FTP Component

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The FTP Component can be used to transfer files to and from FTP servers using the FTP protocol.

Syntax

TipsFTP

Remarks

The FTP Component supports both plaintext and Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) connections. When connecting over SSL/TLS the SSLServerAuthentication event allows you to check the server identity and other security attributes. The SSLStatus event provides information about the SSL handshake. Additional SSL related settings are also supported via the Config method.

The FTP Component implements a standard FTP client as specified in RFC 959 and RFC 1579 with the added option of SSL security (RFC 2228) in both the protocol and data channels.

The first step in using the component is specifying the RemoteHost, User and Password. The file to upload to or download from is given by the RemoteFile property. The file to download to or upload from is specified by LocalFile. The current path in the server is set by calling ChangeRemotePath. The Passive property is especially useful if the client is behind a firewall, which inhibits incoming connections to higher ports.

If LocalFile is set to something other than an empty string, then files are received in LocalFile, and otherwise data are received through the Transfer event. StartTransfer and EndTransfer are fired at the beginning and end of transmission.

The PITrail event traces the interaction between the client and the server (the FTP protocol interface connection).

Directory listings are received through the DirList event.

Property List

The following is the full list of the properties of the component with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Method List

The following is the full list of the methods of the component with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Event List

The following is the full list of the events fired by the component with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Config Settings

The following is a list of config settings for the component with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Account Property (FTP Component)

The property includes the user account needed to log in.

Syntax

property Account: String read get_Account write set_Account;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This property contains the user account to use when logging in. Some servers may require an Account to Logon or to access specific privileges, such as uploading or deleting files.

Command Property (FTP Component)

This property is used to send additional commands directly to the server.

Syntax

property Command: String write set_Command;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This property can be used to send additional commands directly to the server. Check the LastReply property or trap the PITrail events coming from the server to get the response.

This property is write-only and not available at design time.

Connected Property (FTP Component)

This shows whether the component is connected.

Syntax

property Connected: Boolean read get_Connected write set_Connected;

Default Value

false

Remarks

This property is used to determine whether or not the component is connected to the remote host.

Note: It is recommended to use the Connect or Disconnect method instead of setting this property.

This property is not available at design time.

DirList Property (FTP Component)

This is a collection of entries resulting in the last directory listing.

Syntax

property DirList: TipsDirEntryList read get_DirList;

Remarks

This property contains the collection of entries resulting in the last directory listing. A collection is returned after a response is received from the server after a call to either ListDirectory or ListDirectoryLong. The collection is made up of entries for each listing in the current directory, which is set by calling ChangeRemotePath.

MaxDirEntries can be used to control the number of directory listings saved.

This property is read-only and not available at design time.

FileExists Property (FTP Component)

This property returns True if the file specified by RemoteFile exists on the remote server.

Syntax

property FileExists: Boolean read get_FileExists;

Default Value

false

Remarks

This property returns True if the file exists on the remote server. It returns False if the file does not exist. You must specify the file you wish to check by setting the RemoteFile before calling this method.

If the component is busy or is not connected, 0 is returned.

If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

This property is read-only and not available at design time.

FileSize Property (FTP Component)

This is the size of the file pointed to by RemoteFile .

Syntax

property FileSize: Int64 read get_FileSize;

Default Value

0

Remarks

When this property is read, the FTP server is queried for the file size, and the response is provided as the property value.

If the component is busy or is not connected, 0 is returned.

This property is read-only and not available at design time.

FileTime Property (FTP Component)

This is the last modification time of the file pointed to by RemoteFile .

Syntax

property FileTime: String read get_FileTime;

Default Value

''

Remarks

When this property is read, the FTP server is queried for the file modification time, and the response is provided as the property value. The time will be converted to the local time zone.

If the component is busy or is not connected, an empty string is returned.

This property is read-only and not available at design time.

Firewall Property (FTP Component)

A set of properties related to firewall access.

Syntax

property Firewall: TipsFirewall read get_Firewall write set_Firewall;

Remarks

This is a Firewall-type property, which contains fields describing the firewall through which the component will attempt to connect.

Idle Property (FTP Component)

The current status of the component.

Syntax

property Idle: Boolean read get_Idle;

Default Value

true

Remarks

Idle will be False if the component is currently busy (communicating and/or waiting for an answer), and True at all other times.

This property is read-only.

LastReply Property (FTP Component)

The last reply from the server.

Syntax

property LastReply: String read get_LastReply;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This property indicates the last reply received from the server. It can be used for informational purposes. The same information and more can also be retrieved through the PITrail event.

This property is read-only.

LocalFile Property (FTP Component)

This is the path to a local file for download or upload. If the file exists, it is overwritten.

Syntax

property LocalFile: String read get_LocalFile write set_LocalFile;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This property is used by the Upload and Download methods to specify the path to a local file to be downloaded or uploaded. See the method descriptions for more information.

Example (Setting LocalFile)

FTPControl.LocalFile = "C:\localfile.txt" FTPControl.RemoteFile = "remotefile.txt" FTPControl.Download() FTPControl.LocalFile = "C:\localfile2.txt" FTPControl.RemoteFile = "folder/remotefile2.txt" FTPControl.Download()

LocalHost Property (FTP Component)

The name of the local host or user-assigned IP interface through which connections are initiated or accepted.

