NFM Help Contents
Network File Manager Help Contents

The following Help Topics are available:

What is the Network File Manager?

Starting the Network File Manager

Opening Multiple Sessions

Closing NFM Sessions and Exiting NFM

The NFM Console

Startup Options

Working with Files in NFM

Displaying Files in NFM

NFM Menu Commands

For Help using Help, press F1.  Help revised May, 95.


What is the Network File Manager?

Network File Manager (NFM) was developed as an enhancement to traditional ftp-based file transfer programs.  The term ftp is a UNIX term referring to a protocol that is used to copy files to and from UNIX hosts.  The Network File Manager can be used to transfer files between your PC and a local host (a host on your network), or to a remote ftp server on the Internet (a system containing publicly accessible files).

SPRY Network File Manager offers sophisticated file transfer between your PC and a remote host, or between two remote hosts, using an intuitive Windows interface that works side by side with your Microsoft Windows File Manager.  Drag and drop files directly from your host onto your Windows desktop, and vice versa.

SPRY Network File Manager is enhanced to provide advanced file management functions (sorting files by name, type, size, and date; creating, copying and moving directories, etc.), using a familiar Windows interface, making host file manipulation quick and intuitive.  NFM menu items are similar to those in the Windows File Manager, and buttons are offered to simplify repetitive tasks.

Warning:	Please note that NFM supports only procedures and file listings that are supported on the host you are connected to.

Network File Manager Requirements

>	Remote hosts must be setup as FTP servers (be running the ftp daemon) to be accessed by Network File Manager.

>	The Microsoft Windows 3.1 File Manager program is required to use the drag and drop file transfer capabilities of the Network File Manager.

A command-line based FTP application, FTP Command Line, is also available for those who are familiar with FTP and prefer a command line interface; see the end of this chapter for information.


Starting the Network File Manager

You start the Network File Manager (NFM) by clicking on the NFM icon.  You will see a <Connect to>* dialog asking you to login to a host.

Note:	If you have NFM set up to automatically reconnect you to each host you were connected to in your last NFM session, a <Reconnect To> dialog may appear before the <Connect To> dialog.  See NFM Startup Options for more information on this reconnect option.

You start the Network File Manager (NFM) by clicking on the Network File Manager icon.  When you start NFM, it will open your Windows File Manager, and then display a <Connect To> dialog, asking you which host you want to connect to.  (If you have enabled the Restore Connections option, this dialog will be called <Reconnect To>.)

Click Connect To or Reconnect To for information on filling out this dialog.

When you complete the dialog, click OK.  You will start connecting to the FTP server you specified.  The Status Bar at the bottom of the NFM Console will display Connecting to <hostname>.  If a connection is made, the Network File Manager will bring up a directory window displaying the files on that host.

You can immediately begin transferring files; see Working with Files in NFM for information on file transfer and other operations.


Connect To

Use the <Connect To> dialog to connect to a remote host's file system.  You connect to a host by specifying a Connection name, a host name, and your login user name and password.  You can optionally specify advanced connection options by pressing the Advanced button.

You can connect more quickly by selecting a Connection name from the Connection drop down list.  This will automatically fill in the host name, user name, password, and all other connection information for you.  See Auto Save to Connection List for more information on how connections are added to this Connection list.

Choose one of the following options for more information:

Connection

Host

Host Type

User Name

Password

Account

Auto Save to Connection List

________

See Also

Default Connection Information

Edit Connection List


Reconnect To

When you start an NFM session, NFM will attempt to reconnect you to any hosts you were connected to in your last session by presenting you with a <Reconnect To> dialog.  This dialog will contain the login information you used when you connected to the host.  Click Connect To for information on filling out this dialog.

Click OK in the <Reconnect To> dialog to automatically reconnect to that host, or press Cancel to reject the reconnection. You will be presented with a separate dialog for each host you connected to in the last session.   If you cancel all reconnections, you will be presented with a blank <Connect To> dialog and you can type in information for a new host you want to connect to.

(Alternately, you can simply type new connection information in the <Reconnect To> dialog in order to connect to a new host.)

If you prefer not to automatically reconnect to hosts, you can disable this feature using the Restore Connections at Startup option in the <Startup Options> dialog.


Connection

Connections can be used to remember your host name, user name, password, and all other connection information.

Type a name for a new Connection, or select an existing Connection from the drop down list.  If you type a new Connection name and have the Auto Save to Connection option selected, the Connection will be added to the Connection list.

Selecting a Connection name from the Connection drop down list will automatically fill in the host name, user name, password, and all other connection information.

________

See Also

Edit Connection List


Host
Host:

Specify the address for the ftp host you will be connecting to.  You can specify a host by its IP address (such as 165.121.6.65) or its Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) (such as mycroft.bakerstreet.com).  Type the IP address or FQDN in the hosts field.

If you have a hosts file on your system, hosts listed in that file will appear in the Hosts: drop down list, and you can select hosts from that list.  You may or may not have a hosts file on your system, according to your installation.


Host Type
Host Type:

Host type indicates the file format for the FTP host you are connecting to.  FTP is set up to Auto Detect the host type; it will try to detect the file format of the remote host and display files accordingly.  In most cases, you should leave the Host Type: field set at Auto Detect.  If NFM has trouble displaying all the file information for files on the remote host, and you know the host type for the remote host, you should select that host type from the list, and try reconnecting.  If you are unsure of the host type, and Auto Detect does not work, choose Generic.


User Name
User Name:

Specify your username (login name) on the ftp host you have specified.

If you are connecting to an anonymous ftp site (a publicly accessible ftp site) on the Internet, you will usually be asked to specify a login name of anonymous with your e-mail address as your password.(i.e. lucy@narnia.com).


Password
Password:

For Password:, specify your password on the ftp host.  You must specify a password; if none is required on the host you are connecting to, type in a few random characters.

As mentioned above, anonymous ftp sites usually require you to supply your e-mail address as a password.

