\input texinfo   @c -*-texinfo-*-
@comment %**start of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.)
@setfilename ../info/ange-ftp.info
@settitle ange-ftp
@comment %**end of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.)

@synindex pg vr

@node Top, What is ange-ftp?, (dir), (dir)
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@ifinfo
@unnumbered Ange-ftp

This file documents ange-ftp, a system for transparent file-transfer
between remote hosts using the FTP protocol within GNU Emacs.

This info is current to Version 4.2 of Ange-ftp.

Documentation version: 1.32

Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

@ignore
Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
results, provided the printed document carries a copying permission
notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).

@end ignore
Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.
@end ifinfo

@titlepage
@sp5
@center @titlefont{ange-ftp}
@center version 4.2
@sp2
@center A transparent remote file system, by Andy Norman
@sp7
@center This documentation by David Smith.
@center info-version 1.32
@page
@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.
@end titlepage

@menu
* What is ange-ftp?::	A brief introduction to ange-ftp. Credits.
* Installing ange-ftp:: Where to find it, and how to use it.
* Using ange-ftp::	Ange-ftp -- a users' guide.
* Getting help::	Mailing lists and newsgroups.
* Bugs::		Known bugs, and a wish list.

Indices:
* Concept Index::
* Variable and command index::
@end menu


@node What is ange-ftp?, Installing ange-ftp, Top, Top
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@chapter Introducing ange-ftp.

Ange-ftp is a system for transparent file-transfer between remote UNIX,
VMS, CMS or MTS
hosts using FTP. This means that you can edit, copy and otherwise
manipulate files on any machine you have access to from within GNU Emacs
as if it were a local file. Ange-ftp works by introducing an extended
filename syntax, and overloading functions such as
@code{insert-file-contents} so that accessing a remote file causes
appropriate commands to be sent to an FTP process. Ange-ftp works with
Dired (and in particular Sebastian Kremer's Tree Dired) to facilitate
directory browsing and multiple file transfer from remote hosts.

The author of ange-ftp is Andy (Ange) Norman (@code{ange@@hplb.hpl.hp.com}).
@ifinfo
Many people have sent in enhancements, and Ange has been kept quite
busy testing them and incorporating them into ange-ftp. Current members
of the Ange-Ftp Hall of Fame include:

@itemize @bullet
@item
Many thanks to Roland McGrath for improving the filename syntax handling,
for suggesting many enhancements and for numerous cleanups to the code.

@item
Thanks to Jamie Zawinski for bugfixes and for ideas such as gateways.

@item
Thanks to Ken Laprade for improved @file{.netrc} parsing and password
reading, and Dired/shell autoloading.

@item
Thanks to Sebastian Kremer for tree dired support and for many ideas and
bugfixes.

@item
Thanks to Joe Wells for bugfixes, non-UNIX system support, VOS support,
and hostname completion.

@item
Thanks to Nakagawa Takayuki for many good ideas, filename-completion, help
with file-name expansion, efficiency worries, stylistic concerns and many
bugfixes.

@item
Thanks to Sandy Rutherford who re-wrote most of ange-ftp to support VMS,
MTS, CMS and UNIX-dls.  Sandy also added dired-support for non-UNIX OS and
auto-recognition of the host type.

@item
Also, thanks to Keith Waclena, Mark D. Baushke, Terence Kelleher,
Ping Zhou, Edward Vielmetti, Jack Repenning, Mike Balenger, Todd
Kaufmann, Kjetil Svarstad, Tom Wurgler, Linus Tolke, Niko Makila, Carl
Edman, Bill Trost, Dave Brennan, Dan Jacobson, Andy Scott, Steve
Anderson, Sanjay Mathur, the folks on the ange-ftp-lovers mailing list
and many others whose names have been forgotten who have helped to debug
and fix problems with @file{ange-ftp.el}.
@end itemize
@end ifinfo

Finally, this info file was written by Dave Smith
(@code{dsmith@@stats.adelaide.edu.au}), although large chunks of it
@ifinfo
@noindent
(such as most of this node :-)
@end ifinfo
@noindent
are plagiarised straight out of the extensive
comments section of @file{ange-ftp.el}.

@node Installing ange-ftp, Using ange-ftp, What is ange-ftp?, Top
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@chapter Installing ange-ftp

If you don't already have a copy of ange-ftp, or you want a later
version, ange-ftp is pretty easy to get hold of. FTP is the probably the
simplest method, but other options such as mail are available. 

Once you have the Emacs-Lisp source, there are a few customisations you
might need to make. The ideal configuration is to have the FTP process running
on the same machine as you are running Emacs on, but this is not always
possible since some machines cannot access hosts outside the local
network. In this case, the FTP process needs to be run on a machine
which @emph{does} have access to the local world --- this is called the
@strong{gateway host}. Ange-ftp has facilities to make use of a
gateway host when accessing remote hosts.

@menu
* Obtaining source code::	Where to find the ange-ftp source.
* Installing source::		Where to put it, how to load it.
* Using a gateway::		For when your local machine has limited access.
* Other options::		More user variables to twiddle.
@end menu

@node Obtaining source code, Installing source, ,Installing ange-ftp    
@section How to get the ange-ftp source code
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up

The latest version of ange-ftp should always be available for anonymous
FTP from 
@example
alpha.gnu.ai.mit.edu
@end example
@noindent
in the file 
@example
ange-ftp/ange-ftp.tar.Z
@end example
@noindent
(which includes both @file{ange-ftp.el} and this texinfo file.) In ange-ftp
notation, that's
@example
/anonymous@@alpha.gnu.ai.mit.edu:ange-ftp/ange-ftp.tar.Z
@end example

Alternatively, ange-ftp is also part of the Emacs-Lisp Archive
@cindex Emacs-Lisp Archive
on
@code{archive.cis.ohio-state.edu}. The latest version should always be
available on this site, but the Lisp-Code Directory entry is not always
up to date; it currently reads:
@example
ange-ftp (3.112)  91-08-12
 Andy Norman, <ange@@hplb.hpl.hp.com>
 archive.cis.ohio-state.edu:
   /pub/gnu/emacs/elisp-archive/as-is/ange-ftp.el.Z
transparent FTP Support for GNU Emacs
@end example

Ange-ftp can also be found at:
@example
ugle.unit.no:/pub/gnu/emacs-lisp/ange-ftp.el.Z
@end example

Failing these, someone on the ange-ftp mailing list (@xref{Getting
help}) or the author himself (@xref{What is ange-ftp?}) may be able to
help you find the latest version.

