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Date:      Mon, 02 Nov 1998 15:15:24 -0600
From:      David Kelly <dkelly@hiwaay.net>
To:        Steven P Yang <spyang@MIT.EDU>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: how do I automate ftp? (clarification) 
Message-ID:  <199811022115.PAA10894@nospam.hiwaay.net>
In-Reply-To: Message from Steven P Yang <spyang@MIT.EDU>  of "Mon, 02 Nov 1998 14:17:21 EST." <199811021917.OAA13614@scrubbing-bubbles.mit.edu> 

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Steven P Yang writes:
> Hi, about my last e-mail, a specific goal I have in mind for an automated ftp
> would be the ability to schedule a file transfer at a specific time to 
> a remote ftp server.  So, this implies that the ftp script would automatically
> supply the username and password.
>    I can do this on NT, but don't know if I can do this on FreeBSD.  
> 
> Is this possible?

Not only possible, but falling-out-of-bed simple.

See the man page for fetch(1). Basically 
"fetch ftp://user:password@host/file" will get you there from here.
Fetch will also download web pages. That opens up all kinds of
interesting things, such as download and archive of current stock
prices, comic strips, etc.

Also /usr/ports/net/ncftp3 could be used. The "advantage" of ncftp3 is 
that you can create a file of user names and passwords for ncftp3 to 
use automatically on a per site basis. The disadvantage is this file 
exists with passwords in the clear for somebody to dig for.

Fetch may leave your password on the command line, visible with ps to 
other users on your host.

ncftp3 should allow you to put files too.

Once Upon A Time I would run nasty ftp jobs in batch. Type all your 
commands into a file then, "ftp < filename". A rotten way to do things 
if something hiccups. /usr/ports/lang/expect looks like it can provide 
the tools needed to be able to add error handling.

--
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@nospam.hiwaay.net
=====================================================================
The human mind ordinarily operates at only ten percent of its
capacity -- the rest is overhead for the operating system.



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