File Transfer Binary OR ascii
 

Being a relative newbie to the scene I have a question that has posed many different asweres.
I use DWMX04 for all my Editing/Transfering.
Every now and then I have problem and my web Admin finds it to be the fact that a file was uploaded in Binary Format instead of ASCII formatt.
He says it is because DWMX only transfers in Binary format.
I have tested and some files work VIA Binary some like func.php Will Not Work.

Im confused my server admin said that php files should be done ASCII 100% of the time and .tpl files it does not seem to be as sensitive with???? Is this true what is the deal?
I have found contradictory evidence.

WHAT IS it. I know selecting a transfer format of AUTO is preferred but DWMX does not have this.

What insight can people give me on this.

Thanks All;
Scott Kent

Its correct, I use Dreamweaver as well for designing purposses, I love it, but their internal FTP engine only uploads Binary versions of anything you want to upload.

That is why I use WS_FTP for uploading the files, its easy to use, and it automatically detects how it should upload a file.

Is Their a Rule of Thumb as to what files shuould be binary and what files should be ascii.
WS_FTP is great for Windows but no OSX version I know of.

Thanks
Scott Kent

Basically all images, HTML files and compressed files are uploaded in binary, since they represent binary data.

On the other hand ASCII files, which mean text related, are files such as CGI related (common gateway interface), those are files that have commands that are executed by the server.

So for our situation .tpl files and .php files should be uploaded VIA ASCII.
Why are .html files binary, or is it just because?

I use Cute FTP and binary seemed to be the only method I could transfer my func.php without problems???
CuteFTP for OSX seems to be the most versitile and simplest FTP client for OSX. I just had problems when I uploaded my func.php file in ASCII format as per requested by my server admin and it gave me problems but, binary worked. Binary is not for .php is it?
I will reproduce it as it is easy I do not think AUTO works either.

(HANDSONWEBHOSTING.com I recommend, no shell access, but the service has been wounderful leaving me little need for shell access, I am hard to please. XCart approved) Sorry had to plug them as it took many attempts to find somone like HOWH.

Ok rule of thumb:

Upload the following types of files in ASCII
.tpl
.htm
.html
.txt
.pl
.asp
.cfg
.php
+ any script/config/html file you can edit in a text editor is ASCII

Upload in binary for anything like
.zip
.exe
.swf
.tar
.jpg/png/gif etc
+ Anything you can't open/edit as normal text.

.cgi files are determined by either being compiled or non compiled so easy way to check is open it in your editor, if you can read script then it's ascii if not it's binary

That's the basic rules.

You'll find you can upload anything in binary but when you download it you'll find ascii file EOL (end of lines) are screwed, it also creates problems with update patches as the file sizes change too.

CuteFTP, Smart FTP generally make the right decision, common mistakes are .pl missing, .tpl missing from their rule tables

Thankyou Now that I know the Rules of Thumb I can attempt to learn why they do not apply in my case.
I beleive it may have to do with the fact that the func.php was originaly uploaded as binary.
When I upload the func.php file as ASCII or AUTO in Cute FTP I get an error:Fatal error:

Call to undefined function: func_get_language() in /home/lsr9251/public_html/include/get_language.php on line 15

When I upload same file VIA BINARY I dont have this problem.

Hmm wish I understood what goes on with the files more.
Thanks for All the Very Useful Info.

Scott