---
name: "ascii-xfr"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "minicom"
version: "2.11.1-3"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ascii-xfr"
---

# ascii-xfr(1)

upload/download files using the ASCII protocol

## NAME

ascii-xfr - upload/download files using the ASCII protocol

## SYNOPSIS

**ascii-xfr** **-s\|-r** \[**-ednv**\] \[**-l** *linedelay*\] \[**-c** *characterdelay*\] *filename*

## DESCRIPTION

**Ascii-xfr** Transfers files in ASCII mode. This means no flow control, no checksumming and no file-name negotiation. It should *only* be used if the remote system doesn't understand anything else.

The ASCII protocol transfers files line-by-line. The EOL (End-Of-Line) character is transmitted as CRLF. When receiving, the CR character is stripped from the incoming file. The Control-Z (ASCII 26) character signals End-Of-File, if option -e is specified (unless you change it to Control-D (ASCII 4) with -d).

**Ascii-xfr** reads from *stdin* when receiving, and sends data on *stdout* when sending. Some form of input or output redirection to the modem device is thus needed when downloading or uploading, respectively.

## OPTIONS

- **-s**

  Send a file.

- **-r**

  Receive a file. One of **-s** or **-r** *must* be present.

- **-e**

  Send the End-Of-File character (Control-Z, ASCII 26 by default) when uploading has finished.

- **-d**

  Use the Control-D (ASCII 4) as End-Of-File character.

- **-n**

  Do not translate CR to CRLF and vice versa.

- **-v**

  Verbose: show transfer statistics on the stderr output.

- **-l** *milliseconds*

  When transmitting, pause for this delay after each line.

- **-c** *milliseconds*

  When transmitting, pause for this delay after each character.

- *file*

  Name of the file to send or receive. When receiving, any existing file by this name will be truncated.

## USAGE WITH MINICOM

If you want to call this program from **[minicom(1)](/minicom/1.md)**, start minicom and go to the **O**ptions menu. Select *File transfer protocols*. Add the following lines, for example as protocols **I** and **J**.

```
I  Ascii    /usr/bin/ascii-xfr -sv   Y   U   N   Y
J  Ascii    /usr/bin/ascii-xfr -rv   Y   D   N   Y
```

## AUTHOR

Miquel van Smoorenburg, miquels@cistron.nl\
 Jukka Lahtinen, walker@netsonic.fi

## SEE ALSO

[minicom(1)](/minicom/1.md)