This chapter tells system administrators how to install and configure P4FTP.

System requirements

• FTP client: a command-line client or a web authoring tool such as Dreamweaver, which has an FTP client embedded in it. The FTP client communicates with P4FTP.

• P4FTP: accepts requests from an FTP client and communicates with a Perforce server.

• Perforce server: manages files in central repositories called depots. (If you use versions lower than 2000.2, P4FTP does not display files size when you issue the FTP ls command.)

• Perforce client: enables you to perform Perforce tasks directly. The most commonly-used Perforce clients are P4Win, the P4 command-line interface, and P4Web.

The following table shows you where the components are installed. Note that you can install two or more components on the same computer. However, the Perforce server is typically a remote computer, because there is no advantage to be gained by locating your depot on the same computer as the client files.

Product architecture

There are some important differences in behavior between P4FTP and a normal FTP server. For details about these differences, refer to "Perforce and FTP Differences" on page 29.

Installation and configuration

1. Download P4FTP.

2. Choose a port number.

3. Start P4FTP.

4. Optionally, configure P4FTP to start automatically when you reboot the computer on which it runs.

5. Create Perforce users and client specifications.

Downloading P4FTP

1. Launch a web browser and go to http://www.perforce.com/loadprog.html

2. On the Perforce product download web page, find the version of P4FTP that is compatible with the platform where you intend to run it.

3. Download the file to the directory where you intend to run it.

   Note	Recommended installation directories are: Windows: C:\Program Files\Perforce\ UNIX: /usr/bin/ or /usr/local/bin/

Choosing a port number

• Command line: specify the -p flag when you start P4FTP.

• Windows service: use the p4 set -S command option to set the P4FTPORT environment variable for the service. For details, see "(Optional) Configuring P4FTP to start automatically" on page 10.

Starting P4FTP manually

1. Login as the user that you want to run P4FTP.

   UNIX	If you want to run P4FTP on a privileged port (a port number lower than 1024), login as root. The default port for standard FTP servers is port 21.

2. Windows users: open a DOS window.

3. Run p4ftpd.

   When starting p4ftpd, you can specify the host and port number of the Perforce server you want to access, and optionally the port on which P4FTP accepts FTP commands. For example, to start p4ftp with its default port (21) on the same computer (named perforce) where the Perforce server is running on its default port (1666), issue the following command:

   p4ftpd

   To start p4ftpd on port 1232 communicating with a Perforce server running on port 2343 on a remote computer named bigcomputer, issue the following command:

   p4ftpd -p perforce.bigcomputer.com:1232 -l 2343

[P4FTPD] Automatic changelist for uploaded files

When you start p4ftpd, you can override the default description using the -t flag. In the description, you can specify the following macros, which are expanded when the changelist is submitted

For example:

p4ftpd -t "[P4FTP(%h%)] submission by %u% from %c% at %t%"

(Optional) Configuring P4FTP to start automatically

UNIX computers

Windows computers

1. At the DOS command prompt, change to the directory where the file p4ftpd.exe is located. (This file is the one you downloaded from the Perforce web site.

2. Create a copy of p4ftpd.exe named p4ftps.exe by issuing the following command:

   cp p4ftpd.exe p4ftps.exe

3. Create a service by issuing the following command:
   svcinst CREATE -n "Perforce FTP Server" -e "fullpath/p4ftps.exe" -a

   where fullpath indicates that you must specify the full location of the p4ftps.exe file. Windows displays the following results:

   Creating Service         ServiceName=Perforce FTP Server         ExeName=c:\Program Files\perforce\p4ftps.exe         Autostart requested

   (To verify the service has been successfully created, use the Services control panel.)

4. To specify a host and port for the service, issue the p4 set command. For example, to ensure that P4FTP listens on port 1892, issue the following command:
   p4 set -S "Perforce FTP Server" P4FTPPORT=1892

To start the service manually, use the Services control panel. The service starts automatically when you reboot your computer. To view settings, use regedit to display \\HKEY_SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SERVICENAME\Parameters
where SERVICENAME is the name you gave the service when you created it.

Creating Perforce users and client specifications

The following sections tell you how to create a Perforce users and client specification. Perform these steps from a computer where P4Win or the Perforce command-line interface (p4) is installed. You can direct P4FTP to create a client specification using a template, when a user that has not P4FTP client specification connects for the first time. For details, see "Specifying a template for undefined client specifications" on page 16.