Note:	If you chose to install a Secure version of NFM during installation, NFM will not save your password information.


Account
Account:

Some ftp hosts require an account number.  If this is the case, fill out the account number in this field; it will be passed to the host.


Auto Save to Connection List

Select this option to have NFM automatically add Connections to the Connection list.  When this option is selected, a Connection name is required before you will be able to complete the connection.  If this option is selected and you make changes to a Connection already defined, those changes will be saved, replacing the old Connection information.

If you do not have this option checked, but specify a new Connection name for your NFM session, you will be asked if you want to save the new Connection to the Connection list.  In most cases, you will probably want to save Connections, since it makes reconnecting to a host easy.


Advanced Connect Options

Advanced connection options, accessed by clicking the Advanced button in the <Connect To> dialog, are available when you connect.  The options on the right hand side of this dialog (General options and Transaction Logging) can also be changed during  your session by choosing the Connection Settings command from the Options menu.

The <Advanced Connect Information> dialog options are listed below.  Click on the option for which you want help.

Note that changing these connection options upon login will only affect the session you are currently connecting to; if you want to save these options, you can save them to a connection.  Alternately, you can use the Default Connect Information command to set these options for all of your sessions.

Advanced Login Options

Port

Show Login Greeting

Initialize Commands

Initial Directory

Firewall Options

Use Firewall

Type

Address

User ID

Password

Port

General Options

Timeout if no response after:

Poke host to avoid inactivity disconnect

Passive Data Transfers

File Transfer Mode

File List Format

Transaction Logging Options

Logging your Session

Log to File


Port

You can specify the FTP port you want to connect to.  In most cases, the default port, 21, will work.  Change this value only if you know that you need to connect to a different port on the FTP host.


Show Login Greeting

NFM normally displays greeting information from the host you are connecting to.  Greeting information usually identifies the host and sometimes provides additional information about the host such as accessible hours, user limits, etc.  The greeting information is displayed in a separate dialog; you can scroll through the greeting using the scroll bars, when displayed.

You can turn off the display of the greeting by unchecking this option.

Note:	Greeting information is not normally shown when reconnecting to a host using the Reconnect on Startup option.  You can, however, choose to display the greeting during a reconnection by unchecking Don't Show Login Greeting in the <Startup Options> dialog.


Initialize Commands

NFM allows you to pass a number of FTP protocol commands directly to the FTP server immediately after login.  This option is provided to allow you to pass commands to servers that require special setup.  This is an advanced option; you should only use this if you are familiar with ftp protocol commands or are specifically instructed that you need to send special initialization commands when connecting to an FTP host.  You can use any FTP protocol commands in this field except for data transfer commands (RETR, STOR, LIST, NLST).  Internet RFC (Request For Comments) 959 (5.3.1-5.3.2) describes FTP protocol commands and command syntax.

Note:	For example: some AS/400 ftp servers time out very quickly, and allow you to set a different time-out value using a TIME command.  If this was the case for a server you were connecting to, you might type TIME 60000  in this field to set the timeout value higher.

You can provide several commands in this field, separated by commas (spaces after the commas are optional).


Initial Directory

You can specify the initial directory you want to connect to once you connect to the FTP server.  You can use this option to quickly connect to a directory on the FTP server.  NFM also allows you the option of automatically reconnecting to the last directory you were in, using the Reconnect option; see NFM Startup Options for more information.


Use Firewall

Some networks are protected by Internet firewalls.  Firewalls secure networks against outside access by requiring all information to and from outside networks to go through the firewall.  If your network uses a firewall, you must set up NFM so that it uses that firewall before you will be able to successfully use NFM.  Currently, only ANS firewalls are supported by NFM, so you do not have to change the firewall type.

You set up NFM to use the firewall by setting up the firewall address and your user ID and password on that firewall.  You may also have to specify a firewall port.  Your network administrator should be able to supply this information.


Firewall Type

The type of firewall you are connecting to.  Currently, only ANS firewalls are supported, so you should not change this option.


Firewall Address

The IP address of the machine that has the firewall on it (specifically, the FTP Proxy portion of the firewall; some firewalls span multiple machines).  This will typically be a numeric IP address like 165.121.6.8.


Firewall User ID

Your user ID on the firewall.  This will be a unique ID on that firewall, assigned by your network administrator, that you are required to use to connect to the firewall.


Firewall Password

Your password on the firewall.  This is the password associated with your User ID, also assigned by your network administrator.


Firewall Port

The port to connect to on the firewall.  For FTP, this is usually 21.  Change this option only if specifically instructed to by your network administrator.


Timeout if no response after __ seconds

This option controls how long NFM waits for response from the FTP server before assuming that the connection has been lost.  This option affects the initial connection to the host, reading in a new directory, or trying to transfer a file.  If the FTP server does not respond within the timeout value you specify, NFM will stop trying and will display a disconnect message.  The default of 30 seconds should work for most cases; if the FTP server you are connecting to takes a long time to respond, you may want to increase this value so that NFM waits longer for a response before timing out.

This value must be at least 20 seconds, and can be as high as 999 seconds.


Poke host every __ minutes to avoid inactivity disconnect

FTP hosts will disconnect from NFM after a certain period of time if you are not performing any activity on that host (listing directories, transferring files, etc.).  Fortunately, NFM does not close when disconnected, and if you try to continue to work on that FTP server you will simply be informed that you were disconnected and asked if you want to reconnect.

You may, however, prefer not ever to be disconnected when working; you can set this value in NFM order to trick the remote server into believing that you are active on the host, even when you are not using NFM.

You can set this value between 1-99 minutes.  Setting the value to 1 minute will help keep you from being disconnected inadvertently; the effect of  values will vary depending on the FTP server you are connected to.


Passive Data Transfers

The FTP protocol which NFM uses to present remote file systems normally uses the PORT command to establish data transfer channels.  If you need to get past Internet firewalls, or for some reason do not want to use the PORT command for data channel establishment, you can check this option to have NFM use the PASV command.


