If there’s a question that you think should be addressed here, please send us email. Thank you!

Using Fetch

1. What do I enter in the Hostname, Username and Password fields?
2. How do I make Fetch start up with the information for my server or website?
3. How do I create, delete or change shortcuts?
4. How do I upload more than one file at a time?
5. How do I make downloaded files open in the correct application?
6. How do I connect to an FTP or SFTP server on a non-standard port?
7. How do I disconnect from a server?
8. How can I see the modification times for files?
9. How do I use my shortcuts from a previous version of Fetch in Fetch 5.8?
10. How do I move my shortcuts from one Macintosh to another?
11. How do I upload CGI scripts in ASCII format?

Fetch Features

1. What are the new features in Fetch 5.8?
2. Does Fetch support SFTP?
3. Does Fetch support FTP with TLS/SSL (FTPS)?
4. Does Fetch support S3 or WebDAV?
5. Does Fetch support challenge-response password systems?
6. Does Fetch support resuming uploads?
7. Is Fetch Section 508 compliant?
8. Is there a Windows version of Fetch?

Troubleshooting

1. The server says "Incorrect Password" but I know the password is correct.
2. Fetch connects, but the file list never appears and the Fetch dog runs and runs.
3. The Fetch dog runs and runs but never connects.
4. All of my file appears to transfer (the progress bar fills the entire circle), but at the end Fetch stalls and the transfer never finishes.
5. I uploaded an updated webpage but my browser still shows the old one.
6. The file list does not include a file that I know was just put there.
7. The server says "Invalid PORT Command" or "Can’t build data connection. Connection refused."
8. Why isn't TextEdit listed as an option for editing HTML files (webpages)?
9. Get Info shows the permissions of a file or folder I just uploaded as blank or 000.
10. Downloaded files have the wrong icon.
11. Why can’t I make files open or edit in the correct application?
12. The filenames in the file list don’t look right — there is size and date information in the name column, and the Get button doesn’t work.
13. I can connect to a server on my local network, but not to Internet FTP or SFTP servers.
14. Why is uploading files slower than downloading files?

Passwords

1. I don't remember my password, can you tell me what it is?
2. Why is Fetch rejecting my password when I know I entered it correctly?
3. How do I get the password out of a shortcut?
4. Can I change my password with Fetch?
5. Is my password being sent securely?

Licensing & Serial Numbers

1. I purchased Fetch but lost my serial number; how can I get it?
2. Why does Fetch say that my serial number is not valid when I copied it from the receipt?
3. Do registered users of Fetch 4 or Fetch 5 get a discount on upgrading to 5.8?
4. Are multi-user or site licenses available?
5. Is Fetch 5.8 free for educational or charitable use?
6. What qualifies as educational or charitable use?
7. How should I distribute a licensed copy of Fetch to users at my educational or charitable organization?
8. May I distribute Fetch with my book, magazine, shareware collection, or commercial software product?
9. Under what terms and conditions is Fetch licensed?
10. Why is there a charge from FETCHSW COM or FETCH SOFTWORKS on my credit card?

Other

1. What is the relationship between Fetch Softworks and Dartmouth College?
2. What kind of dog is the Fetch mascot?
3. Who drew the Fetch mascot?
4. What does Regis Philbin have to do with Fetch?

Using Fetch

1. What do I enter in the Hostname, Username and Password fields?

   You need to enter the hostname (something like "home.example.com" or "ftp.example.net") of the server you want to transfer files from or to, and the username (something like "smith97" or "billsbakery") and password for your account on that server. If this is an account you’ve purchased from a Internet service provider, that provider should be able to tell you what to enter. See the What do I enter in the hostname, username, and password fields? help topic for more information.

2. How do I make Fetch start up with the information for my server or website?

   You can make Fetch automatically fill out the Hostname and Username fields in the New Connection dialog by using a default shortcut. Fill out your server’s information in the New Connection dialog, choose Make Shortcut from the Shortcuts pop-up menu to the right of the Hostname field, and check the Make this the default shortcut box. See the making Fetch start with information for your server or website help topic for more detailed steps.