Using P4Win (Windows only)

1. Launch P4Win.

2. Choose User>New... The Create New User dialog is displayed.

3. Enter the name of the user you want to create and click OK. The following Perforce User Specification form is displayed.

4. Enter the required information and click Update. For details about form fields, click Form Info.

5. Choose ClientSpec>New... The Create New Client dialog is displayed.

6. Enter "ftp-" followed by the name of the user you created in the preceding steps. The following Perforce Client Specification form is displayed.

7. Enter the required information. For details about form fields, click Form Info.

   Note that, because you define the client workspace on the computer where P4FTP runs, you only need to correct the normdir option. Check the following entries:

   Field	Description
   Host name	Specify the name of the computer where P4FTP runs. For example: mycomputer.mycompany.com.
   Root	Specify the directory on your FTP server computer where you want the Perforce client workspace to be located. P4FTP uses the client workspace as temporary local storage. Specify a location below the root directory, such as C:\p4client. To avoid cluttering the root directory of your client computer, do not use the root directory as the root of your client workspace. Choose a directory that is not used by another program or process.
   Client options	Change normdir to rmdir. If your Perforce depot is located on a UNIX computer and your FTP client is located on a Windows computer, set the LineEnd option to win.
   View	Specifies the mapping of the Perforce depot to your client workspace, to determine which files in the depot are visible to your client computer. Do not change this entry unless you understand Perforce client views and want to alter the mapping.

8. Click Update to save your changes.

Using the P4 command-line interface (Windows or UNIX)

1. At the command line, issue the p4 user command. Perforce launches a text editor and displays the Perforce User Specification form as follows.

2. Enter the information for the new user in the User, Email, FullName, and (optionally) Password fields.

3. Save and close the file.

4. At the command line, issue the p4 client command. Perforce display the Perforce Client Specification form as follows:

5. Change the entries in the following fields:

   Field	Description
   Client	Specify "ftp-" followed by the Perforce user name.
   Host	Specify the name of the computer where P4FTP runs. For example: mycomputer.mycompany.com.
   Root	Specify the directory on your FTP client computer where you want the Perforce client workspace to be located. Recommendation: specify a location below the root directory, such as C:\p4client. To avoid cluttering the root directory of your client computer, do not use the root directory as the root of your client workspace.
   Client options	Change normdir to rmdir. If your Perforce depot is located on a UNIX computer and your FTP client is located on a Windows computer, set the LineEnd option to win.
   View	Specifies the mapping of the Perforce depot to your client workspace, to determine which files in the depot are visible to your client computer. Do not change this entry unless you understand Perforce client views and want to alter the mapping.

6. Save and close the file.

Specifying a template for undefined client specifications

The client template is an existing Perforce client specification. You define the client template as described in "Creating Perforce users and client specifications" on page 11. To ensure that client roots do not conflict, you can use macros in the client root field of the template. For example, the following client root definition directs P4FTP to create a client root directory using the format /data/host/user:

Root:   /data/%h%/%u% To ensure that client roots do not conflict, and to tailor the client view to meet your needs, you can use macros in both the client root field and the view field of the template. For example:.

These definitions ensure that each user's client root is unique and map a user-specific depot path into their client view, along with files in the //depot/main/... path.

To specify the client template that you want P4FTP to use, specify the -T flag when you start p4ftpd. For example:

p4ftpd -T ftp-myclient-template

Using config files

• P4FTPPORT

• P4FTPPREFIX

• P4FTPLOG

• P4FTPSYSLOG (UNIX only)

• P4FTPCHANGE

• P4FTPTEMPLATE (template client specification; see "Specifying a template for undefined client specifications" on page 16)

Verifying your installation

Using the command line

1. At the operating system prompt, start FTP by issuing the ftp command.

2. At the ftp> prompt, issue the open command to connect to the host where P4FTP is running; for example, to connect to a host named "myhost" listening on port 1234:

   ftp> open myhost 1234

   The message "220 Perforce P4FTP FTP Server ready" is displayed.

3. If prompted, log in.

4. Display the contents of the Perforce depot by issuing the FTP ls command. To browse the depot and transfer files, use other standard FTP commands.

5. To display information about commands supported by P4FTP, issue the help command.

Using a Web browser

1. Launch a Web browser.

2. In the URL window, enter a URL that specifies FTP protocol, the Perforce user, and the P4FTP host name and port.

   For example, if P4FTP is running on mycomputer and listening on port 1850, enter:

   ftp://mitch@mycomputer:1850

   If you are using Internet Explorer, you must specify the user password (if any) in the URL in the following format:

   ftp://username:password@hostname:portnumber
3. If prompted, enter your password and click OK.

