JUMPSTART: This document contains basic instructions on how to install and use the 1.2v0 Shareware release of File eXpress. This release is a fully functional version of File eXpress that supersedes 1.1v0 in addition to the “Δ” (delta) and "ß" (beta) release suites.
Overview
This Shareware release of File eXpress includes a control panel and two applications designed to provide document transfer services over AppleTalk and TCP/IP networks. Together, this release of the fully recordable and scriptable FX•Engine and FX•Packager bring point-to-point document transfer and compression services to your desktop. In brief, you can use File eXpress to send any file on your Macintosh to any other machine running File eXpress just by “dropping” the item to send on the FX•Packager’s mailbox icon. File eXpress also creates a single “FX•InBox” folder on your desktop where you’ll be able to quickly access items sent to you by other File eXpress users.
There are no user accounts to create, server applications to manage, nor folders to “share.” Unlike some other AppleTalk or TCP/IP based file transfer methods where you expose entire folder hierarchies on your machine to the inspection of others, with File eXpress’s “package shipping” model your files are only copied when and where you choose. You wouldn’t let the phone company rummage through your house to deliver their invoices or collect your payments, so why let folks into your computer to drop-off or pick-up files? With File eXpress you’ll always be in complete control of which files are copied from your machine and to whom those files are sent - without the headaches of having to maintain sharing services with their associated accounts and access privileges. File eXpress also allows those of you who are currently forced to strong-arm an expensive email system into providing basic document transfer services to skip that extra step of “enclosing” your files in an empty email message.
File eXpress will even deliver your files over AppleTalk and TCP/IP at the same time. So you’ll be able to use a single tool with the same user interface to send files to other File eXpress users regardless of which network protocol they use. And, as File eXpress was built from the ground up to be completely asynchronous, you’ll be able to continue with your work while File eXpress sends and receives your packages in the background.
Introduction
File eXpress is built on a package shipping metaphor. Just as you might place some items in a box to ship them across the country, File eXpress copies your files into a “package” that it then delivers across the network. Simply select the files or folders you would like to send and drop them on the FX•Packager mailbox icon in the Finder. The packager will then display a dialog box asking where you would like to send those items. Once you’ve entered a destination, File eXpress will copy the original items into a separate package that will be delivered in the background while you continue with your work. That’s all there is to sending a file across the office, or, if you’re on the Internet, across the country. Simple, isn’t it? Further, anyone who has their own copy of File eXpress can send you files that will be placed in an “FX•InBox” folder on your desktop. This means you’ll always know where to look for the files that other File eXpress users have sent to you.
Specifically, this release of File eXpress:
• Allows you to send files to any Macintosh on the same network running an FX•Engine
• Supports the simultaneous delivery of the same files over both AppleTalk and TCP/IP networks
• Runs asynchronously - so you can continue with your work while File eXpress sends, receives and unpacks your packages in the background
• Provides full access to the set of File eXpress services via AppleScript as fully Recordable and Scriptable applications
• Supports automatic compression of files or folders before sending them across the network
This not only minimizes network traffic, but reduces the storage requirements on the destination machine - perfect for cross-country network transfers or home-grown backup systems.
• Are “Fat Binaries” that have been accelerated for Apple’s Power Macintoshes
• Provide “deferred delivery” capabilities that allow you to send packages to users regardless of whether their machines are currently available - File eXpress will keep trying to send your package for three days until the package is delivered.
Included with this release are a PDF version of the User's Manual, a suite of examples that make use of File eXpress, and an FX*Extractor utility that can pull individual items out of a Package file.
To install File eXpress:
File eXpress will run on any Macintosh with a 68020 or better running System Software 7.1.2 or later, or 7.5.3 if you plan to use Open Transport 1.1 or later. Just follow the 6 steps below to install File eXpress on your machine:
1) Remove any existing copies of File eXpress from your machine by throwing them in the Trash, rebooting your Mac and choosing “Empty Trash” from the “Special” menu in the Finder. Be sure to throw away any“1.1v0”, “1.0v0”, “Δ1” , “Δ2” or "ß" versions of the FX•Engine and FX•Preferences you may have in your System Folder.
2) Place a copy of the “File Express 1.2v0” folder anywhere on your boot volume.
3) From within the “File Express 1.2v0” folder you placed on your boot volume:
Drag the “FX•Control” Control Panel to the “Control Panels” folder of your boot volume’s “System” folder. You should simply be able to drop the Control Panel on your System Folder, which will automatically place it in your “Control Panels” folder.
Drag the “FX•Packager” application (or an alias to it) to an easy to reach place on your desktop in the Finder.
4) Reboot your Macintosh - you should see the “Mail Truck” startup icon appear on your screen during the boot process.
Don’t be alarmed if you see a red X, which denotes your File eXpress system isn’t currently running. You’ll have to ‘initialize’ your File eXpress system as described in item 5 below.