3. How do I create, delete or change shortcuts?

   To create a shortcut, use the Make Shortcut command in the Shortcuts pop-up menu in the New Connection dialog, or the ShortcutsNew Shortcut command, or drag an item from a transfer window to the Fetch Shortcuts window. For more detailed steps, see the creating a shortcut help topic.

   To delete a shortcut, choose ShortcutsShow Shortcuts, select the shortcut in the Fetch Shortcuts window, and choose EditDelete or press the Delete key. To change a shortcut, choose ShortcutsShow Shortcuts, select the shortcut in the Fetch Shortcuts window and choose ShortcutsEdit Shortcut. For more information, see the deleting or changing a shortcut help topic.

4. How do I upload more than one file at a time?

   There are several different ways to upload multiple files (or entire folders) with one command:

   • Either click the Put button in the transfer window toolbar or choose RemotePut, and then either select a folder, or hold down the Command or Shift keys while clicking to select multiple files
   • Drag file and folder icons from the Finder to a Fetch transfer window
   • Create a droplet shortcut for your server and drag files and folders to it in the Finder or Dock

   If you want to only upload new or changed files in a folder, you may want to use the Mirror command in the Remote menu. See the Mirror window or mirroring a local folder to a remote folder help topics for more information.

5. How do I make downloaded files open in the correct application?

   Normally Fetch uses the extension at the end of a file’s name to set the application that a file will open with. Usually Fetch will choose the same application that the Finder uses to open files with a specific extension. However, you can change which application will open which extension in the Transfer Options pane of the info window in Fetch — see the changing the application a file opens with help topic.

   Also, if files have been encoded in a special format that preserves Macintosh information, such as BinHex, MacBinary, AppleSingle, Zip Archive, or StuffIt X Archive, the files will open in the application originally specified for those files when they were uploaded. If the setting was different on the computer that uploaded those files than on yours, they may not open in the application you expect.

6. How do I connect to an FTP or SFTP server on a non-standard port?

   Click the disclosure button in the New Connection dialog to reveal the field for entering a non-standard port.

7. How do I disconnect from a server?

   To disconnect from a server, simply close the Fetch transfer window for that server. If you do not want to close the transfer window, leave it open and Fetch will automatically disconnect from the server after approximately 5 minutes (the status pane will display "Disconnected" once this happens). Fetch will automatically reconnect if you decide to work with the transfer window again.

8. How can I see the modification times for files?

   While it does not show the modification times by default, you can resize the Date column in the file list to show the time as well as date. To resize a column in the file list, click the vertical line between the titles of two columns and drag.

   You will probably need to make another column narrower in order to provide space to expand the Date column; so first, make another column (such as the Name column) narrower, and then make the Date column wider. If you feel you do not have enough space to make all columns as wide as you like, make the entire window wider and then resize the columns.

   You can also use the Get Info command to see the modification time of a single file.

9. How do I use my shortcuts from a previous version of Fetch in Fetch 5.8?

   The first time you open Fetch 5.8, it will automatically read and upgrade your shortcuts from your previous version of Fetch. However, Fetch 5.8 stores shortcuts in a different format than some previous versions of Fetch, so while you can continue to use Fetch 5.8 and an earlier version of Fetch on the same Macintosh, you may not see changes you make to the Fetch 5.8 shortcuts in the previous versions of Fetch, and vice versa.

   Fetch 5.1 and later store your shortcuts in a file named "com.fetchsoftworks.Fetch.Shortcuts.plist" in the Preferences folder in the Library folder in your home folder. Fetch 5.0 and Fetch 4.0.3 both stored shortcuts in a file named "Fetch Shortcuts" in that same location. (If you upgrade from one of those versions, you will have both files — the older file is saved both as a backup, and in case you want to continue to use the earlier version of Fetch.)

