IE FTP: Default Upload Transfer Type- Binary or Ascii?

[Guest]

I am trying to find out how IE uploads files to an FTP site when I drag and
drop a file in IE. I can't seem to find any documentation on this and I have
a vendor telling me I am uploading my files in binary format but I find that
hard to believe as it is a simple text file with a .dat extension. In this
particular instance I am uploading to a Unix box.

Q. When I upload a file using IE FTP explorer, does it transmit the file in
binary or ascii format?

 

[Rob ^_^]

Hi Brian,

Its all nibbles, bits or bytes - binary words. Computers can't read ascii!

Regards.

 

[Guest]

I am trying to find out how IE uploads files to an FTP site when I drag and
drop a file in IE. I can't seem to find any documentation on this and I have
a vendor telling me I am uploading my files in binary format but I find that
hard to believe as it is a simple text file with a .dat extension. In this
particular instance I am uploading to a Unix box.

Q. When I upload a file using IE FTP explorer, does it transmit the file in
binary or ascii format?

Hi Brian,
Text format, Word Docs, Excel, HTML,XML, Notepad txt are all in ASCII
Mod/format.
Images (jpg, jpeg, gif, pft..etc), WMA, MP3, any music files and Animated
Gifs are in Binary Mod/format, if you transfer the File/Image in the wrong
mod you will find Distort or not functioning at all on the webpage.
For more info on FTP read this article from here:
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc0959.txt

***************************************
To use FTP to Publish to an FTP site read this:
Before you publish to an FTP site, you must create an FTP site in the FTP
Locations folder:

On the File menu, click Publish to the Web.
If you see a dialog box message about finding a Web hosting service
provider, click OK to dismiss it.
In the Publish to the Web dialog box, in the Save in box, click Add/Modify
FTP Locations under FTP Locations.
Enter the FTP site name, username, and password you received from your
Internet Service Provider, and then click Add.
Click OK.
To publish your Web site to the FTP site, do the following:

On the File menu, click Publish to the Web.
Click OK to dismiss the dialog box message about finding a Web hosting
service provider.
In the Save in box, click FTP Locations.
In the list of FTP sites, double-click the FTP site you added, and then
double-click the folder where you want to publish your Web site (usually the
default file folder selected).
Click OK to dismiss the message that Publisher has created a filtered HTML
version of your Web site publication.
After the file save has completed, to view your Web site, type the URL your
Web hosting service provided into the Address box in your Internet browser
window.

You can also download an FTP program like Cute_FTP, Wise_FTP, WS_FTP they
are free and give you the Options to chose which Format to transfer into:
ASCII, Binary, Auto Mod (in some you still have to select one of
(ASCII,Binary) )/Format and make it easy to see your files/Images/Applcations
transfered in a neat Control Panel GUI.
HTH.
Please let us know.
Regards,
nass

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the responses, but it appears that I got two conflicting answers.
1. Rob you indicate everything is transferred in binary mode.
2. nass you indicate that text is transferred in ascii mode, while images
are transferred in binary mode.

Q. Is there any suggestion or thought in how I can test either of the above
theory's?

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the responses, but it appears that I got two conflicting answers.
1. Rob you indicate everything is transferred in binary mode.
2. nass you indicate that text is transferred in ascii mode, while images
are transferred in binary mode.

Q. Is there any suggestion or thought in how I can test either of the above
theory's?

Hi Brian,
I'm talking in General here, if you want to Upload/Transfer Files/Folders,
Images/Applications/Music to a FTP server you should put in consideration
what i provided to you.
Rob answered to your Specific Question (.dat), but I can't answer for Rob
here, just myself.
HTH.
Regards,
nass

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

All files are transmitted in binary. ASCII is a way to code characters in
binary so that they can be transmitted.

 

[photog]

Hi Brian,
Text format, Word Docs, Excel, HTML,XML, Notepad txt are all in ASCII
Mod/format.
Images (jpg, jpeg, gif, pft..etc), WMA, MP3, any music files and Animated
Gifs are in Binary Mod/format, if you transfer the File/Image in the wrong
mod you will find Distort or not functioning at all on the webpage.
For more info on FTP read this article from here:
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc0959.txt

***************************************
To use FTP to Publish to an FTP site read this:
Before you publish to an FTP site, you must create an FTP site in the FTP
Locations folder:

On the File menu, click Publish to the Web.
If you see a dialog box message about finding a Web hosting service
provider, click OK to dismiss it.
In the Publish to the Web dialog box, in the Save in box, click Add/Modify
FTP Locations under FTP Locations.
Enter the FTP site name, username, and password you received from your
Internet Service Provider, and then click Add.
Click OK.
To publish your Web site to the FTP site, do the following:

On the File menu, click Publish to the Web.
Click OK to dismiss the dialog box message about finding a Web hosting
service provider.
In the Save in box, click FTP Locations.
In the list of FTP sites, double-click the FTP site you added, and then
double-click the folder where you want to publish your Web site (usually the
default file folder selected).
Click OK to dismiss the message that Publisher has created a filtered HTML
version of your Web site publication.
After the file save has completed, to view your Web site, type the URL your
Web hosting service provided into the Address box in your Internet browser
window.

You can also download an FTP program like Cute_FTP, Wise_FTP, WS_FTP they
are free and give you the Options to chose which Format to transfer into:
ASCII, Binary, Auto Mod (in some you still have to select one of
(ASCII,Binary) )/Format and make it easy to see your files/Images/Applcations
transfered in a neat Control Panel GUI.
HTH.
Please let us know.
Regards,
nass

Or type the following in the IE address bar:
ftp://[email protected]
Enter your password when prompted, now drag and drop your files or folders.
When done add your FTP connection to your favorites.
Good Luck
photog

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

....

My guess is it probably depends on the file extension
and the precise contents. What does it matter to you?

Thanks for the responses, but it appears that I got two conflicting answers.
1. Rob you indicate everything is transferred in binary mode.
2. nass you indicate that text is transferred in ascii mode, while images
are transferred in binary mode.

Q. Is there any suggestion or thought in how I can test either of the above
theory's?

Take a packet trace and analyse it. E.g. use netcap for the capture
and Ethereal for the formatting.


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
---

 

[Gary Smith]

That's true as far as it goes, but in FTP "binary" mode is a literal
byte-for-byte transfer of data, so that the file on the target system is
an excat copy of the file on the source system. "ASCII" mode, which is
appropriate for text, adds some intelligence. Typically the line-end
characters are transformed to correspond to the target systems
conventions, and in some cases the data is translated. Transmitting a
file in the wrong mode may result in a trashed copy on the receiving end.

If you transmit a text file in binary mode from a Unix system to a Windows
system and open the result in Notepad, it will appear to be all one long
line with undisplayable characters where the line ends should be.
Transfer a Windows text file to a Unix system in binary mode, it will
probably appear to be double-spaced when viewed on the target system.
Transferring binary files in ASCII mode usually trashes them beyond
recovery.

 

[Rob ^_^]

Hi Gary,

Thanks for the edification. I will check my naval for binary fluff. (sic).
Its been a while since I had to use HummingBird.

Regards.

 

[Gary Smith]

You're welcome. I deal with FTP between unlike systems on an almost daily
basis, so I'm unable to forget this stuff in spite of my natural
inclination to do so.

Hi Gary,