Using CAP to Access Your RCR Files on Your Macintosh

If you have a Windows machine you can get the same type of service outlined here by using samba.

CAP is a program running on the UNIX systems that permits you to access your UNIX files as if they were part or your Macintosh system.

CAP creates a virtual Mac folder on the UNIX system. Files that the Mac puts into that folder are stored in Macintosh format. These files may or may not be usable by the UNIX system. For instance, most image file formats are the same on all platforms so "tif", "gif" and "jpeg" files that PhotoShop opens on your Mac will open identically on UNIX. Unfortunately, Mac text files use different characters to indicate end-of-line than does the UNIX. The result is that a Mac text file viewed with a UNIX command will appear to be all one line. (However, if you need to edit a Mac text file on UNIX, there is a simple UNIX converter program to switch between the two formats.) We have not determined which file types will cause problems if used on the UNIX system. CAP should be regarded primarily as creating an extension of the Mac file system, rather than as an interface for passing files between the two working environments.

UNIX files that are accessed by Mac using CAP appear to be translated correctly. If you edit the file on the Mac and return it to the UNIX system you need to use a Mac editor that "understands" UNIX text files, such as BBEdit, or it may no longer appear correctly on the UNIX system.

The BIG advantage of CAP is that it gives you the ability to store critical files on the UNIX system, where they will be subject to automatic backup. If may be possible to use it to transfer some file types between the systems.

The BIG drawback of CAP currently is that it is an AppleShare file server only, and does not understand IP. So it can only be used in an EtherTalk/AppleTalk environment, such as we have internal to MSB. A new version of CAP may remove this deficiency.

Basic Requirements

In order for this to work, your UNIX password must not be more than eight characters. If it is, you will need to change it with the passwd command. You will also need AppleShare client code (1.1 or better) and Chooser (3.0 or better) installed on your Mac.

On the UNIX System

Log on to your UNIX account and run the following two commands: 'mkdir .finderinfo' and 'mkdir .resource'. If these subdirectories exit already you don't have to create them.

On the Mac

Now on the Mac, select Chooser from the Apple menu. In the Chooser click on AppleShare in the upper left box, and MSB1stfloor in the lower left box. Click on mcrcr0.med.nyu.edu in the box on the right. Click on OK.

When the connect box appears, select Registered User and fill in your UNIX username and password. Click on OK.

You will now be asked to select items to use. In this simple example, the only selection, your home directory, will already be highlighted so click OK. Your UNIX directory should appear on your desktop.

Note that while you will be able to move files from any UNIX subdirectory to the MAC, if you want to move a file to a UNIX subdirectory, that subdirectory must have its own .finderinfo and .resource subdirectories.