Downloading Problems?

Help is available on:: FTP'ing Files; Linefeeds & Carriage Returns; Macintosh Files; If all else fails ...

FTP'ing Files

Occasionally, difficulty in getting a clean download of a program or file occurs. There can be a myriad of causes for this, and here we don't attempt to address the causes but instead offer some possible workarounds.

We offer three methods of downloading files:

By clicking on the download link on the website. We serve all downloads off our FTP site, not the HTTP site. So, you can recognize a download link because it is of the form ftp://kinemage.... As of the beginning of December, all downloads requests (with the exception of text files with Macintosh line feeds; more on this below) originating from a web page are served with the MIME type of application/octet-stream, which mostly means that when your browser gets to see the file it should attempt to save it to your local disk, which is, the desired action. This might not happen, if, for instance, the file mapping for MIME type application/octet-stream in your browser's preferences tells it to do something else.
Two workarounds here:
- Try invoking your browser's "save as" function. Typically, this can be done with some type of option-clicking with the mouse: using the right mouse button on Internet Explorer on Window's platforms, shift-clicking when using Netscape, or shifting and holding down the mouse button on Macs. Doing this will tell your browser (typically, that is, because one can never make an absolute statement about browsers) to bypass the file-helper setup it has and save the file to disk.
- Change the actions done on the file by your browser in its prefs setups.
The second method for downloads is to use your browser on our FTP site directly. You can get there by clicking on the "FTP" box in the colored navigation bar at the end of this page, or you can type the address: ftp://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/ Once there, you'll be able to navigate the directory hierarchies to get to the desired files, and click on their name to initiate download. It will save you some time if you note the path to the desired files in the ftp://kinemage.... link name.
The third method is to use an FTP program, either graphical or command-line, and visit our FTP site as an anonymous user. Same address as above, ftp://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/ ; user name is "anonymous", enter your full email address as a password, and then change directory to "pub".

Line Breaks, Line Feeds & Carriage Returns (oh my!)

The three types of operating systems for which we distribute files - Macintosh, Unix, and Windows - each have a different method for terminating a line in a text file. The Mac uses a carriage return (\r, ASCII code 13), unix uses a line feed (\n, ASCII code 10), and the PC uses both (together). If you are viewing a text file that is just a few long lines, then this is probably the reason. Alot of text processors will recognize the different use and will translate transparently; some won't, especially the older programs. You may need to try a "soft wrap" when viewing a text file; but, unless the file is purely for "human eyes" only, it is probably best not to change it by doing a "hard wrap" as this may change the way it is read by a program.

We attempt to send you text files with the right line breaks. This is easy to do when you are choosing a particular bundled package of programs and text files. When it is just a text file that is being requested, we make an educated guess as to what platform you are accessing the site with, and send along that file. The default is unix line breaks. Of course, to be certain, if you suspect a file with the wrong line breaks, then you can retrieve the same file with your platform's breaks from the FTP site. There you will find subdirectories of text files called "Mac" or "Win" with those line breaks. The upper level files, like the default download is unix line breaks.

Macintosh Files

One more twist with Macintosh files. Pre-OS X, Macintosh files typically have both data and resource forks. This is not normally a problem for file transfer when both sides of the transfer want to transfer a file with two forks. Well, that's not always the case. You may want a Mac file, but not knowing that, we'll transfer a file with no resource fork. Sorry about that. If on your Mac the kinemage files or Mage/Prekin programs do not show the Mage icons, then you probably have files without resource forks. The same absence can cause loss of the ability to double-click a kinemage and start Mage.

For text files such as kinemages, we try to detect if you are using a Mac by the internet browser headers. If we do, then for text files we'll send a file that has Mac line breaks and a resource file as appropriate. The MIME type is application/x-stuffit which on most modern Mac browsers will invoke StuffIt Exander™ª, to translate the file correctly. Stuffit Expander is available free from Aladdin Systems in case you don't have this excellent utility program.

If all else fails ...

Don't scream. Drop me an email with as much description of the problem as you can, and I'll try to help.

Kinemages

Java Mage

Software:

Validation

Rotamers

FTP

2D Gallery

Lab Info

Display

Contacts

Utility