HTTPUtils or FTP ?

[Bill Norris]

What are the pros and cons of using HTTPUtils vs FTP to download files from the web server?

 

[Erel]

Note that HttpUtils2 is preferred over HttpUtils.

If your web server supports FTP and you are only interested in downloading or uploading files then I recommend you to use FTP. Though both protocols can handle file transfers.

 

[Bill Norris]

FTP Downloading Multiple Files

If I want to FTP download multiple files, do I simply create an array of the file names and iterate through, like this:

for i=0 to 10
FTP.DownloadFile("/somefolder/files/" & filename(i), False, File.DirRootExternal, filename(i))
next

or is there a more efficient way?

 

[Erel]

Your code is correct. Note that FTP doesn't support concurrent downloads. The files will be downloaded one after another.

Http does allow you to download multiple files at the same time.

 

[Bill Norris]

RE: Need Help

Cannot seem to "get out of the gate" with this. Here is code:

Sub Service_Create
   FTP.Initialize("file_transfers", "ftp://www.myserver.com", 21, "user", "password")
End Sub

sub download_file_click
FTP.DownloadFile("/tablet/database/wine_tablet.db", False, File.DirRootExternal, "wine_tablet.db")
end sub

Sub FTP_DownloadProgress (ServerPath As String, TotalDownloaded As Long, Total As Long)
Dim s As String
s = "Downloaded " & Round(TotalDownloaded / 1000) & "KB"
If Total > 0 Then s = s & " out of " & Round(Total / 1000) & "KB"
Log(s)
End Sub

Sub FTP_DownloadCompleted (ServerPath As String, Success As Boolean)
If Success=True Then
   File.Copy("File.DirRootExternal","wine_tablet.db","File.DirDefaultExternal","wine_tablet.db")
End If
End Sub

It does not appears as though anything is happening regarding the file download. Nothing is being written to the log in the downloadprogress sub. Also, I'm not sure of the significance of the sub name in the initialize statement. What goes in there, since I am using a button sub to initiate the download, and the downloadprogress and downloadcomplete subs are on their own. I know the server name, user and password are correct.

 

[Erel]

You have set the EventName parameter to file_transfers. This means that the events subs should be:

Sub file_transfers_DownloadProgress
...

 

[Bill Norris]

RE:

Thanks

 

[Bill Norris]

RE:

Made the changes and still nothing. I notice in the tutorial that in the initialization line, the format of the server name is "ftp.servername.com", rather than "ftp://www.servername.com" -- also, is 21 the correct port or might that need to be changed?

 

[mc73]

Made the changes and still nothing. I notice in the tutorial that in the initialization line, the format of the server name is "ftp.servername.com", rather than "ftp://www.servername.com" -- also, is 21 the correct port or might that need to be changed?

Yes, you shouldn't place the 'www'.
21 is a default port used by many servers.
Finally, perhaps you should ftp in passive mode

FTP.PassiveMode =True

after initializing your ftp object.

 

[Bill Norris]

RE:

That appears to have resolved the problem. Just wondering if the downloads execute in the background if the app is in use when I send the download_file push message?

 

[Erel]

Yes, the downloads occur in the background.

 

[Bill Norris]

RE:

Thank you sir