File Transfer Mode

When transferring files with NFM, you will need to choose between ASCII (text) and Binary (non-text files, such as executable files or graphic and sound files) methods of file transfer.  Basically, if a file contains special control codes, (like a word processing document, graphics file, or a sound file) it should be transferred as Binary.  You can specify the default file transfer mode to use by choosing this option.  In most cases, you will probably want to leave this option as Binary, since you will probably mostly be transferring binary files.

You can easily change this option during an NFM session by clicking on the ASCII and Binary buttons on the NFM Toolbar.

Warning:	If the wrong method is selected when you transfer a file, you may have problems.  Transferred ASCII files may not display properly if Binary mode is chosen, and transferred Binary files may not execute properly if transferred using ASCII mode.


File List Format

You can use this option to specify how you want NFM to display details about files.  By default, NFM displays files in Windows format;  in other words, it displays them in the same order they are listed in the Windows File Manager: name first, then size, date, time, etc.  When you are accessing remote file systems, you may want to display them in the order they are displayed on that file system, e.g., the Native format.  For instance, UNIX hosts display file details in this order:  flags, links, owner, group, size, date, and name.

Select Windows to display files in standard Windows order, with name first, then size, date, time, etc., or select Native to display files in the native file format of the remote system.


Logging your Session

You can have FTP log all of your session activity to a file or to the screen.  Logging your session activity may help you if you are having problems connecting to a host, accessing directories, or transferring files, by showing you the messages the host sends to NFM.

You can log three types of ftp transactions: FTP commands, FTP replies, and FTP file lists.

FTP commands are commands sent to the host; when you ask to change directories or copy files, etc.

FTP replies are the acknowledgment of those commands, such as "File Copied Successfully".

FTP file lists are the file lists produced in response to an FTP LIST or NLIST command.  These are the file lists you would typically see in a character based FTP session.  For instance, every time you change a directory, a new list of files is passed to NFM so that NFM can display the new directory on your screen.

Check which of these options you want to log.  By default, all three types of transactions are logged.  If you check any of these options, your session will automatically be logged to a window.  Each directory window in NFM has a window pane, which is initially hidden, where the session will be logged.

To display the logging pane, move your cursor to the thin border between your NFM directory window and the NFM Status Bar (if you are not displaying your Status Bar, it will be a border right on the bottom of your screen).  Your cursor will turn into a double headed arrow that you can push up to display the logging pane, (if you need more space to view logging activity, maximize your NFM Console by clicking the Maximize arrow in the upper right hand corner of the Console.)  Adjust the logging pane until you can view the session activity.

The Clear Log command in the Window menu will clear all logging pane contents at any time.


Log to File

If you want to save session activity permanently, or if you are having trouble connecting to a host and want to view the log, you should log your session to a file.  Check the Log to File box to have NFM log to a file.

Normally, the log file that is used is ftp.log in the \...\BIN directory of your installation.  If you are using an NFM Connection to connect to the FTP server, the log file will be renamed to a unique name for you.  You can, however, specify any name (and location) you would like for this file.  You can specify a new name for this file by typing it in the provided field; it will be created.  Also, you can click the Browse button and specify a directory and filename to use for the log file (again, if you specify a new filename in the Browse dialog, it will be created).

All your session activity will be written to the file that you specified.  This file is overwritten each time you start a new session.  If you want to save your last session log, change the name of the log file you are using, and exit and restart NFM.

You can read a log file using a text editor like Windows Notepad.


Opening Multiple NFM Sessions

Once youve opened an NFM session, you can continue to open other NFM sessions.  Choose New Connection from the Window menu or click the Connect button on the Toolbar.  You will see the <Connect To> dialog, and can log in to another session.

If you have several NFM sessions open, you can change the way the session windows are displayed.  The Cascade command in the Window menu will cascade all open NFM windows (windows are stacked on top of one another), and the Tile command in the Window menu will automatically tile all open NFM windows (windows are displayed side by side).

You can also minimize NFM sessions by choosing Minimize from the Microsoft Windows System Menu, and specify Arrange Icons to arrange any minimized NFM icons so that they are evenly spaced and do not overlap.


Closing NFM Sessions and Exiting NFM

You can close all of your NFM sessions and keep NFM open; note that many menu options and dialogs will be unavailable when you are not connected to a host.

You can completely exit the Network File Manager by choosing Exit from the File menu or by double-clicking the Windows System menu in the upper left hand corner of the NFM Console.  This will close all open NFM sessions.


The NFM Console

When you first open NFM, the Network File Manager and Windows File Manager will be opened "tiled" (displayed on the screen) with the Network File Manager on top, and the Windows File Manager on the bottom.

You can tile the two windows horizontally (Windows File Manager on top, NFM on bottom) by choosing Tile FM and NFM Horizontally in the Window menu (or by pressing F6) or tile the Windows File Manager and NFM vertically (on top of one another) by choosing Tile FM and NFM Vertically in the Window menu (or pressing Alt-F6).

If you do not want to open the Windows File Manager automatically, you can uncheck Start File Manager at Startup in the <Startup Options> dialog, accessed by choosing Startup in the Options menu.

The Status Bar at the bottom of the NFM Console displays information on the current status of NFM operations, like connecting to a host or copying a file.  The Toolbar at the top of the NFM Console has buttons displaying frequently used commands. You can see the meaning of a Toolbar button by moving your mouse on top of it; the Status Bar will display the function of the button.  You can display the Toolbar as Picture only, Text only, or Both Picture and Text, by choosing Toolbar Style in the Options menu.

Both the Toolbar and the Status Bar can be hidden by unchecking Show Toolbar and Show Status Bar in the Options menu.  The Toolbar and Status Bar will be displayed if checked.

You can also change the font that is used in the NFM Console by choosing Font in the Options menu.  A Windows font dialog box will appear; select the font you want to use, and click OK.


Startup Options

The <Startup Options> dialog lets you specify whether connections will automatically be restored when you start NFM, and whether the Windows File Manager will automatically start when you start NFM.  Click on the option for which you want information.

