.NET Information center: Using Apache Commons Net API to transfer files using FTP protocol

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Using Apache Commons Net API to transfer files using FTP protocol

Apache Commons Net™ library implements the client side of many basic Internet protocols. The purpose of the library is to provide fundamental protocol access, not higher-level abstractions.

In this article we are going to use the Apache Commons Net API to upload a file to from local machine to a remote FTP server, the needed steps are:

1 - Creating a new FTP Client from the Apache Commons Net API

2 - Connect to the remote FTP server

3 - Set the files transfer mode (ASCII, Binary...etc), we will be using Binary mode

4 - Enable Data transfer between the local machine and the remote FTP server

5 - Send Login Command

6 - Do File transfer

7 - Logout from the remote FTP server

8 - Disconnect from the remote FTP server

The below code is the Java translation of the previous steps :

FTPClient client = new FTPClient();

client.connect("Your FTP Server");

client.setFileType(FTP.BINARY_FILE_TYPE);

client.enterLocalPassiveMode();

client.login("Your Username", "Your Password");

InputStream input = new FileInputStream(new File("Local File Location + File Name (i.e. C:/Users/adevedo/Desktop/myfile.dat"));

client.storeFile("Remote File Location + File Name (i.e. /www/location/myfile.dat", input);

client.logout();

client.disconnect();