Technical Support Frequently Asked Questions

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FAQ's about Fetch

What is Fetch ?
Version information
Connecting to the site
Finding files
Downloading files
Uploading files
Creating, renaming, and deleting directories
Deleting and renaming files
Permissions
Bookmarks
Shortcuts
Multiple sessions
Troubleshooting
For more information

Q. What is Fetch ?

A. Fetch is an FTP program for the Macintosh. You can use it to get files from the Internet, or to put files onto the Internet. For a more detailed description of what FTP is and for more general information about FTP, see the "ftp" help file.

Q. Version information ?

A. The current version is 3.0.3. To find out what version you have, get info on the Fetch application.

Q. Connecting to the site ?

A. Connect to a site using Fetch:

  1. Open Fetch.
  2. For "Host" type the server you want to connect to. The FTP server's name is often "ftp.sitename". For example, the FTP server at Access is ftp.accesscom.com, so anyone wanting to connect to FTP at Access would put ftp.accesscom.com in the "Host" field.
  3. For "User ID" type your user name.
    For anonymous FTP, type "anonymous".
  4. For "Password" type your password.
    For anonymous FTP, type your email address.
  5. For "Directory" type the path for the directory you want to open.
    If you do not know the path for the directory you can leave this field blank.
  6. Click OK.

Note: You can use the "Shortcuts" pop-down menu to open some interesting anonymous FTP sites.

Q. Finding files ?

A. Once you are connected to a site you need to find the file(s) you want.

To open a directory, double-click on the icon. (Directory icons are the traditional Macintosh folder.)

To move up to a higher directory, use the pop-down menu above the file list.

To change directories if you know the path choose Change Directory from the Directories menu.

To read a text file before you download it, select the file and choose View File from the Remote menu.

Q. Downloading files ?

A. Getting a file is ridiculously easy. Select the file name, then click the Get File button. You can watch the status on the righthand side of the window as the file downloads.

To get more than one file at a time, select more than one file before you click Get File.

Download destination

The file is downloaded to whatever folder you designate in the "Preferences" dialog box:

  1. Choose Preferences from the Customize menu.
  2. Select the Download tab.
  3. Click on the box next to "Download folder".

    A file/folder selection dialog box opens.

  4. Select the folder you want to download into.
  5. Click "Save Files Here".
  6. Click OK to close the Preferences window.

I suggest downloading to the Desktop. That way it is easy to find the file you downloaded. If you do download a file and then cannot find it, remember you can use the Find File command from the Desktop menu.

Q. Uploading files ?

A. You can also use Fetch to put files into a directory:

Follow the directions above for connecting to a site and locating a directory.

  1. Click on "Put File".
  2. Select the file you want to upload.
  3. Name the file.
  4. Choose a format from the Format pop-down menu.

    Almost all of the time you will use Text for text files, or MacBinary II for binary files. Binary files are non-text files - this means files that contain programs, graphics, spreadsheets, sounds, and so on. Binhex and AppleSingle are for compressed files. For more information, see Fetch's online help.

  5. Click OK to upload the file.

Putting multiple files

The directions given so far tell how to upload one file at a time. To upload more than one file at a time:

  1. Choose Put Folders and Files from the Remote directory.
  2. Find the files you want to upload and list them in the "Files and Folders to upload" field.
    a) In the top half of the dialog box that opens, open the folder that contains a file you want to upload.

    b) Select the file.
    c) Click the Add button.
    Note that the filename appears in the "Files and Folders to upload" field.
    d) Repeat steps a-c until all the files you want to upload are listed.

  3. Click Done.
  4. Choose a format from the Format pop-down menu.

    Note: All the files you upload together must use the same format.

    Almost all of the time you will use Text for text files, or MacBinary II for binary files.

    Binary files are non-text files - this means files that contain programs, graphics, spreadsheets, sounds, and so on. Binhex and AppleSingle are for compressed files. For more information, choose Fetch Help from the Windows menu.

  5. Click OK.

Q. Creating, renaming, and deleting directories ?

A. You can create, delete, and rename directories in any directory for which you have the appropriate permissions. For information about what permissions are, please see the "permissions" section below.

To create a new directory:

  1. Open the directory you want to create the new directory in.
  2. Choose Create New Directory from the Directories menu.
  3. Type a name for the new directory.
  4. Click OK.

To rename a directory:

  1. Open the directory that contains the directory you want to rename.
  2. Select the directory to rename.
  3. Choose Rename Directory or File from the Remote menu.
  4. Type the new directory name.
  5. Click OK.

To delete a directory:

  1. Open the directory that contains the directory you want to delete.
  2. Select the directory to delete.
  3. Choose Delete Directory or File from the Remote menu.
  4. Click Delete.

Note: Before you delete a directory, make sure it does not contain files you want to save. Fetch deletes all the files in a directory when you delete the directory. It does not warn you that the directory contains files.

Q. Deleting and renaming files ?

A. You can use Fetch to delete files in any directory for which you have the appropriate permissions. For information about what permissions are, please see the "permissions" section below.