Syntax

property LocalHost: String read get_LocalHost write set_LocalHost;

Default Value

''

Remarks

The LocalHost property contains the name of the local host as obtained by the gethostname() system call, or if the user has assigned an IP address, the value of that address.

In multi-homed hosts (machines with more than one IP interface) setting LocalHost to the value of an interface will make the component initiate connections (or accept in the case of server components) only through that interface.

If the component is connected, the LocalHost property shows the IP address of the interface through which the connection is made in internet dotted format (aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd). In most cases, this is the address of the local host, except for multi-homed hosts (machines with more than one IP interface).

NOTE: LocalHost is not persistent. You must always set it in code, and never in the property window.

Overwrite Property (FTP Component)

This indicates whether or not the component should overwrite files during transfer.

Syntax

property Overwrite: Boolean read get_Overwrite write set_Overwrite;

Default Value

false

Remarks

This property is a value indicating whether or not the component should overwrite downloaded files. If Overwrite is False, an error will be thrown whenever LocalFile exists before a download operation.

Passive Property (FTP Component)

This controls whether or not to direct the server into a passive mode. It is recommended if behind a firewall.

Syntax

property Passive: Boolean read get_Passive write set_Passive;

Default Value

true

Remarks

This property controls whether or not to direct the server into a passive mode. Many firewalls will not allow the FTP server to open a connection from outside to the higher ports where the FTP client component expects them to be. If Passive is set to TRUE, the component will use the PASV command instead of the PORT command and thus will direct the server into a passive mode: connections are initiated only by the client.

Password Property (FTP Component)

This is the password used to log in.

Syntax

property Password: String read get_Password write set_Password;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This property contains the password used to log in. It must be set before the component connects to the FTP server.

RemoteFile Property (FTP Component)

This is the name of the remote file for uploading, downloading, and performing other operations.

Syntax

property RemoteFile: String read get_RemoteFile write set_RemoteFile;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This property contains the name of the remote file to be uploaded or downloaded and is either an absolute file path or a relative path based on the remote path set by calling ChangeRemotePath.

A number of methods use RemoteFile as an argument.

Example 1. Setting RemoteFile:

FTPControl.LocalFile = "C:\localfile.txt" FTPControl.RemoteFile = "remotefile.txt" FTPControl.Download() FTPControl.LocalFile = "C:\localfile2.txt" FTPControl.RemoteFile = "folder/remotefile2.txt" FTPControl.Download()

Note: As long as file masks are supported by the server, then this property will act as a file mask when performing ListDirectory or ListDirectoryLong. If not supported, then ApplyFileMaskLocally could be set to True to filter the results locally.

Example 2. Using RemoteFile as a file mask: FTPControl.RemoteFile = "*.txt" FTPControl.ListDirectory()

The following special characters are supported for pattern matching:

If these characters need to be used as a literal in a pattern, then they must be escaped by surrounding them with brackets []. Note: "]" and "-" do not need to be escaped. See below for the escape sequences:

For example, to match the value [Something].txt, specify the pattern [[]Something].txt.

RemoteHost Property (FTP Component)

This is the domain name or IP address of the FTP server.

Syntax

property RemoteHost: String read get_RemoteHost write set_RemoteHost;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This property specifies the IP address (IP number in dotted internet format) or the domain name of the FTP server. It is set before a connection is attempted and cannot be changed once a connection is in progress.

If this property is set to a domain name, a DNS request is initiated and upon successful termination of the request, this property is set to the corresponding address. If the search is not successful, an error is returned.

If the component is configured to use a SOCKS firewall, the value assigned to this property may be preceded with an "*". If this is the case, the host name is passed to the firewall unresolved and the firewall performs the DNS resolution.

RemotePath Property (FTP Component)

This is the current path in the FTP server.

Syntax

property RemotePath: String read get_RemotePath write set_RemotePath;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This property shows the current working directory on the FTP server. It also can be used to change the working directory by setting it to an absolute directory path, or a relative path with respect to the existing value of this property.

If the first two bytes of the new path are '..', then a change to one level higher in the directory tree is performed.

Setting this property causes the component to send the appropriate command to the remote server only if it is connected.

Example 1. Changing Directory:

FTPControl.Logon() FTPControl.RemotePath = "/home/user"

RemotePort Property (FTP Component)

This is the port for the FTP service (default is 21).

Syntax

property RemotePort: Integer read get_RemotePort write set_RemotePort;

Default Value

21

Remarks

This property contains the port for the FTP service, which defaults to 21 if not set. A valid port number (a value between 1 and 65535) is required for the connection to take place. The property must be set before a connection is attempted and cannot be changed once a connection is established. Any attempt to change this property while connected will fail with an error.

For an implicit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), use port 990 (please see the SSLStartMode property for more information).

This property is not available at design time.

SSLAcceptServerCertEncoded Property (FTP Component)

This is the certificate (PEM/base64 encoded).