If you intend to do a lot of browsing though archive sites it is
definitely worth your while installing Sebastian Kremer's Tree Dired
@cindex Tree Dired, source
along with ange-ftp (if you haven't done it already). Tree Dired will
work with ange-ftp without any modifications: all you need to do is
follow the installation instructions that come with the package. The
Tree Dired package comes complete with the latest version of ange-ftp,
and is available for anonymous FTP from the following sites:
@example
ftp.thp.Uni-Koeln.DE:/pub/gnu/emacs/diredall.tar.Z  (134.95.64.1)
ftp.cs.buffalo.edu:pub/Emacs/diredall.tar.Z
@end example
@noindent
Alternatively, you can get in touch with Sebastian himself
using his e-mail address: @code{sk@@thp.Uni-Koeln.DE}.

@node Installing source, Using a gateway, Obtaining source code, Installing ange-ftp
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Installing the source

Installation is simply a matter of copying the file @file{ange-ftp.el} 
to a directory in your load-path. If you don't already have a load-path,
this is probably a good time to make one. Just create a directory (say,
@file{~/elisp}) in which you plan to keep your Emacs-Lisp files. Then
place the following line in your @file{.emacs}:
@example
(setq load-path (cons (expand-file-name "~/elisp") load-path))
@end example
@cindex load path
@noindent
The @code{expand-file-name} is @emph{important} --- omitting it is a
common reason why load-paths do not work.

Once you've copied @file{ange-ftp.el} to the appropriate directory, it is
recommended to byte-compile it, with @kbd{M-x byte-compile-file}. Then
place the line
@example
(require 'ange-ftp)
@end example
@noindent
in your @file{.emacs} (@emph{after} the line which modifies your
load-path, of course!) It's that simple.

The above instructions should allow you to access all hosts that your
local machine can access. If your local host has limited access,
however, you may wish to have ange-ftp working through a gateway
machine. If so, read on. Otherwise, @xref{Using ange-ftp} to get started
using ange-ftp.

@node Using a gateway, Other options, Installing source, Installing ange-ftp
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Using a gateway

Suppose you are running Emacs (and ange-ftp, of course) on a machine X
(let's call it the `local host') and you want to access a file on a
machine Z (which we will call the `remote host'). Unfortunately, X does
not have FTP access to Z: when you try a manual FTP something like
the following happens:
@example
X$ ftp Z.foo.bar.com
ftp: connect: Host is unreachable
@end example
@noindent
However, X @emph{does} have access to a machine Y (the `gateway
machine') which @emph{can} access Z. Fortunately, you have an account on
the gateway machine, and so the solution is to login to Y, ftp to Z,
download the file you want from Z to Y, and then copy it from Y to the
local host, X. This can get a bit tedious, to say the least, but
fortunately ange-ftp can do all the hard work for you.

Firstly, you need to set the variable @code{ange-ftp-gateway-host} to
the name of the gateway machine. The name should be the one that the
local host recognises, that is, the name you use with @code{login} so
that it works.
@example
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-host "Y.local.lan.edu")
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-gateway-host
@noindent
Since you only need to go through these convolutions for remote hosts
that the local host can't access directly, you can set the variable
@code{ange-ftp-local-host-regexp} to a regular expression which matches
those hostnames that X can access, but does not match those hosts that
only the gateway can access. In other words, if the host you are trying
to access matches @code{ange-ftp-local-host-regexp}, the FTP process
will be run on the local machine, otherwise it will be run on the
gateway machine. For example
@example
(setq ange-ftp-local-host-regexp "\\.hp\\.com$\\|^[^.]*$")
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-local-host-regexp
@noindent
will match all hosts that are in the @samp{.hp.com} domain, or don't have an
explicit domain in their name, but will fail to match hosts with
explicit domains or that are specified by their IP address.

The next step is to determine whether you have a smart gateway, that is,
@cindex smart gateways
if the FTP process on the gateway will accept commands of the form 
@code{USER user@@host}. You can test this by trying a manual FTP:
@example
X$ ftp -n Y.local.lan.edu
Connected to Y.local.lan.edu
220 Y.local.lan.edu FTP server (Version ?.??? some-date) ready.
ftp> user myname@@Z.foo.bar.com
@end example
@noindent
If you then got a message like:
@example
331 Password required for myname@@Z.foo.bar.com
Password: 
530 Login incorrect.
Login failed.
@end example
@noindent
then you @emph{don't} have a smart gateway. If you do, then something
else happens -- but since it doesn't work for me I can't say what!
Anyway, if you do have a smart gateway, put the line
@example
(setq ange-ftp-smart-gateway t)
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-smart-gateway
@noindent
in your @file{.emacs}. You may also wish to set the variable
@code{ange-ftp-smart-gateway-port}
@vindex ange-ftp-smart-gateway-port
to the port of the gateway machine to
use when smart gateway is in operation, but the default of 21 will
probably be fine. In any case, your installation has finished, so
@xref{Using ange-ftp} now -- the rest of this section is of no use to
you. If on the other hand you don't have a smart gateway, put the line
@example
(setq ange-ftp-smart-gateway nil) ; this is the default
@end example
@noindent
in your @file{.emacs} and read on.

Since to get files from Z to X we need to copy from Z to Y, and then
from Y to X, we need a place to store files on Y which is also
accessible by X, i.e. we need a directory which is mounted on both X and
Y. Since we are assuming that the local host and the gateway machine are
on the same local network, it's fairly likely that this is the case
thanks to NFS. 
@cindex NFS
If such a directory exists, then ange-ftp can transfer files from Z to X
simply by FTP'ing from Z to the temporary directory on Y, and then using
a normal (local) copy from the image of the temporary directory on X to
the destination directory. Unfortunately, ange-ftp requires that
this temporary directory
@cindex temporary files
has the @emph{same} name on both the local and
gateway machines, so you might need to do some twiddling with symbolic
links, or ask your sysadmin to set something up with NFS. Once you have
found such a directory, set the variable
@code{ange-ftp-gateway-tmp-name-template}
to the name of this directory plus an identifying filename prefix. For example:
@example
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-tmp-name-template "/nfs/hplose/ange/ange-ftp")
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-gateway-tmp-name-template
@noindent
where @file{/nfs/hplose/ange} is a directory that is shared between the gateway
machine Y and the local machine X.

The next step is to find a means of getting an FTP process running on
the gateway machine. The simplest method is to spawn a remote shell
@cindex remote shell
using @code{remsh} or @code{rsh} or their equivalent. Unfortunately, this
doesn't always work --- try the following:
@example
X$ rsh Y.local.lan.edu ftp
@end example
@noindent
On my system, this command simply hangs. On others, it might be
disallowed for security reasons. If it doesn't work for you, then skip
the rest of this paragraph. If it does, then you should set then
variable @code{ange-ftp-gateway-program} to the name of the program
used to spawn a remote shell. The default is @code{"remsh"}
on HP-UX machines, and @code{"rsh"} otherwise. You should also set
@code{ange-ftp-gateway-program-interactive} to @code{nil}:
@example
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-program "rsh")
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-program-interactive nil)
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-gateway-program
@vindex ange-ftp-gateway-program-interactive
@noindent
and now your installation is complete.