   If you are setting up a new Macintosh or new hard drive, or upgrading to Mac OS X, you can copy the com.fetchsoftworks.Fetch.Shortcuts.plist or Fetch Shortcuts file from the old disk to the right place on your new Macintosh. (On OS 9, the Fetch Shortcuts file is located in the Preferences folder in your System Folder.) See the moving shortcuts to another Macintosh help topic for more information.

10. How do I move my shortcuts from one Macintosh to another?

    If you are upgrading to a new Macintosh, or use multiple Macintosh computers and would like to have the same Fetch shortcuts on each computer, see the moving shortcuts to another Macintosh help topic for detailed steps on moving your shortcuts to another computer.

11. How do I upload CGI scripts in ASCII format?

    Fetch refers to ASCII format as Text format. To upload files in Text format, choose Text from the Format submenu of the Remote menu, and then choose the RemotePut menu command or click the Put button in the transfer window toolbar.

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Features

1. What are the new features in Fetch 5.8?

   If you’re a regular user of Fetch upgrading from an earlier version, see either the Fetch 5.8 for Fetch 5 Users or the Fetch 5.8 for Fetch 4 Users help topic useful to learn about new features and changes in Fetch. You can also see the summary of new features in Fetch 5.8 topic for a simple list of the major changes and improvements, or read the complete list of changes, new features, and fixes in the Fetch 5.8 release notes.

2. Does Fetch support SFTP?

   Yes. Choose SFTP from the Connect using pop-up menu in the New Connection dialog. For more information, see the SFTP help topic.

3. Does Fetch support FTP with TLS/SSL (FTPS)?

   Yes. Choose FTP with TLS/SSL from the Connect using pop-up menu in the New Connection dialog. Fetch supports both AUTH TLS (Explicit SSL) and SSL connect (Implicit SSL) connections. To use SSL connect (Implicit SSL), choose FTP with TLS/SSL and enter 990 in the Port field. For more information, see the FTP with TLS/SSL help topic.

4. Does Fetch support S3 or WebDAV?

   No, sorry, Fetch does not currently support connecting or transferring files to S3 or WebDAV servers.

5. Does Fetch support challenge-response password systems?

   Yes. If Fetch detects a One-Time Password challenge, it automatically computes the one-time password, based on the secret password entered by the user. If, for some reason, you need to compute the response yourself, enter "***CHALLENGE***" in the password field. Fetch will show you the server’s challenge and prompt you for a response. See the One-Time Password help topic for more information.

6. Does Fetch support resuming uploads?

   Fetch tries to detect stalls and network or server errors and automatically resume uploads for you when they are interrupted. However, if you accidentally stop the upload of a large file before it completes, yes, it is possible to resume uploads for certain types of files. Choose Resume upload of file from the If a file already exists pop-up menu in the Put dialog to resume the upload of a file. See the resuming uploads help topic for more information and limitations.

7. Is Fetch Section 508 compliant?

   Fetch is partially compliant with the Section 508 standards. See our compliance statement for more information.

8. Is there a Windows version of Fetch?

   No, we’re sorry, but Fetch is only available for the Macintosh.

   We suggest you look at WS_FTP for Windows. If you decide to purchase WS_FTP, enter Fetch20 in the coupon field to receive a 20% discount.

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Troubleshooting

1. The server says "Incorrect Password" but I know the password is correct.

   Please see I received an error saying "login incorrect" or "rejected password" in the Solving Problems with Connecting help topic for suggestions.

2. Fetch connects, but the file list never appears and the Fetch dog runs and runs.

   Toggle the setting of the Use passive mode transfers (PASV) checkbox in the General Preferences pane, and try connecting again. If toggling the Use passive mode transfers (PASV) checkbox didn't help, try disabling the OS X firewall in the Sharing pane of System Preferences, if it is enabled. On Mac OS X 10.5 and later, you can configure the firewall to allow an exception for Fetch. For more information about Fetch, firewalls, and active vs. passive FTP, see the active and passive FTP help topic.

