CHAPTER 11
                  USING THE FILE SYSTEM


Every user has a file storage area, termed his work 
directory, which can be used for the temporary storage of 
information.  This work directory can be used to edit 
files, to save and retrieve Email messages and newsgroup 
articles, to transfer files between OSFN and a user's PC, 
and also to send files to other users or retrieve files 
from them.

In using these file handling facilities, two important 
points should be observed.

FIRST, OSFN DOES NOT CONDONE THE USE OF OUR FACILITIES FOR 
ILLEGAL OR ILLICIT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE EXCHANGE OF 
LICENSED AND/OR COPYRIGHTED INFORMATION OR SOFTWARE.  USER 
VIOLATING THIS PRINCIPLE WILL BE PERMANENTLY REMOVED FROM 
THE SYSTEM.

IN ADDITION, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE WORKING FILE AREA IS 
ONLY FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE OF INFORMATION.  PLEASE REMOVE 
OLD FILES WHEN THEY ARE NO LONGER NEEDED.

The total OSFN disk space is more than adequate for all 
current demands, and we have not had to implement any file 
limitation measures.  However, when the user load 
increases we may routinely purge all user work storage 
without warning on a weekly or even daily basis if 
required.

To gain access to the file facilities, use the command "go 
xfer" or, at the Main Menu SELECT - Communications Center, 
then SELECT - File Transfer Services.

In addition to the transfer of files, there are some 
operations on files that can be done by SELECTING - 
Manipulate Files option in the File Transfer Services 
menu.

When selected, you will see the Manipulate Files menu that 
lets you do a number of operations (for the most part 
self-explanatory) on the files in your work directory.  
The list of files will show you the names of all files in 
your directory.  It will also indicate that there are no 
files in the directory if that is the case.

The other operations: delete, rename, copy, Display with 
paging, and type without paging, all do just what they 
say.  If each case you will be prompted for the name of a 
file, and after the operation is completed on that one 
file, you are returned to the Manipulate Files menu.

In the case of editing files, there are two options in the 
Manipulate Files menu:


EDIT A FILE

In this case, the file that you designate will come up on 
the edit screen of the editor that you have selected in 
your OSFN setup.

NOTE:  You must previously SELECT an editor for this 
       option to work.  The details about Chet's 
       Editor were discussed earlier in this New 
       Users Guide, and more details can be found in 
       the Help Desk.


EDIT YOUR "WORK" DIRECTORY (dired)

When selected, this enables you to do more flexible 
operations on the files in your work directory using 
DIRED, a DIRectory EDitor.  It will display a list of your 
files, then by moving the cursor you can SELECT any file, 
and edit it using a defined list of commands.

It is a little more flexible than the one file at a time 
approach of the other Manipulate Files menu commands.  
However, it is a more sophisticated tool, and some study 
and practice are required.

NOTE:  You will find more details on DIRED in the 
       Help Desk or you may also enter an "h" command 
       from within DIRED.


COMPUTER TO COMPUTER FILE TRANSFER

Items 3 and 4 in the File Transfer Services menu provide 
probably the most useful file service; the exchange of 
files between OSFN and your personal computer.

In order for a computer-to-computer file transfer to work, 
there must be similar software on each computer.

The software operates according to a defined set of rules, 
called a protocol, that determine the file identification, 
identification of the start and end of a file, the 
transmitted data block size, error detection features like 
check sums, acknowledgement of good blocks received, and 
the retransmission of blocks received with errors.

There are many different protocols available commercially, 
and there must be agreement as to which one will be used 
for a given transfer.


The OSFN - PC file transfer menus mention four different 
file transfer protocols:

Kermit,
Zmodem,
Ymodem and
Xmodem.

All of these are usually supported by most terminal 
emulator programs.  The first two are working well, the 
last two are problematic at this time.

For a Kermit transfer from OSFN to your PC, SELECT - 3 on 
the File Transfer menu, then SELECT - KERMIT.

You will then be asked to enter the name of the file that 
you want to transfer (it must be the name of a file that 
exists in your working directory - enter 5 to get a list 
of your files.)

Then you will be asked to escape to your terminal emulator 
and start up KERMIT on your PC.

The details of this operation are unique to each terminal 
emulator program, and you will need to consult your 
manuals as to how to do this for your machine.

Once initiated, you should see an indication that the 
transfer has started, then a continuing report on its 
progress.  Finally on completion of the transfer, control 
should return to the OSFN Send File menu.

For a Kermit transfer from your PC to OSFN, SELECT - 4 on 
the File Transfer menu, then SELECT - KERMIT.  This will 
work very much like the previous operation, except that 
the file name will be identified this time at the PC end 
of the transmission.

With KERMIT it is normally the sending end that identifies 
the name of the file to be sent, and the file will appear 
in the file directory of the receiving machine with the 
original name duplicated.

If the file transfer fails to start, or it does not run 
properly, in either of the above cases, it generally means 
that there is a discrepancy in the setup of your terminal 
emulator and OSFN, or that there is an incompatibility in 
the particular version of KERMIT that you are using.

First go through the setup procedures outlined in sections 
3 and 6 of this New Users Guide.  If that does not cure 
the problem it is suggested that you check with other 
users to see if anyone is aware of problems with your 
version of KERMIT.

The above explanation was specific to Kermit, but is 
generally applicable to Xmodem, Ymodem and Zmodem, with 
some exceptions.  (Zmodem is better and faster than 
Kermit).

NOTE:  The version of Kermit on OSFN must be used 
       with text files only.

In the case of the other three protocols, both binary and 
text transfers are supported, and as part of the 
initiation sequence, you will be asked to specify the 
transfer mode desired.  In general, text files are those 
containing plain ascii text characters.  Binary files are 
those that contain executable software programs, or files 
with special codes such as WordPerfect files.

In addition, with Xmodem it is necessary to specify the 
name of the file at both the sending and receiving end. 
Zmodem does load all files in.

Files from your working directory may be sent to another 
OSFN user by appending them to a mail message addressed to 
that user through the use of the append command in the 
Mail system.  Such appended files should be normal ascii 
text files.

Alternately, you can use the File Transfer Services, 
SELECT - Send A File To Another User.  When selected, you 
will be asked for the name of the file to be transferred, 
a short descriptive statement about the file, and the user 
ID of the recipient.

The system will then send an Email message to the 
recipient containing the name and description of the file 
transferred, and a notation that it can be picked up by 
entering the command "go ups".  After entering that 
command, then confirming that reception of the file is 
desired, the file will be placed in the recipient's 
working directory.

Option 5 and 6 on the File Transfer Services menu may also 
be used to check for and retrieve files sent in this 
manner.  Any form of file may be transferred in this file 
transfer method.

.