Copy/paste file, same server different directory, not working?

Good Morning,

I can't seem to copy/paste a file to the same server, different directory, with SmartFTP?

I *know* I have read about this issue, some time back, and right here in this forum. But now I can't seem to locate that thread. I also checked the online knowledgebase and didn't locate anything there, either... IIRC the workaround mentioned in the forum thread, was to open two sessions to the same server and copy/paste from one to the other. So I tried that too.

I also have Hummingbird available. Hummingbird is able to copy/paste a file on this same server, with or without using two sessions to do it. I prefer to use SmartFTP over Hummingbird, so I'd really like to make this work in SmartFTP.

Below is a logfile from SmartFTP's transfer queue. I don't know enough about FTP to understand what is going wrong. All help and info is appreciated.

Thanks and regards,
--appyface


Transfer Queue Logfile (some information obfuscated for privacy):

[17:57:11] Initializing. Transfer Queue v1.0.15.4.
[17:57:11] Resolving host name "xxx"
[17:57:11] Connecting to 10.1.66.89 Port: 21
[17:57:11] Connected to xxx.
[17:57:11] 220 xxx_admin FTP server (Version 4.2 Thu Jul 12 13:39:06 CDT 2007) ready.
[17:57:11] USER xyz
[17:57:11] 331 Password required for xyz.
[17:57:11] PASS (hidden)
[17:57:11] 230-Last unsuccessful login: Tue Jul 29 08:18:29 2008 on /dev/pts/3 from zzz.somedomain.com
[17:57:11] 230-Last login: Tue Sep 2 17:56:31 2008 on ftp from zzz.somedomain.com
[17:57:11] 230 User xyz logged in.
[17:57:11] SYST
[17:57:11] 215 UNIX Type: L8 Version: BSD-44
[17:57:11] Detected Server Type: UNIX
[17:57:11] FEAT
[17:57:11] 500 'FEAT': command not understood.
[17:57:11] TYPE I
[17:57:11] 200 Type set to I.
[17:57:11] REST 0
[17:57:11] 350 Restarting at 0 Send STORE or RETRIEVE to initiate transfer.
[17:57:11] PWD
[17:57:11] 257 "/usr/abc/work/users/xyz" is current directory.
[17:57:11] Resolving host name "xxx"
[17:57:11] Connecting to 10.1.66.89 Port: 21
[17:57:11] Connected to xxx.
[17:57:11] 220 xxx_admin FTP server (Version 4.2 Thu Jul 12 13:39:06 CDT 2007) ready.
[17:57:11] USER xyz
[17:57:11] 331 Password required for xyz.
[17:57:11] PASS (hidden)
[17:57:11] 230-Last unsuccessful login: Tue Jul 29 08:18:29 2008 on /dev/pts/3 from zzz.somedomain.com
[17:57:11] 230-Last login: Tue Sep 2 17:57:11 2008 on ftp from zzz.somedomain.com
[17:57:11] 230 User xyz logged in.
[17:57:11] SYST
[17:57:11] 215 UNIX Type: L8 Version: BSD-44
[17:57:11] Detected Server Type: UNIX
[17:57:11] FEAT
[17:57:11] 500 'FEAT': command not understood.
[17:57:11] TYPE I
[17:57:11] 200 Type set to I.
[17:57:11] REST 0
[17:57:11] 350 Restarting at 0 Send STORE or RETRIEVE to initiate transfer.
[17:57:11] PWD
[17:57:11] 257 "/usr/abc/work/users/xyz" is current directory.
[17:57:11] CWD /usr/abc/work/import
[17:57:11] 250 CWD command successful.
[17:57:11] PWD
[17:57:11] 257 "/usr/abc/work/import" is current directory.
[17:57:11] SIZE 4759031644_200713_1.txt
[17:57:11] 213 514998
[17:57:11] MDTM 4759031644_200713_1.txt
[17:57:11] 213 20080811221851
[17:57:11] CWD /usr/abc/work
[17:57:11] 250 CWD command successful.
[17:57:11] PWD
[17:57:11] 257 "/usr/abc/work" is current directory.
[17:57:11] SIZE 4759031644_200713_1.txt
[17:57:11] 550 4759031644_200713_1.txt: not a plain file.
[17:57:11] File exist check failed. File not found or permission denied.
[17:57:11] PASV
[17:57:11] 227 Entering Passive Mode (10,1,66,89,218,192)
[17:57:11] PORT 10,1,66,89,218,192
[17:57:11] 501 IP Address for data destination doesn't match client's.
[17:57:11] MDTM 20080811221851 4759031644_200713_1.txt
[17:57:11] 550 %s: No such file or directory
[17:57:11] MFMT 20080811221851 4759031644_200713_1.txt
[17:57:11] 500 'MFMT 20080811221851 4759031644_200713_1.txt': command not understood.
[17:57:11] SITE UTIME 4759031644_200713_1.txt 20080811221851 20080811221851 20080811221851 UTC
[17:57:11] 500 'SITE UTIME 4759031644_200713_1.txt 20080811221851 20080811221851 20080811221851 UTC': command not understood.
[17:57:11] SITE UTIME 20080811221851 4759031644_200713_1.txt
[17:57:11] 500 'SITE UTIME 20080811221851 4759031644_200713_1.txt': command not understood.
[17:57:11] Transfer failed.

