Re: lynx-dev Lynx and downloading files

[Don Adaway]

In article <address@hidden>, Leonid Pauzner
<address@hidden> writes
>18-Apr-99 14:41 Don Adaway wrote:
>> I am using version 2.8.1rel.1 under W95.
>
>> It works admirably for most purposes but if I download a binary file by
>> http or ftp the procedure, while appearing to work, loses the file.

>
>check you environment for TEMP or TMP variables, probably the path
>point to not existing directory or LFN (there may be a problem with lynx/Win32
>if you use filenames >8.3). Try set TMP=c:\ for sure.
>(Perhaps already OK since you can use a downloader menu ifself).

Thanks for your help.  I have SET TEMP=C:\TEMP in my autoexec.bat (also
SET TMP=C:\TEMP but Lynx appears to use TEMP -- see below). 

Incidentally I tried setting TEMP=C:\ but this twice caused Lynx to lock
up when I tried to ftp a file (coincidence or not I don't know) but
restoring TEMP to C:\TEMP cured the problem.

>
>There is a LYNX_SAVE_SPACE variable in lynx.cfg, this is *where* the files
>will be downloaded to. Try to set it (with same cautions as above).
>
I have the LYNX_SAVE_SPACE variable set to a 5 letter directory name
(actually C:\LYNX\SAVED\).  This directory exists.

Lynx does in fact work when I try to ftp.  The file downloads in the
time I would expect it to and all the Lynx messages are clear and
unambiguous.  Lynx gives every appearance of saving the file to disk.

After the ftp session I have examined the \TEMP directory with a disk
recovery program and established that the downloaded file did arrive
there with a cryptic name composed of numbers.  The first number was
missing because the file has been deleted.  This is what I hoped to
find.  Using the undelete facility in the program the file was
recoverable.

Examining the target directory C:\LYNX\SAVED with the same program I
found that there was an entry for the downloaded file with its proper
name except again for the first letter.  This version of the file was
zero length and not recoverable.  

I like using Lynx and would appreciate any help in solving this problem.

-- 
Don      chervil @ freeuk . com