MacPi FTP

There are many ways to interface between your PC/Mac and the Raspberry Pi, but I find this one to be the easiest. Other ways include:

* USB stick ('/media/sda1') where you have to mount and unmount the stick each time. Good code learning experience, but not efficiently useful to do over-and-over again.

* SSH is a good way to learn SSH codes (PUT, TAKE), but again it has to be setup on both ends

I would recommend using the features of the OS X Finder and the capability of Raspberry Pi (RPi), once we teach RPi to speak Apple Talk.

Step 1: Setup Your Raspberry Pi

This is a one time setup of your RPi system.

This approach requires us to 'teach' the RPi how to talk Apple Talk. It is a matter of installing a module of code .

sudo apt-get install netatalk

This addition to your Raspbian environment is a one time setup. You will not have to do this again.

You will also need to know your RPi IP address: hostname -i

This Netatalk code can be explored in more details at: http://netatalk.sourceforge.net

I would recommend reading up on it. It provides new insights of what OS X can do. It also teaches you that any CPU, Raspberry Pi or other, can be taught to communicate with the OS X environment.

** If you RPi is powered up, headless or not, whether or not you are logged in; you can use this feature from the OS X 'Finder'

Step 2: Setup Your OS X System

This is a one time setup in Terminal to open your connection to the RPi. To access your RPi:

open atp://127.0.1.1

where the IP address (not real here) is your RPi hostname IP address.

This function teaches your OS X environment to recognize your RPi as a shared device.

Step 3: Your Finder With RPi Connection

Your done with all the setups. They are in the past now. From now on, if your RPi is powered up, you can access it from your OS X 'Finder. In the figure, you will see mine sample is called ampay-pi, and it is treated like a removable storage device, i.e., USB stick or Hard-drive. You can disconnect or eject it.

In some cases you will see the 'Home Directory' and in others you will not.

Can this be any easier?

Step 4: Logging Into RPi

In some cases, your OS X environment will remember your user name and password and automatically log you in.

But, sometimes you just have to 'Connect As ..." or just click on the shared drive title. It will then ask your user name and password.

This is the way your RPi will present itself every time. What to cut/paste files or directories between your Macintosh and Raspberry Pi. Easy as using the 'Finder', but you can also drag and drop.

Step 5: Keeping It Simple ...

But, you can just as easily open and make text changes to your RPi files right on your Macintosh and save directly back to the RPi.

A 2-step routine and you now have a simple to use edit, copy, and paste feature built into your OS X 'Finder.'