Restore Connections at Startup

Start File Manager at Startup


Restore Connections at Startup

You can set up NFM to automatically try to restore any connections that were open the last time you used NFM, by using the <Startup Options> dialog, obtained by choosing Startup in the Options menu.  Selecting the Restore Connections at Startup option will cause NFM  to try to open all of your currently open network connections.

By default, you will be prompted with a <Reconnect To> dialog for each connection that NFM tries to reopen.  To reconnect to that session, click OK.  You can, if you choose, ignore the reconnection and choose another FTP Server to connect to, or choose Cancel to decline the reconnection.  If you Cancel, you will be presented with the standard <Connect To> dialog.

However, you can choose to disable this login prompt, so that NFM transparently reconnects to all of the current network connections the next time you start NFM, without requiring you to login to each session.  You do this by unchecking the Confirm Reconnections option.  If this option is unchecked, the connections will be restored automatically.  (This option can also be set using the <Confirmation> dialog).  You can also check Restore Current Directory to automatically display the directory you have current when the session is restored (as opposed to the home directory on that host).

The Don't Show Login Greeting option controls whether greeting information from the host is displayed when reconnecting to that host.  Since you saw the login greeting when initially connecting to the host, this option is turned on by default.


Start File Manager at Startup

If you check Start File Manager at Startup in the <Startup Options> dialog, or in the Options menu, the Windows File Manager will automatically start when you start NFM.  If you uncheck this option, only NFM will be started. If the File Manager is started with this option, it will close when you exit NFM.

You can tile the two windows horizontally (Windows File Manager on top, NFM on bottom) by choosing Tile FM and NFM Horizontally in the Window menu (or by pressing F6) or tile the Windows File Manager and NFM vertically (on top of one another) by choosing Tile FM and NFM Vertically in the Window menu (or pressing Alt-F6).


Working with Files in NFM

Once the Network File Manager is open and connected to a remote host, you can begin copying or moving files between your PC and that remote host, or between two remote hosts.  You can also perform other file operations like creating directories and renaming and deleting files or directories.  This section explains basic file operations in NFM.

Warning!	You can only perform file operations that you have rights to perform, or that the FTP server you are connected to supports.  Some systems will not allow you to move files or create directories.  (On anonymous FTP Servers, you will typically only have rights to copy files from that server to your PC).

Operations in the Network File Manager are very similar to operations in the Windows File Manager:

You can view the files or directories inside a directory by double-clicking on the directory folder.  You can also choose Open from the File menu to open a directory folder.

To move up to the previous directory level, click on the up arrow at the top of the directory list.

You can change directories by double-clicking on directory folders, just as you would when using the File Manager.  Some host systems do not support changing directories with a mouse.  In these cases, you can use the Change Directory command in the File menu to specify the name of the directory you want to change to.  This is also a quick way to change directories if you know the full pathname of the directory you want.  The next section explains how to specify remote host files and directories in this and other NFM dialogs.

See

Selecting Files/Directories

Copying and Moving Files Using Drag and Drop

Viewing and Printing Files

Renaming a file/directory

Creating a Directory

Changing Directories

Deleting files/directories

Confirming File Operations


Selecting Files and Directories

There are two ways to select files and directories for operations in NFM; you can specify them by filename, or you can select them using your mouse.  These two methods are described below.

Selecting files and directories by filename:

Specifying file and directory names for a remote host is very similar to specifying file and directory names on your local PC.

Files and directories on a host are denoted in NFM by a hostname, followed by a colon and the path name syntax of the host system.  For instance, a UNIX file from host bart.marge.com would be displayed in a NFM dialog box as:

bart.marge.com:/home/files/myfile.txt

Note that UNIX files use the forward slash instead of the backslash to denote subdirectories.

A DOS file is specified in the dialog with standard DOS filename syntax:

c:\files\filename.ext

The hostname used is based on the name or address you provided when you started the NFM session.

Warning:	For the above reason, it is important not to name any of your hosts with a one character name, a-z, as these may also correspond to DOS drive letters, and NFM could not then distinguish them from DOS drives.

Selecting files and directories with your mouse:

You can select a file or directory to operate on by clicking on the file or directory name with your mouse.  You can also select multiple files by clicking on them with your mouse while holding down the  [Ctrl] or [Shift] keys.  [Shift] selects a series of adjacent files, while [Ctrl] allows you to individually select a number of non-adjacent files.

When the files/directories are selected, you can then use File menu operations on them, or drag and drop them onto a remote host or your local PC (via Windows File Manager).  See Copying and Moving Files with NFM, for more information.

Note:	When filling out the file operation dialogs, the Current Directory (the currently selected or highlighted directory in NFM) is shown at the top of the dialog.  If you do not specify a pathname for any files you are manipulating, their origins or destinations will be assumed to be the currently selected directory.  To simplify operations, select the file or directory you want to operate on before choosing an NFM command.


Copying and Moving Files with NFM

The Network File Manager supports copying and moving files:

From your PC to an NFM host.

From an NFM host to your PC.

From one NFM host to another NFM host.

You can copy and move files either by dragging and dropping them or by using the File menu Copy or Move commands and specifying the file names and locations.

NFM does not permit you to copy or move entire directories.

You may want to customize your method of file transfer to the task you have to do.  Drag and drop is useful for moving many adjacent files or selecting files with nothing in common.  It also permits you to move files without having to know the entire file pathname.  Using Copy and Move from the File menu is useful when you want to specify a group of files with similar names (using wildcard techniques), all of the files in a large directory, or when you want to copy or move files that arent currently displayed on your screen.

Click on the topic below for which you want help.

