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Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm,news.answers,comp.answers Path: bloom-beacon.mit.edu!hookup!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!wupost!udel!princeton!tucson.Princeton.EDU!davido From: davido@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David L. Oppenheimer) Subject: comp.sys.mac.comm Frequently Asked Questions [3/4] Message-ID: <csmc-FAQ3_765398487@Princeton.EDU> Followup-To: poster Summary: This is the comp.sys.mac.comm Frequently Asked Questions list; its intent is to provide information specific to Macintosh computer communications, including modems, networks, and the like. You are encouraged to read this FAQ before posting to the newsgroup. Originator: news@nimaster Keywords: FAQ Sender: davido@phoenix.Princeton.EDU Supersedes: <csmc-FAQ3_762705652@Princeton.EDU> Nntp-Posting-Host: tucson.princeton.edu Reply-To: csmc-faq@phoenix.Princeton.EDU Organization: Princeton University References: <csmc-FAQ1_765398487@Princeton.EDU> Date: Sun, 3 Apr 1994 18:43:08 GMT Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Expires: Sun, 8 May 1994 18:41:27 GMT Lines: 718 Xref: bloom-beacon.mit.edu comp.sys.mac.comm:33768 news.answers:17568 comp.answers:4695 Archive-name: macintosh/comm-faq/part3 Last-modified: Wed Mar 09 1994 ================================================================================ [5] Networking, MacTCP, Telnet, SL/IP, PPP ========================================== [5.1] What is MacTCP and what kind of hardware and software do I need to use it? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MacTCP is Apple's implementation of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) TCP/IP Protocols (see [5.2]). MacTCP's software interface is a Control Panel, which means that it loads when your Macintosh boots. Under System 6.0.X, MacTCP will reside in the System Folder; under System 7.0, it should be placed in the Control Panels Folder. MacTCP accomplishes two important tasks: it is a tool that lets programmers who wish to develop TCP/IP based applications do so without "reinventing the wheel". By providing a standard interface to TCP/IP network hardware, MacTCP also makes it possible for more than one TCP/IP based application to run on a Macintosh at any one time. For example, you can simultaneously use a Telnet program, an FTP program, and share a filesystem via NFS when you use MacTCP to provide the interface to your TCP/IP network. The latest version (11/93) of MacTCP is MacTCP 2.0.4. The last pre-2.0 version, MacTCP 1.1.1, remains in common use. Both versions require a Macintosh Plus or later CPU, System 6.0.5 or better, a direct connection to an Ethernet or TokenRing network (typically a Ethernet or TokenRing card), a SL/IP or PPP dialup connection, or a connection to a LocalTalk network with a DDP-IP router such as a Shiva FastPath, Cayman Gatorbox, Webster Multigate, or Compatible EtherRoute TCP. If you are using System 7.1, you should be using MacTCP 2.0.4 or higher, or at the very least 1.1.1. Note: There are known bugs with 2.0; Apple recommends upgrading. Upgraders for various version are available at various FTP sites, including Info-Mac sites and seeding.apple.com. As indicated above, MacTCP is an Apple product available from APDA; product numbers and official names are listed below (8/93). Note that MacTCP 2.0 is known by "Connection for Macintosh". M8113Z/A TCP/IP Connection for Macintosh 59.00 M8114Z/A TCP/IP Administration for Macintosh 199.00 Individuals interested in obtaining MacTCP may wish to investigate Adam Engst's book, "Internet Starter Kit for Macintosh". Published by Hayden and typically selling for $30 (or less), it includes MacTCP and other software useful for accessing the Internet from your Macintosh. It's ISBN number is 1-56830-064-6. Many universities have campus site licenses for MacTCP; your site may also have such an arrangement --- check before buying. It is also now possible to buy MacTCP from mail-order companies; check around, and you may find a better price than APDA. Annual site licenses pricing (7/93): .edu .com 1 - 2000 Macintosh CPUs $1000 $3000 2001 - 5000 $1500 $4500 5000 - unlimited $2500 $7500 For more detailed information regarding setting up a Macintosh to connect to a TCP/IP network using MacTCP, see Eric Behr's report on MacTCP which is archived at the various FTP sites as mac-tcp-info.txt. This report provides a lot of useful information for first-time Macintosh networking administrators. [5.2] What are AppleTalk, LocalTalk, EtherNet, EtherTalk, TCP/IP, etc? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- When attempting to describe networking terms, a distinction should be drawn between networking _protocols_ (such as AppleTalk and TCP/IP) and networking _hardware_ (such as LocalTalk, Ethernet, and TokenRing). In most cases, a specific protocol can be used over more than one hardware medium. In order to help understand the interaction of these disparate parts in a real-world network, we can adopt the useful analogy of multi-layer cake with the physical wire at the very bottom and the software which you are running at the very top. Thus, we can think of LocalTalk, Ethernet and TokenRing as being the layers at the bottom, AppleTalk and TCP/IP in the middle and programs like NCSA Telnet, NFS/Share and MacX at the top. The following terms describe protocols (software descriptions) common to the Macintosh networking world: * AppleTalk: A proprietary suite of protocols developed by Apple Computer, Inc. that provides for near-transparent network connections between Macintosh computers. However, within the last few years AppleTalk has been ported to operating systems other than the Macintosh OS, including UNIX, VMS and DOS. Questions about the AppleTalk protocol are probably best posed in the newsgroup comp.protocols.appletalk . * TCP/IP: A suite of protocols developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) whose purpose is multi-platform connectivity. TCP/IP drivers are available for almost all of the computer platforms in use today, including micros, minis, main- frames and supercomputers. TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, because these are the two most widely used protocols in the suite. However, TCP/IP includes the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), Reverse Address Resolution Protocol (RARP) and others. * EtherTalk: The driver which allows AppleTalk protocols to be transported by Ethernet. * TokenTalk: The driver which allows AppleTalk protocols to be transported over IBM TokenRing networks. The following terms describe hardware (the physical link such as the wire(s) connecting computers) common to the Macintosh networking world: * LocalTalk: One type of hardware over which AppleTalk protocols can be transported. LocalTalk has a throughput of 230.4 Kilobits per second, or roughly a quarter of a Megabit per second. * PhoneNet: Another type of hardware commonly used to transport AppleTalk packets. PhoneNet mates LocalTalk hardware with ordinary (unused) telephone wire. PhoneNet is probably the cheapest way to connect widely separated Macintosh computers within a single building. * Ethernet: A network medium over which AppleTalk, TCP/IP and other protocols travel, often simultaneously. Ethernet's maximum throughput is 10 Mbps. Competing successors offer 100 Mbps. * TokenRing: A network medium developed (and patented) by IBM based on a topology of a ring of nodes connected serially by a single cable. Each node, or computer, speaks on the cable only when it has posession of a token. TokenRing technology can demonstrate throughputs of ranging from 4 to 16 Megabits per second. [5.3] What is Telnet, and is there a Telnet program for the Macintosh? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Telnet is a high speed terminal connection protocol designed with TCP/IP in mind. A Telnet program allows you to connect to computers that accept Telnet sessions (such as UNIX boxes) with interactive full-screen console input and output capabilities in mind. There are several Telnet programs for the Macintosh. The first and most widely used is NCSATelnet, which is free and can be found via anonymous FTP from ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu (as well as elsewhere). The latest version is 2.5.1 and supports TEK 4105 graphics, provides both an FTP server *and* client as well as a built-in SL/IP driver, and can do session logging. Unlike most TCP/IP programs for the Macintosh, it does not require (but can use) MacTCP. Comet, the Cornell Macintosh Terminal Emulator, is a Freeware communications program which offers multiple VT102 and IBM 3278 emulator Telnet sessions (using MacTCP) as well as serial VT102 connections. A TFTP server is provided for TCP/IP file transfer; in addition the "ft3270" file transfer protocol supports file transfer with IBM VM hosts over Telnet and serial connections. Comet 3.0 supports scrollbars