Downloading Files from Access to Insight

This page explains how to download, open, and use the "zip-compressed" files that are available from the website.

By clicking on one of these links you download a batch of HTML files all at once, in the form of a single zipped archive. If you're planning to read many texts from the website, you may find it more efficient to download these zip files, then go offline and uncompress them (using a commercial uncompression program). You may then browse through the HTML files at your leisure, without need of an Internet connection.

A few zipped archives contain other types of files -- for example, bulk downloads of the entire website, Pali fonts and a few books that are available as Microsoft Word documents (e.g., Wings to Awakening.) You can download and un-zip these files in just the same way as you would the archives of HTML files.

Downloading and un-zipping: as easy as 1-2-3

1. Download the archive onto your hard disk.
Just click your mouse on the "Download..." link to transfer the file to your computer. (If your web browser asks you what to do with the file you are about to download, tell it to save it to your computer's hard disk.)

2. Uncompress the archive on your hard disk.
The zipped archives will appear on your computer either with a name ending in ".zip" or with an icon that looks like a zipper. Depending on how recent your operating system is, these files may uncompress themselves automatically for you after download. If that doesn't happen, try double-clicking on them. If this still doesn't work, you may need to get an inexpensive utility program to uncompress them (see below).

After un-zipping the archive, the files it contained will appear on your hard disk.

3. Open the files.
If the files are HTML files, simply open them with your Web browser program. If the files are Microsoft Word documents, use that program to open the files, or use a conversion program to convert them into a format you can use. If the files are fonts, read your computer's instruction manual to see how to install them.

Where to get the ZIP utilities

If your computer is unable to open zip files when you double-click on them, you'll need to get a small utility program that can open these files. Because software technology is evolving at such an alarming rate, I can no longer maintain an up-to-date list of all the programs out there that can uncompress zip files, let alone provide instructions on how to use them all. Here, though, are some suggestions:

• Macintosh users: If you don't have Stuffit Expander (a free program that comes with many new Macs these days, and is available from » http://www.stuffit.com), try Zipit (» http://www.maczipit.com).

• Windows users: WinZip currently appears to be the most popular un-zipping utility among Windows users. It is a commercial program ($29), but a free evaluation version is available at » http://www.winzip.com

• DOS users: PKUNZIP is the definitive file-unzipping shareware utility in the DOS universe. You can find it at the author's website (» http://www.pkware.com/).

• Unix, Linux, etc. users: You probably already have the programs you need to uncompress ZIP files. It varies from one system to another, but commands like "unzip" or "uzip" have been known to work. ("gunzip" is a different animal and does not work.) If you're not sure what the command is on your system, type "man -k zip" to track it down. If you really don't have it on your system, ask your sysadmin to get it for you. Just make sure you get one that is compatible with "PKZIP 2.04g" format.