Since spawning a remote shell didn't work, ange-ftp needs to actually
login to the gateway machine to run ftp, the same as you would do if you
were running ftp manually. So you need to set the variable
@code{ange-ftp-gateway-program} to the name of the program that lets you
log onto the gateway machine --- probably @code{"rlogin"} or @code{"telnet"}:
@example
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-program "rlogin")
@end example
@noindent
Now set the variable @code{ange-ftp-gateway-prompt-pattern} to a regular
expression that matches the prompt you get when you login to the gateway
machine.  Be very specific here; this regexp must not match
@emph{anything} in your login banner except this prompt.
@code{shell-prompt-pattern}
@vindex shell-prompt-pattern
is far too general as it appears to match
some login banners from Sun machines. For example:
@example
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-prompt-pattern "^[^$]*\\$ *")
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-gateway-prompt-pattern
@noindent
You also need to set the variable
@code{ange-ftp-gateway-program-interactive}
to @code{t} to let ange-ftp know that it has to "hand-hold" the login to
the gateway machine:
@example
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-program-interactive t)
@end example
@noindent
Now comes a slightly tricky bit. You need to set the variable
@code{ange-ftp-gateway-setup-term-command} to a UNIX command that will
put the pty connected to the gateway machine into a no-echoing mode, and
will strip off carriage-returns from output from the gateway machine.
The default is @code{"stty -onlcr -echo\n"} for HP-UX machines, and
@cindex HP-UX
@code{"stty -echo nl\n"} otherwise. So
@example
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-setup-term-command "stty -echo nl\n")
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-gateway-setup-term-command
@noindent
will probably work. If it does, then you're done.  There's a bit of a
problem for @code{tcsh}
@cindex tcsh
users, though: in some versions of @code{tcsh}, the "tty
sanity checking" feature prevents the above commands from working. In
this case, an easy fix is to invoke @code{csh} first, and then run the
@code{stty}:
@example 
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-setup-term-command  "exec csh\nstty -echo nl\n")
@end example
or maybe
@example
(setq ange-ftp-gateway-setup-term-command  "(stty -echo nl; csh)\n")
@end example
@noindent
may well do the trick. When using this method, synchronisation may be a
problem: if your gateway machine is slow in responding, when ange-ftp is
ready for (and indeed has already sent) FTP commands, your machine may
still be setting up. This can cause ange-ftp to think that the FTP has
had an error, and abort. One solution is to set
@code{ange-ftp-skip-msgs}
@vindex ange-ftp-skip-msgs
(a regular expression matching messages from the ftp process that can be
ignored) so that any line ending in @code{^M} (carriage-returns) will be
ignored (since the @code{stty} hasn't come into effect yet) and also to
ignore any lines beginning with your prompt (since this means the
terminal setup is still in progress):
@example
(setq ange-ftp-skip-msgs
  (concat "\\|^.*\C-M$\\|" ange-ftp-gateway-prompt-pattern
                                              ange-ftp-skip-msgs))
@end example
@noindent
Unfortunately, this can also mean that sometimes ange-ftp won't
recognise a @emph{real} error, and simply hang -- but if that ever
happens @kbd{C-g} might get you out of it.

@node Other options, , Using a gateway, Installing ange-ftp
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Other user options

Here are the other user options available in ange-ftp:

@code{ange-ftp-netrc-filename}: The name of a file in @code{netrc(5)}
format that ange-ftp will use to match hostnames, users and their
respective passwords.  Hostnames specified here are also used for hostname
completion.
The default is @code{"~/.netrc"}.
@vindex ange-ftp-netrc-filename

@code{ange-ftp-default-user}: If this is a string, it is the username to
use when none is specified in a filename. If @code{nil}, then the
name under which the user is logged in is used. If non-@code{nil} but
not a string, the user is prompted for the name. The default is @code{nil}.
@vindex ange-ftp-default-user

@code{ange-ftp-default-password}: The password to use when the user is the
same as @code{ange-ftp-default-user}. The default is @code{nil}.
@vindex ange-ftp-default-password

@code{ange-ftp-default-account}: Account password to use when the user
is the same as @code{ange-ftp-default-user}. The default is @code{nil}.
@vindex ange-ftp-default-account

@code{ange-ftp-generate-anonymous-password}: If this is @code{t}, then
ange-ftp will generate a password of the form @code{your_username@@local_host}
when you specify a username of @code{anonymous} in the filename (or if
you are automatically logged in as @code{anonymous}). If this is a
string, then that string is used instead. If it is @code{nil}, then the
user is prompted for a password. The default is @code{nil}.
@vindex ange-ftp-generate-anonymous-password

@code{ange-ftp-dumb-unix-host-regexp}: The FTP servers on some machines have
problems if the @code{ls} command is used. The usual indication that
something is wrong is when ange-ftp erroneously thinks that a directory
is just a plain file. The routine @code{ange-ftp-add-dumb-unix-host} can can
be called to tell ange-ftp to limit itself to the @code{DIR} command and
not @code{ls} for a given host (but this change will take effect for the
current GNU Emacs session only). If a large number of machines with
similar hostnames have this problem then it is easier to change the
value of this variable to a regexp which matches hostnames which have
this problem, particularly since ange-ftp cannot automatically detect
such hosts. The default is @code{nil}.
@vindex ange-ftp-dumb-unix-host-regexp
@pindex ange-ftp-add-dumb-unix-host

@code{ange-ftp-binary-file-name-regexp}: By default ange-ftp will
transfer files in ASCII mode. If a file being transferred matches the
value of this regexp then the FTP process will be toggled into BINARY
mode before the transfer and back to ASCII mode after the transfer. The
default is:
@example
(concat "\\.Z$\\|\\.lzh$\\|\\.arc$\\|\\.zip$\\|\\.zoo$\\|\\.tar$\\|"
        "\\.dvi$\\|\\.ps$\\|\\.elc$\\|TAGS$\\|"
	"\\.gif$\\|\\.EXE\\(;[0-9]+\\)?$")
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-binary-file-name-regexp

@code{ange-ftp-hash-mark-size}: Ange-ftp by default requests that the
FTP process sends hash marks (just @code{#} characters) during transfers
to keep track of how much data has been sent or received. This variable,
if non-@code{nil}, should be the number of kilobytes represented by the
FTP client's hash mark. The default value of 1 doesn't work for me --- I
use 2 instead.
@vindex ange-ftp-hash-mark-size

@code{ange-ftp-process-verbose}: If this is @code{t} then ange-ftp will
be chatty about interaction with the FTP process. The default is @code{t}. 
@vindex ange-ftp-process-verbose