and a ".edit" TextEdit window for each session. Comet is available via anonymous FTP from the pub/mac/comm/comet/ directory of ftp.cit.cornell.edu. Hytelnet is a Telnet program available for various personal computers including the Macintosh. The Macintosh version is based upon Hypercard 2.x. Contact Charles Burchill at <burchil@ccu.umanitoba.ca> for more information about Hytelnet. InterCon Systems has a fully-functional Telnet Connection Tool for use with the CTB). InterCon's TCP/Connect II includes Telnet and FTP facilities (and a host of other features). Versaterm 4.6.2 ships with a Telnet Connection Tool (in addition to MacTCP). However, this tool seems to be intended to be used only with Versaterm and does not support all Telnet features. Advanced Software Concepts distributes 5PM with MacTCP, a Telnet Connection Tool and a FTP server. 5PM includes a HyperTalk-like scripting engine and allows the user to create "palettes" which are similar to HyperCard cards. Stanford University Networking Systems has distributed a package known as SU-Mac/IP that includes Telnet, FTP, tn3270, printing facilities and other MacTCP based capabilities. The package can be licensed *ONLY* by "degree-granting institutions of higher education". For information, either send e-mail to macip@jessica.stanford.edu or call [USA] (415) 723-3909. [5.4] Is there a FTP (client/server) program for the Macintosh? --------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, you can choose from freeware, shareware and payware varieties: * NCSATelnet (see [5.3]) includes both FTP client and server capabilities. * Fetch 2.1.1 (from Dartmouth) is a free FTP client application for educational institutions. Otherwise, it requires a license. Fetch provides a more intuitive interface than the conventional text-based mechanism. * FTPd, $10, by Peter Lewis <peter@cujo.curtin.edu.au>, is a high-quality shareware FTP server with many features: o Multiple simultaneous users. o Uses System 7 Users & Groups to define users and passwords o Supports BinHex and MacBinary transfers, including the MACB command. o Allows login to other AppleShare servers on the local network. o Allows different formats of a file to be fetched. o Pattern matching in change directory command. o Individual initial directory for any user. o FTP site descriptions sent after login. o Directory descriptions sent after CD command. o Supports the CatSearch feature to allow very fast volume wide searches. * HyperFTP, a Hypercard-based FTP client. * XferIt, by Steve Falkenburg, a shareware FTP client. * Versaterm 4.6.2 also ships with an FTP CTB Tool. * Advanced Software Concepts sells FTPShare, a commercial FTP server product and has posted a demo to InfoMac. Main features (according to authors) are: o Operates very similar to System 7 FileSharing. o Also works under System 6. o Quite fast. [5.5] What are SL/IP, CSL/IP and PPP? ------------------------------------- SL/IP stands for Serial Line Internet Protocol. SL/IP is a "non-standard" for framing IP packets and shipping them over a serial line (e.g. a cable, or a pair of modems), thus allowing a home machine to dial up and become part of the Internet. Effectively, SL/IP turns a serial port into a logical ethernet port. Many workstations and terminal servers can support SL/IP. On the Macintosh side, several vendors offer SL/IP modules for MacTCP. (These vendors and products are summarized below). Macintosh software which communicates with the outside world via MacTCP will continue to work over SL/IP, albeit somewhat more slowly due to the relatively low bandwidth of modem connections. CSL/IP stands for Compressed SL/IP. CSL/IP reduces the size of the headers in IP packets by eliminating a certain amount of redundancy. This improves interactive performance. PPP stands for Point-to-Point Protocol. PPP can support both synchronous and asynchronous connections and protocols that are not IP-based (such as AppleTalk). It provides specifications for error detection, feature negotiation, escaping control characters, etc. PPP is becoming more and more popular, especially as MacPPP, a MacTCP extension available via anonymous FTP from merit.edu in pub/ppp, has matured into a stable and viable alternative to the various available MacTCP SL/IP LAPs. Although SL/IP continues to be more prevalent than PPP, PPP will become more prevalent in the future. For more information on PPP, consult the FAQ for the newsgroup comp.protocols.ppp. Recently, several vendors have