To delete a file:

  1. Open the directory that contains the file you want to delete.
  2. Select the file to delete.
  3. Choose Delete Directory or File from the Remote menu.
  4. Click Delete.

To rename a file:

  1. Open the directory that contains the file you want to rename.
  2. Select the file to rename.
  3. Choose Rename Directory or File from the Remote menu.
  4. Type the new file name.
  5. Click OK.

Q. Permissions ?

A.

What are permissions?
Showing permissions: View File List
Setting Permissions
Setting default upload permissions

What are permissions?

If you do not know what permissions are, please see the "permissions" help file. If you already understand permissions, and want information about how to see and set them in Fetch, read on.

Showing permissions: View File List

To see the permissions for the files in a directory:

  1. Open the directory.
  2. Choose View File List from the Remote menu.

Setting permissions

To set permissions for directories and files:

  1. Select the directory or file for which you want to set the permissions.

    Select more than one directory or file if you want them all to have the same permissions.

  2. Choose Set Permissions from the Remote directory.
  3. Use the check boxes to give permissions. A check for a particular user type and action gives permissions. A blank box means no permissions.

    For example, the following settings give the directory's owner permission to read/download, upload, and see files in the directory. It gives the group and everyone else permission to read/download and see files in the directory. 

                  Read    Write    Search/
                               Execute
   Owner:      x        x        x
   Group:      x                 x
   Everyone:   x                 x
  4. Choose View File List from the Remote directory to verify that the permissions are correct.

Setting default upload permissions

The Set Upload Permissions command lets you set the default for permissions on all files uploaded into the directory. In other words, whatever permissions you set using this command will automatically be applied to all files uploaded

The steps for setting preferences using the Set Upload Preferences command are the same as for setting permissions for particular directories or files.

Q. Bookmarks ?

A.

What is a bookmark ?
Using bookmarks
Creating a bookmark
Deleting a bookmark
Creating a new bookmark file

What is a bookmark ?

A bookmark is a quick way to connect to a particular site. Bookmarks are stored in a bookmark file. When you want to connect to a site for which you have a bookmark, you can do so quickly by opening the bookmark file and double-clicking on the bookmark. You do not have to type the host, user name, password, and directory information every time you connect to the site.

Using bookmarks

Bookmarks can be saved individually, or in sets in bookmark files.

To use a bookmark that is an individual file:

  1. Choose Open Bookmark File from the File menu.

    A file selection dialog box opens.

  2. Find the bookmark you want to open.
  3. Select the bookmark file.
  4. Click Open.

    Fetch connects to the bookmarked site.

To use a bookmark that is part of a bookmark file:

  1. Choose Open Bookmark File from the File menu.

    A file selection dialog box opens.

  2. Find the bookmark file that contains the bookmark you want.
  3. Select the bookmark file.
  4. Click Open.

    The bookmark file window opens.

  5. Double-click on the bookmark for the site you want to connect to.

    Fetch connects to the bookmarked site.

Creating a bookmark

You can save a bookmark as a file of its own, or add one to an existing bookmark list.

To create a bookmark and save it as a file:

  1. Connect to the site you want to make the bookmark for.
  2. If you want the bookmark to open a particular directory, open that directory.
  3. Choose Save Bookmark from the File menu.
  4. In the dialog box that opens, open the folder you want to save the bookmark into.
  5. Name the bookmark.
  6. Click Save.

To add a bookmark to an existing bookmark list:

  1. Open the bookmark list you want to add the bookmark to.

    a) Choose Open Bookmark File from the File menu. A file selection dialog box opens.
    b) Find the bookmark file to open.
    c) Select the bookmark file.
    d) Click Open.

    The bookmark file window opens.

  2. Choose New Bookmark from the Customize menu.
  3. Fill in the bookmark information.

    a) For "Name" type a name for the bookmark.
    b) Choose a type from the pull-down menu.

    - Choose Folder if the bookmark is for a folder/directory
    - Choose File if the bookmark is for a file, and not a folder/directory
    - Choose Unknown if you don't know whether the bookmark is for a file, or for a folder/directory.

    c) For "Host" type the server you want to connect to when you use the bookmark.

    The FTP server's name is often "ftp.sitename". For example, the FTP server at Access is ftp.accesscom.com, so anyone wanting to connect to FTP at Access would put ftp.accesscom.com in the "Host" field.

    d) For "User ID" type "anonymous" for anonymous FTP, or your user name for connecting to a site where you have an account.
    e) For "Password" type your email address for anonymous FTP, or your password for connecting to a site where you have an account.
    f) For "Directory" type the path for the directory you want the bookmark to open.

  4. Click OK.

Note: The bookmark you just created has been added to the bookmark file.

Deleting a bookmark

To delete a bookmark that is part of a bookmark file:

  1. Open the bookmark file.

    a) Choose Open Bookmark File from the File menu.
    b) Find the bookmark file.
    c) Select the bookmark file.
    d) Click Open.