Syntax

property SSLAcceptServerCertEncoded: String read get_SSLAcceptServerCertEncoded write set_SSLAcceptServerCertEncoded;
property SSLAcceptServerCertEncodedB: TBytes read get_SSLAcceptServerCertEncodedB write set_SSLAcceptServerCertEncodedB;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This is the certificate (PEM/Base64 encoded). This property is used to assign a specific certificate. The Store and Subject properties also may be used to specify a certificate.

When Encoded is set, a search is initiated in the current Store for the private key of the certificate. If the key is found, Subject is updated to reflect the full subject of the selected certificate; otherwise, Subject is set to an empty string.

This property is not available at design time.

SSLCertEncoded Property (FTP Component)

This is the certificate (PEM/base64 encoded).

Syntax

property SSLCertEncoded: String read get_SSLCertEncoded write set_SSLCertEncoded;
property SSLCertEncodedB: TBytes read get_SSLCertEncodedB write set_SSLCertEncodedB;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This is the certificate (PEM/Base64 encoded). This property is used to assign a specific certificate. The Store and Subject properties also may be used to specify a certificate.

When Encoded is set, a search is initiated in the current Store for the private key of the certificate. If the key is found, Subject is updated to reflect the full subject of the selected certificate; otherwise, Subject is set to an empty string.

This property is not available at design time.

SSLCertStore Property (FTP Component)

This is the name of the certificate store for the client certificate.

Syntax

property SSLCertStore: String read get_SSLCertStore write set_SSLCertStore;
property SSLCertStoreB: TBytes read get_SSLCertStoreB write set_SSLCertStoreB;

Default Value

'MY'

Remarks

This is the name of the certificate store for the client certificate.

The StoreType property denotes the type of the certificate store specified by Store. If the store is password protected, specify the password in StorePassword.

Store is used in conjunction with the Subject property to specify client certificates. If Store has a value, and Subject or Encoded is set, a search for a certificate is initiated. Please see the Subject property for details.

Designations of certificate stores are platform dependent.

The following designations are the most common User and Machine certificate stores in Windows:

When the certificate store type is PFXFile, this property must be set to the name of the file. When the type is PFXBlob, the property must be set to the binary contents of a PFX file (i.e., PKCS#12 certificate store).

SSLCertStorePassword Property (FTP Component)

If the type of certificate store requires a password, this property is used to specify the password needed to open the certificate store.

Syntax

property SSLCertStorePassword: String read get_SSLCertStorePassword write set_SSLCertStorePassword;

Default Value

''

Remarks

If the type of certificate store requires a password, this property is used to specify the password needed to open the certificate store.

SSLCertStoreType Property (FTP Component)

This is the type of certificate store for this certificate.

Syntax

property SSLCertStoreType: TipsCertStoreTypes read get_SSLCertStoreType write set_SSLCertStoreType;

TipsCertStoreTypes = (
  cstUser,
  cstMachine,
  cstPFXFile,
  cstPFXBlob,
  cstJKSFile,
  cstJKSBlob,
  cstPEMKeyFile,
  cstPEMKeyBlob,
  cstPublicKeyFile,
  cstPublicKeyBlob,
  cstSSHPublicKeyBlob,
  cstP7BFile,
  cstP7BBlob,
  cstSSHPublicKeyFile,
  cstPPKFile,
  cstPPKBlob,
  cstXMLFile,
  cstXMLBlob,
  cstJWKFile,
  cstJWKBlob,
  cstSecurityKey,
  cstBCFKSFile,
  cstBCFKSBlob,
  cstPKCS11,
  cstAuto
);

Default Value

cstUser

Remarks

This is the type of certificate store for this certificate.

The component supports both public and private keys in a variety of formats. When the cstAuto value is used, the component will automatically determine the type. This property can take one of the following values:

SSLCertSubject Property (FTP Component)

This is the subject of the certificate used for client authentication.

Syntax

property SSLCertSubject: String read get_SSLCertSubject write set_SSLCertSubject;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This is the subject of the certificate used for client authentication.

This property must be set after all other certificate properties are set. When this property is set, a search is performed in the current certificate store to locate a certificate with a matching subject.

If a matching certificate is found, the property is set to the full subject of the matching certificate.

If an exact match is not found, the store is searched for subjects containing the value of the property.

If a match is still not found, the property is set to an empty string, and no certificate is selected.

The special value "*" picks a random certificate in the certificate store.

The certificate subject is a comma-separated list of distinguished name fields and values. For instance, "CN=www.server.com, OU=test, C=US, E=support@nsoftware.com". Common fields and their meanings are as follows:

If a field value contains a comma, it must be quoted.

SSLProvider Property (FTP Component)

This specifies the SSL/TLS implementation to use.

Syntax

property SSLProvider: TipsTSSLProviders read get_SSLProvider write set_SSLProvider;

TipsTSSLProviders = (
  sslpAutomatic,
  sslpPlatform,
  sslpInternal
);

Default Value

sslpAutomatic

Remarks

This property specifies the SSL/TLS implementation to use. In most cases the default value of 0 (Automatic) is recommended and should not be changed. When set to 0 (Automatic) the component will select whether to use the platform implementation or the internal implementation depending on the operating system as well as the TLS version being used.