This only works if your server supports FXP. Your server does not support it.

Regards,
Mat

Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure I understand fully, though... You are saying SmartFTP can only do this if FXP is available? From that I should infer that there is more than one way to support this, since Hummingbird can do it?

I really don't like using Hummingbird at all. But this is a necessary feature for me. Since I've signed up to be on board with SmartFTP for three years, can you tell me whether SmartFTP will support another method (that would work with this server), preferably sometime (soon) in the future?

Thanks and regards,
--appyface

I don't know what Hummingbird is doing but I know that your server does not support FXP (server to server) transfers and therefore you cannot directly copy a file from one directory of the server to the another directory of the same server - regardless of what FTP client you use.

Maybe Hummingbird just downloads the file and uploads it to another folder.

Regards,
Mat

I'm sure that is possible, I'll check into this and find out what Hummingbird FTP does in this situation. What I do know is that I can simply drag-and-drop from one directory to another on the server and Hummingbird does even fairly large files pretty quick and in the foreground.

Would it be possible to incorporate this kind of alternate and (appearance-wise) seamless drag-and-drop option in SmartFTP? I realize I can manually perform a binary download followed by manual binary upload. Would be nice to do a drag-and-drop operation though.

Thanks for consideration of the idea. If I find out Hummingbird is not doing a download/upload I'll let you know.

Thanks and regards,
--appyface

Do you want to move the files/folders or copy the files/folders?

Regards,
Mat

Thank you for your consideration!

In my case I nearly always want a copy. And of files not entire folders. So I'm fine with having to delete the source if I really wanted a 'move' and no 'move' operation was available.

In fact, what I usually want, is to copy a file or file(s) back into the SAME folder but with new names. Hummingbird does not do this directly (that I'm aware of), so what I usually do is drag-and-drop the copies to another folder, rename them to whatever I wish, and copy or move back to the original folder.

If I had my choice I would ask that filename collision avoidance be employed when going back into the same directory. Especially if I can drag-and-drop multiple files back into the same directory. I can always rename the files as I see fit, once the copies have been made.

Thanks again,
--appyface

I don't know of another way beside downloading/uploading if the server does not support FXP. But let's wait for your research

Regards,
Mat

Hi Mat,

Sorry for delay in reply. I just do not have the tools to be able to determine what is happening? When Hummingbird copies the file between directories on the same server (using the same session), I do not see any hard disk activity on my system. I tested with some very large files that took quite a few minutes, so I would expect to catch something in progress but I didn't.

So, I cannot tell you how Hummingbird does it... only that there is another way, apparently...

HTH,
--appyface

If you can get me the latest version (shareware, trial etc) of Hummingbird FTP I will give it a try.

Are you sure that you are connected to the server over the FTP protocol and not over SFTP over SSH for example?

Regards,
Mat

I don't know what's available for Hummingbird FTP but I'll see if I can rustle you up something.

I am reasonably certain Hummingbird connects with FTP protocol. It's using port 21, which of course doesn't mean anything in and of itself. If I can examine the connection request packet I should be able to see if it really is using an FTP connection.

I'm swamped this coming week so unlikely I'll get back to this until next weekend... hurry up and wait!!!

--appyface

Hello Mat,

I was not able to get a copy of Hummingbird for you to try, they are all linked to our corporate licensing, sorry. Am I am still no closer to knowing how Hummingbird is able to do this transfer.