provided SL/IP LAPs for MacTCP. What is a "MacTCP SL/IP LAP"? To quote Steve Dorner, "It's an extension that allows MacTCP to work over a phone line, allowing you to use any MacTCP application over your modem, if you have the right dialins." LAP stands for Link Access Protocol. You choose the LAP you want to use via the MacTCP Control Panel. Currently, the following SL/IP products for the Macintosh are readily available: o MacSLIP from Hyde Park Software is a MacTCP extension that supports SL/IP and CSL/IP and a scripting language for session. Individual copies sell for $49.95. Contact: info@hydepark.com, [USA] (800) 531-5170. Sales and support are handled by TriSoft. Reports of transfer rates as high as 1500 bytes/sec have been posted to comp.sys.mac.comm by users of MacSLIP on V.42bis 9600 baud modems. Transfer rates as high as 3 KB/sec are possible through a 38400 baud connection. o InterCon Systems is shipping a MacTCP extension with their networking product (TCP/Connect II), and as a separate package (InterSLIP). HOWEVER, InterCon has graciously made InterSLIP available to Internet users for FREE. You can FTP InterSLIP from ftp.intercon.com in InterCon/sales. Demonstration versions of various InterCon products are also available at this FTP address. Contact: sales@intercon.com, [USA] (703) 709 9890 o Synergy Software offers a CSL/IP MacTCP extension with its Versaterm/Versaterm-PRO packages. If you already own Versaterm, SL/IP is a $20 upgrade. If you buy the complete Versaterm 4.6.2 package (about $90), you will also get an FTP server and client, a Telnet connection tool, and MacTCP. Performance is comparable to that of MacSLIP. Contact: [USA] (215) 779 0522 o If you are only interested in Telnet and FTP capability, you may want to examine NCSA Telnet (see [5.3]). For a review of Macintosh SL/IP products, see the November 16, 1992 issue of "Open Systems Today". Benchmarks are included. Note: If you are using MacTCP over a dialup SL/IP or PPP link, MacTCP 2.0.4 or later is recommended. Previous versions have an annoying retransmission problem that can slow down serial connections. If you must use v1.1.1, get the MacTCP-Patch program; it's available as mac/misc/update/mactcppatch.cpt.hqx at mac.archive.umich.edu. [5.6] How does MacTCP resolve names into IP addresses? ------------------------------------------------------ If you are having problems configuring MacTCP to use dynamic Domain Name Service entries, the following empirical description of the behavoir of MacTCP's name resolution protocol may be useful. The description assumes some familiarity with IP addressing. Step 1. Expand the target name. If the target name contains a ".", the target name is the expanded target name. Otherwise, prepend the name to the domain marked with the "Default" button in the MacTCP control panel. The concatenation of the name and this domain becomes the expanded target name. Proceed to Step 2. Examples: Assume "slcs.slb.com" is the default domain for MacTCP. "valhalla" expands to "valhalla.slcs.slb.com". "cayman.com" expands to "cayman.com". "apple." expands to "apple." Step 2. Check the Hosts file in the System Folder of this Macintosh. If there is an exact match between the expanded target name from Step 1 and a name in the Hosts file, the corresponding IP address from the first such match in the Hosts file is the target IP address; otherwise proceed to Step 3. Trailing "." characters on either the expanded target name or Hosts file name are ignored for this test. Examples: Assume "slcs.slb.com" is the default domain for MacTCP. "linus" expands and matches "linus.slcs.slb.com" in Hosts. "apple." matches "apple" in Hosts. "apple" expands and does *not* match "apple" in Hosts. Step 3. Find the domains that contain the expanded name. Search through the domains from the MacTCP control panel entries, and build a list of the domains that contain the expanded target name. A domain contains the expanded target name if the domain is a final string of the expanded target name. A "." by itself in the MacTCP control panel is a domain containing any expanded target name. The default domain is always added as the last domain of the list, whether it contains the expanded target name or not. Proceed to Step 4. Examples: Assume "slcs.slb.com" is the default domain for MacTCP. "valhalla" is expanded and contained in domain "slcs.slb.com". "apple." is *not* contained in domain "slcs.slb.com". "apple" is expanded and contained in domain "slb.com". "anyhost" is