Fetch Softworks

Mac Loses Extensions during FTP (4 posts)

• Started 19 years ago by emjbork
• Latest reply 19 years ago from Jim Matthews

• emjbork Member

  I support a graphics department that utilizes Apple Talk to connect, transfer and store graphic files (PageMaker) from a MAC to a Win NT server. When retrieving these files (using Apple Talk), the MAC system automatically recognizes the file type and appropriately opens up the application when opened.

  We would like to begin using FTP to transfer these files so we can migrate this server to one of our data centers (that doesn't want to support any MAC software like Apple Talk) to benefit from the consolidated resources. However, when we use FTP (Fetch) to transfer the files, MAC appears to forget what type of file it is. When we attempt to open the file, we receive an error message that MAC doesn't know what application to use.

  I have 3 questions:

  1. How can we transfer files using FTP without losing the file types. I read that compressing first might help? If so, can this be done transparently using Fetch?

  2. We currently have 50 gig of graphics that was already stored on the server using Apple Talk. Is there any way we can begin using FTP to fetch these files and automatically recognize the file type? Or will we need to manually select the application each time?

  3. I am obviously not very familiar with the MAC OS (I support the Windows OS) ... I can't seem to manually select the application (when we receive this error) when trying to open one of these files. PageMaker doesn't see it when trying to use the application to open it (even when searching on the exact name - no extension) and I am not provided a list of applications to select when trying to open it by double clicking...

  Sorry for the long post. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

  jb

  Posted 19 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  The standard FTP protocol (unlike the AppleShare file server protocol) does not have provisions for automatically transmitting file type information. So you have to use some other solution. Here are some options:

  1) File name extensions. If file names include extensions that identify the file type (such as .doc for Microsoft Word documents), Fetch can map those extensions to the correct Mac file types. The advantage of this approach is that you can still access the files from Windows computers and from file server clients. The downside is that you have to add extensions to file names that do not have them.

  2) Encoded in MacBinary. If the files are only going to be used on Macs, and only via FTP, you can encode them in MacBinary format, which includes the type information. Fetch will automatically decode MacBinary format, restoring the correct file type information. The downside is that you have to encode all the files that aren't currently in MacBinary format.

  I would recommend trying 1). The key would be finding a utility program that can assign the right file name extensions for the types of files you have on the server. I do not know the name of such a utility offhand, but I could look into that.

  Thanks,

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 19 years ago #

• emjbork Member

  Thanks for the info. I found much more information concerning this from other posts on this web site and I was able to successfully configure Fetch to handle files the way we want ... moving forward.

  Now, the only issue we have is how to tie together the data and resource forks for the 40 gig that is already stored on the server. I would appreciate any insight as to applications that might interrogate the files to find their proper association. I will also search around for such an application.

  The other idea I had was to pull all 40 gig back to one of the MAC computers using AppleTalk so that the proper associations can be made between the data and resource fork. We can then FTP the files back to the server using the MACBinary format. I believe this will work nicely ... it just a matter of how much time it will take and how reliable the whole process will be.

  Any information you come up with would be greatly appreciated.
  jb

  [This message has been edited by emjbork (edited 07-01-2004).]

  Posted 19 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  As long as you can still access the server via AppleTalk you could do the MacBinary encoding without moving all the files. Just connect to the server and tell StuffIt Deluxe or DropStuff to encode the files in MacBinary on the server. It should be possible to write an AppleScript to convert a folder (including nested folders) at a time.

  Thanks,

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 19 years ago #