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FAQ: Why can't I log into my Tiscali site Why can't I upload files ?

by Iain Low

iainlow@tiscali.co.uk.

Here are some thoughts, based on my own recent experiences.

(and some very old Unix theory of using Ftp).

Q - Why is my Tiscali login rejected?

A1 - You're not dialled in through Tiscali (LineOne won't do).

A2 - You're using the old LineOne type of login (name only) instead of Tiscali's (full email address).

A3 - You're already logged in as a result of a previous failed attempt to upload files. (wait 30 mins [Tiscali says 1800 secs] and you'll be logged out automaticallyfrom your old session).

Note: depending on your Ftp client, Tiscali may allow you to connect, but not transfer files, when you connect from another ISP. It politely refers you to the AUP.

Q - Why can I connect ok, but only some of my files are transferred, OR
Why can I connect ok, but some of my files are corrupted.

A - This is the thorny old question of Filetype. The simple fact is that the Ftp Server needs to know what type of file you're sending.

Is it pure Text (known as ascii), or is it binary?

Files with suffix txt are obviously text (ascii) files. Files with suffix gif or jpg are obviously binary. Files with suffix htm or html are not so obvious.

"Pure" HTML is text, but who produces pure html anyway? The Tiscali Ftp server can't be
relied upon to transfer htm / html files as ascii without corrupting them (or even at all, in my case).

It's safer to treat them as Binary files by default.

LEECH Ftp - Has a setting - File> Options> File Types, which shows which suffixes it will regard as pure text, or "Type A". By default, it includes .txt, .htm, .html, .nfo, .diz.

If you find that your htm or html files are either not being transferred, or are being corrupted, try removing them from this list. This will force the Tiscali server to treat them as binary (much safer).

WS_FTP LE - By default, WS_FTP LE does not treat .htm and .html files as text (ascii). It only treats .txt files as text (check out Options> Extensions). So, "out of the box", you have a better chance of it uploading
your files first time.

Also, under "Session (cont'd)" you will see the "Startup Transfer Mode" is set to "Binary". This is the safe, if slower, setting.

Q - Why do my files just sit in the queue, but not upload (using Leech Ftp)

A - Back to LEECH Ftp for a moment - If you connect ok to Tiscali, select your files, choose "Upload", and Leech just places your files in the queue, but nothing is uploaded, check out the "Threads" tab.

Leech normally uses up to 5 threads, including the "Main" thread (if you tell it to do so), when transferring files.
The Tiscali Ftp server seems to only accept 1 thread, the "Main" thread.
With your files in the queue, go to Threads, and click on the little green circular arrow to set the Main thread running. You should see your files start to move.

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