downloading all files in directory ftp and c#

Question

Hello,

I am trying to download not one, but all files within a remote directory using FTP and C# and then save them to a local folder on my hard drive. How can I do this?

---

john.strez

Answer 1

Hi John,

For being able to download all files from a FTP directory to a local folder, you will have to list all files in the remote directory and then download them one by one. You can use the following code to do the same:

        string[] files = GetFileList();
        foreach (string file in files)
        {
            Download(file);
        }

        public string[] GetFileList()
        {
            string[] downloadFiles;
            StringBuilder result = new StringBuilder();
            WebResponse response = null;
            StreamReader reader = null;
            try
            {
                FtpWebRequest reqFTP;
                reqFTP = (FtpWebRequest)FtpWebRequest.Create(new Uri("ftp://" + ftpServerIP + "/"));
                reqFTP.UseBinary = true;
                reqFTP.Credentials = new NetworkCredential(ftpUserID, ftpPassword);
                reqFTP.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.ListDirectory;
                reqFTP.Proxy = null;
                reqFTP.KeepAlive = false;
                reqFTP.UsePassive = false;
                response = reqFTP.GetResponse();
                reader = new StreamReader(response.GetResponseStream());
                string line = reader.ReadLine();
                while (line != null)
                {
                    result.Append(line);
                    result.Append("\n");
                    line = reader.ReadLine();
                }
                // to remove the trailing '\n'
                result.Remove(result.ToString().LastIndexOf('\n'), 1);
                return result.ToString().Split('\n');
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                if (reader != null)
                {
                    reader.Close();
                }
                if (response != null)
                {
                    response.Close();
                }                
                downloadFiles = null;
                return downloadFiles;
            }
        }

        private void Download(string file)
        {                       
            try
            {                
                string uri = "ftp://" + ftpServerIP + "/" + remoteDir + "/" + file;
                Uri serverUri = new Uri(uri);
                if (serverUri.Scheme != Uri.UriSchemeFtp)
                {
                    return;
                }       
                FtpWebRequest reqFTP;                
                reqFTP = (FtpWebRequest)FtpWebRequest.Create(new Uri("ftp://" + ftpServerIP + "/" + remoteDir + "/" + file));                                
                reqFTP.Credentials = new NetworkCredential(ftpUserID, ftpPassword);                
                reqFTP.KeepAlive = false;                
                reqFTP.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.DownloadFile;                                
                reqFTP.UseBinary = true;
                reqFTP.Proxy = null;                 
                reqFTP.UsePassive = false;
                FtpWebResponse response = (FtpWebResponse)reqFTP.GetResponse();
                Stream responseStream = response.GetResponseStream();
                FileStream writeStream = new FileStream(localDestnDir + "\" + file, FileMode.Create);                
                int Length = 2048;
                Byte[] buffer = new Byte[Length];
                int bytesRead = responseStream.Read(buffer, 0, Length);               
                while (bytesRead > 0)
                {
                    writeStream.Write(buffer, 0, bytesRead);
                    bytesRead = responseStream.Read(buffer, 0, Length);
                }                
                writeStream.Close();
                response.Close(); 
            }
            catch (WebException wEx)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(wEx.Message, "Download Error");
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Download Error");
            }
        }

I have written and tested this code using Visual Studio 2005. It worked without giving any errors and I was able to download all files from my remote FTP folder. However, if you still face any issues while using it, please feel free to reply so that I can look into it.


Thanks,
Sumit

[Please do not forget to mark as answer for a correct reply.]

Answer 2

hi sumit

im naren.i need, in single click i download folder from ftp using c#.net in 2008.

---

Naren

Answer 3

Hi, guys if there is any network probs during download. My download will start where i left. 

Any code for that....................

Answer 4

if ur going to use visual studio why not just use ftp task? it supports wildcards and multi-file downloads? *.* or 20??FA*.txt etc... soooo much easier than c#

Answer 5

hi sumit

im naren.i need, in single click i download folder from ftp using c#.net in 2008.