P4FTP configuration options

P4FTP startup options

For example, to start P4FTP on the local machine on port 1667, with an address of perforce.myorg.com:1666, issue the following command:

$ p4ftp -p myftphost:1666 -l 1667

Configuring Macromedia Dreamweaver with P4FTP

Overview

• Client workspace: an area of working storage on the computer where P4FTP runs. Must not overlap the local root.

• Local root: the directory where Dreamweaver stores its working copies of the web site files for editing.

• Host directory: the depot location of your web site files. The remote host directory must be the path to your Perforce "ftp-" client workspace plus any additional directories that you need to get you to the files you're working on.

• Client specification for "ftp-mitch"
  • Host: ftpserver

  • Client root: /usr/team/mitch

  • Client view: //depot/... //ftp-mitch/...

• Dreamweaver configuration for a Web site named "marketing99"
  • Local root: c:\dwroot\marketing99

  • Host Directory: /usr/team/mitch/main/marketing99/

Creating web sites

1. Choose Site>New Site... The Site Definition dialog is displayed.

2. Create a folder on your computer where you want Dreamweaver to store the local copies of your web site files. (Example: C:\mywebsite).

3. Enter the local settings for the new site, as illustrated in the following figure.

   Important: in the Local Root Folder field, specify an existing directory that does not reside in your client root.

4. In the Category pane, click Remote Info. The Remote Info pane is displayed.

5. From the Access list, choose FTP. The following fields are displayed.

6. Make the following entries.

   Field	Description
   FTP Host	Enter the name of the computer where P4FTP is running and the port on which it is listening for FTP requests. For example: myftphost:1234
   Host Directory	The location in the depot to which you "put" (and from which you "get") your web site files. Specify this directory using the operating system convention of the computer where you run P4FTP. Important: this depot directory must exist before you attempt to "put" files to it using Dreamweaver. If the directory does not exist, you must create it by using Perforce or a command-line FTP client to add a file (any file) that resides in the directory.
   Login	Enter your Perforce user name.
   Password	Enter your Perforce password, if you have one.

   Do not check Check in/Out.

7. Click OK to save your entries.

1. Using Dreamweaver, create your web site on your computer.

2. Using operating system commands, copy the web site files to the location in your client workspace that corresponds to the depot location where you intend to store the files. (To display the mapping of your client workspace to the depot, use the p4 client command or P4Win.)

3. Using Perforce (the p4 add command or P4Win), or an FTP command-line client, add the files to the depot.

Sample configuration

Perforce settings for client workspace

• "ftp-" client root: C:\ftproot

• "ftp-" client view: //depot/... //ftp-myuser/depot/...

Dreamweaver remote settings for site001

• Host directory: depot/websites/site001

Configuring HoTMetal PRO 6.0

1. Choose Tools>Sites...

2. Specify the name for your new site.

3. On the Choose Connection Method dialog, click the I connect to my site via FTP radio button and click Next.

4. On the FTP settings dialog specify the following:
   • Host Name: the computer where P4FTP runs

   • User ID: your Perforce user ID

5. If you intend to run P4FTP on a port other than the default (21), click Advanced FTP Settings... and specify the port on the Advanced FTP Settings dialog.

6. On the Choose FTP Default Folder dialog, specify the depot location for your web site. Example: depot/websites. The depot location must already exist. Note that, if P4FTP is running, you can click the browse button and browse the depot to specify the location.

Configuring Hot Dog Professional 6

1. Choose Open Remote... The Open dialog is displayed.

2. Double-click Add Internet Site. The Internet Site Wizard is launched.

3. In the What is your Server Address? field, specify the computer where P4FTP is running.

4. In the What is your Login Name? field, specify your Perforce user name. (If you have a password, specify it in the What is your Password? field.). Click Advanced.

5. In the Advanced Server Details dialog, specify the port number on which P4FTP is configured to listen (the value specified with the p4ftpd -l flag).

Configuring AceHTML

1. Choose File>Connect. The Session Properties dialog is displayed.

2. On the General tab, make the following entries:
   • Host Name: the name you want to assign to the host

   • Host Address: the fully-qualified domain name of the computer where P4FTP is running

   • User ID: your Perforce user name.

3. Click the Additional tab and enter the port number on which P4FTP is configured to listen (the value specified with the p4ftpd -l flag).

4. Click Connect.

5. If prompted, enter your Perforce password.