Spring, 2019
Jewett

Once you are able to connect to Stampede2: do this
IF your command interpreter (command shell) is csh or tcsh, and if you have a NEW Stampede2 account for class, copy a file of mine to your .cshrc file on Stampede2.  Note this erases your current .cshrc file (not a problem if you have a new account).  Copy it with:

       cd                                                                [returns you to your home directory]
       cp  ~tg457444/502/cshrc-copy   ~/.cshrc

You need do this only once.  After doing the above, type source .cshrc (or logout and back in) and you should be set.

General: Connecting versus transferring files

In the past, software was available either to connect (using secure-shell, or SSH) from your PC to a remote computer, or to transfer files (via SCP "secure copy", or SFTP "secure file transfer") to/from the remote machine.  More current applications will do both.  See this description of SSH clients.  See below for some of the free options available to you.

Connecting to, and transferring files to/from, Stampede2

If you haven't connected to Stampede2 yet, read on.  Some of this is taken from an older NCSA page on software for accessing their systems.  You can also consult the main XSEDE getting started page on connecting and file transfer.

Linux

If you have a Linux running on your desktop or laptop machine, you can use fairly standard (command-line, text) commands to access Stampede2. You will likely connect to Stampede2 systems with ssh (secure shell; reference info also here).  To use ssh, type


This will connect you and provide X-window (graphics) support between your machine and Stampede2.  Once you are connected you will be able to access your files, compile and run programs, etc.

If you need to copy files, you should be able to use scp (secure copy).  But you first need to know where your home directory is on Stampede2.  Login, type "cd" to be in your home directory, and type "pwd".  In my case "pwd" returns

       /home1/00478/tg457444      [so my home directory is at this obscurely-named Linux location]

To transfer files with "scp" to/from Stampede2 on Linux PCs (or a Mac in Terminal):

• to copy a file from your linux PC to Stampede2:

• to copy a file to your PC from Stampede2:

Macintosh

Macintosh systems use a graphical interface on top of a linux (really Mach kernel) operating system.  So "ssh" is part of the system, as on Linux.  On the Mac, access the free Terminal program inside Applications/Utilities; when run, you can use the commands ssh and scp directly, as they are built-in.  You can get a Terminal tutorial here.   Follow the commands outlined above for Linux.

Other mac software of interest to our class:

• Iterm2, a Terminal alternative for the Mac.
  


• TextWrangler or BBedit or editing code locally on your Mac. You can also edit remote (Stampede2) files using these additions.


• File transfer: FileZilla, CyberDuck, or Transmit (pay).


• X-windows (displaying graphics to your Mac) capabilities used to be built-in to OS X.  Now, if X-windows is not installed on your system and you are running Mac OS, you will need XQuartz. XQuartz is an open-source X-windows project and the unofficial (but safe and supported) default for Mac systems.
  

Windows

There are a number of secure-shell and secure-copy programs available for Windows.  Some free versions:

• MobaXterm - for SSH - Highly recommended.   You can download the free Home Edition.
  
• XShell - for SSH - Highly recommended.   This link is for the free option you can select for personal or educational use.  Also download xftp, a file transfer program from the same company.
  
• Putty - for SSH - also free, but found not to be as secure as previously thought (or as advertised).Get the file putty installer or putty.zip, for the complete package -- ssh, scp, sftp, etc.
• Notepad++, besides being a "source code editor and Notepad replacement", can also be used with the NppFTP plugin to work on files on remote systems like Stampede2 (and you can save local copies of your code on your PC as well).
• OpenSSH for Windows (requires the linux-like Cygwin for Windows). 
  But perhaps you'd rather run linux directly on your Windows 10 PC ??
  
• FileZilla - works well; use for transferring files on Windows platforms.  You need a secure conneection.

For X-windows on a Windows PC, try the following:

• Xming - a free program (link is to sourceforge - a safe site from which to download)
  
• Cygwin/X - highly recommended.  Free.

If you have additional information to share with your fellow students, please contact me so I can put it online.