Optional

In case of frequent data transfers between two computers, the need to generate new codes can quickly become annoying, since you have to communicate them to the recipient each time. To get around this, croc offers a simplified form of transmission, where the sender starts the software with a self-defined code that is the same for each transmission using the command:

croc send --code CODE FILE

To see croc's command-line options, use the croc --help command (Figure 2).

Figure 2: croc only supports a few command options.

NitroShare

NitroShare [3], a graphical cross-platform tool, enables the most straightforward file transfer possible between two machines on an intranet. Because it is available across platforms, it can be used in heterogeneous IT infrastructures. The tool can be found in the repositories of numerous distributions.

As a special feature, NitroShare has a number of modules for direct integration into the file managers of various desktop environments. Since it is intended for LAN use only, the tool does not compress and encrypt the transferred files. However, transport encryption can be set up and used if desired.

Operation

The installation routine creates a launcher for NitroShare in the desktop menu. Instead of the program opening directly when you click on the launcher, you get a notification window telling you to run NitroShare via an applet in the system tray.

After closing the notification window, the applet appears. Right-clicking on the applet opens a menu where you can access the software's user interface by clicking Send Files or Send Directory. A file manager then opens to let you select one or more files and directories.

Clicking the Open button opens another window where you select the target computer from a list view (NitroShare must already be running on the target computer). After selecting the target computer, the application immediately transfers the data without any further prompt; a corresponding notice appears on both machines. NitroShare shows the source and target machines on both sides as well as the transfer's progress (Figure 3).

Figure 3: NitroShare's graphical interface looks spartan.

By default, the data ends up in a new folder named NitroShare/. Use View Transfers… in the context menu to view the latest transfers, for example, to determine whether certain files or directories have already been sent or received.