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Introduction and Simple Usage

@everyfooting Author: rootd // Editor: hiren // Texinfo: rootd // Rewrite: rootd@| @| 3 December 1994

What is Archie?

Archie is a service for indexing files in anonymous ftp sites. The archie server downloads lists of files from over 1000 different anonymous ftp sites. Then it allows people to search through the database looking for files.

There are currently two types of archie servers in existence: the original archie server sold by Bunyip corporation, and "Jughead", a freeware archie server available via anonymous ftp from ftp.ee.pdx.edu. Most "well-known" archie servers are from Bunyip.

How can I use archie?

You can use archie in the following ways:

1. via telnet
2. via email
3. via a local client

Examples of how to search

Using telnet

1. telnet archie.cs.pdx.edu (or whatever server you prefer)
2. type "archie" as your login name if they ask you for a password, just hit return
3. once you get the archie prompt, type "find [filename]"

Here is an example:

SunOS UNIX (Ursula)

login: archie
Password:

# Terminal type set to `xterm 24 80'.
# `erase' character is `^?'.
# `search' (type string) has the value `sub'.
jughead> find tcpipiv
# Search type: sub.
# Your queue position: 3
# Estimated time for completion: 01:02
working... |

Host ftp.cs.umn.edu    (128.101.230.9)
Last updated 18:55  5 Aug 1994

    Location: /pub/doc/published/books
      FILE    -r--r--r--    3628 bytes  07:38 25 Mar 1994
stevens.tcpipiv1.errata.Z
      FILE    -r--r--r--   67097 bytes  01:00  9 Dec 1993
stevens.tcpipiv1.tar.Z

jughead> 

For more information on doing searches by telneting to an archie server, including a list of available archie servers to which you can telnet, see the section <a href="telnet.html">Advanced telnet searches.

Using Email

To: archie@archie.ee.pdx.edu
Subject: 
--------
find tcpipiv

It's a nice easy simple email. You don't need to put anything in the subject line, and the body is just "find [programname]". Email with the response will automatically be emailed back to your address.

For more information on doing searches by email, including a list of servers, see the section Advanced email searches.

What Types of Searches Can I do?

Whan you do a search, you submit a string and the archie server looks for "matches" in it's database. But, if you submit the string "tcpip" and the server finds a file called "tcpipiv" or "TCPIP" does it consider that a "match"? That depends on the type of search. There are four types of searches that you can perform:

1. Exact search: This means that your string and the filename have to match EXACTLY. A string of gcc-2.5.7.tar does not match filename GCC-2.5.7.tar or gcc-2.5.7.tar.gz
2. Case sensitive substring search: Case is still sensitive, but if your string is a substring of the filename, then you match it. For example, a string of gcc-2.5.7 would match filename gcc-2.5.7.tar, but not GCC-2.5.7
3. >Case insensitive substring search: This is the most useful search method. You only have to give a substring of the full filename, and case doesn't matter. gcc-2.5.7 would match gcc-2.5.7.tar.gz, GCC-2.5.7.tar.Z, etc... This setting is the default search setting on jughead archie servers.
4. Regular expression search: This searches for a full regular expression, so you could search for gcc*Z and find versions of gcc that were compressed (compressed files have a .Z on the end). This search method is much slower than the others, please try to avoid using it.

To switch between search types, you need to use the "set search [type]" command. The types are:

1. "exact"
2. "subcase" (case sensitive substring)
3. "sub" (the default: case insensitive substring)
4. "regex" (regular expression)

So, to do an exact search via email, you would send:

To: archie@archie.ee.pdx.edu
Subject:
--------
set search exact
find gcc-2.5.7.tar.gz

For more information on the search settings, and switching between them, look at Detailed Search Information

Finding what a program does

Since these descriptions are entered manually by humans, they are sometimes not up-to-date. In addition, occasionally there are old programs in the whatis database which have been removed from ftp sites. As a result, you might occasionally find a description for a program with the whatis command, but not be able to find that program with an archie search.

What Clients are Available for Contacting Archie Servers?

In addition to using email or telnet to submit searches to archie servers, you can use a "client". A client is a program that helps you put together your search, then it submits your search for you, and prints out the results when they arrive.

Some clients have "friendly user interfaces" which make submitting the search-request easier. In addition, using telnet to connect to a server loads down the archie server. Using email or a client is preferable.

In order to use a client, you (or your system administrator) needs to download it from an anonymous ftp site and install it. Installation instructions are different for each type of client--make sure to read the documentation that comes with the client.

Here is a list of known archie clients:

1. c-archie: This is a client for unix and vms boxes, available from ftp.sura.net in /pub/archie. This is the client we document in the "unix client" chapter.

2. x-archie: This is another client for unix boxes, available from ftp.x.org in /contrib

3. perl-archie: This is a third unix client, written in perl, also available from ftp.sura.net
4. archie-NEXT: This client, for NEXT machines, is available from ashley.cs.widener.edu in /pub/archie
5. anarchie: This is a macintosh client available from mac.archive.umich.edu in /mac/util/comm

Why did we write "free archie"

Meanwhile, many people on the net wrote free archie clients for many different platforms. Since the interface to the archie server was well-known, these clients are available for a wide variety of platforms.

Since Bunyip was charging $6000 for someone to set up an archie server (they did have an educational discount) there were few publicly available archie servers. As a result, those few servers were constantly overloaded. In addition, if the source code were freely available, it would be easier to use the combined intelligence of the gurus on the internet to improve the archie server.

As a result, five students at Portland State University wrote "Jughead", a freeware archie server while maintaining compatibility with existing clients.

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