Accessing Files on Remote Systems

If your system is part of a network, you may need to access files on other systems. You can use the HP VUE File Manager to browse directories on remote systems and to open remote files, provided the correct NFS mounts have been configured.

	NOTE: Your system administrator must configure your system to provide access to other systems on your network. If the correct configuration has not been set up, see the sections in this chapter starting with “Transferring Files Remotely with ftp” for command line methods for accessing remote files. For information on adding access to remote systems, see HP VUE's online help (click the Help Manager control, then click "HP Visual User Environment Version 3.0 Help", then click "General Configuration", then click "Network Configuration for HP VUE").

You can save disk space and reduce RAM usage on your system by configuring HP VUE to be a font client, which accesses fonts from a network font server. As a font client, your workstation uses the font files on a network server rather than using the fonts stored on its own hard disk, thus saving disk space. System RAM usage is reduced for font clients but increased for font servers.

You can configure your system as a font client (or font server) at any time. See “Modifying System Parameters”. For information, click "HP Visual User Environment Version 3.0 Help", then click "General Configuration", then click "Network Configuration", then click "Network Font Servers". Also see the mk_fnt_clnt(1M) and mk_fnt_srvr(1M) manual reference pages.

HP VUE and the Network File System. HP VUE uses the Network File System (NFS) to allow a client system to perform transparent file access across the network. Since NFS is independent of the operating system, it can provide data sharing among heterogeneous systems. Explicit file transfers across the network are unnecessary. Since access techniques are transparent, remote file access remains similar to local file access.

For more information about setting up NFS-mounted file systems, ask your system administrator, or see the System Administration Tasks and Chapter 22 of the HP Visual User Environment 3.0 User's Guide.

Opening a Directory on a Remote System

Using the Remote Systems Command. 

1. Choose "Remote Systems" from the File Manager Directory menu. File Manager displays a new window. Each directory in the new window represents a remote system you can access.

2. Open the directory representing the system you want—you are now working on the remote computer's file system. Move to the directory you want to view.

Typing a New Path. 

1. Select the path (just below the menu bar) to make it active for editing. (If you are not using a mouse, choose "Fast Change To" from the Directory menu.)

2. Replace the current path with the path to the remote system, using a colon to separate the host name from the path.

   hostname:/path

3. Press Enter.

Example. To change to the directory /home/sonja/ on the machine host28, click the path area or choose "Fast Change To" from the Directory menu.

Figure 11-1  Change directories with the "Fast Change To" menu item.

Double-click the current path to select it (the selected text is overwritten as soon as you begin to type). You can also use Backspace to erase the current path.

Now, type the new path: host28:/home/sonja. When you press Enter, the new directory is displayed.

If the machine host28 has not been configured to provide network access, File Manager displays an error, telling you that the directory is invalid.

Transferring a File to a Remote System

Drag the File's Icon to the New Location. 

1. Open two File Manager views, one showing the file you want to transfer, the other showing the destination on the remote system.

2. Drag the file's icon to the new location. If you are making a copy, hold down Ctrl while dragging. If you are making a symbolic link, hold down Shift while dragging.

Use the Copy Command. 

1. Select the file's icon.

2. Choose "Copy" from the File menu. File Manager displays the Copy File dialog, prompting you for the new name.

3. Enter the host, path, and file name, using the following format:

   hostname:/path/filename

   For example: host5:/home/aaron/myfile

4. Choose OK.

Specifying a Remote Directory or File

Use the syntax:

hostname:/path/filename

This syntax for specifying remote files and directories is used in action and filetype definitions and in any File Manager dialog where a file name is required.

Example.  To access the file /tmp/data1 on remote system scribe, use this name:

scribe:/tmp/data1