Process Remote Files(s)

Built into the software are the functions required to transfer aircraft data by methods other than a direct modem connection. Basically the choice you choose is dependent upon the operating software you choose. I would like to add that these are advanced topics and probably do not apply to the majority of sites. The only people I can see using these methods are remote overseas sites as well as the office in Madison. Below is just a brief highlight of this operation. You should contact computer services in operations for further details if you think you need this (these) methods.

Internet

To transfer files via the Internet (FTP or File Transfer Protocol) it is necessary to have Win95--or newer operating system--installed with TCP/IP. You must have an access provider that grants you a slip or PPP connection and the software that connects you--email works fine today too. Having satisfied the above requirements you will need to add the statement under the [win] header in the BDM.INI file:

w95=ON

Next comes a few other statements in the [xfer] header

[xfer]

ftps= IP address of our server in Madison

ping=c:\windows\ping.exe ->This is the ping program address pointer

ftpp=c:\windows\ftp.exe ->This is the ftp program address pointer

ftpu= ->This will be your USER id (issued via computer services)

ftpw= ->This will be your password (issued via computer services)

If you can satisfy the above requirements you can use (from the aircraft list) the key sequence [CTRL-F12] from either the normal aircraft list or shark listing (administrative). If a valid TCP/IP connection has been established your data will be sent (via the Internet) to the FTP server in Madison. If a connection cannot be established you will be alerted to the failure.

Since you will be performing this operation in Windows it is best to Start BDM and then switch [CTRL-ESC] to the dialer to establish your connection and then click on the BDM or Start icon to switch back into BDM to complete the transfer. Make sure to switch back to the dialer to kill your connection after transfer to save on the phone bill. Of course, today we are almost always connected live through a router and have live a live full time connection.

OK, so you don’t want to go through all that trouble:

Another method using the Internet is to simply establish a connection via a provider, go into the aircraft file list and press the key sequence [CTRL-F11] to generate a data file. This file will be placed in a directory called \\bdmroot\bdm\special and will contain one file. Using your Internet software you will create an E-Mail message and attach the file from the special directory. By sending your mail you will be sending the data file. You should contact computer services to find out which E-Mail address to send the email to.

Regional Manager addendum

If one of your sites is going to use the above method you will need to have an Internet, Compuserve or AOL connection. Your address (network) must be given to the site that will use the alternate data connection. You will want to find out what directory your connection software uses as an incoming storage site. If you can figure this out add a line to your BDM.INI file that points to that directory. The statement will be placed in the [xfer] header and it is called xpth=

An example from my computer

[xfer]

xpth=D:\CSERVE\DNLOAD

Now... there is an extra menu item in XBDM called Process remote file(s). When you press this menu option BDM will look in the directory specified (via the .INI setting above) for any files that start with the sequence FTP. If found the files in this directory (as many as their are) will be moved into a processing directory (\\BDMROOT\BDM\XBDM\XFILES) for processing and inclusion into the Shark Bait (Administrative) system. The process is visual and you can watch the files being processed just like the regular XBDM system. If you cannot find out where the files are stored then you will not be able to run this process. The file will be named with a prefix of FTP--That is, something like this:FTP000ND.ZIP The variables for this are the zeros, where the zeros are substituted for the base number you have.