FTP Browser readme
==================


   This file contains the following sections:

    What is FTP Browser?
    System requirements
    Feature list
    Features that may not be obvious
    Solutions to common problems
    Changes for this release
    Legal disclaimer
    Availability and support
    Installation procedure
    Changes in previous releases

=====================================================================
What is FTP Browser?
=====================================================================

FTP Browser is a powerful and intuitive FTP solution for OS/2
Warp that features drag and drop, server to server and directory
tree transfers accross a variety of hosts.

Please, feel free to use this shareware version of FTP Browser to
evaluate its functionality as long as you agree to the legal
disclaimer.  Should you continue to use this product beyond the
30-day trial period, please select "Registration information" from
the application's menu.

Registration for FTP Browser is only $23.00 in US funds.

Thank you for your interest in FTP Browser.

=====================================================================
System requirements
=====================================================================

Your system must meet the following minimal requirements in order to
install and use FTP Browser: 

     OS/2 Warp version 3 or 4

          Presentation Manager
          TCP/IP

     2 Mb free disk space

=====================================================================
Feature list
=====================================================================

The following features will surely enhance your FTP experience:

     FTP site manager that stores sites in folders
     Drag and drop enabled for transfers, queueing and site
      manipulation
     Ping feature to test site responsiveness before connecting
     Unlimited number of simultaneous connections to the same site
     Graphical file transfer display
     Host redialing for busy sites
     Seamless and smart reconnects for lost connections
     Automatically resume interrupted transfers
     Transfer queue for storing items to transfer
     Recursive directory tree transfers and deletes
     Server to server tree and file transfers
     Tree synchronize feature for maintaining identical trees on
      local and remote systems
     Archive content and text file viewer
     Configurable file associations for viewing downloaded files
     Classical and transparent proxy firewall support
     Firewall support for travelling (laptop) users
     Configurable directory lisiting cache
     "Quick paths" allow access to frequently accessed directories
     Previous directory button to travel to parent directories
     Communications log with save to file option
     Hooks for command file execution after file transfers
     Download information optionally written to file EAs
     File list filter and search facility
     Hover help for all toolbars
     Tabbed notebook style
     Drag and drop color and font configurability

=====================================================================
Features that may not be obvious
=====================================================================

     To move a site to a new folder, drag and drop the site over
      the target folder. To copy a site hold down the control key
      while dropping the site over the target folder.
     To connect to a site double click the site name. To connect
      to every site within a folder, double click the folder name.
     To be prompted for a site address or password, simply
      leave these fields empty in the properties notebook.
     To start FTP Browser from another application and
      automatically connect to a FTP site, use the following
      command:   ftpbrows ftp.site.address
     To transfer files and directories, simply drag objects from
      or into the FTP window.
     To view a file using the defined associations, double click
      the file name in the FTP window. If the file's extension
      matches that of a defined association it will be viewed using
      the defined external application. For example, double clicking
      on a ZIP file will display the contents of the archive. Any
      file for which there is no association is assumed to be a text
      file and will be displayed in the built-in text viewer window.
      Associations can be defined in the configure options notebook.
     To resume an interrupted file transfer, simply start the
      transfer again and select append from the file transfer
      prompt.
     To transfer files and directories from one site to another,
      simply drag objects from one FTP window to the other.
     To recursively delete directories on a site, make your
      selection then select delete.
     To synchronize directory trees between your system and a
      remote system, both the local and remote directory fields
      must changed to the directories that are to be synchronized.
     To filter the file list add the filter string to the end of
      the remote directory. For example, the following remote
      directory would only list ZIP files: /os2/incoming/*.zip
      To remove the filter refresh the directory.
     To change the font and color of a window, simply drag and
      drop them to the window. All changes will be saved.

=====================================================================
Solutions to common problems
=====================================================================

- if there is a problem getting a list of files from a Windows NT FTP
  server, try changing the site type in the site's properties
  notebook to DOS.
- if there is a problem connecting to sites on the internet through
  a firewall/proxy server, make sure that the "located behind
  firewall" check box is not checked. It should only be checked
  for sites within (local to) your LAN.
- if a site does not allow fully qualified path names when changing
  or listing a directory, the file list will be empty even though
  there are files. If this is the case then disable "fully qualify
  directory changes and listings" on the preferences page of the
  site's properties notebook.
- if you are having problems connecting through a firewall or
  connecting to a specific site, view the communications window
  and select save. Send this text file along with a description of
  the problem in an e-mail message to the address listed under
  support.
- when closing the FTP window, it is normal if it takes up to 5
  seconds to shut down.

