XTEXT supports an alternate method of returning updated text to the server, which does not require FTP. This method works via the keyboard channel and only works when the destination is a string buffer—i.e. TXFF_FILE flag is NOT set in the TXC.DOCFMT'DST field.

The primary motivation for this non-FTP mechanism is to deal with servers that do not have FTP support configured, or have it configured in a mode that prevents access to the directories where A-Shell lives on the server; this is quite common with Windows servers. It is also somewhat more efficient when editing small files, which would be consistent with the use of string buffer mode rather than file mode.

This requires a current (later than 995) of ASHW32 on both sides.

This mode is automatic with Windows servers (ATS), but you can also force it for UNIX servers by setting the new flag TXFF_RAWBUF in the TXC.DOCFMT'DST field.