contained in domain ".". Step 4. Consult the name servers of the containing domains. Consult the Domain Name Servers, in the order found, based on the corresponding IP addresses from their entries in the MacTCP control panel. The servers are given the expanded target name to translate. If a MacTCP is unable to contact a server, or if the server returns a non-authoritative negative reply, the next server in line is tried. Otherwise, the result from the server just contacted, either a successful translation, or an authoritative "unable to resolve", is the final result. ================================================================================ [6] MacX and Other Ways to Interface With UNIX ============================================== [6.1] Can I run X-Windows on my Mac? ------------------------------------ Yes. For Macintosh OS users (not using A/UX), two possibilities exist. MacX is an X-Windows server for the Macintosh, developed by Apple. With MacX running, your Macintosh can serve as a display server for any X-Windows client program (such as xterm, xbiff, etc). The client programs must be running on a separate machine running UNIX (unless you are also running A/UX, Apple's brand of UNIX for the Macintosh). MacX's technical capabilities, as described by Alan Mimms in "X for the rest of us" (2/91) and paraphrased in the FAQ for comp.windows.x are as follows: MacX runs on MacPlus or newer machines with >= 2MB of memory and system software 6.0.4 or later. Version 1.1 is fully X11R4-based. It supports full ICCCM-compatible cut and paste of text AND graphics between the Macintosh and X11 worlds, the SHAPE extension (including SHAPEd windows on the Macintosh desktop), an optional built-in ICCCM-compliant window manager, X11R4 fonts and colors, a built-in BDF font compiler, and built-in standard colormaps. To connect your Macintosh to a network of machines capable of running X-Windows clients, MacX uses MacTCP. For the best performance, you will want to access this network through LocalTalk or normal Ethernet. However, it is also possible to make the connection over a high-speed modem and use MacX to run X-Windows clients on remote machines; you will need a SL/IP LAP module for MacTCP to do this --- see [6.2] for the details. MacX can be purchased from official Apple retailers, such as most university campus stores, for about $300 (less if you qualify for an educational discount). MacX is also bundled with A/UX 3.0.x. The FAQ for comp.windows.x also describes another product, eXodus, as follows: eXodus from White Pine Software (603-886-9050) runs on any Mac with at least 1MB of memory and runs the X server within a standard Macintosh window. Version 3.0 [6/91] supports intermixing of X and Mac windows and the ADSP protocol. The version supports the SHAPE extension and includes DECwindows support. For information regarding using MacX with A/UX, see the FAQ for comp.unix.aux and/or ask questions in that newsgroup, and/or investigate wuarchive.wustle.edu:/systems/aux/X11R5. You _can_ run X11R5 directly under A/UX 3.0.x, which provides significantly better performance. [6.2] How can I run MacX over a modem? Is it feasible? ------------------------------------------------------ Now that several SL/IP LAP modules for MacTCP are available, it is possible to run MacX over a modem. You are advised that performance will be significantly poorer than you may be expecting, especially if you are not using a high-speed modem (eg: 9600 baud or higher with compression and/or error- detection). With high-speed modems, using MacX to bring up xterms and other text-oriented clients is usable; however, any sort of graphics-intensive program (eg: xdvi) is going to require some patience (but should be bearable). Thus, in addition to MacX, to be able run MacX over a modem you need: 1. A modem. A high-speed modem with v.32bis and v.42bis is *STRONGLY* recommended. 