KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q175132: MGET Command Returns Unintelligible Characters from IBM Host

Article: Q175132
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbnetwork kbtool win95kbfixlist
Last Modified: 25-MAR-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When you use the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) tool included with Windows 95 to
send the MGET command to an IBM Host FTP server, the server may return extended
or unintelligible characters. For example, you may receive the following
characters from the server:

  ftp> bin
  200 Representation type is Image
  ftp> mget txt*
  mget ptpaeptp=ptp=ptp(? Y
  Error opening local file ptpaeptp=ptp=ptp(
  ptpaeptp=ptp=ptp(:Invalid argument
  ftp>

CAUSE
=====

This behavior can occur when you set the FTP tool to Image mode (binary).

RESOLUTION
==========


STATUS
======

This problem no longer occurs in Windows 98. To resolve this problem, install
the current version of Windows. For information about the current version of
Windows, visit http://www.microsoft.com/windows.

MORE INFORMATION
================

IBM Host (mainframe or mini-computer [S/38 or AS/400]) uses Extended Binary
Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) as the character representation scheme,
whereas personal computers use American Standard Code for Information
Interchange (ASCII) characters. EBCDIC is an 8-bit code and ASCII is a 7-bit
code.

When you set the FTP tool to Image mode and send the MGET command as in the above
example, the NLST command is sent to the IBM Host FTP server in binary format.
The IBM Host FTP server has no way of knowing if the client making the request
is an ASCII or EBCDIC client. It returns the list of files using EBCDIC, which
is its default encoding scheme. Personal computers do not understand EBCDIC, so
extended or unintelligible characters are displayed.

For additional information in this issue as it affects Windows NT, please see the
following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q164542 MGET to an IBM Host FTP Server Returns Garbage Characters

Additional query words: garbage

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv kbnetwork kbtool win95 kbfixlist
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : :

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.