Possible values are:

In most cases using the default value (Automatic) is recommended. The component will select a provider depending on the current platform.

When Automatic is selected, on Windows the component will use the platform implementation. On Linux/macOS the component will use the internal implementation. When TLS 1.3 is enabled via SSLEnabledProtocols the internal implementation is used on all platforms.

SSLServerCertEncoded Property (FTP Component)

This is the certificate (PEM/base64 encoded).

Syntax

property SSLServerCertEncoded: String read get_SSLServerCertEncoded;
property SSLServerCertEncodedB: TBytes read get_SSLServerCertEncodedB;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This is the certificate (PEM/Base64 encoded). This property is used to assign a specific certificate. The Store and Subject properties also may be used to specify a certificate.

When Encoded is set, a search is initiated in the current Store for the private key of the certificate. If the key is found, Subject is updated to reflect the full subject of the selected certificate; otherwise, Subject is set to an empty string.

This property is read-only and not available at design time.

SSLStartMode Property (FTP Component)

Determines how the component starts the SSL negotiation.

Syntax

property SSLStartMode: TipsTSSLStartModes read get_SSLStartMode write set_SSLStartMode;

TipsTSSLStartModes = (
  sslAutomatic,
  sslImplicit,
  sslExplicit
);

Default Value

sslAutomatic

Remarks

The SSLStartMode property may have one of the following values:

StartByte Property (FTP Component)

This is the byte index in RemoteFile and LocalFile from which to start a transmission.

Syntax

property StartByte: String read get_StartByte write set_StartByte;

Default Value

'0'

Remarks

This property contains a zero-based index in both RemoteFile and LocalFile that determines the point from which the transmission of data begins. This is useful for resuming interrupted downloads and uploads of files from FTP servers.

Once set, the StartByte index is used for all future downloads and uploads. The property must be reset to "0" for normal downloads and uploads.

The type of the property is a string instead of numeric value to allow for certain implementations that expect an alphanumeric marker for the start index.

In the Transfer event, the TransferredBytes parameter will include the bytes skipped (i.e., it will show StartByte more bytes than actually transferred).

Note: Some FTP servers may not support the FTP REST command. If that is the case with the server you are accessing, you will not be able to use the StartByte property.

This property is not available at design time.

Timeout Property (FTP Component)

A timeout for the component.

Syntax

property Timeout: Integer read get_Timeout write set_Timeout;

Default Value

60

Remarks

If the Timeout property is set to 0, all operations will run uninterrupted until successful completion or an error condition is encountered.

If Timeout is set to a positive value, the component will wait for the operation to complete before returning control.

The component will use DoEvents to enter an efficient wait loop during any potential waiting period, making sure that all system events are processed immediately as they arrive. This ensures that the host application does not "freeze" and remains responsive.

If Timeout expires, and the operation is not yet complete, the component raises an exception.

Please note that by default, all timeouts are inactivity timeouts, i.e. the timeout period is extended by Timeout seconds when any amount of data is successfully sent or received.

The default value for the Timeout property is 60 seconds.

TransferMode Property (FTP Component)

This property includes the transfer mode (ASCII or binary). If the value is 0 (default), the initial server mode will be used.

Syntax

property TransferMode: TipsTFTPTransferModes read get_TransferMode write set_TransferMode;

TipsTFTPTransferModes = (
  tmDefault,
  tmASCII,
  tmBinary
);

Default Value

tmDefault

Remarks

This property specifies the transfer mode, which is either ASCII or binary. The valid options for the TransferMode property are as follows:

Note: It is recommended to use the ChangeTransferMode method instead of setting this property.

User Property (FTP Component)

This property contains the user identifier to use to log in.

Syntax

property User: String read get_User write set_User;

Default Value

''

Remarks

This property contains the user identifier to be used when logging in. It must be set before the component connects to the FTP server.

Abort Method (FTP Component)

The method aborts the current upload or download.

Syntax

procedure Abort();

Remarks

This method sends an ABOR command to the FTP server. It is used to interrupt file uploads and downloads.

Append Method (FTP Component)

This method appends data from LocalFile to a RemoteFile on an FTP server.

Syntax

procedure Append();

Remarks

This method causes the server-data transfer process (DTP) to accept the data transferred through the data connection and to store the data in a file on the server site. If the file specified in the pathname exists on the server site, then the data shall be appended to that file; otherwise, the file specified in the pathname shall be created on the server site. This method is similar to the Upload method, but the local file specified by LocalFile is appended to RemoteFile on the server as opposed to replacing it, as with the Upload method. RemoteFile is either an absolute path on the server, or a path relative to the current path set by ChangeRemotePath. The server will create a file with that name if it doesn't already exist (similar to upload). If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

ChangeRemotePath Method (FTP Component)

This method changes the current path on the FTP server.