2. A terminal-server at your site that offers dial-up SL/IP or PPP connections. You'll have to ask your site or system administrator about this one. 3. A SL/IP (or CSL/IP) or PPP LAP module for MacTCP. See [5.5] for details on such products. If you are specifically interested in just having multiple connections to a UNIX box that you connect to over a modem, other options include using a Telnet program with SL/IP (see [5.3]), or MacLayers or UW [which do not need SL/IP] (see [6.3], [6.4]). [6.3] What is MacLayers and what do I need to use it? ----------------------------------------------------- MacLayers allows you to logon to a UNIX host and open more than one window over a single (serial) connection. Each window can correspond to a (login) shell or program running on your choice of host(s). Up to seven full-screen resizable VT-100 windows are allowed. In addition, MacLayers provides a primitive (but useful anyway) mechanism to download binary files "in the background", allowing you to work in other windows while you download. No upload facility (except for text pasting) is provided. At this time, MacLayers does not support the CTB. However, it is freely distributable (but may not be sold). MacLayers requires: 1. A UNIX host which supports sockets. 2. A Macintosh with 128 KB ROMs or larger. MacLayers does not work with the old 64 KB ROM machines. (You need a MacPlus or better). MacLayers comes in two parts: a program you run on your Macintosh and a set of C source files that you compile on your UNIX host (a Makefile is provided). When you login to your host while running MacLayers on your Macintosh, you simply run one of the UNIX-side programs to start up the windowing system (similar to running a windowing-environment like X-Windows at the console, except that everything is character based -- no graphics). MacLayers is currently at version 1.30. The author is working hard to improve MacLayers; current plans include better terminal emulation, faster downloading, uploading, and more! Please send all electronic correspondence regarding MacLayers to the address layers-reply@rascal.ics.utexas.edu. The latest version of MacLayers is available via anonymous FTP from rascal.ics.utexas.edu in mac/communications/MacLayers. You are STRONGLY encouraged to upgrade to the latest version. The most common response to requests for features and bug reports is: "Get the latest version from rascal." [6.4] What are UW and MultiSession? Are there other programs like MacLayers? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Editorial Comment: One should note that the editor of this FAQ and the current author of MacLayers are one in the same. This may or may not introduce an unavoidable bias into the following comments: * UW (short for UNIX Windows) is a program similar in style and intent to MacLayers (see [6.3]) --- that is, it provides a multi-window interface to a UNIX hosts. UW has been around a lot longer than MacLayers but, as far as I know, hasn't been updated in quite a long time. It offers most of the same features as MacLayers, but no facility for downloading is provided. UW does have the advantage of working with the older 64 KB ROM machines, but in general, MacLayers is the superior program. * MultiSession is a recently released program with similar goals. It includes error-correction in its Macintosh-to-UNIX protocol, but this makes it quite sluggish. As of this writing (6/93), the UNIX side of MultiSession runs properly only under ULTRIX. For more information on MultiSession, please see its documentation or contact the author; please do not send e-mail to the editor. MultiSession's author is Thomas R. Lawrence (tomlaw@world.std.com). [6.5] Is there a UNIX program that will convert between BinHex and MacBinary? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, there are at least two that will handle BinHex 4.0, MacBinary, and other conversions. macutil and mcvert are distributed as UNIX shar archvies and can be found in the unix directory at InfoMac sites. Source code is included (of course) so you will need a C compiler to build the programs: * macutil macutil is a collection of utilities for manipulating Macintosh files in MacBinary [see 2.2] or BinHex [see 2.3] format, or over AppleDouble, AUFS, or CAP servers. As of (8/92), macutil includes three programs: o hexbin - a program to convert BinHex 4.0 to MacBinary; it also converts uuencode (and UULite) files to their native binary format; support for .dl, .hex, and .hcx formats (all predecessors of BinHex 4.0) also exists o macsave - a MacBinary filter program to convert between various MacBinary representations, including a single .bin file, three separate .data, .rsrc, .info files, and AUFS format. macsave also allows one to "peek" inside MacBinary files o macunpack - a program to unpack PackIt, StuffIt, Diamond, Compactor/Compact Pro, most StuffIt Classic and StuffIt Deluxe, DiskDoubler, Zoom and LHarc/MacLHa archives. It also decodes BinHex 5.0, MacBinary, uuencode, and UNIX compress (ie: .Z suffix) files (as well as variants of compress implemented by various