@code{ange-ftp-ftp-program-name}: This should be the name of the FTP
program to run on the local host. The default value of @code{"ftp"}
should be fine for most systems.
@vindex ange-ftp-ftp-program-name

@code{ange-ftp-gateway-ftp-program-name}: Same as above, but this time
it's the name of the program to be used if a gateway is in use. The
default is again @code{"ftp"}, but some AT&T folks claim to use
something called @code{"pftp"} here.
@vindex ange-ftp-gateway-ftp-program-name

@code{ange-ftp-make-backup-files}: A list of operating systems for which
ange-ftp will make Emacs backup files on the remote host. For example,
@code{'(unix)} makes sense, but @code{'(unix vms)} or @code{'(vms)}
would be silly, since VMS makes its own backups.  The host type is
determined by the function @code{ange-ftp-host-type}.  Possible host
types are: @code{dumb-unix}; @code{vos}; @code{vms}; @code{mts}; and
@code{unix}. The default of @code{nil} means make no backups on remote
hosts.
@vindex ange-ftp-make-backup-files
@cindex backup files

@code{ange-ftp-path-format}: This variable dictates the the format of a
fully expanded remote pathname. This is a cons @code{(REGEXP . (HOST
USER PATH))}, where @code{REGEXP} is a regular expression matching the
full remote pathname, and @code{HOST}, @code{USER}, and @code{PATH} are
the numbers of parenthesised expressions in @code{REGEXP} for the components
(in that order). The syntax can be customised with this variable to a
certain extent, but there are limitations. The default is @*
@code{'("^/\\(\\([^@@/:]*\\)@@\\)?\\([^@@/:]*\\):\\(.*\\)" . (3 2 4))}.
@vindex ange-ftp-path-format

@code{ange-ftp-multi-msgs}: A regular expression matching messages from
the ftp process that start a multiline reply. The default is @*
@code{"^220-\\|^230-\\|^226\\|^25.-\\|^221-\\|^200-\\|^530-\\|^4[25]1-"}
@vindex ange-ftp-multi-msgs

@code{ange-ftp-good-msgs}: A regular expression matching messages from
the ftp process that indicate that the action that was initiated has
completed successfully. The default is
@code{"^220 \\|^230 \\|^226\\|^25. \\|^221 \\|^200 \\|^[Hh]ash mark"}.
@vindex ange-ftp-good-msgs

@code{ange-ftp-skip-msgs}: A regular expression matching messages from
the ftp process that can be ignored. The default is
@example
(concat "^200 \\(PORT\\|Port\\) \\|^331 \\|^150 \\|^350 \\|^[0-9]+ bytes \\|"
        "^Connected \\|^$\\|^Remote system\\|^Using\\|^ \\|Password:\\|"
        "^local:\\|^Trying\\|^125 \\|^550-")
@end example
@noindent
but you might need to tweak it if ange-ftp is giving up when it
shouldn't.
@vindex ange-ftp-skip-msgs

@code{ange-ftp-fatal-msgs}: A regular expression matching messages from
the FTP process that indicate something has gone drastically wrong
attempting the action that was initiated and that the FTP process should
(or already has) been killed. The default is
@example
(concat "^ftp: \\|^Not connected\\|^530 \\|^4[25]1 \\|rcmd: \\|"
        "^No control connection\\|unknown host\\|^lost connection")
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-fatal-msgs

@code{ange-ftp-gateway-fatal-msgs}: Regular expression matching messages
from the rlogin / telnet process that indicates that logging in to the
gateway machine has gone wrong. The default is 
@example
"No route to host\\|Connection closed\\|No such host\\|Login incorrect"
@end example
@vindex ange-ftp-gateway-fatal-msgs

@code{ange-ftp-tmp-name-template}: This should be a directory and a
filename prefix indicating where ange-ftp should make temporary files.
The default of @code{"/tmp/ange-ftp"} should be fine for most systems.
@vindex ange-ftp-tmp-name-template
@cindex temporary files

@code{ange-ftp-retry-time}: Number of seconds to wait before retrying if
a file or listing doesn't arrive. For slow connections, you might get a
``listing unreadable'' error messages
@cindex listing unreadable error
or an empty buffer for a file that you know has something in it.  The
solution is to increase the value of @code{ange-ftp-retry-time}.  Its default
value is 5 which is plenty for reasonable connections.  However, for
some transatlantic connections 20 might be a better value.
@vindex ange-ftp-retry-time

@node Using ange-ftp, Getting help, Installing ange-ftp, Top
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@chapter Using ange-ftp

Once you have ange-ftp installed, you never need worry about using FTP
again. The interface is completely transparent, and you may now use
Emacs commands such as @kbd{C-x C-f} (@code{find-file})
@pindex find-file
on @emph{any}
file that your local host (or, if you are using one) your gateway can
access. That file may be a regular file (for editing, viewing etc.), a
directory (for invoking Dired) or even a symbolic link
@cindex symbolic links
(pointing to a
directory or a regular file). All it takes is an extended filename
syntax. For example, if you give the filename
@example
/ange@@anorman:/tmp/notes
@end example
@noindent
to @code{find-file}, then ange-ftp will spawn an FTP process, connect to
the host @code{anorman} as user @code{ange}, get the file
@file{/tmp/notes} and pop up a buffer containing the contents of that
file as if it were on the local filesystem.  If ange-ftp needed a
password to connect then it would prompt the user in the minibuffer.
From then on you can edit that file as if it were any other file: saving
is with @kbd{C-x C-s} as usual --- in fact, everything is as usual.

Ange-ftp is also extremely useful for regular "file-transfer" FTP jobs.
Since Dired also works on remote directories when using ange-ftp, you
will be able to browse the filesystem on your favourite archive site
with consummate ease.

@menu
* Remote filenames::		The ange-ftp extended filename syntax.
* Using Dired::			Browsing directories.
* Using a .netrc::		Preventing password pestering.
* Ange-ftp commands::		Interactive commands supplied by ange-ftp.
* DL support::			For hosts using descriptive directory listings.
* Non-Unix Hosts::		Some hosts have funny filenames.
* Completion::			On filenames and hostnames.
* Accessing the FTP process::   For when manual tinkering is needed.
@end menu

@node Remote filenames, Using Dired, , Using ange-ftp
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Remote filename syntax

The general form of the extended filename syntax is
@example
/user@@host:path
@end example
@noindent
which refers to the file pointed to by @code{path} on machine
@code{host} when logging in as user @code{user}. When @code{path} is
supplied as a relative file-name (that is, without a leading @samp{/})
it is relative to @code{user}'s home directory (although such relative
filenames are ultimately converted to absolute ange-ftp pathnames). You
may even refer to home directories
@cindex home directories of other users
@cindex other users' home directories
of users on remote Unix sites using the
standard tilde @samp{~} notation.
@code{host} needs to be
the fully qualified pathname if the local or gateway machine requires it
to be (however hostname completion is available if it is included in
your @file{.netrc} -- @xref{Using a .netrc}), or it may be an IP
@cindex IP numbers
@cindex numeric Internet addresses
number if your nameserver can't find the site. The @code{user@@} part
may be omitted, in which case the username is chosen on the basis of the
variable @code{ange-ftp-default-user}
@vindex ange-ftp-default-user
(@xref{Other options}) and your
@file{.netrc}. If a password is requested by the FTP process, ange-ftp
will either prompt you for it, or generate one on the basis of the
variables @code{ange-ftp-default-password},
@vindex ange-ftp-default-password
and your @file{.netrc}.

