How do i download a file on irc

A guide to dowloading files from Fservs using Invision Script

The first question most people ask when they start using Invision or similar scripts, is "how can I download files from IRC?"  In #kamishin there are some video footage files to download and these can help in learning kata order for example. This guide sets out to help those new to IRC to enable them to use the Invision mIRC script to download files.

Files are served using either "Fservs" [fileservers] or XDCC servers [a protocol used to transfer data directly from one computer to another].  You may well find that if you are in a particular channel, that you will be seeing xdcc adverts scrolling past the screen.  They usually look something like this:

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You will notice that there are lots of entries prefixed with a #. This is the packet [or file] number and if you want to get that packet [file] then you need to type in a little bit of syntax.  Most xdcc ads will list the syntax you need to type but it is usually along the line of /ctcp Fraggle XDCC GET STF #<pack number>.  In this instance Fraggle is the channel member who is offering that packet, XDCC is the type of transfer you will be using, STF is Fraggle's file pool, and #is where you type the file number.  Type in the syntax, hit return and the file should start to be sent to you unless of course there is a queue for it. If this is the case, you will get the file when your slot becomes available.

The other method of receiving data via IRC is to use the Fserv command.  In order to do this, simply type !list in the text bar.

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If you are using Invision script and have the Fileserver explorer option checked [this is found under the main Invision menu and at the foot of the first page of settings - the turnkey file comes with the settings already optimised], you will see a screen popup which looks like this:

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It looks daunting but it really isn't.  In the main screen are Fserv adverts listing who the ads belong to [the text contained within the < > shows the fserv owner's nickname] and then the remainder of the text is showing the server triggers [the thing you need to type to access the server], and also some stats relating to speeds, availability etc.

Over in the right hand pane are the fserv triggers themselves. There are two ways of accessing the Fservs.  The old way of doing this would be to make a note of the trigger concerned then to toggle back to the main channel where you would then type the trigger and then use a load of DoS style syntax to access the file you want. Thankfully, things have moved on a it since then!  If using Invision, all you need to do is to double-click one of the triggers in the right hand pane [eg. !GimmeMovies] and then a Windows Explorer-style navigation screen will appear looking something like this:

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Again you will notice there are various elements to this screen.  On the right you will see the files offered by the Member whose trigger you just clicked.  To get the file you want simply double click it, and it will begin to download if there are no queues. On the left you can see the tree of your own hard drives. Sometimes there are sub-directories in the right hand window, but these operate just like windows explorer in so far as you double click the folder and its contents are then displayed.  If you want to go back up a level then you just x2 click the .. which appears at the top of the list.

And that, as they say, is it!  There really is no more to downloading, in a basic sense, than this. You can use the same principles for downloading off xdcc bots at blistering speeds by using portals such as packetnews.com and ircspy.com but beware as unlike some channels, not all the members of these big botnets will be serving verified files and some of them may contain virii or false files.  Where possible, its always best to DL [download]  files from friends you trust from channels which are managed well.

Happy IRC'ing!