Glenn Cole writes:
> I have a few requests, if I may, based on getting this to work:
>
>    1. As the MPE machine I tried this on doesn't have FTP access
>       outside the firewall (even though it was still to an hp.com
>       site!) I had to download the us-ffs files manually with a
>       web browser, then ftp to the target machine.  Thus, I had
>       to hack the script to specify these files on the command line.
>
>       Request:  Allow the files to be specified on the command line
>                 instead of requiring them to be downloaded by the
>                 script.

Can do.  People who *can* ftp but only in a proxy or socks environment should
contact me to explain the necessary contortions so I can figure out a way
for my script to still do the ftp-ing for you.

>    2. When the ftp connection failed, there was no error checking
>       to see if the transfer was successful.  I came up with a
>       wacky hack (below), but no doubt there's a better way.
>
>                 ftpstatus=`callci 'echo !FTPLASTERR'`
>
>                 if [ $ftpstatus -lt 0 ]; then
>                    echo 'The ftp transfer appears to have failed.\n'
>                    exit 1
>                 fi
>
>       Request:  If the script attempts the ftp transfer, then check
>                 to see if it worked.

I know that error checking is thin right now.  It will be robust for v1.0.

>    3. I know I picked the wrong way of getting the script onto the
>       MPE box.  (I copied from the http address in the web browser,
>       pasted into an email to a UNIX box, saved the script to a text
>       file, editted the file to remove mail headers, and finally ftp'd
>       to the MPE box.  Could I possibly have taken a worse route?)
>
>       As a result of being a pickle-head ;) I effectively managed
>       to convert split "long" lines into multiple single lines.
>       Of course, this caused the script to fail in those places.
>
>       Request:  Keep the lines <= 80 bytes, using continuation chars
>                 when needed.

I do try to keep lines <= 80, and should have everything split for v1.0.
--
Mark Bixby                      E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Coast Community College Dist.   Web: http://www.cccd.edu/~markb/
District Information Services   1370 Adams Ave, Costa Mesa, CA, USA 92626-5429
Technical Support               Voice: +1 714 438-4647
"You can tune a file system, but you can't tune a fish." - tunefs(1M)