5) Double-Click on the “FX•Packager” icon to run the Packager and agree to the license agreement. Note, you'll be given the chance to register your copy of File eXpress to receive technical support via email and full documentation the first time you launch the packager after each reboot - alternatively, you can select “Register File eXpress…” from the Apple menu while running the packager to register at your convenience. You may use File eXpress for any non-commercial purposes for as long as you'd like without registering - but we do require registrations for commercial users, and ask you to at least consider registering even if you’re a frequent non-commercial user.
6) You may want to open the “FX•Control” Control Panel to establish your default File eXpress receive preferences.
If you’ve done all of the above, you’ll see a folder named “FX•InBox” appear on your desktop where you’ll be able to find files sent to you by other File eXpress users. If you have the Finder Scripting extension installed in your “Extensions” folder, then when the FX•Engine is ready to receive files from other File eXpress users you’ll see “network cables” attached to the FX•InBox folder on your desktop. Note, though, that only you can see what’s in your “FX•InBox” - unless, of course, you use File Sharing to export the contents of your mailbox.
If you experience problems with the Drag-and-Drop interface to the FX•Packager, you may need to rebuild your desktop database file. To do this, depress the Command and Options keys the next time you boot your machine until the Finder displays a dialog box asking if you would like to rebuild your desktop.
The File eXpress applications are all “32-bit clean” and should run with Virtual Memory, Modern Memory Manager and File Sharing and on Open Transport based Macs without incident. File eXpress does require that all Open Transport Users upgrade to System 7.5.3 and Open Transport 1.1 for TCP/IP support.
To send files to another File eXpress user:
1) Drag an item, such as a file or folder, that you would like to send to another File eXpress user and “drop” it on your copy of the FX•Packager. Or, while running the FX•Packager, select “Send Item...” from the File menu.
2) Type in the address of the recipient of your “package” in the “Packing Slip” displayed by the FX•Packager. You may use both AppleTalk addresses (which are in the form <machineName>[zoneName]) or TCP/IP host addresses. For example, the following address list might be used to send a package to four other File eXpress users - two who are on AppleTalk, and two who are connected by TCP/IP:
You may also click on the “Auto-Add AppleTalk Address” button in the “Packing Slip” to have the FX•Packager insert an address you select from a chooser’esque list of File eXpress users currently attached to your network. Destinations in the same zone as the machine originating the send may omit the zone name from between the braces, as in “Sally’s IIci[]”, but the braces are still required to assert that you’re using an AppleTalk address.
Note, with this release of File eXpress you may define a sub-folder within the destination’s “FX•InBox” as part of the destination address by using the form: <folderName>@<MachineName>[zoneName] or <folderName>@<TCP/IP host address>. For example, “elvis@tom’s 7200[marketing]” or “elvis@bigMac.bigU.edu” would place the sent item in a folder titled ‘elvis’ in the “FX•InBox” at either of the destination machines.
3) Click on the “Send Now” button.
See the FX•Manual which will be distributed separately for a more in depth look at addressing, or contact your local networking administrator if you have questions about your location’s “Zone” names.
To unpackage files received in your FX•InBox:
Simply double-click on the “package” icon that you have received in your FX•InBox folder to extract its contents. You can recognize your File eXpress packages by the “.fxp” extension (or “.fxcp” extension for compressed packages) that has been added to the name of the original item.
Where to go next:
Be sure to examine the “Preferences…” option under the “eXpress” menu in the Packager. You can also use your favorite script editor to examine the scripting dictionary of the FX•Packager and FX•Engine for information on how to control File eXpress via AppleScript.
We will have also distributed a PDF version of the FX•Manual and a set of example scripts and stacks that use File eXpress.
Change History:
Changes since the 1.1v0 release include some fixes for very rare networking bugs and a new build using the latest version of Metrowerks CodeWarrior with full optimizations on - tres hep. Further, and most importantly, this release no longer presents a "Yikes, an unregistered copy!" dialog box for unregistered copies of FX - in essence unlocking all of the FX features for all users. This version of File eXpress may be used for any non-commercial purposes without being registered.
Changes since the 1.0v0 release include some minor bug fixes, static TCP/IP port assignment to facilitate transfers through approved Firewalls and a "Comments" field in the Packing Slip dialog box that allows the user to attach a brief note to a Package that will be displayed in the "Get Info..." comment field of the delivered Package file. User's may now use the Finder's "Get Info…" command on any Package file found in their FX•InBox to see who the Package is from and when it was sent, in addition to any comments supplied by the sender.
Changes since Beta 2 include bug fixes, better networking with Open Transport and a reduction of how often the "Register Now…" option presents itself (ie. only once per reboot as originally designed). We've also disabled the "Glowing Network Cables" effect for incoming packages to keep the Finder from leaking memory over time.
Changes since the initial Delta releases include a completely revised user interface, the addition of the FX•Control Panel to adjust FX*Engine settings, support for Open Transport 1.1, leaner-meaner compression, and an enhanced FX•Engine which can now be controlled via AppleScript without launching the FX•Packager.
And, as always, your questions and comments are welcome at dobil@tasman.hss.cmu.edu.
All other rights remain reserved by the Ruskin Group, Inc.
