>I am trying to develop a timer that will login into Novell server and retreive files onto my server. I am not sure how I would go about writing a code to logon to another server and then moving those files to my server? Also How can I run the timer constantly on server, so that it won't terminate when my machine is turned off? Any help would greatly be appreciated
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>Nick Patel

I've got the article I wrote that outlines how to use Novell's ActiveX controls, give me an email address to send it to. I also have a class library written using the MS scripting components that does the same thing.

Originally, I wrote custom libraries that instantiate the Novell controls and wrap around them to simplify the login and drive mapping methods. The Novell stuff is lacking in documentation so it took a lot to get them to work (tons of gotchas with syntax). After reading a FoxPro Advisor article by Gene Sally, I wrote a new class using the MS file scripting components. The MS based library is better behaved, so its the one in use for our system.

Basically, after hours the system reads through a table of queued items for processing. Each item is a file skeleton containing a remote Novell server, a path, and wildcards for the data files we need. Before attempting to copy the file, the system looks up UNC, User Id, and Pwd data from a server table. It uses this to login to the Novell box before continuing. Next, the system goes to the appropriate path and compares file date/time stamps to see if the file has changed since the last run. If there is a change, it copies the file to a configurable folder on the local server. We currently have this system maintaining 2 gig of remote data, all automatically at night when network traffic is light. Let me know if you need some specific information about this as it sounds as if you are doing something similar.

Not trying to downplay Nigel's comments, but all of this can be deployed from VFP reliably. The scripting objects also give the added benefit of having copy and move methods built in, vs Novells objects really just relating to login and mapping functionality.

HTH