File Downloading ---------------- Downloading a file from ^nodetitle is a trifle more difficult, or at least obscure, than uploading, due to the fact messages is the main focus of ^variantname. The generic format is <.R>ead [protocol specifier] [inaryfile or extfile [ormatted]] or, in English, .Read possibly followed by a protocol name, followed by either inaryfile (at which point ^variantname will prompt for one or more filenames to download) or extfile (in which case, if you didn't specify a protocol, the system will wait to see if you type ormatted, causing it to try to Format the file to your screen width; any other response will be saved for the filename prompt). Icky? Well, not really. Always use .Read [protocol] Binaryfile unless you know you want to read a text file formatted to your screen width. The protocol specifier is optional, but if you don't specify one, it will default to ASCII. ^variantname supports the following protocols internally for downloading: modem, modem (BATCH mode), and xmodem. Additionally, ^nodetitle has the following protocols available for download usage as external drivers: ^dlprotocols To use any of these protocols for a download, simply type their letter where "protocol specifier" was mentioned before. For example, to download one or more files to the system using Ymodem, you'd type <.R>ead modem inaryfile The system will prompt for one or more names. If the file(s) don't exist, you'll be notified of your blunder. Some protocols do not allow BATCH downloads (Xmodem, Wxmodem, and perhaps some of the external protocols), so if you try to specify more than one file for a download with those protocols, the system will balk and scream. ^variantname has the capability to limit downloads during sysop-specified periods of the day, so you may be faced with a rejection if you go over a limit. If that happens, the message you get may tell you when you can try again. If not, check .Help HOURS, or just call back in a few hours. Or leave a note to the sysop. There are two options in file downloading which you may find useful. First, you may use multiple file-specs when you are prompted for a file. For instance, *.DOC *.TXT would download all the files with extensions DOC and TXT in the protocol you specified earlier in this command. Second, you may use date-specs to specify files, either with or without file-specs. See the TOC help file for more on date-specs, but simply typing in > would let you download all files dated since your last login using the protocol you used. No, no, don't type that at the room prompt. You'd type, for example, .ead modem inary files and then type the ">" at the filename prompt. %TOC How to read a directory listing. %UPLOAD Information on uploading to ^nodetitle. %PROTOCOL What protocols are available? %FILES Summary of file handling. %ADVANCED Back to the advanced commands help menu. %HELPOPT Get a list of all help files in the system. %MAINHELP First level of help system.