Syntax

procedure ChangeRemotePath(RemotePath: String);

Remarks

This method changes the current path on the FTP server to the specified RemotePath. When called, the component will issue a command to the server to change the directory. The RemotePath parameter may hold an absolute or relative path.

Absolute Paths

If the path begins with a /, it is considered an absolute path and must specify the entire path from the root of the server. For instance:

component.ChangeRemotePath("/home/testuser/myfolder");

Relative Paths

If the path does not begin with a /, it is considered a relative path and is resolved in relation to the current directory. For instance, a value of myfolder will indicate a subfolder of the current directory. The special value .. refers to the parent directory of the current path. For instance:

//Change to the 'myfolder' sub-directory component.ChangeRemotePath("myfolder"); //Navigate up two levels and then into the 'another/folder' path. component.ChangeRemotePath("../../another/folder");

ChangeTransferMode Method (FTP Component)

This method changes the transfer mode for the current connection.

Syntax

procedure ChangeTransferMode(TransferMode: Integer);

Remarks

This method optionally changes the transfer mode used for the connection. The TransferMode parameter indicates the new transfer mode to be used.

In many cases, it is not necessary to explicitly change the transfer mode; however, the binary transfer mode is useful to ensure that files are preserved byte-for-byte during the transfer. For instance, when uploading or downloading images or archives, the binary transfer mode will ensure that no line-ending transformations are performed by the server before data are transmitted.

Valid values for the TransferMode parameter are as follows:

CheckFileExists Method (FTP Component)

This method returns True if the file specified by RemoteFile exists on the server.

Syntax

function CheckFileExists(): Boolean;

Remarks

This method sends a command to the server to determine if the file specified by RemoteFile exists. If the file exists, this method returns True, otherwise it returns False. RemoteFile must be specified before calling this method. For instance: component.ChangeRemotePath("/home/testuser/myfolder"); component.RemoteFile = "test.txt"; if(component.CheckFileExists()) { //Do something }

Config Method (FTP Component)

Sets or retrieves a configuration setting.

Syntax

function Config(ConfigurationString: String): String;

Remarks

Config is a generic method available in every component. It is used to set and retrieve configuration settings for the component.

These settings are similar in functionality to properties, but they are rarely used. In order to avoid "polluting" the property namespace of the component, access to these internal properties is provided through the Config method.

To set a configuration setting named PROPERTY, you must call Config("PROPERTY=VALUE"), where VALUE is the value of the setting expressed as a string. For boolean values, use the strings "True", "False", "0", "1", "Yes", or "No" (case does not matter).

To read (query) the value of a configuration setting, you must call Config("PROPERTY"). The value will be returned as a string.

Connect Method (FTP Component)

This method connects to the FTP server without logging in.

Syntax

procedure Connect();

Remarks

This method establishes a connection with the RemoteHost but does not log in. In most cases, it is recommended to use the Logon method, which will both establish a connection and log in to the server.

This method may be useful in cases in which it is desirable to separate the connection and logon operations, for instance, confirming that a host is available by first creating the connection.

DeleteFile Method (FTP Component)

This method removes a file specified by FileName from an FTP server.

Syntax

procedure DeleteFile(FileName: String);

Remarks

This method is used to remove a file specified by FileName from an FTP server. The remote file or directory specified by FileName is deleted. FileName is either an absolute path on the server, or a path relative to remote path set by ChangeRemotePath. If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

Disconnect Method (FTP Component)

This method disconnects from the server without first logging off.

Syntax

procedure Disconnect();

Remarks

This method immediately disconnects from the server without first logging off.

In most cases, the Logoff method should be used to log off and disconnect from the server. Call the Disconnect method in cases in which it is desirable to immediately disconnect without first logging off.

DoEvents Method (FTP Component)

Processes events from the internal message queue.

Syntax

procedure DoEvents();

Remarks

When DoEvents is called, the component processes any available events. If no events are available, it waits for a preset period of time, and then returns.

Download Method (FTP Component)

This method downloads a RemoteFile from an FTP server.

Syntax

procedure Download();

Remarks

This method is used to download the remote file specified by RemoteFile to the local file specified by LocalFile, or it is retrieved through the Transfer event if the LocalFile property is '' (empty string). RemoteFile is either an absolute path on the server or a path relative to a remote path set by calling ChangeRemotePath. If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

Example (Download a File)

FTPControl.LocalFile = "C:\localfile.txt" FTPControl.RemoteFile = "remotefile.txt" FTPControl.Download() FTPControl.LocalFile = "C:\localfile2.txt" FTPControl.RemoteFile = "folder/remotefile2.txt" FTPControl.Download()

Interrupt Method (FTP Component)

Interrupt the current method.

Syntax

procedure Interrupt();

Remarks

If there is no method in progress, Interrupt simply returns, doing nothing.

ListDirectory Method (FTP Component)

List the current directory specified by ChangeRemotePath on an FTP server.

Syntax

procedure ListDirectory();

Remarks

This method is used to list the directory (or file mask) specified in RemoteFile. RemoteFile is either an absolute path on the server, or a path relative to the remote path set by ChangeRemotePath. The file listing is received through the DirList event.

Similar to ListDirectoryLong, except that only file names are returned.