Thus the following are all valid ange-ftp filenames:
@example
/anonymous@@waldo.uranium.com:pub/games/wumpus
/root@@127.44.3.1:/etc/passwd
/jbrown@@freddie.ucla.edu:~mblack/
/alpha.gnu.ai.mit.edu:ange-ftp/ange-ftp.tar.Z
@end example

@node Using Dired, Using a .netrc, Remote filenames, Using ange-ftp
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Using Dired

This feature of ange-ftp is particularly useful when file-transfers, as
opposed to file-editing, are the order of the day. Simply run
@code{find-file} on a directory to
get a listing of the files in that directory. For example, you might
run @code{find-file} on
@example
/anonymous@@archive.site.com:pub
@end example
@noindent
to see what's in the @file{pub} directory of your favourite archive
@cindex archive sites
site. This brings up a Dired buffer of all the files in that directory.
The @kbd{f} command is useful for looking at @file{README} files --- if
you then decide to save it @kbd{C-x C-w} is useful. You can also use
this method to copy files, but the @kbd{c} command is easier. The
@kbd{f} command can also be used to descend the directory tree by
applying it to directories.

You can also use Dired to refresh ange-ftp's internal cache. If you
(or anybody else) has changed a remote directory since you first accessed it
with ange-ftp, completion is not provided on any new files that ange-ftp
does not know about. If you have
(or create) a Dired buffer which contains the modified directory,
executing @code{revert-buffer}
@pindex revert-buffer
with a prefix argument (@kbd{C-u g} in the Dired buffer) 
will force a refresh of both the the buffer @emph{and also ange-ftp's
internal cache}. If you find that filename completion isn't working on a
@cindex filename completion
file that you @emph{know} is there, this is how to fix the problem.

The version of Dired supplied with Emacs version 18.58 (and earlier
versions) does not include a capability for multiple file transfers. The
@cindex multiple file transfers
@cindex wildcards
Tree Dired package (@xref{Obtaining source code}), however, is ideal
for this application. Tree Dired provides facilities for maintaining an
entire directory tree in a Dired buffer, for marking files which match a
certain regexp (or you can select files interactively) and then copying
all those files to your local host (or even a different remote host).
Another useful feature is Virtual Dired, which allows you to save Dired
@cindex virtual dired
buffers of remote hosts, allowing you to browse them at a later date
without actually needing to connect to the host. See the documentation
for Tree Dired for more details.

Since ange-ftp is mostly transparent, modifying Dired or Tree Dired by
means of hooks or keybindings should still work.

@node Using a .netrc, Ange-ftp commands, Using Dired, Using ange-ftp    
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Using a .netrc file

Being prompted for passwords all the time can get rather annoying, but
there is a way to fix the problem --- a @file{.netrc} (but @xref{Other
options} and @code{ange-ftp-netrc-filename}
@vindex ange-ftp-netrc-filename
if you want another
filename) file in your home directory. Basically, this is a file (in the
format of Unix @code{netrc(5)}) which
contains the names of all the machines you regularly login to, as well
as the username and password you use for that machine. You can also
supply an account password, if required.

Your @file{.netrc} file consists of lines of the form
@example
machine <machine-name> login <user-name> password <password>
@end example
@noindent
It doesn't all have to be on the one line, though: any @code{login} or
@code{password} commands in the file refer to the previous
@code{machine} command. You can also have @code{account
<account-passwd>} commands if you need special account passwords.

For example, you might have the following line in your @file{.netrc}:
@example
machine Y.local.lan.edu login myname password secret
@end example
@noindent
Then if you run @code{find-file} on the file @file{/Y.local.lan.edu:somefile}
you will automatically be logged in as user @code{myname} with password
@code{secret}. You can still login under another name and password, if
you so desire: just include the @code{user@@} part of the filename.

You may also include a default option, as follows:
@example
default login <user-name> password <password>
@end example
@noindent
which applies to any other machines not mentioned elsewhere in your
@file{.netrc}. A particularly useful application of this is with
anonymous logins:
@cindex anonymous FTP
@example
default login myname password myname@@myhost.edu
@end example
@noindent
so that accessing @file{/anyhost:anyfile} will automatically log you in
anonymously, provided the host is not mentioned in the @file{.netrc}.
Note also that if the value of @code{ange-ftp-default-user} is
@vindex ange-ftp-default-user
non-@code{nil}, its value will have precedence over the username
supplied in the default option of the @file{.netrc}.

The @file{.netrc} file is also useful in another regard: machines
included in it are provided with hostname completion. That is, for any
@cindex hostname completion
machine in the @file{.netrc}, you need only type a slash and the first
few characters of its name and then press @key{TAB} to be logged in
automatically with a username and password from the @file{.netrc} file.
So it's a good idea to put hosts you use regularly in your @file{.netrc}
as well:
@example
machine archive.site.com login anonymous password myname@@X.local.lan.edu
@end example


@node Ange-ftp commands, DL support, Using a .netrc, Using ange-ftp    
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Ange-ftp commands

Ange-ftp supplies a few interactive commands to make connecting with
hosts a little easier.

@noindent
Command @code{ange-ftp-set-user}: Prompts for a hostname and a username.
Next time access to the host is attempted, ange-ftp will attempt to log
in again with the new username.
@pindex ange-ftp-set-user

@noindent
Command @code{ange-ftp-set-passwd}: Prompts for a hostname, user and
password. Future logins to that host as that user will use the given
password.
@pindex ange-ftp-set-passwd

@noindent
Command @code{ange-ftp-set-account}: Prompts for a hostname, user and
account. Future logins to that host as that user will use the given
account.
@pindex ange-ftp-set-account

Note that the effects of the above three commands only last the duration
of the current Emacs session. To make their effects permanent, you may
include them as lisp code in your @file{.emacs}:
@example
(ange-ftp-set-user HOST USER)
(ange-ftp-set-password HOST USER PASSWORD)
(ange-ftp-set-account HOST USER ACCOUNT)
@end example
@noindent
This is an alternative to using a @file{.netrc}; @xref{Using a .netrc}.