Macintosh compress programs). Support for password protected and/or multi-segment archives of various types is minimal or non-existent. The various authors of the macutil utilities are too numerous to list here; consult the README files that come with the package for the details. * mcvert mcvert allows you to convert BinHex files to MacBinary files and vice versa. In addition, you can create MacBinary files with empty resource forks from normal files, as well as perform other transformations. mcvert can also decode PackIt archives. mcvert was originally written in 1987 by Doug Moore, but is now maintained by Joseph Skudlarek, jskudlarek@std.mentorg.com, who has fixed added many new features and made mcvert easier to use. The latest version of mcvert is available at InfoMac sites. * xbin xbin is an old program, similar to a primitive version of mcvert. It converts BinHex files into a set of three files which model the data, resource, and info forks of a Macintosh file; recall that all of this information is contained in a single MacBinary file (see [2.2]). Unless you have software that can reconstruct a MacBinary file from these three separate files (mcvert will do this), xbin will be pretty useless. xbin is pretty dead on UNIX platforms, but VMS folk continue to use it because, unlike mcvert of the macutil pacakge, xbin compiles under VMS. [6.6] How can I create LaserWriter PostScript printer files and print them -------------------------------------------------------------------------- on a PostScript printer connected to a UNIX network? If you are running System 7.x or later, make sure you using the LaserWriter 8.0 driver set (or something more recent, such as 8.1.1). You can FTP these Extensions from Apple at ftp.apple.com. Select Print from your application and check the option entitled 'Disk File' or 'Print to Disk'. Then click on Options and configure things to create a minimal PostScript file by unchecking all boxes. Do not include any extra fonts. Now, "print" the file. If you are running System 7, you will be prompted to select the destination folder and name for the PostScript file. Otherwise, it will be named "PostScript' (or 'PostScript#' where '#' is a digit) and placed either in the System folder, the application's current folder, or the root folder on the startup disk. You may rename the file. Upload (or otherwise transfer) the PostScript file to your UNIX system, treating it as a text file, unless you are including graphics or fonts in your output (in which case you should be safe and take the extra steps and treat the file as an eight-bit binary file). Note: If you are a pre-System 7 user or cannot upgrade to the latest LaserWriter drivers, you are encouraged to read the file tips/generating-postscript at InfoMac archives. Also check out the program 'Trimmer'. Note: If you are trying (vainly) to use Macintosh PostScript files as figures using the psfig macro under Tex or LaTeX, get the mactotex package from the University of Michigan's archive site in util/unix. This utility makes importing Macintosh PostScript files into (La)TeX painless; it also includes a useful 'cleanps' utility, that strips Macintosh PostScript files of unneeded parts. [6.7] What is the Columbia AppleTalk Package (CAP)? --------------------------------------------------- The Columbia AppleTalk Package allows supported UNIX machines to speak AppleTalk, the built-in networking language every Macintosh running the MacOS understands. CAP provides an AppleShare 2.0 compatible file server (aufs) for sharing UNIX disks with Macintosh computers, a LaserWriter spooler (lwsrv) for spooling Macintosh print-jobs and a printing program (papif) for printing Macintosh files on ethernet- accessible LaserPrinters. Many other contributed programs are also available. Using CAP, UNIX disks and printers can be made accessible via the Chooser. CAP is free and in common use wherever large AppleTalk and UNIX networks converge. For more information, consult the documentation at one of the following FTP sites: rutgers.edu src/{cap60.tar.Z,cap60.patches/*} munnari.oz.au mac/{cap60.tar.Z,cap.patches/*} gatekeeper.dec.com pub/net/appletalk/cap/{cap60.tar.Z,cap.patches/*} ftp.kuis.kyoto-u.ac.jp net/cap/{cap60.tar.Z,cap60.patches/*.Z} src.doc.ic.ac.uk mac/multigate/{cap60.tar.Z,cap.patches/*} An alternative to CAP that offers higher performance but is not currently compatible with as many UNIX platforms is netatalk, available via FTP from terminator.rs.itd.umich.edu.