the host, path (optional), user id, and password.

Your ftp client (Interarchy, Fetch, or NetFinder) will now get a listing of
the files at the remote site.  The list is display in a list dialog.

  ¥ Selecting a file in the dialog will download it and open it for editing 
    in Alpha.  Once you save the changes, Alpha tells your ftp client to
    upload the file.

  ¥ Selecting a directory in the list (indicating by a trailing / in the 
    name) will get the listing of that directory and display it in a new
    list dialog.

  ¥ Selecting '..' in the list will get a listing of the parent directory.

A menu item with your remote machine is added to the FTP menu.  Selecting this
menu item will the display the file list again.  This allows you to quickly
download another file from the same place.


	  	Startup problem with Fetch


If Alpha launches Fetch from the FTP menu, Fetch occasionally get stuck after
displaying its sign-on dialog.  If this happens you have to switch to Fetch
and dismiss this dialog before Fetch continues working.  To avoid this problem
completely uncheck "Show sign-on dialog at startup" in Fetch's Misc preference
dialog.


	  	Cache


Alpha saves the directory listing in a cache to be able to quickly display
them again without having to download them every time.  Whenever new files are
added to the remote site the cache becomes out of date.  You can clear the
cache by selecting 'Flush Cache' from the FTP menu.  The cache is also flushed
when you quit Alpha.  This forces the directory listing to be downloaded
again.  If you don't want to use a cache at all, uncheck 'Use Cache' in the
FTP menu.


	  	Mount points


The point where you start browsing a remote site is called a mount point.
There are two types of mount points: temporary and permanent.

  ¥ Temporary mount points are mount points which only exist during the
    current session with Alpha.  Whenever you use 'Browse RemoteÉ' to browse a
    new site a temporary mount point is created.  All temporary mount points
    are listed at the bottom of the FTP menu for quick access.

  ¥ Permanent mount points are mount points which are saved between sessions
    with Alpha.  You create a new permanent mount point by using 'Add Mount
    PointÉ' in the FTP Utils menu.  You can later remove it using 'Remove
    Mount PointÉ'.  The permanent mount points are listed in the FTP menu just
    above the temporary ones.

You can always make a temporary mount point permanent by using the menu item
"Ftp Menu Utils > Make PermanentÉ".


	  	Titlebar Click


Clicking on the Titlebar of a window downloaded from a remote site (or in
Alphatk Right-Clicking anywhere in the window) displays a popup menu with the
path for the file at the remote site.  Selecting a directory in this popup
menu opens a directory listing dialog with all files allowing you to download
another file.  This gives you quick access to the remote files.


	  	Ftp filesets


An ftp fileset in a set of files in a remote directory, which will be put in a
submenu in the Fileset menu.  Selecting a file in the Fileset menu will
download and open it for editing in Alpha.

You create a new ftp fileset by using 'Create Fileset' in the FTP menu or by
using 'New FilesetÉ' in the Fileset menu and choosing the type 'ftp'.

  ¥ First you specify a name for the fileset, which will be the name of the 
    submenu in the Fileset menu, and information about the host, userid etc.

  ¥ Then you are asked to specify a pattern which determines which files to 
    include in the fileset, e.g. you may only wish to include all .html
    files.  This pattern must be entered as a regular expression.  Some
    examples how to specify the pattern:

	.*          all files
	.*\.html    all .html files
	.*\.[ch]    all .c files and all .h files

  ¥ You are finally asked if you want to save the fileset. Doing so will 
    keep it available next time you run Alpha.
    
Now the listing of the files in the fileset is downloaded and the fileset is
inserted in the menu.


	  	Passwords and Security


All passwords which are saved between sessions are saved as plain text in
Alpha's preferences folder.  Thus, only give your password when defining
permanent mount points or filesets if nobody else has access to your computer.
If you attempt to open a remote site or file for a mount point or fileset that
has no password, you will be prompted to enter it in a separate dialog.  This
password will be remembered until Alpha is quit, or until you select the menu
item "Ftp Menu Utils > Forget Temp Passwords".  No temporary passwords are
saved between editing sessions.


	  	Ftp Menu Items


This section lists all menu items in the FTP menu giving a short description
of their functionality.

	Browse RemoteÉ

Browse a remote site.

	Browse CurrentÉ (option)

Browse the mount point of the frontmost window.

	Browse MountsÉ

Lets you pick a mount point to browse from a list of all your mount points
both temporary and permanent.

	Ftp Menu Help

Opens this file.

	Save As AtÉ

Lets you 'Save as' the frontmost window at any of your mount points.

	Save A Copy AtÉ

Lets you save a copy of the frontmost window at any of your mount points.


	  	Ftp Menu Utilities


	Add Mount PointÉ

Add a new permanent mount point.  The 'password' field is optional.  After
adding a mount point, you are given the option to add more if desired.

	Edit Mount PointÉ

Edit any previously saved mount point.  After editing a mount point, you are
offered the list of all saved mount points again to select another to edit if
desired.

	Rename Mount PointÉ

Rename any previously saved mount point.

	Remove Mount PointÉ

Remove a permanent mount point.

	Make PermanentÉ

Make a temporary mount point permanent.

	Create FilesetÉ

Create an ftp fileset.  The password field is optional.

	Set DefaultsÉ

Lets you set default ftp mount point values, including host, directory,
username, and password.  Any or all of these values can be set, and will be
used in the initial "login" dialog.  (If you are adding several mount points
at once, the login dialog will remember the values from last one added in this
editing session.)

	Use Cache

If checked, all directory listings are stored in a cache.  Otherwise, the
remote site is accessed whenever obtaining a listing for a mount point, or to
reload a remote file which has since been closed.

	Flush Cache

Deletes all files in the cache.  The cache is also flushed whenever you quit
Alpha.  Note that if you have any currently open remote files, it will only be
possible to save them after flushing the cache by using the 'Save As At' menu
item.

	Forget Temp. Passwords

Flush the cache of all temporary passwords remembered this session, those that
Alpha has specifically prompted you for in a separate dialog when attempting
to open a remote site or file.