@noindent
Command @code{ange-ftp-kill-ftp-process}: kill the FTP process
associated with a given buffer's filename (by default the current
buffer). This is an easy way to achieve a resynch: any future accesses
to the remote host will cause the FTP process to be recreated.
@pindex ange-ftp-kill-ftp-process

@node DL support, Non-Unix Hosts, Ange-ftp commands, Using ange-ftp    
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Descriptive directory listings

Some hosts (such as @code{cs.uwp.edu}) now use descriptive directory
listings
@cindex descriptive directory listings
@cindex extended directory listings
(which in fact contain @emph{less} information than the
standard listing!) when issued the @code{ls} command, and ange-ftp has
been modified to cope with this. Ange-ftp can detect such listings, but
if you regularly use a remote host which uses this extended listing
format you should set the variable @code{ange-ftp-dl-dir-regexp} to a
@vindex ange-ftp-dl-dir-regexp
regular expression which matches directories using the extended listing
format. You shouldn't anchor the regexp with @samp{$} -- that way the
regexp will match subdirectories as well.  Alternatively, you can use
the interactive command @code{ange-ftp-add-dl-dir} to temporarily add a
@pindex ange-ftp-add-dl-dir
remote directory for this Emacs session only.

Tree Dired has been modified to work with such descriptive listings.

@node Non-Unix Hosts, Completion, DL support, Using ange-ftp    
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Using ange-ftp with non-Unix hosts

Ange-ftp also works with some non-Unix hosts, although not necessarily
with all the features available with Unix hosts. VMS, CMS, and MTS
systems will all now work with ange-ftp and Tree Dired (although
Classical Dired may well be broken on such systems.) Filename completion
also now works on these hosts. 

Ange-ftp should be able to automatically detect which type of host you
are using (VMS, CMS or MTS), but if it is unable to do so you can fix
the problem by setting the appropriate
@code{ange-ftp-TYPE-host-regexp} variable (where @code{TYPE} is one of
@samp{vms}, @samp{cms} or @samp{mts}) -- see below. If ange-ftp is unable
to automatically detect any VMS, CMS or MTS host, please report this as
a bug: @xref{Bugs}.

In all cases the file-name conventions of the remote host are converted
to a UNIX-ish format, and this is the format you should use to find
files on such hosts.

@menu
* VMS support::		Using ange-ftp with VMS systems
* CMS support::		Using ange-ftp with CMS systems
* MTS support::		Using ange-ftp with MTS systems
@end menu

@node VMS support, CMS support, , Non-Unix Hosts
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@subsection VMS support
@cindex VMS filenames
VMS filenames are of the form @code{FILE.TYPE;##}, where both
@code{FILE} and @code{TYPE} can be up to 39 characters long, and
@code{##} is an integer version number between 1 and 32,767. Valid
characters in filenames are @samp{A}-@samp{Z}, @samp{0}-@samp{9},
@samp{_}, @samp{-} and @samp{$}, however @samp{$} cannot begin a
filename and @samp{-} cannot be used as the first or last character.

Directories in VMS are converted to the standard UNIX @samp{/} notation.
For example, the VMS filename
@example
PUB$:[ANONYMOUS.SDSCPUB.NEXT]README.TXT;1
@end example
would be entered as
@noindent
@example
/PUB$$:/ANONYMOUS/SDSCPUB/NEXT/README.TXT;1
@end example
@noindent
(The double @samp{$} is required to prevent Emacs from attempting to
expand an environment variable.)  Similarly, to anonymously FTP the file
@file{[.CSV.POLICY]RULES.MEM;1} from @code{ymir.claremont.edu} you would
type @kbd{C-x C-f
/anonymous@@ymir.claremont.edu:CSV/POLICY/RULES.MEM;1}. You can always
drop off the @samp{;##} part at the end of the filename to get the
latest version.

Sandy Rutherford provides some tips for using VMS hosts:
@itemize @bullet
@item
Although VMS is not case sensitive, EMACS running under UNIX is.
Therefore, to access a VMS file, you must enter the filename with upper
case letters.

@item
To access the latest version of file under VMS, you use the filename
without the @samp{;} and version number. You should always edit the
latest version of a file. If you want to edit an earlier version, copy
it to a new file first. This has nothing to do with ange-ftp, but is
simply good VMS operating practice. Therefore, to edit @file{FILE.TXT;3}
(say 3 is latest version), do @kbd{C-x C-f
/ymir.claremont.edu:FILE.TXT}. If you inadvertently do
@example
@kbd{C-x C-f /ymir.claremont.edu:FILE.TXT;3}
@end example
@noindent
you will find that VMS will not allow
you to save the file because it will refuse to overwrite
@file{FILE.TXT;3}, but instead will want to create @file{FILE.TXT;4},
and attach the buffer to this file. To get out of this situation,
@kbd{M-x write-file /ymir.claremont.edu:FILE.TXT} will attach the buffer
to latest version of the file. For this reason, in Tree Dired @kbd{f}
(@code{dired-find-file}),
@pindex dired-find-file
always loads the file sans version, whereas @kbd{v},
(@code{dired-view-file}),
@pindex dired-view-file
always loads the explicit version number. The
reasoning being that it reasonable to view old versions of a file, but
not to edit them.

@item
VMS filenames often contain @samp{$} characters: make sure you always
quote these as @samp{$$} and watch out for the Emacs bug which fails to
quote @samp{$}'s when defaults are presented in the minibuffer: see
@xref{Bugs}.
@end itemize

Ange-ftp should automatically detect that you are using a VMS host. If
it fails to do so (which should be reported as a bug) you can use the
command @code{ange-ftp-add-vms-host}
@pindex ange-ftp-add-vms-host
to inform ange-ftp manually. For a more permanent effect, or
if you use a VMS host regularly, it's a good idea to set
@code{ange-ftp-vms-host-regexp} to a regular expression matching that
@vindex ange-ftp-vms-host-regexp
host's name. For instance, if use use @code{ymir.claremont.edu} a lot,
place the following in your .emacs:
@example
(setq ange-ftp-vms-host-regexp "^ymir.claremont.edu$")
@end example

@node CMS support, MTS support, VMS support, Non-Unix Hosts    
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@subsection CMS support
Ange-ftp has full support, including Tree Dired support, for hosts
running CMS.

@cindex CMS filenames
CMS filenames are entered in a UNIX-y way. Minidisks are
treated as UNIX directories; for example to access the file @file{READ.ME} in
minidisk @file{*.311} on @file{cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu}, you would enter
@example
/anonymous@@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu:/*.311/READ.ME
@end example
If @file{*.301} is the default minidisk for this account, you could access
@file{FOO.BAR} on this minidisk as
@example
/anonymous@@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu:FOO.BAR
@end example
CMS filenames are of the form @file{FILE.TYPE}, where both @file{FILE}
and @file{TYPE} can be up to 8 characters. Again, beware that CMS
filenames are always upper case, and hence must be entered as such.