3. The Fetch dog runs and runs but never connects.

   Usually this means that the server you are trying to connect to is not currently operating. Another possibility is that there is a firewall or network outage somewhere between your computer and the server. If the problem persists, confirm that you are connecting to the right hostname, and check with your network administrator about firewalls. You can use the ping and traceroute functions of the Network Utility application (which you can find by going to your Applications folder, and then the Utilities folder) to check the network route between your computer and the server.

4. All of my file appears to transfer (the progress bar fills the entire circle), but at the end Fetch stalls and the transfer never finishes.

   The most common cause of this is that you are behind a NAT device (such as a router or wireless base station) and the transfer has really finished, but the NAT device has blocked the information telling Fetch that it’s done. Your transfer is done, just click the Stop button to clear the progress indicator.

   To resolve these problems, our recommendations are to:

   1. Make sure the Use passive mode transfers (PASV) checkbox in the General Preferences pane is checked, and try again;
   2. Download and try the latest version of Fetch (version 5.8.3) and see if it fixes the problem for you;
   3. If the problem still happens with the latest version of Fetch, try a different FTP client (such as Interarchy, Transmit, or Vicomsoft FTP Client) to check whether the problem is specific to Fetch or more general—if the problem only happens with Fetch, please contact us and let us know so we can investigate;
   4. If the problem happens with all FTP clients, contact the server administrator or network administrator, and see if they can reproduce the problem under similar conditions.

5. I uploaded an updated webpage but my browser still shows the old one.

   Please see the solving problems with websites help topic for suggestions and possible solutions.

6. The file list does not include a file that I know was just put there.

   Choose the Refresh command in the View menu; that will usually fix this problem. Fetch reuses file lists when they have not changed in a long while, which makes loading them quicker but also makes it possible to miss new changes.

7. The server says "Invalid PORT Command" or "Can’t build data connection. Connection refused."

   These problems can usually be resolved by checking the Use passive mode transfers (PASV) checkbox in the General Preferences pane. See the active and passive FTP help topic for more information about this checkbox.

8. Why isn't TextEdit listed as an option for editing HTML files (webpages)?

   TextEdit, the text editor included with Mac OS X, is a very poor choice for editing webpages. While TextEdit appears to let you edit HTML files in a more natural manner because you don't have to edit the HTML code, it doesn't understand all HTML formatting. If you save your HTML file after editing it in TextEdit, it is nearly guaranteed that your webpage's links will be broken and you'll have lost some of the formatting.

   Therefore, Fetch does not offer TextEdit directly as an editor choice for HTML files. If you are determined to use it for editing your HTML files, you can set it as the editor by choosing the Other menu item from the Edit files like this with pop-up menu in the Transfer Options pane of the info window. But we strongly recommend against it.

   Instead, we recommend that you consider using TextWrangler, an excellent and free text editing program for the Macintosh. However, you do have to edit the HTML code directly with it. There are many other fine text editors for the Macintosh as well, such as BBEdit, TextMate, SubEthaEdit, or CSSEdit, to name a few.

   There are also several good low-cost webpage editors such as iWeb, RapidWeaver, or Sandvox.

   TextEdit is a perfectly good application for editing plain text files, but it is simply not a good HTML editor.

9. Get Info shows the permissions of a file or folder I just uploaded as blank or 000.

   For just uploaded items on FTP connections, or newly created folders and files, Fetch may show all the permissions checkboxes as unchecked (a UNIX equivalent of "000") and the owner and group as "unknown". This is not the true state of the permissions. To see the true permissions, you must click the Refresh button in the transfer window (or choose ViewRefresh), and Get Info on the items again. On SFTP connections, you will see the correct permissions immediately, but you must refresh to see the true owner and group.

10. Downloaded files have the wrong icon.

    If a certain kind of downloaded file does not have the icon you expect after downloading, try changing the application that kind of file is set to open with in the Transfer Options section of the info window. See the changing the application a file opens with help topic for step-by-step instructions.

