Using Unix to access OS/2 machines
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Samba's client, smbclient, is a very basic piece of software. You'll probably
not like the text-mode based user interface. So, if you to access resources
on an OS/2 machine from a Unix machine, the best solution would probably
be to use an FTP server on the OS/2 machine. Warp 4 and Warp Connect already
come which such a beast, while there are several shareware FTP servers
available as well. Once the FTP server is installed, you can use Unix X
based FTP clients (including Webbrowsers) to access that OS/2 machine.
An alternative would be to buy the OS/2 NFS kit, but it's quite expensive.
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When you connect with the Samba client (smbclient) to a Warp 4
or Connect machine, and the Samba binaries have been compiled without
encrypted passwords (search for 'libdes' in the Makefile), you need to
enter the password in CAPITALS, otherwise Warp will not accept it! An smbclient
with
encrypted password accepts passwords in either case.
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If you use Linux and you want to access a Warp machine: no need to use
the cumbersome smbclient! Just use smbfs and you will be able
to mount the Warp machine into the Linux directory tree! You need a recent
version of the Linux kernel, compile in smbfs support (or use the modular
support for it), download the smbfs kit from the Samba
FTP server and compile the smbfs utilities such as smbmount.
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If you don't use Linux but still would like to mount Warp machines as a
directory, check out Rumba.
So far, it has been ported to Linux and Nextstep but it is expected to
be portable to other platforms as well. It runs in user space.
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Only OS/2 machines which can act as servers can be accessed from Unix.
This means: Warp 4 and Warp Connect. And Lan/Warp Server too, of course.
But not OS/2 2.x or Warp 3 non-Connect machines (unless you install extra
software such as Lantastic or Samba/2).
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From a Unix command prompt window, use the Samba client to see if you can
get the shares from your Warp machine listed:
smbclient -L myPCname
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Now to something even more advanced: set up a connection to a share of
your Warp machine and copy some files, list them on screen etc.:
smbclient '\\myPCname\fdrive'
(Note the quotes! They are relevant!) If you use a public share, the
password you enter should not matter. Once you are in, cd and
dir around as you please. It works more or less like the Unix
command line FTP client (/usr/bin/ftp).
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Another thing you can try is to send a message ('WinPopUp', 'Network Messaging')
with:
smbclient -M myPCname
Or you can print to a printer connected to the Warp machine (if you
have a printer share defined on that machine):
smbclient '\\myPCname\faxprn' -P
and then use the "print" command on the command line.
Warp Connect and Warp 4 both come with support for LPR style printing,
so you don't really have to use smbclient. However, setting it up
on the Warp machine may be a bit tricky and for good performance you need
to install the LPR
update.
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There's now a graphical front-end for smbclient in development!
Smb2www
allows you to view files and directories located on SMB servers (Windows,
Warp etc.) from any webbrowser. Plus, if you click on a file, it will be
downloaded and/or be viewed (e.g. JPEG picture).
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The Samba client (smbclient/SMBCLNT.EXE) could crash the peer-to-peer
networking software of Warp 4 and Warp Connect. A quick fix (for Samba,
not OS/2!) is now available. Read this.
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