Archie indexes FTP archives so that files can be found by name. This project brings a piece of early Internet infrastructure into a source tree that can be studied, built and tested today.

Find the project

Start with the Archie repository on Gitea. The tree contains the Archie and Prospero sources, configuration examples, manual material, build files, service definitions, a Web component and integration tests. Refer to that tree for the supported build and service configuration at the commit you are using.

Three questions to separate

• Indexing: which FTP archive is being examined, and was its directory information collected?
• Search: does the expected filename exist in the index, and what query was submitted?
• Access: which client or interface made the request, and did it reach the intended service?

Keeping these questions separate makes a report much more useful than simply saying that a file cannot be found. A search result points to an archive location; it does not guarantee that the remote file is still available or grant redistribution rights.

Share a useful result

Include the repository commit, host operating system, build result, interface used, search expression and expected filename. For indexing problems, include the relevant archive and a short log excerpt. Use public test archives or your own controlled setup, and keep account credentials out of reports.

The dedicated Archie forum is for setup questions, indexing and search results, historical material, and development discussion. Confirmed defects and patches should also be linked to the repository.