---

Naren

You need to implement an event handler for your button. Or take a look at this web blog

Answer 6

Hi sumit,

 

I need to download multiple files from an ftp server,  am using ur code .

but it is not saving the files list.

 

What exactly I want to do is I need to download multiple files to folder and use the file one by one.

For example

IF I get the list of the files using ftpwebrequet.listdirectory

to c:\Test\text.txt

test.txt  contains, 

A.txt

B.txt

 

I want to use use A.txt from text.txt for downloading from ftp server

and B.txt again

 

So i need to automate the process.

 

Please help me.. very urgent.

 

Thank u 

 

Answer 7

Hi Summit,

Can I achieve this goal using PHP instead of C#? 

Many thanks.

 

Kindly,

Ariel

Answer 8

Hi,

I have been using .NET/.NET CF FTP Component (link to componentforge removed) for my File Transfer needs. I hope this helps.

The FTP component from ComponentForge mentioned by John Borders is illegaly based on code stolen from Rebex FTP component . ComponentForge (aka Safabyte) is in fact fraudulent Vietnamese company who stole most of their components from Rebex and other vendors. You may find more info about the case at http://cheated.by.safabyte.net and http://blog.safabyte.net .

You don't have to trust us. Check the evidence yourself.

You can reach us at [e-mail] if you have further questions.

Anyway. Following code shows how to download all files from remote directory using the genuine Rebex FTP (which workson both .NET and .NET CF):

// create client, connect and log in 
Ftp client = new Ftp();
client.Connect("ftp.example.org");
client.Login("username", "password");

// download the content of '/wwwroot' directory and all subdirectories 
// at the server to the 'c:\data' directory 
client.GetFiles("/wwwroot/*", @"c:\data", FtpBatchTransferOptions.Recursive);

client.Disconnect();

Could you give more detailed description? Thanks very much! I'm new here, I do not fully understand the sample.

Answer 9

Hi Summit,

Can I achieve this goal using PHP instead of C#? 

Many thanks.

 

Kindly,

Ariel

This thread is about .NET ftp library. You may want to search for PHP lib at this search result page.

Cheers

Felix

Answer 10

Hi John,

For being able to download all files from a FTP directory to a local folder, you will have to list all files in the remote server directory and then download them one by one. You can use the following code to do the same:

 string








[] files = GetFileList();
 foreach








 (string








 file in








 files)
 {
  Download(file);
 }

 public








 string








[] GetFileList()
 {
  string








[] downloadFiles;
  StringBuilder result = new








 StringBuilder();
  WebResponse response = null








;
  StreamReader reader = null








;
  try









  {
  FtpWebRequest reqFTP;
  reqFTP = (FtpWebRequest)FtpWebRequest.Create(new








 Uri("ftp://"








 + ftpServerIP + "/"








));
  reqFTP.UseBinary = true








;
  reqFTP.Credentials = new








 NetworkCredential(ftpUserID, ftpPassword);
  reqFTP.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.ListDirectory;
  reqFTP.Proxy = null








;
  reqFTP.KeepAlive = false








;
  reqFTP.UsePassive = false








;
  response = reqFTP.GetResponse();
  reader = new








 StreamReader(response.GetResponseStream());
  string








 line = reader.ReadLine();
  while








 (line != null








)
  {
   result.Append(line);
   result.Append("\n"








);
   line = reader.ReadLine();
  }
  // to remove the trailing '\n'









  result.Remove(result.ToString().LastIndexOf('\n'








), 1);
  return








 result.ToString().Split('\n'








);
  }
  catch








 (Exception ex)
  {
  if








 (reader != null








)
  {
   reader.Close();
  }
  if








 (response != null








)
  {
   response.Close();
  }  
  downloadFiles = null








;
  return








 downloadFiles;
  }
 }

 private








 void








 Download(string








 file)
 {   
  try









  {  
  string








 uri = "ftp://"








