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diff --git a/docs/FM.announce b/docs/FM.announce new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0b2652b --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/FM.announce @@ -0,0 +1,72 @@ +LYNX FILE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT + +New facilities have been added since Lynx 2-3 to provide support +for managing files on the local filesystem. These facilities allow +the user to delete, rename, and re-locate files and/or directories and +to create and/or upload new files and directories. This will mainly +be of interest to systems administrators who are interested in running +lynx as a restricted shell in order to provide controlled access to a +range of services (as in a freenet). It may also be of use at sites +where some of the users are experiencing difficulty with the raw Unix +interface. + +Support for the new facilities is enabled at compile time by defining +the variable `DIRED_SUPPORT' in the `MCFLAGS' list in the Lynx +Makefile, and in the WWW makefile `CommonMakefile'. Runtime support +for disabling the facilities is provided by way of the restriction +`dired_support' which can be set on the command line for a particular +session. + +The Makefile also provides additional compile time flags for +controlling the extent and application of the file management +facilities; specifically, `OK_TAR' which enables support for creating +and expanding tar archives, `OK_GZIP' which enables use of gzip to +compress and decompress files, and `OK_OVERRIDE' which allows access +to the file management facilities directly from the keyboard in +addition to access by way of a file management menu. + +There are two possible modes of operation; the first in which a single +file management menu is invoked via the `f', or `F' key; the second, +in which the more often used facilities are made available directly +from the keyboard in addition to access via the menu. The second +method provides a much better user interface but requires re-mapping +some of the keys from their standard lynx interpretation, temporarily +when file management mode is in effect. For example, if OK_OVERRIDE is +defined at compile-time, then the line at the bottom of the screen, in +novice mode, will be + + C)reate D)ownload E)dit F)ull menu M)odify R)emove T)ag U)pload + +rather than the standard second noviceline, + + H)elp O)ptions P)rint G)o M)ain screen Q)uit /=search [delete]=history list + +when the user is browsing part of the file system. If OK_OVERRIDE is not +defined then all access to file management functionality must be by way +of the menu. The only exception is that the facility to tag files for +subsequent removal and/or re-location is always available directly from +the keyboard using `t', and `T'. + +This is a first release of the file management enhancements and suggestions +for improvements are welcome. Among the enhancements which are currently +being considered are facilities for changing file access attributes, and +a facility for listing and extracting part of an archive. + +In order to use the file management facilities you may either point +the program at a directory on the command line or point the program at +an html file which contains a link of the following form: + + <a href="file://localhost/~/"> Manage Personal Directory ? </a> + +where the anchor `file://localhost/~/' implies a reference to +/home/username. Because the `~/' in a file URL is converted to +`/home/username' regardless of origin, these facilities also work when +the anchor shown above is served from an http server as well. In +either case the reference is to files on the local system and not +files in the domain of the server. + +By default the file listing is in standard Unix mixed format, but you +may use the Options menu to select WWW `directories first' format, or +`files first' format if you prefer. + +Rick Mallett, Carleton University, Ottawa Canada. (rmallett@ccs.carleton.ca) |