____

See

Setting the File Transfer Method

Filename Translation

Copy/Move Files Using Drag and Drop

Copy/Move Files Using the File Menu


Setting the File Transfer Method

You should make sure that the correct file transfer method is set before transferring files with NFM.  You can transfer files using Binary or ASCII file transfer.  You should use ASCII when transferring ASCII text files (like files produced with Windows Notepad), and Binary when transferring binary files (non-text files, such as executable files, graphics files, or sound files).  If a file contains special control codes, (like a word processing document, graphics file, or a sound file) it should be transferred as Binary.  You can specify the default file transfer mode to use by choosing this option.  In most cases, you will probably want to leave this option as Binary, since you will probably mostly be transferring binary files.

You can easily change this option during an NFM session by clicking on the ASCII and Binary buttons on the NFM Toolbar.

Click the Binary or ASCII button on the Toolbar before transferring files.

Hint:	Since it is sometimes difficult to know before you transfer files what file transfer method to use, you may want to select Binary for most file transfers, and choose to examine text files using the Open command.  See Displaying and Printing Remote Host Files for more information.


Filename Translation

You can specify whether files that are transferred are automatically renamed by NFM.  Often, remote files have names longer than DOS allows (DOS allows up to eight characters with a three character extension).  A long file name (example:  tcp.ip.intro.txt) is automatically translated by NFM into a legal DOS filename by using up to eight characters of the filename, and adding an extension, if one was provided.  (In the example, the file would become tcpipint.txt.)

Check Confirm Filename Translation in the <Confirmation> dialog to set NFM to always prompt you before it translates a filename (using the method above).

When this option is checked on, and you copy or move one or more files with long filenames, you will see a <Confirm Filename Translation> dialog.

This dialog suggests a default filename for a file with a long filename.  Select Yes to accept the provided filename, or  change the filename to one you prefer before selecting Yes.  Select No if you do not want to copy or move the file at the current time.  If you are copying or moving several files, you will be prompted to accept filenames for each filename; you can select Yes to All to accept the default filenames for all long files in your copy/move transaction.  Cancel will cancel the current file transfer or any file transfers in the batch.


Copy/Move Using Drag and Drop

"Dragging" is done by clicking on the file name (or group of file names) you want to copy or move and holding down the mouse button while you move the mouse, thereby dragging the file or directory with you.  You can drag/copy (drag a copy of the selected file(s) by simply dragging the file(s) ([Ctrl]-drag will also copy files).  You can drag/move (removing the original file(s)) by holding down [Shift] as you drag the file(s).

You then "drop" the file(s) by releasing the mouse button at the place that you want to copy the file(s).  The file(s) will then be copied or moved, as simple as that.

Drag and Drop from your PC to an NFM host

You can drag and drop files from your PC to a NFM host by dragging them from the Windows File Manager to the directory where you want to keep them on the host.

To copy/move files, select the file(s) you want to copy or move in the Windows File Manager, drag them to an NFM directory window, and drop them onto the area where you want to move them.  (You can only copy files to an NFM host if you have permission to do so on that host).  Moving files from the Windows File Manager to NFM using drag and drop is not supported (due to Windows File Manager's operation).

Drag and Drop from a NFM host to your PC or other NFM host

You can copy or move files from a NFM host to your PC or another NFM host by selecting the file(s) on your NFM Directory window, dragging the file(s) you selected to your Windows File Manager screen or to another NFM directory window, and dropping them onto the area where you want to move them.  (You can only move files from an NFM host if you have permission to do so on that host).


Copy/Move Using the File Menu
Copy/Move Files Using the File Menu

You can copy or move files using the Copy or Move commands in the NFM File menu.

You can copy or move files from a NFM host to your PC or another NFM host, or from your PC to an NFM host.  You do this by typing the file origin and destination in the Copy or Move dialogs.

To save time, first use the mouse to select the files you want to transfer.

Then choose Copy or Move in the File menu.

The specified files will be copied or moved.


NFM Filename Syntax

Files/directories on a NFM host are specified by a hostname, followed by a colon.  They then use the pathname syntax of the host system.  For instance, a UNIX file from host bart would be displayed in a NFM dialog box as:

bart:/home/files/myfile.txt

where host is the name of the host you are connected to;

and /home/files/myfile.txt is the path and filename of the file in that host's format.

Files on your PC can be specified as follows:

c:\files\myfile.txt

The copy and move command dialog box supports the use of file wildcards, (? and *), which allow you to substitute for characters that you do not know (or wish to type).  For instance, you could copy files from sunhost:/home/files/data??? or from c:\files\*.txt.


Viewing and Printing Files

Once you have connected to a host, you may be able to directly view or print files with Network File Manager.  NFM recognizes files just like the Windows File Manager does, by examining the files extension and checking to see what application is associated with that type of file.  For instance, the file hello.txt has extension txt, which is associated by Network File Manager with the Windows Notepad application.  So, when you try to view or print this file in Network File Manager using the Open or Print commands, the file will automatically be opened/printed using Windows Notepad.

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See

Using File Associations

Viewing Files

Printing Files


Using File Associations

File associations in NFM work just the way they do in the Windows File Manager.  You use an Associate command to tell NFM how to recognize and open associations, so that you can open or print a file directly from NFM.

NFM automatically uses any associations that were set up in Windows File Manager; you can then examine and change those associations and add additional associations.

You can add a new association at any time.  You may find it convenient to add associations when you are highlighting a filename that you want to associate.

Click Associate from the File menu.   An <Associate> dialog will appear, showing a list of file associations.  If you currently have a file highlighted, any association for that file will display.

You can create a new association, or change an existing association by typing the extension you want to associate into the Files with Extension field (if you highlighted a file, it will already be there).

You can then choose the application to associate this extension with from the Associate With drop-down list.  If the application is not in the list, you can use the Browse button to locate the application on your PC.

Note:	NFM allows you to define an association for files with no extension.  You can do this by specifying . (period) in the Files with Extension as the extension (in other words, specifying no extension), and choosing the application to associate with those files.  For instance, if you often find readme files with no extension, you might associate . with Microsoft Windows Notepad, so that these files are opened correctly.  NFM also uses this "default" extension whenever it encounters files with non-standard extensions (e.g. bar_association.news), so this is a handy feature to use.  Use this feature with care, though, since there is often no way to tell which application to use to open a file when it has a non-standard extension.