11. Why can’t I make files open or edit in the correct application?

    First, make sure you have followed the instructions for setting which application opens or edits the desired kind of file in the changing the application a file opens with or changing the editor for a file help topics.

    However, if the application you want to use to open or edit a kind of file is not listed even though it is installed, or you choose it and Fetch does not remember your choice, or you choose one application and the files still open in a different application, you may be being affected by a problem in Mac OS X. Follow the instructions in the fixing problems choosing editors and helper applications help topic to fix this problem.

12. The filenames in the file list don’t look right — there is size and date information in the name column, and the Get button doesn’t work.

    If the Fetch file list is showing scrambled information, it may be that Fetch misunderstood the list of files the server sent to it. Choosing the Refresh command in the View menu will usually redraw the file list with the correct information. Otherwise, if you know the name of the file, you can hold down the Shift key and click the Get button and type in the file’s name. If refreshing does not fix the problem, please send a transcript to Fetch Softworks so we can fix the problem in future versions of Fetch.

13. I can connect to a server on my local network, but not to Internet FTP or SFTP servers.

    Check with your network or firewall administrator to see if you need to use a SOCKS gateway or proxy server to access Internet FTP or SFTP servers. If so, you can configure Fetch to work with the proxy server using the Proxy Preferences pane.

14. Why is uploading files slower than downloading files?

    Usually this is normal, because most high-speed Internet connections, including cable modems and DSL, are asymmetric — they are designed to provide much better speed for downloading than uploading. For more information, see the Why is uploading slower than downloading? help topic.

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Passwords

1. I don't remember my password, can you tell me what it is?

   Please see I don't know or I've forgotten my hostname, username, or password in the Solving Problems with Connecting help topic.

2. 2. Why is Fetch rejecting my password when I know I entered it correctly?

   Please see I received an error saying "login incorrect" or "rejected password" in the Solving Problems with Connecting help topic.

3. How do I get the password out of a shortcut?

   You can use the Keychain Access application to look at the password saved for a shortcut. When you create a shortcut and enter a password for it, the password is automatically saved in your keychain.

   To find your shortcut’s password in the Keychain Access application:

   • Open the Keychain Access application, which is in the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder.
   • Look for an entry whose Name is the name of the server specified in the shortcut, and whose Kind is "Fetch password" (or possibly "Internet password").
   • Display the entry’s details by double-clicking on the entry (Mac OS X 10.4 or later) or clicking once on the entry (Mac OS X 10.3).
   • Click the "Show password" checkbox and enter your keychain passphrase to see the password.
   • When prompted, enter your keychain passphrase (usually the same as your Macintosh login or administrator password) to display the shortcut's password.

4. Can I change my password with Fetch?

   No, that is not a feature of Fetch. Contact your service provider or network administrator for help changing your password.

5. Is my password being sent securely?

   You can tell if your password is being sent securely by the padlock icon in the password prompt dialog. A locked padlock icon indicates your password will be protected by encryption. An unlocked padlock icon means your password will be sent insecurely, without encryption. There will also be a warning in the password dialog if your password will be sent insecurely.

   Your password will be secure if you are using SFTP or FTP with TLS/SSL. If you are using plain FTP, your password is sent insecurely.

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Licensing & Serial Numbers

1. I purchased Fetch but lost my serial number; how can I get it?

   Fill out the lost serial number form and we'll look in our records for it.

2. Why does Fetch say that my serial number is not valid when I copied it from the receipt?

   Each serial number is only valid with a certain name, the Serial Number Name, which is also included in the receipt. The Serial Number Name might be your company or organization name instead of your own name. Be sure you are entering the correct Serial Number Name along with the serial number. The Serial Number Name must be entered exactly as written in your receipt.