 + ftpServerIP + "/"








 + remoteDir + "/"








 + file;
  Uri serverUri = new








 Uri(uri);
  if








 (serverUri.Scheme != Uri.UriSchemeFtp)
  {
   return








;
  } 
  FtpWebRequest reqFTP;  
  reqFTP = (FtpWebRequest)FtpWebRequest.Create(new








 Uri("ftp://"








 + ftpServerIP + "/"








 + remoteDir + "/"








 + file));    
  reqFTP.Credentials = new








 NetworkCredential(ftpUserID, ftpPassword);  
  reqFTP.KeepAlive = false








;  
  reqFTP.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.DownloadFile;    
  reqFTP.UseBinary = true








;
  reqFTP.Proxy = null








;   
  reqFTP.UsePassive = false








;
  FtpWebResponse response = (FtpWebResponse)reqFTP.GetResponse();
  Stream responseStream = response.GetResponseStream();
  FileStream writeStream = new








 FileStream(localDestnDir + "\" + file, FileMode.Create);  
  int








 Length = 2048;
  Byte[] buffer = new








 Byte[Length];
  int








 bytesRead = responseStream.Read(buffer, 0, Length);  
  while








 (bytesRead > 0)
  {
   writeStream.Write(buffer, 0, bytesRead);
   bytesRead = responseStream.Read(buffer, 0, Length);
  }  
  writeStream.Close();
  response.Close(); 
  }
  catch








 (WebException wEx)
  {
  MessageBox.Show(wEx.Message, "Download Error"








);
  }
  catch








 (Exception ex)
  {
  MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Download Error"








);
  }
 }

I have written and tested this code using Visual Studio 2005. It worked without giving any errors and I was able to download all files from my remote FTP folder. However, if you still face any issues while using it, please feel free to reply so that I can look into it.


Thanks,
Sumit

[Please do not forget to mark as answer for a correct reply.]

Good article. I still dont understand why VS do not support FTP natively

Answer 11

You may need this code that uses the Ultimate FTP component .

C#

// Create a new instance.
Ftp client = new Ftp();
// Connect to the FTP server.
client.Connect( "myserver" );
// Authenticate.
client.Authenticate( "userName" , "password" );
// ...
// Download an entire directory '/myfolder' to 'c:\'.
client.DownloadDirectory( "/myfolder" , "c:\\" );
// ...
// Disconnect.
client.Disconnect();

VB.NET

' Create a new instance.
Dim client As New Ftp()
' Connect to the FTP server.
client.Connect("myserver" )
' Authenticate.
client.Authenticate("userName" , "password" )
' ...
' Download an entire directory '/myfolder' to 'c:\'.
client.DownloadDirectory("/myfolder" , "c:\" )
' ...
' Disconnect.
client.Disconnect()

Answer 12

i want to download files from the folder/subfolder/ in ftp c#
ftp could online download files from the root folder i.e folder not from the child folder subfolder
how can i do that
can u plz send me some piece of code showing file download fron sub folder in ftp c#
ill be highly thankful to you

or mail me on [e-mail]

 

Answer 13

i want to download files from the folder/subfolder/ in ftp c#
ftp could online download files from the root folder i.e folder not from the child folder subfolder
how can i do that
can u plz send me some piece of code showing file download fron sub folder in ftp c#
ill be highly thankful to you

please reply me on [e-mail]

---

vinod jadhav

Answer 14

Hello,

 

Considering that many developers in this forum ask how to download all files from FTP server folder, my team has created a code sample for this frequently asked programming task in Microsoft All-In-One Code Framework. You can download the code samples at:

 

CSFTPDownload

 

http://bit.ly/CSFTPDownload

 

VBFTPDownload

 

http://bit.ly/VBFTPDownload

With these code samples, we hope to reduce developers’ efforts in solving the frequently asked

programming tasks. If you have any feedback or suggestions for the code samples, please email us: [e-mail].

