Netlinx FTP + Firefox FireFTP

Joe Hebert

Does anyone use the Firefox extension FireFTP? It works great for other FTP sites but there seems to be something different with Netlinx. I can connect to Netlinx and see the root directory and the doc:/user directory but I can?t see any files in the directories. I can select a file from my PC and transfer it to Netlinx using FireFTP but the file doesn?t show up in the listing. (I know the transfer works because if I FTP in with IE the file is there)

I also tried using FTP Explorer to connect to Netlinx but with that program there is one directory that shows up and the directory name is some unprintable characters plus all the directories lumped together as one name.

The only program I?ve been able to FTP in successfully with is IE but I?d much rather use FireFTP if at all possible. Has anyone had any success using anything other than IE to FTP into Netlinx?

Thanks.

[Deleted User]

I Use FileZilla, and this works great with the Netlinx systems

DHawthorne

My preferred FTP client used to be WS-FTP, but it has the same issue with NetLinx FTP servers. I have been using Core FTP instead, and it's fine. There is something about how the NetLinx reports it's directories that some FTP clients just don't like.

jjames

Just out of pure curiosity - what do you use the NetLinx FTP for? I've never used it, and honestly do no know what I would use it for.

Joe Hebert

jjames wrote:

Just out of pure curiosity - what do you use the NetLinx FTP for?

FTP is used to transfer files to/from the flash drive (DiskOnChip) built into the master. I mainly use it to retrieve log files that I write to disk or to transfer configuration files that my program may use. If you?re working on a program that retrieves data from the Internet (XML files, images, etc.) and you want a permanent copy you can write the data to disk and then use FTP to access the files.

Using a program like FileZilla or CoreFTP (thanks Leon and Dave) makes transferring or viewing the files as easy as viewing or copying files on your PC.

jjames

Ok, so in theory, I could write a function in my program that I could download doppler images onto the FTP every so often and have my 8400s use the local resource rather than going out onto the web?

But all-in-all, your NetLinx program can use files that are loaded in the FTP portion of the master is what your saying (correct me if I'm wrong) and that's what you use it for.

DHawthorne

My device logger stores event logs on the RAM disc, and I use FTP to retrieve the logs.

My dynamic channel log uses an XML file for channel data, and I use FTP to update that file.

I don't see it as very useful for any of the files you can access via Studio; I just use the internal drive for other things.

As a complete aside, I have a Firefox add-on that allows me to store my bookmarks to an FTP server. So I dump them on my home NetLinx, and then can syncronize with my work machine . In that case, there is no NetLinx programming involved at all, I'm just using the master as an FTP server all by itself.

Joe Hebert

jjames wrote:

Ok, so in theory, I could write a function in my program that I could
download doppler images onto the FTP every so often and have my 8400s
use the local resource rather than going out onto the web?

But all-in-all, your NetLinx program can use files that are loaded in
the FTP portion of the master is what your saying (correct me if I'm
wrong) and that's what you use it for.

Think of FTP (File Transfer Protocol) as a verb not a noun. It?s a method used to transfer data. There isn?t an FTP portion on the master. There is a flash drive on the master which acts the same as a hard drive on your computer; it?s used to store a permanent copy. You can then FTP into the master to access those files and transfer a copy to your computer.

Your theory is right on target (and an excellent example) if you change it to say something like: I can write a program to retrieve Doppler images every so often from the web (via HTTP, another verb, another method of transferring data), write those images to disk, and have my 8400s use the local resource instead of going to the web every time.

Your program can use files stored on the master using the FILE_* functions.

Does that clear maters up at all?

jjames

Joe Hebert wrote:

Does that clear maters up at all?

Crystal! Thanks!

Joe Hebert

Anytime. Glad to help.

vining

I've been using FileZilla as well. I also been using the DMTF ftp commands in an auto updating program. With the DMTF command you can check date & time a file was last updated, so my program periodically checks certain files and if this date/time stamp doesn't match it does an auto ftp (transfer) which then goes into a parsing router which basically read the title of the file and depending on what that is it sends it to it's appropiate parser.

In short if I change a file on my PC or have another program like my CATV guide checker which goes to the web and get the current channel guide and downloads the html, a program parses it and genrates a formatted file and sends it to my PC. Then the program running on my master or customers master when its time does the DMTF ftp query and notices the file time stamp has change and then retrieves the new updated file. This new file is written to ram and is then routed to its appropriate parser where it updates my arrays or structures. All automatically. One hitch is that the first part of parsing the html channel guide should be proofed before sending to the PC for obvious reason. One being you can't trust html.

Another use along the same lines is as a notepad. Have a formatted file on a PC and make changes when ever approprite, chores, notes, to do lists, etc. save the file and again the auto udate feature sees the file time stamp has changed and transfer the files, goes through the same but different routine and displays the notes or whatever on the TP in whatever display format you create.

FTP has lots of cool potential.

Darkside

SmartFTP V2.0

I use SMARTFTP 2.0 - an excellent ftp program that allows multiple sessions to be opened with multiple servers at the same time.

This is fantastic for websites, and indeed posting index/default pages to several netlinx boxes. Drag and drop to each box. Nice!

It really is awesome (no, I don't sell it!!) and I can't imagine needing anything more out of an FTP client...except being able to see the files on a NetLinx box which it can't do either!

Intrigued to know why this is....

I get quite blaz? about dropping the files on to the box now - you know they're going to land and the status area of the program advises so...

It's a lot quicker and easier to navigate than IE..

My two bobs worth

vining

Stephen Bolton wrote:

I can't imagine needing anything more out of an FTP client...except being able to see the files on a NetLinx box which it can't do either!

Here's a screen shot of FileZilla which has no problem of displaying the Netlinxs file through FTP.

I don't actually use this to much but the FileZilla server I run on my desktop and used for the stuff I mentioned earlier in this post. Both FileZilla server and client are free downloads fron SourcForge.

Darkside

I might just give it a run - thanx VAV

LegacyUser

there may be a reason some FTP programs aren't working with Netlinx.

you may need to turn PASV mode off.

i always simply use Windows Explorer FTP (built in). i can use it as easliy as a folder browser.

as for uses for FTP ... one new one is that with the more recent firmware, i can actually see each IRfile for each port in the root folder. i am wondering (haven't bothered to check yet) about copying irfiles with my text device driver files.

another use - i use it as a file server in some customer locations. on there i will store programs like WinMax. then if the user ever needs to have a re-install (or an upgrade), it can be found fairly easily.

and, as others have stated, getting access to log files etc.

my application makes big use of text files on controllers, making the program flexible for quick changes.

for example, for serial devices, my device driver files are in text, describing all the commands a device can accept. i then upload that to the controller. (my simpler version of AMXs DDD )