Download: Difference between revisions
(Created page with 'To download is to copy a file from a web server to your local computer. Reliable downloading takes skill in the face of occasional technical challenges. Back on the page that r…') |
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Back on the page that referred you here, you should have a download link that you are interested in. The following instructions relate to that page. |
Back on the page that referred you here, you should have a download link that you are interested in. The following instructions relate to that page. |
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== |
== How to Download == |
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=== Using Firefox === |
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* right-click on the link, and a menu will appear, |
* right-click on the link, and a menu will appear, |
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The file will be in your Downloads directory. |
The file will be in your Downloads directory. |
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== Using Safari == |
=== Using Safari === |
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* control-click on the link, select ''Download Linked File As ...'', and a ''Save As'' dialog will appear, |
* control-click on the link, select ''Download Linked File As ...'', and a ''Save As'' dialog will appear, |
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The file will be in your Downloads directory. |
The file will be in your Downloads directory. |
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== Using Internet Explorer == |
=== Using Internet Explorer === |
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* right-click on the link, select ''Download''. |
* right-click on the link, select ''Download''. |
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''(to be completed by someone who knows how it works)'' |
''(to be completed by someone who knows how it works)'' |
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== Using curl == |
=== Using curl === |
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To interrupt a download and resume it later, press Control/C. When you wish to resume, press up arrow once to recall the command, and then press enter to start it again. The download will resume from where you interrupted it. |
To interrupt a download and resume it later, press Control/C. When you wish to resume, press up arrow once to recall the command, and then press enter to start it again. The download will resume from where you interrupted it. |
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== Using wget == |
=== Using wget === |
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Start a Terminal, then type |
Start a Terminal, then type |
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Where ${URL} is the link. |
Where ${URL} is the link. |
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== Verifying == |
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For some downloads, the directory also contains an md5 file that can be used to check that your copy of the file is intact. |
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== Problems == |
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=== Displayed instead of Downloaded === |
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If you use the normal click, some web servers cause your web browser to display the file instead of download it. |
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You must bypass this using one of the methods above. |
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=== Interrupted === |
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A faulty or irregular internet service may cause a download to be interrupted. |
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You should either try the download again, or try to resume it using one of the methods above, such as wget or curl. |
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Revision as of 00:10, 19 August 2011
To download is to copy a file from a web server to your local computer. Reliable downloading takes skill in the face of occasional technical challenges.
Back on the page that referred you here, you should have a download link that you are interested in. The following instructions relate to that page.
How to Download
Using Firefox
- right-click on the link, and a menu will appear,
- click on Save Link As..., and a dialog window will appear asking you where to put the file,
- tell it where you want the file put, and then a Downloads window will appear,
- wait for the download to complete,
- close the Downloads window,
The file will be in your Downloads directory.
Using Safari
- control-click on the link, select Download Linked File As ..., and a Save As dialog will appear,
- click on Save, the dialog will go away,
- a Downloads window will appear,
- wait for the download to complete.
The file will be in your Downloads directory.
Using Internet Explorer
- right-click on the link, select Download.
(to be completed by someone who knows how it works)
Using curl
curl is a download program that is very simple, very reliable, and can restart a partial download.
curl is available on Mac OS X by default, and can be installed on Linux or Microsoft Windows.
- right-click on the link in your web browser, and select Copy Link Location,
- start a Terminal, and then type
cd Downloads
- then type
curl -OC -
- press the space bar once more, to add a gap after the dash,
- paste the link, so that the command looks like this:
curl -OC - http://something/
- press enter, and the download will begin,
- wait for the download to complete,
- close the terminal.
To interrupt a download and resume it later, press Control/C. When you wish to resume, press up arrow once to recall the command, and then press enter to start it again. The download will resume from where you interrupted it.
Using wget
Start a Terminal, then type
wget --continue ${URL}
Where ${URL} is the link.
Verifying
For some downloads, the directory also contains an md5 file that can be used to check that your copy of the file is intact.
Problems
Displayed instead of Downloaded
If you use the normal click, some web servers cause your web browser to display the file instead of download it.
You must bypass this using one of the methods above.
Interrupted
A faulty or irregular internet service may cause a download to be interrupted.
You should either try the download again, or try to resume it using one of the methods above, such as wget or curl.