Sandy Rutherford provides some tips on using CMS hosts:
@itemize @bullet
@item
CMS machines, with the exception of anonymous accounts, nearly always
need an account password. To have ange-ftp send an account password,
you can either include it in your @file{.netrc} (@xref{Using a .netrc}), or use
@code{ange-ftp-set-account}.
@pindex ange-ftp-set-account

@item
Ange-ftp cannot send ``write passwords'' for a minidisk. Hopefully, we
can fix this.
@end itemize

Ange-ftp should automatically detect that you are using a CMS host. If
it fails to do so (which should be reported as a bug) you can use the
command @code{ange-ftp-add-cms-host}
@pindex ange-ftp-add-cms-host
to inform ange-ftp manually. For a more permanent effect, or
if you use a CMS host regularly, it's a good idea to set
@code{ange-ftp-cms-host-regexp} to a regular expression matching that
@vindex ange-ftp-cms-host-regexp
host's name.

@node MTS support, , CMS support, Non-Unix Hosts    
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@subsection MTS support
Ange-ftp has full support, including Tree Dired support, for hosts
running the Michigan terminal system, and should be able to
automatically recognise any MTS machine. 

@cindex MTS filenames
MTS filenames are entered in a UNIX-y way. For example, if your account
was @file{YYYY}, the file @file{FILE} in the account @file{XXXX:} on
@file{mtsg.ubc.ca} would be entered as
@example
/YYYY@@mtsg.ubc.ca:/XXXX:/FILE
@end example
In other words, MTS accounts are treated as UNIX directories. Of course,
to access a file in another account, you must have access permission for
it.  If @file{FILE} were in your own account, then you could enter it in a
relative path fashion as
@example
/YYYY@@mtsg.ubc.ca:FILE
@end example
MTS filenames can be up to 12 characters. Like UNIX, the structure of the
filename does not contain a type (i.e. it can have as many @samp{.}'s as you
like.) MTS filenames are always in upper case, and hence be sure to enter
them as such! MTS is not case sensitive, but an EMACS running under UNIX
is.

Ange-ftp should automatically detect that you are using an MTS host. If
it fails to do so (which should be reported as a bug) you can use the
command @code{ange-ftp-add-mts-host}
@pindex ange-ftp-add-mts-host
to inform ange-ftp manually. For a more permanent effect, or
if you use an MTS host regularly, it's a good idea to set
@code{ange-ftp-mts-host-regexp} to a regular expression matching that
@vindex ange-ftp-mts-host-regexp
host's name.

@node Completion, Accessing the FTP process, Non-Unix Hosts, Using ange-ftp    
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section File- and host-name completion

Full filename completion is supported on all remote UNIX hosts and some
non-Unix hosts.  Hostnames also have completion if they are mentioned in
the @file{.netrc} and no username is specified. However using the
filename completion feature can be a bit of a two edged sword.

To understand why, we need to discuss how ange-ftp works. Whenever
ange-ftp is asked to find a remote file (or directory) an @code{ls}
command is sent to the FTP process to list all the files in the
directory. This list is maintained in an internal cache, to provide
filename completion for later requests on that directory. Ange-ftp keeps
this cache up-to-date by monitoring Emacs commands which affect files
and directories, but if a process outside Emacs (such as another user)
changes a directory (e.g. a new file is added)
completion won't work on
that file since ange-ftp doesn't know about it yet. The solution if to
force ange-ftp to reread the directory and update it's cache, and the
easiest way to do that is with Dired --- @xref{Using Dired} to see how.

Another problem is that the @code{ls} command can take a long time,
especially when dealing with distant hosts over slow links. So if you're
after a file in the @file{pub/images} directory but nothing else, it's a
better idea to type @kbd{pub/images/file @key{TAB}} than @kbd{pub/im @key{TAB}}
which will force a read of the @file{pub} directory (since
ange-ftp needs to know how to complete @code{im}). A little extra typing
can often save a lot of waiting. Don't be afraid to use the @key{TAB}
key once the directory is cached, though.

@node Accessing the FTP process, , Completion, Using ange-ftp    
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@section Accessing the FTP process buffer

The FTP process used to access the remote files is available for access
if you wish. It will be in a buffer
@cindex process buffers
@cindex buffers
called @samp{"*ftp @var{remote-file-name}*"},
i.e. if you found the file
@example
/anonymous@@archive.site.com:pub/README
@end example
@noindent
there will be a buffer 
@example
*ftp anonymous@@archive.site.com*
@end example
@noindent
where all the transfers are taking place. You can have a look at the buffer
using @kbd{C-x b} as usual, and even type in commands to the FTP process
under an interface very much like @samp{shell-mode}. There are two
instances when doing this can be very useful: one is accessing non-UNIX
hosts, where Dired and filename completion may not work (if ange-ftp
even works at all). The other is multiple (i.e. wildcard) file transfers
@cindex multiple file transfers
@cindex wildcards
which the standard version of Dired does not handle (but Tree Dired
@emph{does}, and is worth installing for this feature alone.)  If you
are going to use @code{mget} or @code{mput}, make sure you type
@code{glob} first: ange-ftp turns globbing off by default. Don't be
afraid of changing directories, either --- ange-ftp always uses absolute
pathnames when communicating with the FTP process.

You can kill the FTP process at any time simply by killing this buffer.
@cindex FTP processes
@cindex processes
This won't cause ange-ftp any grief whatsoever --- if you later make
another request to that host, ange-ftp will simply fire up another
process and create a new buffer to hold it.

@node Getting help, Bugs, Using ange-ftp, Top    
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@chapter Getting help

Ange-ftp has its own mailing list modestly called ange-ftp-lovers where
ange-ftp users discuss new features, problems, bug fixes etc. There is
also another list called ange-ftp-lovers-announce which is reserved
exclusively for the announcement of new versions. All
users of ange-ftp are welcome to subscribe (see below) to either of
these lists.  New versions of ange-ftp are posted periodically to
these lists.

To [un]subscribe to ange-ftp-lovers or ange-ftp-lovers-announce, or to
report mailer problems with the list, please mail one of the following
addresses:
@example
ange-ftp-lovers-request@@anorman.hpl.hp.com
ange-ftp-lovers-request%anorman.hpl.hp.com@@hplb.hpl.hp.com
hplb.hpl.hp.com!anorman.hpl.hp.com!ange-ftp-lovers-request
hplabs.hpl.hp.com!anorman.hpl.hp.com!ange-ftp-lovers-request
@end example
@noindent
Please don't forget the @samp{-request} part, and please make it clear
in the request which mailing list you wish to join.

