SecureCRT BETA running on Windows 7 BETA

The changelog entry is pretty heavy, and while it does contain a fair share of new features, it looks like this release does a pretty good job at fixing bugs too, a bit unexpected for a beta

Head of the list is obviously the native 64-bit version, which should fix any problems 64-bit users may have been experiencing so far with SecureCRT. However, as a 32-bit user, I tend to praise more the ability to edit multiple save sessions at once, or the ability to automatically reopen a set of tabs at startup (in a way a web browser would save open tabs when it’s closed and load them again at the next startup).

ZOC running on Windows 7 Beta

The fixes and additions list is fairly sizable, but my eye is set on the ability to jump to an open tab via a Alt-1..9 shortcut.

Connected to a WD MyBOOK World Edition II I use for external usage.

My daily job requires me to use a SSH/Telnet/serial client a lot to manage servers, routers, firewalls and use other devices such as modems. Since 2003 I’ve been constantly using SecureCRT and consider it a powerful, feature-packed (but not bloated) product. Before settling with SecureCRT I had tried several other programs, including the popular open source PuTTY, but never found anything suitable to my needs.

It’s obvious, then, why I was initially skeptical when the folks at EmTec suggested I have a look at ZOC Terminal. Still, the program seemed capable, so I said to myself why not give it a try. After a first brief look, I decided it deserves a much closer look and used it regularly for about a week. …and I’m going to share my findings with you.

Tip of the day
I always appreciate it when I’m greeted by a “tip of the day” dialog. Granted, it’s not something out of the ordinary, but it’s the first time I see a configurable one (every program start, every day, every two days, once every week or none at all).

Local command typing
From time to time I happen across a slow, lagging or lossy connection (“mobile” Internet comes to mind), so using SSH becomes a drag. Typing simple commands can take a long time because, apparently, each character is sent separately. Pressing Alt-C in ZOC brings up a field in which one can type the full command(s) and then send them in a single go.

Colored tabs
Each connection can be assigned a color from a predefined list. That color is used to paint the associated tab when you open that specific connection, achieving an effect similar to the ColorfulTabs Firefox add-on.

Automatic password protection prompt triggered by idle time

Clipboard to editor
I often need to work on text copied from a terminal window, so I fire up my text editor, perform whatever actions are necessary, then save the file or use the contents back in the terminal window. ZOC helps speed up the process with the “Edit->Clipboard to editor” option, which opens up your chosen editor and automatically pastes the clipboard inside a new file.

Paste without final newline
Also inside the “Program settings” dialog there’s the “Paste without final newline” option. Enabling it allows one to avoid accidentally running a command by pasting some text that has a newline at the end.

The host directory window - this is where the saved connections are listed and organized

Shortcuts for specific connections
The “More” button in the Host directory dialog has more treats in store; for example, the “Create shortcut” option, which (you guessed) creates a shortcut for a specific connection. Shortcuts can be added to the button bar or to the Windows desktop. This can also be done from the “Shortcuts” tab in the “Edit host directory entry” window, in which case you can assign a Ctrl-Fx keyboard shortcut or choose to add the connection to the main window’s File menu.

Connection counts
This isn’t really a terminal-related feature, but it’s interesting to see straightforward connection statistics (ever wanted to find out which server requires your attention the most? )

Snippets window
If enabled, the snippets window (Alt-I or View->Window elements->Snippets) autocollects useful bits from the commands you type inside the terminal: hostnames, IP addresses, and so on.

Scripting
Scripting is possible in ZOC but, unlike SecureCRT which uses the Microsoft Script Engine, it relies on the high-level REXX language. The help system covers this pretty well.

Conclusions?
ZOC is definitely a piece worth installing. I just wish it were a bit cheaper than SecureCRT. That way I wouldn’t have to wait until the SecureCRT license I renewed recently expires

Of course, there’s a downside too, but I guess it’s something to expect when switching from a program to another: the shortcuts are different. For example, I’m currently used to hit Alt-C to bring up the Connect dialog in SecureCRT, but in ZOC it opens the local command field. Reconnecting to a tab I just logged out of in ZOC required that I press Alt-R, whereas in SecureCRT I simply press ENTER. (And so on…)

The current version of ZOC Terminal is 6.03. Two more screenshots and I’m done

Uploading files via SCP is easily done, just make sure you select SCP in the transfers section of the session profile

ZOC seems to run fine on Windows 7 Beta, here installed in a VirtualBox machine

ZOC running on Windows 7 Beta

Even though the version bump is minor, it packs a healthy 20 fixes and improvements ranging from handy UI additions (“double clicking the empty part of the tabbar area opens a new empty tab”) to avoiding a potential crash.

I tested this release on a Windows 7 Beta install (inside a VirtualBox 2.1.2 machine) and it sems to work perfectly.

VanDyke Software released today a new minor version update for SecureCRT, mainly for adressing a potential security flaw related to the default encryption cyphers used for SSH2 connections.

WebDrive is a piece of software in the vein of SftpDrive and RedDrive, but more powerful.

Like the previously mentioned products, it maps remote SSH servers as virtual drives on the local machine, enabling seamless file read/write access.

Unlike SftpDrive, it supports other protocols beside SFTP: WebDAV, FTPS, Front Page, regular FTP and Amazon S3.

What sets it apart from RedDrive, which also supports those additional protocols? Well, the fact that WebDrive is still supported and under development by its parent company, unlike RedDrive, which has been discontinued in favor of AnyClient (an inferior solution in my opinion).

What’s that you’re asking? Ah, yes… of course there’s a downside: it’s not free, and it’s not cheap either. At $59.95, it’s considerably more expensive than SftpDrive ($39.99). Still, if you need the extra protocol support (I hear Amazon S3 is popular these days), you might feel it’s worth shelling out the extra bucks and get WebDrive.

Here’s a short, 10-step, WebDrive guide for creating a test SFTP connection to a remote server…

VanDyke Software dropped a maintenance SecureCRT release today, fixing a few bugs. Nothing really major, mostly compatibility issues and minor annoyances (including one related to scripting).

No screenshots this time, just check the changelog below and download links info even “more below”.