Note: Because RemoteFile acts as a file mask, to retrieve a complete directory listing RemoteFile should be set to an empty string or a mask like "*". If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

ListDirectoryLong Method (FTP Component)

This method lists extended directory information for the remote path specified by calling ChangeRemotePath .

Syntax

procedure ListDirectoryLong();

Remarks

This method is used to request a directory (or file mask) listing specified in RemoteFile. RemoteFile is either an absolute path on the server, or a path relative to the remote path set by calling ChangeRemotePath. The file listing is received through the DirList event. Extended file information is returned.

Note: Because RemoteFile acts as a file mask, to retrieve a complete directory listing RemoteFile should be set to empty string or a mask like "*". If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

Logoff Method (FTP Component)

This method is used to log off from the FTP server by posting a QUIT command.

Syntax

procedure Logoff();

Remarks

This method is used to log off from the FTP server by posting a QUIT command. If that fails, the connection is terminated by the local host.

Logon Method (FTP Component)

This method is used to log on to the FTP RemoteHost using the current User and Password .

Syntax

procedure Logon();

Remarks

This method is used to log on to the FTP server using the current User and Password. If TransferMode is not 0 (Default), then the FTP transfer mode is set to the appropriate value.

Example (Logging On)

FTPControl.RemoteHost = "ftpserver" FTPControl.User = "username" FTPControl.Password = "password" FTPControl.Logon()

MakeDirectory Method (FTP Component)

This method is used to create a directory on the FTP server.

Syntax

procedure MakeDirectory(NewDir: String);

Remarks

This method is used to create a directory with a path specified by NewDir on the FTP server. NewDir is either an absolute path on the server, or a path relative to the remote path that is set by calling ChangeRemotePath. If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

Note: When MakeDirectory is called, RemoteFile is changed to NewDir.

QueryFileSize Method (FTP Component)

This returns the size of the file specified by RemoteFile .

Syntax

function QueryFileSize(): Int64;

Remarks

This method sends the SIZE command to the server to obtain the size (in bytes) of the file specified by RemoteFile. RemoteFile must be specified before calling this method. For instance: component.ChangeRemotePath("/home/testuser/myfolder"); component.RemoteFile = "test.txt"; long myFileSize = component.QueryFileSize();

If RemoteFile does not exist on the server, the component raises an exception.

QueryFileTime Method (FTP Component)

This returns the modified time of the file specified by RemoteFile .

Syntax

function QueryFileTime(): String;

Remarks

This method sends the MDTM command to the server to obtain the modified time of the file specified by RemoteFile. The time returned by this method will be converted to the local timezone. RemoteFile must be specified before calling this method. For instance: component.ChangeRemotePath("/home/testuser/myfolder"); component.RemoteFile = "test.txt"; string myModifiedTime = component.QueryFileTime();

The FileTimeFormat configuration setting controls the format of the returned value.

QueryRemotePath Method (FTP Component)

This queries the server for the current path.

Syntax

function QueryRemotePath(): String;

Remarks

This method queries the server for the current path. When called, the component will issue a command to the server to retrieve the current path value. The return value of this method is the path returned by the server. For instance:

string remotePath = component.QueryRemotePath();

RemoveDirectory Method (FTP Component)

This removes a directory specified by DirName from an FTP server.

Syntax

procedure RemoveDirectory(DirName: String);

Remarks

This method is used to remove a directory with path specified by DirName from the FTP server. DirName is either an absolute path on the server, or a path relative to the remote path set by calling ChangeRemotePath. If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

RenameFile Method (FTP Component)

This changes the name of RemoteFile to NewName .

Syntax

procedure RenameFile(NewName: String);

Remarks

This method is used to change the name of a remote file, specified by RemoteFile to NewName. RemoteFile and NewName are either absolute paths on the server, or a path relative to a remote path set by calling ChangeRemotePath. If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

Reset Method (FTP Component)

Reset the component.

Syntax

procedure Reset();

Remarks

This method will reset the component's properties to their default values.

SendCommand Method (FTP Component)

Sends the exact command directly to the server.

Syntax

procedure SendCommand(Command: String);

Remarks

This method sends the command specified by Command to the server exactly as it is provided. Use this method to send additional or custom commands directly to the server.

After calling this method check the LastReply property and/or monitor the PITrail event to obtain the server's response.

SetDownloadStream Method (FTP Component)

This method sets the stream to which the downloaded data from the server will be written.

Syntax

procedure SetDownloadStream(DownloadStream: TStream);

Remarks

This method is used to set the stream to which the downloaded data from the server will be written. If a download stream is set before the Download method is called, the downloaded data will be written to the stream. The stream should be open and normally set to position 0. The component will automatically close this stream if CloseStreamAfterTransfer is True (default). If the stream is closed, you need to call SetDownloadStream again before calling Download again. The downloaded content will be written starting at the current position in the stream. If StartByte is a non-zero value, the server will be instructed to skip those bytes before starting to send the content of the file. In that case, it is up to you to build the stream appropriately.

Note: SetDownloadStream and LocalFile will reset the other stream.

