How FTP Transfers Files

ASCII Transfers

FTP ASCII file transfers are used primarily for the transfer of ASCII text files. The actual data transfer occurs in 8-bit NVT-ASCII representation. The receiver converts the data from the standardized transfer form to the desired target form according to the target system's internal representation requirements. The end-of-record (EOR) for ASCII transfers is represented by a carriage return followed by a line feed.

For the MPE/iX FTP implementation, ASCII data transfers are used when data is transferred in FTP ASCII mode to or from an MPE/iX file of the ASCII file type.

Binary (IMAGE) Transfers

FTP IMAGE type, commonly called binary transfer type is used for efficient storage and retrieval of files and for the transfer of binary data. The data is sent in a contiguous stream of 8-bit transfer bytes. The receiver is required to store the data as contiguous bytes.

For the MPE/iX FTP implementation, binary data transfers are used when data is transferred in FTP binary mode to or from a MPE/iX file of the binary file type. There is no end-of-record designator for binary transfers.

Bytestream (Byte—Local-byte 8) Transfers

FTP bytestream mode sets the file transfer type to a byte size of 8 bits (local-byte 8). This mode is identical to binary, except that inbound files will be created bytestream instead of binary if no build-parms are specified. Outbound files are treated as a binary (Image) type transfer.

	NOTE: When running FTP on an HP-UX machine, the command to switch to local-byte mode is called "tenex."

MPE/iX Type vs. FTP Transfer Type

Do not confuse MPE/iX file types with FTP file transfer types. Using BUILD command parameters, the only MPE/iX file type supported is STD.

MPE/iX files with an ASCII, BINARY, or BYTESTREAM attribute are specified as part of the BUILD command REC= parameter.