CompuServe Thread

That doesn't make it any less a bug! Which number is more useful, the actual size of the file, or the number of characters that will be sent by some (SOME) of the protocols that might be used to download it? I see questions about file sizes all the time ("The DL listing says that XYZ.EXE is 12345 bytes long, but it was only 12000 bytes when I downloaded it. What's wrong?"). If it gave the true file size, how often do you think you'd see "I downloaded XYZ.EXE, and I watched my modem lights and saw that it sent 12345 bytes, but the DL listing says it's 12000 bytes long"? The number can't be right for binary downloads anyway, because each of the three binary protocols will have a different number of overhead characters (handshaking, etc.), plus there's the possibility of transmission glitches resulting in retries. I'm forwarding this thread to CIS management… – Bela

That doesn't make it any less a bug! Which number is more useful, the actual size of the file, or the number of characters that will be sent by some (SOME) of the protocols that might be used to download it? I see questions about file sizes all the time ("The DL listing says that XYZ.EXE is 12345 bytes long, but it was only 12000 bytes when I downloaded it. What's wrong?"). If it gave the true file size, how often do you think you'd see "I downloaded XYZ.EXE, and I watched my modem lights and saw that it sent 12345 bytes, but the DL listing says it's 12000 bytes long"? The number can't be right for binary downloads anyway, because each of the three binary protocols will have a different number of overhead characters (handshaking, etc.), plus there's the possibility of transmission glitches resulting in retries. I'm forwarding this thread to CIS management… – Bela

Wrong. I just checked: I uploaded three files, each 4096 bytes in length. The first was all control characters, the second was mostly test ("this do be a test" CR LF repeated for 4K's worth), the third was entirely text (leave out the CRLFs). All three came out the same size in the DL directory (which I forgot to note… 4480?) – Bela PS: plus I downloaded an existing file and checked its size+the number of control characters in it against the DL's listed size. The DL listing would have added even more than it did if you were right.

Wrong. I just checked: I uploaded three files, each 4096 bytes in length. The first was all control characters, the second was mostly test ("this do be a test" CR LF repeated for 4K's worth), the third was entirely text (leave out the CRLFs). All three came out the same size in the DL directory (which I forgot to note… 4480?) – Bela PS: plus I downloaded an existing file and checked its size+the number of control characters in it against the DL's listed size. The DL listing would have added even more than it did if you were right.