Because you are transferring the files (into your system memory) before you open or print them, you may need to specify the file transfer type for each file association.  For text files, make sure that the Open File As value is set to ASCII to ensure that they will open correctly; for any other files (including word processing documents), you will probably want to set this value to Binary.  For more information, see the previous section on Setting the File Transfer Method.

Click OK when you have finished making associations.


Viewing Files

You can open a file on a remote host by double-clicking on it, selecting the file and pressing Enter, or choosing Open from the File menu. If there is an association set up for that file,   NFM will launch the program associated with that file and display the file. (If there is no association for that file, NFM will display a message informing you that there is no association for that file).

If the file does not have an extension that you can associate with an application, you will have to transfer the file to your PC before you can open it in an application.

You can check the Minimize on File Open command if you wish to automatically minimize the Network File Manager Console when any NFM files are opened.


Renaming a File/Directory

You can rename a file or directory by highlighting the file or directory you want to rename, and clicking Rename in the File menu.  You will be prompted for a new filename or directory name.  Type the name, and click OK.

You can also specify the original and new names for the file/directory in the dialog without highlighting them first.


Deleting Files/Directories

To delete files/directories, select them using the mouse and choose Delete from the File menu or press the Delete key on your keyboard.  (You can also specify the file/directory name(s) in this dialog).  Click OK to delete the files/directories.


Confirming File Operations

When you copy or move files, or delete or replace files on the host, you will automatically be prompted to confirm that you want to perform those actions.  You can enable or disable this confirmation step using the <Confirmation> dialog in the Options menu.

In this dialog, you can also specify whether to confirm mouse actions (any drag and drop activity), whether to confirm automatic reconnection to a host, and whether to ask for confirmation when translating a long filename during file transfer.


Displaying Files in NFM

When you display files and directories on a remote host, they appear in a directory window.  Files will be displayed as documents, and directories will be displayed as folders, similar to the Microsoft Windows File Manager.

There are several ways to change how files are displayed in the Network File Manager. You can specify the following options:

Which file details are listed.

The order in which files are listed.

Which files are listed.

These options will be set for the current session only.

The methods used to change these settings are described below:

Setting which file details are listed:

You can change which of the file details (such as Name, Date, Size, Owner, etc.) are listed by choosing All File Details, or Partial Details options in the NFM View menu, as described below.

All File Details	Displays all available file details for files on the host you are connected to.  These details will vary according to the host.

Partial File Details	Allows you to specify which file details you want to display.  Check the details that you want to display, and click OK.  (You can also select this item by clicking on the Details button on the Toolbar.)

You can change the size of the Name field by moving your cursor to the separator to the right of the Name field until it turns into a double headed arrow, holding down your mouse button, and moving it left or right to change the size of the field.  Note:  this will not apply if you are in host directory list format, or if you are using the Generic host driver to connect to hosts.

Setting the order in which files are listed:

NFM allows you to change how NFM sorts the files in the listing by clicking on the detail header for that detail.

You can also sort by choosing the Sort by... options in the Options menu.

The sorting is done by the methods described below.

Sort by Name

List files in alphabetical order (this is the default).

Sort by Type

List files in alphabetical order by their extensions (e.g. link.dll, test.dll, auto.exe, timer.exe, story.txt).

Sort by Size, Date, Owner, Group, Etc.

Other sorting options will appear in this menu based on the available file details of the host that you are connecting to.  Sort by size will list files from smallest to largest, sort by date from oldest to newest.

Setting which files are listed:

You can also select which files are listed using By File Type in the View menu.

By File Type...

This dialog allows you to specify whether directories, programs, documents, or other files (non-directories, programs, and documents) are listed.

You can also list files with any given file specification by typing the specification using a wildcard combination (*, ?) in the provided dialog box.  To select all files, leave this box blank.

Note:	If you use wildcards, you must use the wildcard conventions used on the file system you are viewing.  For instance, on a UNIX system, specifying *.txt would list only files with the extension txt, and specifying doc* would list only files that begin with the first three letters doc are listed.


Saving Your NFM Settings

NFM will save your current workspace and settings when you exit if you have checked Save Workspace on Exit in the Options menu.   Whenever NFM starts, it restores the workspace to the last workspace that was saved.  This includes reestablishing all connections, if you have the Restore Connections on Startup option (set using the Startup option in the Options menu).

The types of settings that will be saved are:

Startup settings (whether to open File Manager on Startup, whether to automatically reconnect to the host)

Console Settings (whether to display the Toolbar and Status Bar, the Toolbar type, the position and size of the NFM and File Manager windows).

All your connection settings, including the layout (size and position) of NFMs work area, and all connection related settings such as the file listing options in the View menu.

Changes to the Associations and the Connection list are saved automatically, regardless of the Save Workspace setting.


The NFM Menus
NFM Menu Commands

The NFM menu commands are described below.

File menu

View menu

Options menu

Window menu


File menu

Open

Move

Copy

Delete

Rename

Properties

Quick Properties

Print

Associate

Create Directory

Change Directory

Edit Connection List

Exit


Open

The Open command will open the currently selected file into an associated application, if one exists.  This command will not work on a file if you have not set file associations for files with that file extension.  See file associations for more information.

If you choose the Open command with a directory folder selected, the directory folder will be opened, and any files/directories inside that folder will be displayed.


Move

When you choose the Move command, any files you selected will be specified in the From: (origin) field.

Specify the origin (From:) and destination (To:) filenames in the appropriate filename syntax.

Note:	If you provide no host designation or pathname, NFM will assume the files you are specifying are found in the current directory on the current host (the host directory window that is currently highlighted).  This means that there is an advantage to selecting your origin directory before beginning a file operation, to eliminate having to type a long pathname.

Click OK.  The specified file(s) will be moved  (the original file(s) will be removed from the PC or host).


