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rftp(1)                DragonFly General Commands Manual               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.

       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
              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

                                                                       rftp(1)