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 rftp(1)                                                             rftp(1)




 NAME
      rftp - reconstruct a mail-retrieved ftp file from the mail spool
      directory

 SYNOPSIS
      rftp -eV[-b | -f]

 DESCRIPTION
      rftp reconstitutes files retrieved from ftp sources and (typically)
      compressed, uuencoded, and split into N parts.

      The command, frftp -b issued anywhere from your account will initiate
      rftp as a daemon process that wakes up every N seconds (default is
      900) and checks the mail spooler.  If your ftp files have been
      received and if they can be processed to reconstruct whatever you
      requested from bitftp, (bitftp@pucc.princeton.edu), then the file will
      be reconstructed and placed in a temporary directorry,  $HOME/ftptmp.

      -e   Checks your environment.  If this information is incorrect, you
      need to check the header rftp.h.  -V   Prints the current version.

      The commmand rftp -f works similarly for files retrieved by ftpmail,
      (ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com).

      rftp does a considerable amount of error checking in attempting to
      make sure that the files are reconstructed properly.  It mails various
      error messages to whomever you designate (default is $USER), and in
      most cases, recovers and continues to attempt to reconstruct the
      mailed ftp file.

 ERROR CONDITIONS
      Mail will inform you of the following errors that will cause the
      daemon process to exit:

      1.   If the information file returned by the bitftp or ftpmail servers
      indicated an initial failure.

      2.   If a valid filename is not returned.

      3.   If the ftp host is not found.

      4.   If those files returned could not be successfully reconstructed
      into the ftp file requested.  (Some parts of the file may have been
      missing.)

      5.   If the last-numbered part could not be determined.

      6.   If write permission to create the temporary files is not
      permitted.





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 rftp(1)                                                             rftp(1)




      7.   If $HOME/ftptmp/ftpmail exists as unwritable by rftp.  (In this
      instance, you should determine what the file is and remove it from the
      $HOME/ftptmp directory before running rftp again.)

      8.   If the environment variables HOME and USER are not set.

      9.   If permission is refused to create the $HOME/ftptmp directory.

 EXAMPLES
      For example, the following in the body of mail sent to
      bitftp@pucc.princeton.edu


           FTP prep.ai.mit.edu UUENCODE
           USER anonymous
           cd  /pub/gnu
           get tar-1.12.shar.gz
           QUIT



      will eventually result in your receiving 29 files: 28 uuencoded,
      split, and numbered files of ``tar-1.12.shar.gz'', and one file which
      details the processing by bitftp@pucc.princeton.edu.   Saving 28 files
      in correct order, then uucat'ing, and uudecoding is not an
      extraordinary problem. But doing the same with 50 or more files can be
      a tedious undertaking, subject to error.  rftp was written to
      eliminate the errors that are likely with the larger number of files
      send back.

      This, send to bitftp@pucc.princeton.edu


           FTP prep.ai.mit.edu UUENCODE
           USER anonymous
           cd  /pub/gnu
           dir
           QUIT



      will return a complete list (``ls -l'') of the /pub/gnu directory of
      prep.ai.mit.edi.

      In an analogous fashion, the following mail to ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com

             reply your_login@your_host.addr.org
             connect archive.cis.ohio-state.edu
             compress
             uuencode
             dir /pub/backup



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 rftp(1)                                                             rftp(1)




             get backup-2.6beta.tar.Z
             quit


      will result in 22 files being saved (in correct order), uucat'd,
      uudecoded, and finally stored as ``backup-2.6beta.tar.Z''

 NOTES
      rftp presently only reconstructs two kinds of encoded and split files,
      and only ones that are uuencoded.

      rftp leaves all mail untouched in the spool directory.  When the
      reconstruction is complete, you can delete anything you wish to by
      hand.

      Wide use of this tool, or one similar, should significantly reduce the
      number of ftp-mailed files being requested a second or third time.

 SEE ALSO
      uudecode(1), uucat(1)

 BUG REPORTS TO
      Gary Kline     kline@tao.thought.org































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