Copy

When you choose the Copy command, any files you selected will be specified in the From: (origin) field.

Specify the origin (From:) and destination (To:) filenames in the appropriate filename syntax.

Note:	If you provide no host designation or pathname, NFM will assume the files you are specifying are found in the current directory on the current host (the host directory window that is currently highlighted).  This means that there is an advantage to selecting your origin directory before beginning a file operation, to eliminate having to type a long pathname.

Click OK.  The specified file(s) will be copied.


Delete

The Delete command deletes the currently selected file(s) or directories.

To delete files/directories, select those files/directories using the mouse and choose Delete from the File menu.  (You can also specify the file/directory name(s) in this dialog).  Click OK to delete the files/directories.

You can also delete files by clicking the Delete key on your keyboard.


Rename

The Rename command renames a file or directory.

You can rename a file or directory by highlighting the file or directory you want to rename, and clicking Rename in the File menu.  You will be prompted for a new filename or directory name.  Type the name, and click OK.

You can also specify the original and new names for the file/directory in the dialog without highlighting them first.


Viewing File Information: Properties/Quick Properties

NFM allows you to view file information from the host using the Properties and Quick Properties commands.  The information that will be displayed is virtually the same information you will see if you are connecting to the host with the correct host driver and are displaying all the file details; therefore this feature is only really helpful if you are currently using the Generic host driver, or if you need additional information about a file.

Properties will display all available information about the file in a dialog.

Highlight the file name, and choose Properties from the File menu.  A dialog will appear, displaying all available information from the host.  You can scroll through the dialog to read all the information.  Click OK to close the dialog.

Quick Properties will summarize the information about the file in the NFM Status Bar.

Highlight the file name and choose Quick Properties from the File menu (or press Ctrl-Alt-Enter).  The Quick Properties information will appear in the Status Bar, and will stay there until you highlight another file.

Properties and Quick Properties work only for files; highlighting a directory name will indicate that the highlighted item is a directory.


Printing a file on the host
Print

The Print command in the File menu prints the currently selected file.  Before using this command, you should use the NFM Associate command to properly set file associations.  NFM will launch the program associated with that file and display the print dialog from that program.  You can then print the file.


Associate

File associations in NFM work just the way they do in the Windows File Manager.  You use the Associate command, found in the File menu, to tell NFM how to recognize and open associations, so that you can open or print a file directly from NFM.  NFM automatically uses any associations that were set up in Windows File Manager; you can then examine and change those associations and add additional associations.

You can add a new association at any time.  You may find it convenient to add associations when you are highlighting a filename that you want to associate.

When you open the <Associate> dialog, you will see a list of file associations.  If you currently have a file highlighted, any association for that file will display.

You can create a new association, or change an existing association by typing the extension you want to associate into the Files with Extension field (if you highlighted a file, it will already be there).

You can then choose the application to associate this extension with from the Associate With drop-down list.  If the application is not in the list, you can use the Browse button to locate the application on your PC.

Because you are, in fact, transferring the files (into your system memory) before you open or print them, you may need to specify the file transfer type for each file association.  For text files, make sure that the association was set to ASCII to ensure that they will open correctly; for any other files (including word processing documents), you will probably want to specify Binary.

Click OK when you have finished making associations.


Create Directory

The Create Directory command in the File menu (also found as a button on the Toolbar) creates a directory on the current host.

You can create a directory at any time by using this option.  You may find it easier to first select the location where you want a directory before choosing the create option.

The <Create Directory> dialog will ask you to specify a new directory name.  Specify a name for the new directory, and click OK to create the directory.

Note:	You must have rights on the FTP host in order to create a directory.


Changing Directories

The Change Directory command in the File menu lets you change directories on the host using a dialog, rather than by clicking with your mouse.  This is a quick way to change directories if you are familiar with the structure of the host you are connecting to; some hosts may only allow you to change directories using this command (depending on their structure).

See NFM Filename Syntax for more information on specifying filenames in NFM.


Edit Connection List

The <Edit Connection List> dialog, produced by choosing Edit Connection List from the File menu, allows you to view all the Connections you created, create new Connections, and edit information about those connections.

Note:	Hosts in your Hosts file will not display in this list.

From this dialog, you can:

>	Add a new Connection by clicking the New button.  The <New Connection> dialog will appear.  You can fill out this dialog with information about your new Connection.

>	Edit an existing Connection by highlighting a connection name and clicking the Edit button.  The <Edit Connection> dialog will appear, allowing you to change any of the information about your Connection.

>	Delete a Connection by clicking the Delete button.  You will be asked to confirm that you want to delete the Connection, and the Connection will then be deleted.


Defining a New Connection

The <New Connection> dialog allows you to create a new Connection.  This is equivalent to creating a Connection using the <Connect To> dialog.

This dialog asks you to specify a name for the connection, and asks you to specify the same information that is found in the <Connect To> dialog; the advanced connection options from the <Connect To> dialog can also be accessed by clicking the Advanced button.

Fill out these options as you would when making a connection.

Click OK when you are finished creating this Connection; this Connection will be added to your Connection list.


Edit Connection

The <Edit Connection> dialog allows you to change any of the specified information for a Connection.  This dialog displays the same information that is found in the <Connect To> dialog; the advanced connection options from the <Connect To> dialog can also be accessed by clicking the Advanced button.

Click OK when you are finished editing the Connection; the Connection will be changed as you specified.


View menu

All File Details

Partial Details

Sort by Name, Type, Size, Date, Etc.

By File Type


All File Details

This command displays all available file details (such as filename, date, size, etc.) for files on the host you are connected to.  These details will vary according to the host.


Partial File Details
Partial Details

This allows you to specify which host file details (such as filename, date, size, etc.) you want to display.  In the <Partial Details> dialog, check the details that you want NFM to display.

You can also select Partial Details by clicking on the Details button.


Sort by Name, Type, Size, Date, Etc.

Sort by Name

List files in alphabetical order (this is the default).