For mail to be posted directly to ange-ftp-lovers, send to one of the
following addresses:
@example
ange-ftp-lovers@@anorman.hpl.hp.com
ange-ftp-lovers%anorman.hpl.hp.com@@hplb.hpl.hp.com
hplb.hpl.hp.com!anorman.hpl.hp.com!ange-ftp-lovers
hplabs.hpl.hp.com!anorman.hpl.hp.com!ange-ftp-lovers
@end example
@noindent
The ange-ftp-lovers mailing list is archived on 
@example
ftp.reed.edu:pub/mailing-lists/ange-ftp/
@end example

The newsgroup @code{gnu.emacs.help} also occasionally discusses ange-ftp.

@node Bugs, Concept Index, Getting help, Top
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@chapter Bugs and Wish List

Here is a list of the known bugs in ange-ftp:

@itemize @bullet
@item
Be warned that files created by using ange-ftp will take account of the
umask
@cindex umask
of the ftp daemon process rather than the umask of the creating
user.  This is particulary important when logging in as the root user.
The way that I tighten up the ftp daemon's umask under HP-UX is to make
sure that the umask is changed to 027 before I spawn @file{/etc/inetd}.  I
suspect that there is something similar on other systems.

@item
Some combinations of FTP clients and servers break and get out of sync
when asked to list a non-existent directory.  Some of the
@code{ai.mit.edu} machines cause this problem for some FTP clients.

@item
Ange-ftp does not check to make sure that when creating a new file,
you provide a valid filename for the remote operating system.
If you do not, then the remote FTP server will most likely
translate your filename in some way. This may cause ange-ftp to
get confused about what exactly is the name of the file. The
most common causes of this are using lower case filenames on systems
which support only upper case, and using filenames which are too
long.

@item
Null (blank) passwords confuse both ange-ftp and some FTP daemons.

@item
ange-ftp likes to use pty's
@cindex pty
to talk to its FTP processes. If GNU Emacs
creates a FTP process that only talks via pipes (for example, if 
@code{process-connection-type} is @code{nil})
@vindex process-connection-type
then ange-ftp won't be getting the information it requires at the time that 
it wants it since pipes flush at different times to pty's. One        
disgusting way around this problem is to talk to the FTP process via   
rlogin which does the `right' things with pty's.                       

@item
You need to quote @samp{$} characters in filenames by using @samp{$$}
instead. This isn't actually a bug, but rather an Emacs convention
(which allows environment variables in filenames.) What @emph{is} an bug
is that when filenames containing @samp{$}'s are inserted in the
minibuffer as defaults, the @samp{$} is not converted into the @samp{$$}
quoted form --- hopefully this will be fixed in version 19. It doesn't
usually bother Unix users, but VMS filenames often contain @samp{$}.
Incidentally, Sebastian Kremer's @code{gmhist} package
@pindex gmhist
(which comes with the Tree Dired distribution: @xref{Obtaining source code})
fixes this bug.

@item
@cindex symbolic links
Some hosts (notably ULTRIX)
@cindex ULTRIX
mark symbolic links with a @samp{@@} character in an @code{ls -F}
listing. The variable @code{dired-ls-F-marks-symlinks}
@vindex dired-ls-F-marks-symlinks
when set to @code{t} (the default) alerts Dired to this behaviour and
everything is OK. Enabling this behaviour by default is not generally a
problem on hosts which does @emph{not} mark symlinks in this way, but if
you have @code{dired-ls-F-marks-symlinks} set to @code{t} while
accessing a such a host, then Dired will think that a symbolic link whose name
ends in @samp{@@} (a strange thing indeed!) is a regular file. The fix
(other than setting @code{dired-ls-F-marks-symlinks to} @code{nil}, a bad idea
if you regularly access hosts who mark symbolic links) is to remove
@samp{F} from the @code{ls} listing switches (use @kbd{C-u s} in the
Dired buffer.)

Another problem with symbolic links arises with hosts who do not show
the linked file with @samp{->} in the listing, meaning that Dired will
not recognize the symlink. The solution here is to get a decent
@code{ls} program on that machine. 

@item
No classic dired support for non-UNIX systems. Tree dired was enough.

@item
If a directory listing is attempted for an empty directory on (at least some)
VMS hosts, an ftp error is given. This is really an ftp bug, and I don't
know how to get ange-ftp work to around it.

@item
Bombs on filenames that start with a space. Deals well with filenames
containing spaces, but beware that the remote ftpd may not like them much.

@item
@cindex auto-saving
Doesn't autosave. Maybe someone could implement auto-saving on the local
host ...

@item
@cindex compressing files
The code to do compression of files over ftp is not as careful as it
should be. It deletes the old remote version of the file, before
actually checking if the local to remote transfer of the compressed file
succeeds. Of course to delete the original version of the file after
transferring the compressed version back is also dangerous, because some
OS's have severe restrictions on the length of filenames, and when the
compressed version is copied back the @file{-Z} or @file{.Z} may be
truncated. Then, ange-ftp would delete the only remaining version of the
file. Maybe ange-ftp should make backups when it compresses files?

@item
@cindex copying
Remote to remote copying of files on non-Unix machines can be risky. Depending
on the variable @code{ange-ftp-binary-file-name-regexp}, ange-ftp will use binary
mode for the copy. Between systems of different architecture, this still
may not be enough to guarantee the integrity of binary files. Binary file
transfers from VMS machines are particularly problematical. 

@item
@cindex CMS minidisks
Some CMS machines do not assign a default minidisk when you ftp them as
anonymous. It is then necessary to guess a valid minidisk name, and
@code{cd} to it.  This is (understandably) beyond ange-ftp; however
Sebastian Kremer says:
@quotation
It is beyond ange-ftp, but if the @code{init} ftp macro were supported, one
could write the appropriate @code{cd} command into that.  I used to do that
on a CMS machine I had an account on because I never could remember
the name of the minidisk.  I think I even had to give an @code{account}
command, too. Supporting @code{init} would be a very handy thing.

Hmm, why start @code{ftp(1)} with the @code{-n} flag at all?
@end quotation

@item
For CMS support, we send too many @code{cd}'s. Since @code{cd}'s are
cheap, I haven't worried about this too much. Eventually, we should have
some caching of the current minidisk.
@end itemize

If you find any bugs or problems with this package, @strong{please}
e-mail the author. Ideas and constructive comments are especially
welcome. So are any enhancements to ange-ftp, preferably debugged and
documented. Also welcome are any typo fixes, corrections or additions to
this manual. And just so you don't forget, here's Ange's address again:
@example
ange@@hplb.hpl.hp.com
@end example
@noindent
Enjoy!

@node Concept Index, Variable and command index, Bugs, Top
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@unnumbered Concept Index

@printindex cp

@node Variable and command index, , Concept Index, Top
@unnumbered Variable and command index

@printindex vr

@contents

@bye