3. Do registered users of Fetch 4 or Fetch 5 get a discount on upgrading to 5.8?

   Upgrades to Fetch 5.8 are free for registered users of Fetch 5.5 and later, or if you purchased Fetch after January 28, 2009. Otherwise, registered users of any version of Fetch 5.3.1 or earlier can upgrade to Fetch 5.8 for the discounted price of $10. For more information, see our purchasing page.

4. Are multi-user or site licenses available?

   Yes. Discounts are available for new or upgrade licenses when you order Fetch for 10 or more users. Prices are listed on our purchasing page.

   We accept major credit cards and checks. We also accept purchase orders on Net-30 terms. For more information see our purchasing page.

5. Is Fetch 5.8 free for educational or charitable use?

   Yes.

6. What qualifies as educational or charitable use?

   Use by a student or employee of a public or accredited private school, college, university or academy; use by a student or parent engaged in home-schooling; use by volunteers or employees of a tax-exempt charity, to further the work of that charity. Use by government agencies or government research laboratories does not qualify.

   Apply for an educational or charitable license.

7. How should I distribute a licensed copy of Fetch to users at my educational or charitable organization?

   If your institution distributes software using installers, you can distribute Fetch along with a preferences file that includes the serial number information from your license. To do so:

   1. Open Fetch 5.8.
   2. Hold down Option, go to the Fetch menu, and choose Enter Serial Number.
   3. Enter your institution's Fetch serial number name and serial number.
   4. Quit Fetch.
   5. In the Finder, choose Go to Folder…, enter “~/Library/Preferences”, and click Go.
   6. There should be a file named “com.fetchsoftworks.Fetch.License.plist”; have your installer put that file in users' /Library/Preferences folders.
   7. When Fetch launches on a Mac with that preferences file, it will use the serial number that was entered.

8. May I distribute Fetch with my book, magazine, shareware collection, or commercial software product?

   You may distribute an unlicensed demo copy, i.e. the disk image you receive when you download Fetch from our home page, provided that the disk image is distributed unmodified.

9. Under what terms and conditions is Fetch licensed?

   Fetch is licensed as-is; Fetch Softworks makes no warranty, express or implied, as to its suitability for any purpose. A single-user licensee may use Fetch on different computers (for example a laptop and a desktop), provided that Fetch is only used by the licensee on one computer at a time. A Fetch license for X users covers the simultaneous use of up to X copies of Fetch, and no more.

10. Why is there a charge from FETCHSW COM or FETCH SOFTWORKS on my credit card?

    This charge is for purchasing Fetch, the Macintosh file transfer client. When you purchase Fetch using a credit card, your card will show a charge from one of the following:

    • FETCHSW COM6032972030NH
    • FETCHSW COM 603-297-2030 NH
    • FETCHSW COM6036190397NH
    • FETCHSW COM 603-619-0397 NH
    • FETCH SOFTWORKS HANOVER NH
    • DRI*FETCH SOFTWORKS

    If you believe you received this charge in error, please contact us.

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Other

1. What is the relationship between Fetch Softworks and Dartmouth College?

   Jim Matthews, the founder of Fetch Softworks, wrote Fetch as an employee of Dartmouth College. Fetch Softworks was created in order to license the Fetch source code and name from Dartmouth College, so that the product could be enhanced and marketed independently. Dartmouth College is not responsible for the statements and actions of Fetch Softworks.

2. What kind of dog is the Fetch mascot?

   A mutt. And yes, it is a dog, not a koala.

3. Who drew the Fetch mascot?

   Richard Nelson, an artist on Maui, who also happens to be the father-in-law of Fetch’s author, drew the original 32x32 Fetch icon. The 3D rendered mascot was commissioned by Tadashi Suzuki of Hart Computer, which sells a Japanese version of Fetch, and is used with permission.

4. What does Regis Philbin have to do with Fetch?

   Directly, nothing. But winning money on Philbin’s "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" made it possible for Jim Matthews, Fetch’s author, to license the software from Dartmouth College and create Fetch Softworks.