------------

The Microsoft All-In-One Code Framework (http://1code.codeplex.com) is a free, centralized code sample library driven by developers' needs. Our goal is to provide typical code samples for all Microsoft development technologies, and reduce developers' efforts in solving typical programming tasks.

Our team listens to developers’ pains in MSDN forums, social media and various developer communities. We write code samples based on developers’ frequently asked programming tasks, and allow developers to download them with a short code sample publishing cycle. Additionally, our team offers a free code sample request service. This service is a proactive way for our developer community to obtain code samples for certain programming tasks directly from Microsoft.

Thanks

Microsoft All-In-One Code Framework

Answer 15

I think that it is great that you have posted this code. I'm amazed at how complex it is. There is a lot for me to learn about C# coding...

However, I ran the the demo app and, if I hit on ftp://ftp.microsoft.com it works perfectly. If I try to hit on the site I want to hit on, it fail saying the uri does not exist, even though it definitely does. What could be causing a bogus uri does not exist message? I would give out what is needed to log on but it is password protected site.

I do know that if I log in with Filezilla, it shous the path as [e-mail]/mail/ rather than what it probably is: ftp2.ftpsite.com/mylogin/mail/ In other words, it reroutes.

At any rate, this looks like just what I need, except it doesn't serve me for the actual application i need it for.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

---

-------------- Bill Ross

PS: I can't debug this app. It says my debugger is installed incorrectly, even though I use it all the time for other apps. ?

Answer 16

Hi

I am trying to connect to MAC OS machine.but i was unable to do it.i used the above code....

please help me in this..

Answer 17

Its Really helpful. Thanks

---

Varun Kumar

Answer 18

HI  simit

Will you please say for download files  from sub directory  also..awaiting for your reply. 

Answer 19

Hello,

 

Considering that many developers in this forum ask how to download all files from FTP server folder, my team has created a code sample for this frequently asked programming task in Microsoft All-In-One Code Framework. You can download the code samples at:

 

CSFTPDownload

 

http://bit.ly/CSFTPDownload

 

VBFTPDownload

 

http://bit.ly/VBFTPDownload

With these code samples, we hope to reduce developers’ efforts in solving the frequently asked

programming tasks. If you have any feedback or suggestions for the code samples, please email us: [e-mail].

------------

The Microsoft All-In-One Code Framework (http://1code.codeplex.com) is a free, centralized code sample library driven by developers' needs. Our goal is to provide typical code samples for all Microsoft development technologies, and reduce developers' efforts in solving typical programming tasks.

Our team listens to developers’ pains in MSDN forums, social media and various developer communities. We write code samples based on developers’ frequently asked programming tasks, and allow developers to download them with a short code sample publishing cycle. Additionally, our team offers a free code sample request service. This service is a proactive way for our developer community to obtain code samples for certain programming tasks directly from Microsoft.

Thanks

Microsoft All-In-One Code Framework

Thank you very much. I really needed a code to upload and download whole directories, and the examples helped me a lot.

Answer 20

Thank you Sir,

your code really helped me.... :-)

Answer 21

What about secure FTP?

---

-------------- Bill Ross

Answer 22

The code contains an assumption at line 175 of CSFTPDownload.FTPClientManager 

where it thinks that the only valid return code from an ftp site that has just 

received "NLST" (WebRequestMethods.Ftp.ListDirectory) is FtpStatusCode.DataAlreadyOpen.

The assumption is wrong.  FileZilla on Windows (for example ) returns the code OpeningData (FtpStatusCode.DataAlreadyOpen).

Answer 23

You can use commercial Ultimate FTP component to download files and directories. Here is the link to the topic that can help: http://www.atp-inc.net/doc/ftp/Downloading_multple_files_and_directories.html