  2. Click Open.

    The bookmark file opens.

  3. Select the bookmark you want to delete.
  4. Press the Backspace or Delete key.
  5. Close the bookmark file.

To delete a bookmark that is not part of a bookmark file:

  1. Go to the finder.
  2. Open the folder you save bookmarks into.
  3. Find the bookmark you want to delete.
  4. Drag the bookmark into the trash.

Creating a new bookmark file

Fetch has a default Bookmarks file that contains several bookmarks. To create another bookmark file:

  1. Choose New Bookmark List from the File menu.

    An empty bookmark window opens.

  2. Add one or more bookmarks to the file. (See above for information on how to add a bookmark to a bookmark file.)
  3. Save the file.

    a) Choose Save from the File menu.
    b) Open the folder you want to save the bookmark in.
    c) Name the bookmark file.
    d) Click Save.

Q. Shortcuts ?

A.

What is a shortcut?
Using shortcuts
Creating a new shortcut
Deleting a shortcut

What is a shortcut ?

A shortcut is a quick way to connect to a particular site. Shortcuts are like bookmarks, but because you can access them directly from the File menu, they are faster to use.

Using shortcuts

To use a shortcut, choose the shortcut you want from the Open Shortcut list on the File menu.

Creating a new shortcut

  1. Choose New Shortcut from the Customize menu.
  2. For "Name" type a name for the shortcut.
  3. Choose a type from the pull-down menu.

    - Choose Folder if the bookmark is for a folder/directory
    - Choose File if the bookmark is for a file, and not a folder/directory
    - Choose Unknown if you don't know whether the bookmark is for a file, or for a folder/directory.

  4. For "Host" type the server you want to connect to when you use the bookmark.

    The FTP server's name is often "ftp.sitename". For example, the FTP server at Access is ftp.accesscom.com, so anyone wanting to connect to FTP at Access would put ftp.accesscom.com in the "Host" field.

  5. For "User ID" type "anonymous" for anonymous FTP, or your user name for connecting to a site where you have an account.
  6. For "Password" type your email address for anonymous FTP, or your password for connecting to a site where you have an account.
  7. For "Directory" type the path for the directory you want the bookmark to open.
  8. Click OK.

Deleting a shortcut

  1. Choose Fetch Shortcuts from the Windows menu.

    The Fetch Shortcuts window opens.

  2. Select the shortcut you want to delete.
  3. Press the Backspace or Delete key.

Q. Multiple sessions ?

A. Unlike Fetch 2.1, Fetch 3.0.1 allows you to have more than one connection at a time, up to 16 connections. If you open more than 3 or 4 connections, however, you should increase Fetch's RAM allocation. Increase it by 50K for each addiitional connection after the first 3 or 4.

Remember that your modem can only handle a certain amount of information at a time. If you open two connections, and download two files at the same time, they will slow each other down.

Q. Troubleshooting ?

A.

Cannot connect to an FTP server
Server file error: [path]: No such file or directory
Uploaded a file and it's not there
Error: Host unavailable
Error: Host unknown
Error -39

Cannot connect to an FTP server

Problem: You are denied access to the server. This message might be worded like any of the following:

"There are too many people connected to the server."
"Server connection load too high"
"530: User anonymous access denied"
"Error on user id: User anonymous access denied"

Cause: This message usually means the FTP server you are trying to connect to is too busy to accept another connection.

Solution: Keep trying. If you can use a different server to get the same file, use connect to that server instead.

It is possible this message means the server does not accept anonymous FTP connections. If the site does not accept anonymous FTP, and you do not have an account at that site, you can't connect.

Unfortunately, the only way to tell if the server is too busy or if it does not in fact accept anonymous FTP is to keep trying until you connect or give up.

Server file error: [path]: No such file or directory

Problem: Server file error: [path]: No such file or directory

Cause: The directory you have tried to access does not exist.

Solution: You connect anyway, and the highest-level directory you have access to opens.

Uploaded a file and it's not there

Problem: I just put a file into a directory, but it's not there.

Cause 1: The file is there, you just need to refresh the window to show it.

Solution 1: Choose Refresh from the Windows menu.

Cause 2: You do not have permission to put a file into that directory.

Solution 2: If you are trying to put a file into your own directory, you need to change the permissions. For information about how to do this, please see the Permissions section above.

If you are trying to put a file into another user's directory, they must change the permissions.

Error: Host unavailable

Problem: "Error: Host unavailable".

Cause: The site is down.

Solution: Try again later.

Error: Host unknown

Problem: "Error: Host unknown"

Cause: You may have typed the site name incorrectly.

Solution: Check how you spelled the site name.

Error -39

Problem: You download a file, then see the "Error -39" message.

Cause: Fetch tried to open Stuffit Expander to extract the file, and was not able to open it.

Solution: Make sure you have Stuffit Expander on your computer. For information about Stuffit Expander, see the help file.

Q. For more information ?

A. For more information, turn on Balloon Help or choose Fetch Help from the Balloon menu.