If you're using Windows or a Macintosh or any other graphical system, you can also copy and paste short pieces of text directly into your editing window on SCN, when you're logged in and editing your files. When to Use Zmodem Use Zmodem to transfer files, whenever possible. If your communications program doesn't support Zmodem, or if Zmodem doesn't work well with your communications program, then try the older and simpler Xmodem protocol. While connected directly to SCN on a dialup line, you can upload and download any kind of files with Xmodem or Zmodem, even binary files. Binary files are files that contain non-text characters.
Some examples are graphics, spreadsheet and word processor files.
But when connected to SCN through an intermediate system such as a library's dialup Internet connection, you can't upload or download binary files reliably, only text files. All computer systems transfer printable characters unaffected, but some systems block or change some control characters. For examples of this, see Using Non-SCN Public Access Gateways . To overcome this problem, you can run a program that translates all the control characters in a file into printable characters, and adds information about which control characters were turned into which printable characters. The recipient of the file can then use a similar program to change the file back into its original form.