SetUploadStream Method (FTP Component)

This method sets the stream from which the component will read data to upload to the server.

Syntax

procedure SetUploadStream(UploadStream: TStream);

Remarks

This method is used to set the stream from which the component will read data to upload to the server. If an upload stream is set before the Upload method is called, the content of the stream will be read by the component and uploaded to the server. The stream should be open and normally set to position 0. The component will automatically close this stream if CloseStreamAfterTransfer is True (default). If the stream is closed, you need to call SetUploadStream again before calling Upload again. The content of the stream will be read from the current position all the way to the end, and no bytes will be skipped even if StartByte is set to a non-zero value (although the server will be instructed to skip those bytes in its file).

Note: SetUploadStream and LocalFile will reset the other stream.

StoreUnique Method (FTP Component)

This method uploads a file with a unique name to an FTP server.

Syntax

procedure StoreUnique();

Remarks

This method is used to upload a file with a unique name to an FTP server. This is similar to the Upload method, but the server determines a unique name for the LocalFile to be saved on the current directory set by calling ChangeRemotePath. The server includes the new name of the file in its response. The user should check the PITrail event, or LastReply property to retrieve this generated filename.

Upload Method (FTP Component)

This method uploads a file specified by LocalFile to an FTP server.

Syntax

procedure Upload();

Remarks

This method uploads a local file specified by LocalFile to the remote file specified by RemoteFile. RemoteFile is either an absolute path on the server, or a path relative to the remote path set by calling ChangeRemotePath. If no FTP session is in place, one is automatically created by first calling the Logon method.

If you want to append to a server file, please refer to the Append method.

Example 1: Upload a File

FTPControl.LocalFile = "C:\localfile.txt" FTPControl.RemoteFile = "remotefile.txt" FTPControl.Upload() FTPControl.LocalFile = "C:\localfile2.txt" FTPControl.RemoteFile = "folder/remotefile2.txt" FTPControl.Upload()

ConnectionStatus Event (FTP Component)

This event is fired to indicate changes in the connection state.

Syntax

type TConnectionStatusEvent = procedure (
  Sender: TObject;
  const ConnectionEvent: String;
  StatusCode: Integer;
  const Description: String
) of Object;

property OnConnectionStatus: TConnectionStatusEvent read FOnConnectionStatus write FOnConnectionStatus;

Remarks

The ConnectionStatus event is fired when the connection state changes: for example, completion of a firewall or proxy connection or completion of a security handshake.

The ConnectionEvent parameter indicates the type of connection event. Values may include the following:

DirList Event (FTP Component)

This event is fired when a directory entry is received.

Syntax

type TDirListEvent = procedure (
  Sender: TObject;
  const DirEntry: String;
  const FileName: String;
  IsDir: Boolean;
  FileSize: Int64;
  const FileTime: String
) of Object;

property OnDirList: TDirListEvent read FOnDirList write FOnDirList;

Remarks

The DirList events are fired when a directory listing is received as a response to a ListDirectory or ListDirectoryLong call.

The StartTransfer and EndTransfer events mark the beginning and end of the event stream.

The DirEntry parameter contains the filename when ListDirectory is called and includes extended file information when ListDirectoryLong is called.

The component tries to fill out the FileName, IsDir, FileSize, and FileTime parameters when calling the ListDirectoryLong method. Except for FileName, these parameters are empty when a short "List Directory" is performed.

In Unix systems, the date is given in two types of formats: If the date is in the past 12 months the exact time is specified and the year is omitted. Otherwise, only the date and the year, but not hours or minutes, are given.

EndTransfer Event (FTP Component)

This event is fired when a file finishes downloading or uploading.

Syntax

type TEndTransferEvent = procedure (
  Sender: TObject;
  Direction: Integer
) of Object;

property OnEndTransfer: TEndTransferEvent read FOnEndTransfer write FOnEndTransfer;

Remarks

The EndTransfer event fires when a Data Interface connection is closed. This occurs when the file finishes transferring or a directory listing is finished.

The Direction parameter shows whether the client (0) or the server (1) is sending the data.

Error Event (FTP Component)

Information about errors during data delivery.

Syntax

type TErrorEvent = procedure (
  Sender: TObject;
  ErrorCode: Integer;
  const Description: String
) of Object;

property OnError: TErrorEvent read FOnError write FOnError;

Remarks

The Error event is fired in case of exceptional conditions during message processing. Normally the component raises an exception.

The ErrorCode parameter contains an error code, and the Description parameter contains a textual description of the error. For a list of valid error codes and their descriptions, please refer to the Error Codes section.

PITrail Event (FTP Component)

This event traces the commands sent to the server, and the respective replies.

Syntax

type TPITrailEvent = procedure (
  Sender: TObject;
  Direction: Integer;
  const Message: String
) of Object;

property OnPITrail: TPITrailEvent read FOnPITrail write FOnPITrail;

Remarks

The PITrail event is useful for debugging purposes. It shows all of the interactions between the client and the server, line by line.

The Message parameter contains the full text of the message. The Direction parameter shows the originator of the message:

SSLServerAuthentication Event (FTP Component)

Fired after the server presents its certificate to the client.