Sort by Type

List files in alphabetical order by their extensions (i.e. link.dll, test.dll, auto.exe, timer.exe, story.txt).

Sort by Size, Date, Owner, Group, Etc.

Other sorting options will appear in the View menu based on the available file attributes of the host you are connecting to.  Sort by size will list files from smallest to largest, sort by date from oldest to newest.


By File Type...
By File Type

This allows you to specify what file types will be listed in the directory window.

You can specify whether directories, programs, documents, or other files (non-directories, programs, and documents) are listed.  These are determined by file extension.

You can also list files with any given file specification by typing the specification using a wildcard combination (*, ?) in the provided dialog box.  To select all files, leave this box blank.

Note:	If you use wildcards, you must use the wildcard conventions used on the file system you are viewing.  For instance, on a UNIX system, specifying *.txt would list only files with the extension txt, and specifying doc* would list only files that begin with the first three letters doc are listed.


Options menu

Default Connect Information

Connection Settings

Confirmation

Startup

Font

Toolbar Style

Show Toolbar/Status Bar

Resolve Files of Unknown Type

Minimize on File Open

Save Workspace on Exit


Default Connect Information

You can have NFM automatically fill out all of the options you specify upon connecting to a host, so that these options are always assumed.  For instance, if you often login to anonymous ftp sites, you may want to have NFM always specify user name of anonymous with a password of your user name.  Any information you specify in the <Default Connect Information> dialog will always display when you connect to a host (although you can change it, if you need to).

The <Default Connect Information> dialog is produced by selecting Default Connect Information from the Options menu.  This dialog is filled out exactly as you would fill out the <Connect To> dialog.

Fill out any information you want to have display in the <Connect To> dialog.

You can also click the Advanced button to specify default advanced connection options for NFM.

The information you provide in these dialogs is also used by default when you add a new host using the Edit Connection List feature.


Default Advanced Connect Options

The <Default Advanced Connect Options> dialog (accessed by clicking the Advanced button in the <Default Connect Information> dialog) allows you to specify default advanced options for all of your NFM sessions.  These are the same options you will see in the <Advanced Connect Options> dialog.

For instance, if you need to use a firewall in order to use NFM, you would want the firewall information to be filled out automatically.  Fill out any information you want to have automatically appear in the Advanced portion of the <Connect To> dialog.


Connection Settings

The Connection Settings option allows you to change options for your current NFM session; these are the same options found on the right hand side of the <Advanced Connection Settings> dialog.  Click on the option below for which you would like help.

General Options

Timeout if no response after:

Poke host to avoid inactivity disconnect

Passive Data Transfers

File Transfer Mode

File List Format

Transaction Logging Options

Logging your Session

Log to File


Confirmation

The Confirmation command in the File menu lets you specify whether NFM will ask you for confirmation when performing the following actions: deleting a file/directory, replacing a file, mouse actions (drag and drop), automatically reconnecting to a host, and translating long filenames.


Toolbar Style

The NFM Toolbar can be displayed with a Picture only, Text only, or Both Picture and Text, by choosing Toolbar Style in the Options menu.  Check the option in the dialog that you want to display.


Font

You can change the font that is used in the Network File Manager by choosing Font in the Options menu.  A Windows font dialog box will appear; select the font you want to use, and click OK.


The NFM Toolbar and Status Bar
Show Toolbar and Status Bar

The NFM Toolbar at the top of the NFM Console has buttons displaying frequently used commands. You can change the Toolbar Style, if desired.

The Status Bar at the bottom of the NFM Console displays information on the current status of NFM operations, like connecting to a host or copying a file.

Both the Toolbar and the Status Bar can be hidden by unchecking Show Toolbar and Show Status Bar in the Options menu.


Resolve Files of Unknown Type

If you are using the Generic host type when connecting to a host, NFM will typically only show you limited information about a host.  If you want NFM to try to resolve additional file details when displaying file information using the Generic host type, select the "Resolve Files of Unknown Type" option from the Options menu to check this option.  Note that when using this option, NFM will take slightly more time upon connection when encountering files of unknown type.


Minimize on File Open

If this is checked, the Network File Manager Console will be minimized if any of the files in the NFM directory windows are opened.


Save Workspace on Exit

General NFM settings (whether to open File Manager on Startup, displaying the Toolbar, etc.) as well as settings used in a particular NFM directory window (view method, sort methods) can be saved by checking Save Workspace on Exit in the Options menu.   The general settings will be preserved the next time you open an NFM session, whereas particular directory window settings will only take effect the next time you open that directory window.


Window menu

New Connection

Cascade/Tile

Arrange Icons

Clear Log

Refresh

Tile FM and NFM Vertically/Horizontally


New Connection

You can open sessions to other NFM hosts once you have started NFM by choosing New Directory Window from the Window menu.  The NFM <Connect To> dialog will appear and you can specify the options for another NFM session.  The new session will open on top of the original session (use Cascade or Tile, or minimize a session window, to organize multiple directory windows).


Cascade/Tile

Cascade

Cascade all open NFM windows (windows are stacked on top of one another).

Tile

Tile all open NFM windows (windows are displayed side by side).


Arrange Icons

Arrange any minimized NFM icons so that they are evenly spaced and do not overlap.


Clear Log

The Clear Log command allows you to clear the contents of the NFM logging window pane.  Any new transactions will appear in the cleared logging pane.

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See

Logging your Session


Refresh

Update the active directory window with any recent changes (such as changes made at the host end).


Tile FM and NFM Vertically/Horizontally

You can open the Network File Manager and Windows File Manager "tiled" (displayed on the screen) with the Network File Manager on top, and the Windows File Manager on the bottom.

You can tile the two windows horizontally (Windows File Manager on top, NFM on bottom) by choosing Tile FM and NFM Horizontally in the Window menu (or by pressing F6).

You can tile the Windows File Manager and NFM vertically (on top of one another) by choosing Tile FM and NFM Vertically in the Window menu (or pressing Alt-F6).