AppleShare Client for Windows

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By Antoine Duong

This article includes tips as well as common questions and answers for the AppleShare Client for Windows.

File Size Differences

Here is how to find the actual size of a file on both Macintosh and Windows platforms:

To view the true file size from a Macintosh highlight the file, and choose the Get Info command in the File menu. In the Get Info window, the actual file size is listed in parentheses with bytes used.
To view the amount of AppleShare File Server disk space used for a given file from a Windows client, highlight the desired file, select the Properties item from File Manager, and click on the AppleShare... option. The disk statistic appears in the Size field of this dialog.

The Windows File Manager shows the actual number of bytes of the file. A Macintosh Finder window reports the number of bytes allocated on the disk to store the file.

Truncated File Names

The Macintosh Hierarchical File System (HFS) file system uses 31 characters in file names. Also all DOS special characters (except the colon) are valid HFS file name characters.

The AppleShare Client for Windows sees the truncated name, based on the DOS 8.3 file system naming convention. The Windows client implements a file name truncating algorithm, however the real file name is still the long Macintosh file name. This can be viewed in the File Manager's Properties dialog box.

Best Routing and Lost Packets

There is a problem with NSI 1.5 installed on AppleShare File Servers when AppleShare Client for Windows PCs transfer large amounts of data. The AppleShare Client does not use Best Routing completely. Without Best Routing, a problem may occur which causes the router to pass the returning packet to another router, rather than to the PC workstation. The Network Software Installer (NSI) 1.5.1 installed on the AppleShare server fixes this. Be sure NSI 1.5.1 is installed on the server.

Losing Resource Forks

Macintosh files with resource forks are hidden from a Windows client user to protect them from damage. To view hidden files, select the Views/By File Type menu item in the File Manager and select the Show Hidden/System Files item.

WARNING: Hidden files can be made visible, if these hidden files are modified, they can be permanently destroyed.

Macintosh files copied or moved on the server by a Windows client can lose their icon information, and Macintosh long names because the Windows File Manager does not support these file attributes. The workaround is to open the file within the Macintosh application while icon information can either be replaced by using ResEdit, or pasting the appropriate icon into the Get Info box for the desired file.

Macintosh files where all data is contained in the data fork can be modified, and no data is lost. However like before the Icon appears as a generic icon, and the file name is shortened.

Common Questions and Answers

Question: What does the error message "Your System is configured with an incompatible network driver" mean?

Answer: Only one AppleTalk stack can be loaded on a workstation. See PROBLEMS.WRI located on installer Disk 1 for step-by-step instructions for removing Farallon's PhoneNet PC.

Question: What does the error message "AppleTalk Driver was not loaded. Please reinstall AppleShare" mean when Windows is starting up?

Answer: This error message is indicative of the following:

Incorrect NET.CFG parameters
Conflicting NET.CFG files
Unsupported NIC
Computer was not restarted after installation
The call to ATDRIVER.BAT is located after Windows is executed in the AUTOEXEC.BAT

Question: Why does the File Manager's Properties button not always show the type and creator?

Answer: The AppleShare Client looks to see if the application used to create the document is on the same volume.

Question: Why do certain applications sometimes crash when saving?

Answer: This occurs when saving documents with applications that have been configured with a different AppleTalk stack like Claris's FileMaker Pro.

Question: Can I Mount a volume on Drive B?

Answer: Yes, AppleShare Client lets you do this, however File Manager does not see any files on this drive. "DIR" from a virtual DOS computer sees the files.

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