Syntax

type TSSLServerAuthenticationEvent = procedure (
  Sender: TObject;
  CertEncoded: String;
  CertEncodedB: TBytes;
  const CertSubject: String;
  const CertIssuer: String;
  const Status: String;
  var Accept: Boolean
) of Object;

property OnSSLServerAuthentication: TSSLServerAuthenticationEvent read FOnSSLServerAuthentication write FOnSSLServerAuthentication;

Remarks

During this event, the client can decide whether or not to continue with the connection process. The Accept parameter is a recommendation on whether to continue or close the connection. This is just a suggestion: application software must use its own logic to determine whether or not to continue.

When Accept is False, Status shows why the verification failed (otherwise, Status contains the string OK). If it is decided to continue, you can override and accept the certificate by setting the Accept parameter to True.

SSLStatus Event (FTP Component)

Shows the progress of the secure connection.

Syntax

type TSSLStatusEvent = procedure (
  Sender: TObject;
  const Message: String
) of Object;

property OnSSLStatus: TSSLStatusEvent read FOnSSLStatus write FOnSSLStatus;

Remarks

The event is fired for informational and logging purposes only. This event tracks the progress of the connection.

StartTransfer Event (FTP Component)

This event fires when a file starts downloading or uploading.

Syntax

type TStartTransferEvent = procedure (
  Sender: TObject;
  Direction: Integer
) of Object;

property OnStartTransfer: TStartTransferEvent read FOnStartTransfer write FOnStartTransfer;

Remarks

The StartTransfer event fires when a Data Interface connection is created. This is when the file starts transferring or a directory listing is started.

The Direction parameter shows whether the client (0) or the server (1) is sending the data.

Transfer Event (FTP Component)

This event is fired during the file download or upload.

Syntax

type TTransferEvent = procedure (
  Sender: TObject;
  Direction: Integer;
  BytesTransferred: Int64;
  PercentDone: Integer;
  Text: String;
  TextB: TBytes
) of Object;

property OnTransfer: TTransferEvent read FOnTransfer write FOnTransfer;

Remarks

One or more Transfer events are fired during file transfer. The BytesTransferred parameter shows the number of bytes transferred since the beginning of the transfer.

Text contains the portion of the file data being delivered.

The Direction parameter shows whether the client (0) or the server (1) is sending the data.

The PercentDone parameter shows the progress of the transfer in the corresponding direction. If PercentDone can not be calculated the value will be -1.

Note: Events are not re-entrant. Performing time-consuming operations within this event will prevent it from firing again in a timely manner and may affect overall performance.

DirEntry Type

This is a listing in a directory returned from the server.

Remarks

The DirEntry listings are filled out by the component when a directory listing is received as a response to a ListDirectory or ListDirectoryLong call. The server returns a listing for each directory and file at the current path that exists. This listing is parsed into a directory entry.

If ListDirectoryLong is called, all of the fields listed below are supplied by the server. When the ListDirectory method is called, however, the FileSize, FileTime, and IsDir fields all are left empty by the server. In this case, the only field it returns is the FileName.

The full line for the directory entry is provided by the Entry field.

Fields

Constructors

constructor Create();

Firewall Type

This is the firewall the component will connect through.

Remarks

When connecting through a firewall, this type is used to specify different properties of the firewall, such as the firewall Host and the FirewallType.

Fields

Constructors

constructor Create();

Config Settings (FTP Component)

FTP Config Settings

TCPClient Config Settings

SSL Config Settings

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIEKzCCAxOgAwIBAgIRANTET4LIkxdH6P+CFIiHvTowDQYJKoZIhvcNAQELBQAw
...
eWHV5OW1K53o/atv59sOiW5K3crjFhsBOd5Q+cJJnU+SWinPKtANXMht+EDvYY2w
F0I1XhM+pKj7FjDr+XNj
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
\r \n
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIEFjCCAv6gAwIBAgIQetu1SMxpnENAnnOz1P+PtTANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQUFADBp
..
d8q23djXZbVYiIfE9ebr4g3152BlVCHZ2GyPdjhIuLeH21VbT/dyEHHA
-----END CERTIFICATE-----

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIEKzCCAxOgAwIBAgIRANTET4LIkxdH6P+CFIiHvTowDQYJKoZIhvcNAQELBQAw
...
eWHV5OW1K53o/atv59sOiW5K3crjFhsBOd5Q+cJJnU+SWinPKtANXMht+EDvYY2w
F0I1XhM+pKj7FjDr+XNj
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
\r \n
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIEFjCCAv6gAwIBAgIQetu1SMxpnENAnnOz1P+PtTANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQUFADBp
..
d8q23djXZbVYiIfE9ebr4g3152BlVCHZ2GyPdjhIuLeH21VbT/dyEHHA
-----END CERTIFICATE-----

Socket Config Settings

Base Config Settings

Trappable Errors (FTP Component)

FTP Errors

The component may also return one of the following error codes, which are inherited from other components.

SSLClient Errors

SSL Errors

TCP/IP Errors