=====================================================================
Changes for this release
=====================================================================

Site manager updates
---------------------------

- added a menu item to the site manager window for creating a
  desktop icon that references a site. Click this icon to directly
  connect to the site.
- added menu items to the site manager window for cascading, tiling
  or closing all open FTP windows. Cascade and tile use the size of
  the top-left-most window for determining the size of the others.
- changing certain options and site properties are now reflected
  immediately if the there are open FTP windows.
- updated all toolbar buttons with a consistant graphic scheme.
- replaced some infrequently used toolbar buttons with more
  frequently used ones.
- added a setting to the site properties notebook for turning off
  fully qualified directory names, because some sites do not like the
  LIST command fully qualified.
  NOTE: turning off fully qualified pathnames prevents recursive
        directory tree transfers etc.
- added a setting in the site properties notebook for converting
  uploaded file names to FAT (8.3) format.
- fixed the deletion of sites from the site manager window which
  was causing a memory leak.
- fixed the site manager splitbar, so that the sizing pointer
  (left-right arrow) is displayed while moving the splitbar.


FTP window updates
------------------

- enhanced transfer status window updates, which are now performed
  in a seperate thread. It was found that updating the status
  from within the transfer thread degraded transfer performance
  by as much as 50% with extremely fast transfers (30kbs+).
- added a list of files to transfer to the transfer status window.
- added an elapsed transfer time field to the transfer status win.
- multiple FTP windows are now cascaded instead of opening on top
  of each other.
- changed the following FTP window dialogues to windows for improved
  functionality:
      Connect status, Transfer status, Transfer queue, Quick path
      Communications log, Synchronize
- added help to many of the remaining (modal) dialogues.
- added a select all function to the FTP window directory menu.
- enhanced file transfer code which now allows a user selectable
  action when a file exist condition occurs during a recursive
  tree transfer.
- enhanced the file transfer prompt with a manually rename file
  option and changed the old rename option button to "unique".
- added column titles to the FTP window file list, transfer queue,
  and synchronize list.
- enabled the remote directory field to accept filter strings.
- synchronize feature now compares file names without case
  sensitivity and also compares file sizes in determining
  which files to synchronize.
- fixed a bug during file transfers of > 40MB which caused the
  percent and progress indicators to reset to 0.
- improved server to server transfer code, now more robust in
  dealing with transfer failures.
- FTP window now displays on top after a successful connection.


- FTP Browser can now be purchased from The Scandinavian OS/2
  Shareware Registration Services in Scandinavian currency at
  http://www.cybernet.dk/users/berggreen/os2/. See "registration
  information" in the help for more information.

=====================================================================
Legal disclaimer
=====================================================================
 
FTP Browser is provided "as-is" without any warranties (or
conditions), expressed or implied with respect to the software,
including the implied warranties (or conditions) of merchantability
and fitness for a particular purpose.  The entire risk arising out
of use or performance of the program remains with you.  In no event,
will Jason Rushton be liable for any lost profits, lost savings,
incidental or indirect damages or other economic consequential 
damages, even if Jason Rushton has been advised of the possibility
of such damages.  In addition, Jason Rushton will not be liable for
any damages claimed on you based on any third party claim. 

FTP Browser, Copyright (c) 1996 Jason Rushton 

=====================================================================
Availability and support
=====================================================================

If you have questions, suggestions or bug reports, use any of the
following contact methods.  Registered users will receive first
priority, although I will surely make an effort to respond to 
unregistered users as well. 

   Internet mail 
      rushton@netcom.ca 
       
   Regular mail 
      Jason Rushton 
      81 Calais Street 
      Whitby, Ontario 
      Canada, L1N 5M3 
  
The latest version of FTP Browser will always be available for
download from the following internet FTP archives, WWW pages and
internet BBSs:

   ftp.cdrom.com     /.4/os2/internet
   hobbes.nmsu.edu   /os2/internet
   ftp.bmtmicro.com  /bmtmicro
   http://www.bmtmicro.com/catalog/0internet.html
   ftp.leo.org       /pub/comp/os/os2/tcpip/ftp
   sky.chph.ras.ru   /os2/tcpip/ftp
   os2.musthave.com  /OS2
   http://www.os2ss.com/internet/ftp/
   bbs.os2bbs.com    Area #35

=====================================================================
Installation
=====================================================================

To install FTP Browser:

1. Unzip the compressed file into a temporary directory.
2. Make this directory the current directory.
3. Run INSTALL.EXE to install the application.

=====================================================================
Changes in previous releases
=====================================================================

v1.55
- added a directory tree synchronize feature, which lists and
  recursively transfes missing files between your a system and a
  remote site
- enhanced the informational messages displayed in the status area
  and the connect window
- added a "how do I ..." section the help system
- added a similar "Features that may not be obvious" section to this
  readme file.
- added an switch that can toggle between active and passive data
  connections
- added the ability to start an FTP session from the command line
  (or your another application) by specifying an ftp site address
  eg. ftpbrows ftp.cdrom.com
- added an option to not display the local and remote dir fields in
  the FTP window

- fixed a bug which confused FTP Browser when informational messages
  posted by some sites contained an extra new line character.
  A dash as the first character of the password is no longer needed
  for Hobbes. (Directory -> Synchronize)
- fixed a bug in the passive data connection code
- fixed a small GUI flaw in the status area
- fixed the display of binary/ascii transfer mode
- many GUI and network code optimizations
- reduction in memory requirements and increased performance
