===================================================== I have an older computer can I still run a webcam? If your computer can run Windows 95 then it can run my Webcam.bat file which is Dos based and uses very little system resources. I have 16 megs of memory on my computer and still run the webcam, Icq, a web browser, plus one or two other programs simultaneously. ===================================================== I have a slow connection to the internet will this hamper me? No, the only time the webcam needs the phone line is when it is uploading the picture. I seldom connect to my server at better than 24000 if I'm lucky 26400. My picture files are only about 30 kilobytes and upload, with ftp.exe,in several seconds. This relatively quick upload repeats every three minutes using very little bandwidth on the phone line. Even a 2400 baud modem should be able to handle it. ====================================================== Where do I get a copy of the "Choice" program? "Choice" is a new Dos command which comes with Dos 6.2 that you get with Windows 95. It is a command designed exclusively for batch files. When you run Webcam.bat it will automatically run in a Dos window and Dos will find "choice" in the Dos directory. ======================================================== Why is Webcam.bat not finding the directory where my picture files are being saved to? Be sure that you have the correct path and remember that webcam.bat is running in Dos mode and Dos names are limited to eight characters. It will not find a directory called "\my_webcam_pics\" or a file called "quickcamsavedpic.jpg". Rename them to eight characters such as "\cam_pix\" or "camsaved.jpg". ========================================================== Why am I getting a "syntax error" message when I run Webcam.bat? If you have never written a batch file or any kind of computer code before you have to remember that computers are not forgiving. If you send e-mail to a friend and you miss-type or miss-spell a word he will probably still understand what you are saying. A computer will process what you give it. If it sees a typing error it will not know what to do with it every keystroke is important in computer codes. ========================================================== Where do I get copy of Ftp.exe? Ftp.exe comes with Windows 95 and is located in the windows directory. I strongly recommend trying it before you attempt to run a script file with it. ========================================================== How do I use Ftp.exe? Click on the "start" button then "run" and "browse" to find and start it. It will open into a Dos window with a prompt that will say: FTP> type "open ftp.aol.com" without the quotes and press return. You will be prompted for your username type "anonymous" press enter and for password your e-mail address and press enter. Congratulations! You are on America OnLine without the graphic interface, just a prompt. Type "Dir" to see the directories and filenames. Type "Cd \directoryname" to change directories "CD \" to change down. Type "help" to see additional commands. If you see a file you want type "get filename" to download it into your windows directory. If it is a non-text file type "binary" then press enter first to set the mode, type "ascii" first for textfiles. The "quit" command will log you off aol and close ftp.exe. You have just learned a few basic Unix commands. Unix, of course, pre-dates Dos which is it's watered down offspring. These same Unix commands are useful if you ever use a File Server in IRC Chat. ============================================================= Why use Windows 95 Ftp.exe when I already use another FTP program? Most ftp programs have graphical interfaces which use up system resources and slow down the picture upload process. Not the actual upload itself but it has to load up the graphics it uses before it even begins the upload. Many ftp programs do not support using automated scripts. Ftp Outbox is a very good ftp program which only opens a small interface during the upload as opposed to full featured programs with larger graphics. Ftp.exe has no graphic interface and runs completely in the background. ============================================================ How do I write my textfile.txt file? First you should log onto your server using ftp.exe and try uploading your cam picture into your website directory on your server. This is a sample textfile.txt just enter the commands manually to see if they will work with your server. open ftp.domain.name ; "open" ftp.exe command and your servers ftp address username ; your user or account name password ; your password for your website cd \yourdir\onserver\ ; "cd" followed by your website directory location binary ; sets ftp mode to binary for upload hash ; show upload progress send c:\quickcam\quickcam.jpg ;sends picture quickcam.jpg in directory ; \quickcam on my computer to my website quit ; logs off ----------------------- if these commands work then your textfile.txt should read as follows open ftp.domain.name username password cd \yourdir\onserver\ binary send c:\quickcam\quickcam.jpg quit ----------------------- If you have problems uploading onto your server and you are entering the commands properly contact your server. Remember if he is using a Unix system it is caps sensitive and you may have to use upper or lower case letters. ============================================================
Back to Webcam Back to How to Page for FTP.exe Back to How to Page for FTP Outbox