I am having this same issue again but copying files between TWO unix servers this time. I still have to download files to my PC then back up to get them on other server. Shouldn't I be able to copy straight across?

I am using SmartFTP 3.0.1024.17.

My first test involved: Logon to sender machine, logon to receiver machine, send "first_file.txt" from sender to receiver, the file did NOT already exist on the receiver directory. Next test was to create empty "second_file.txt" on the receiver, then send "second_file.txt" from sender to receiver. I didn't know if the file pre-existing would make any difference; it did not.

There is also something very peculiar going on when I log on to each of these machines. Now that I have had a failed transfer (I have tried on both machines to send to the other), whenever I logon, if my logon starting directory path (as stored in Favorite) is pointing to a directory where I've had a failed transfer, the log shows an attempt to transfer the file when I logon. I had displayed the transfer queues on both machines after each failure and removed the retry files. The transfer queues are still empty but the attempt to transfer the failed file persists from logon to logon, as long as I am logging on with the pathname where the failure occured. If I change the Favorite to start me with a different pathname (one that has not had a failure), then I don't see this message.

You can see an example of this issue in the sender log just before the "timezone" entry. This is not my attempt in that session, to send "first_file.txt", the MDTM is a failed receive from a prior attempt. This appears in the log before I have had a chance to do anything except login to these machines.

I do have caching turned off globally for SmartFTP, so nothing should be cached. I have tried emptying the cache anyway, but it is always empty to start with.

Below are the log files for sender and receiver, for the above transfer tests. Please let me know what else I can look at or what setting I need to change. Thanks as always and regards,
--appyface


Here is logfile info from sending machine:

[11:58:02] SmartFTP v3.0.1024.17
[11:58:02] Resolving host name "senderhost"
[11:58:02] Connecting to 10.1.66.89 Port: 21
[11:58:02] Connected to senderhost.
[11:58:02] 220 senderhost_bldg FTP server (Version 4.2 Thu Jul 12 13:39:06 CDT 2007) ready.
[11:58:02] USER xyz
[11:58:02] 331 Password required for xyz.
[11:58:02] PASS (hidden)
[11:58:02] 230-Last unsuccessful login: Wed Sep 3 12:17:49 2008 on ftp from somepc.somedomain.com
[11:58:02] 230-Last login: Fri Nov 7 11:56:16 2008 on ftp from somepc.somedomain.com
[11:58:02] 230 User xyz logged in.
[11:58:02] SYST
[11:58:02] 215 UNIX Type: L8 Version: BSD-44
[11:58:02] Detected Server Type: UNIX
[11:58:02] RTT: 0.343 ms
[11:58:02] FEAT
[11:58:02] 500 'FEAT': command not understood.
[11:58:02] TYPE I
[11:58:02] 200 Type set to I.
[11:58:02] REST 0
[11:58:02] 350 Restarting at 0 Send STORE or RETRIEVE to initiate transfer.
[11:58:02] PWD
[11:58:02] 257 "/usr/abc/work/users/xyz" is current directory.
[11:58:03] CWD /usr/abc/work/import
[11:58:03] 250 CWD command successful.
[11:58:03] PWD
[11:58:03] 257 "/usr/abc/work/import" is current directory.
[11:58:03] TYPE A
[11:58:03] 200 Type set to A; form set to N.
[11:58:03] PASV
[11:58:03] 227 Entering Passive Mode (10,1,66,89,245,23)
[11:58:03] Opening data connection to 10.1.66.89 Port: 62743
[11:58:03] LIST -aL
[11:58:03] 150 Opening data connection for /bin/ls.
[11:58:03] 226 Transfer complete.
[11:58:03] 1810 bytes transferred. (57.0 KB/s) (31 ms)
[11:58:03] MDTM first_file.txt
[11:58:03] 213 20081107174223
[11:58:03] Timezone offset: -28800 seconds (-8.0 hours)
[11:58:13] NOOP
[11:58:13] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:58:21] The operation has been added to the Transfer Queue. Check the Transfer Queue for the status.
[11:58:23] NOOP
[11:58:23] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:58:33] NOOP
[11:58:33] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:58:43] NOOP
[11:58:43] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:58:53] NOOP
[11:58:53] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:59:03] NOOP
[11:59:03] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:59:13] NOOP
[11:59:13] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:59:20] The operation has been added to the Transfer Queue. Check the Transfer Queue for the status.
[11:59:23] NOOP
[11:59:23] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:59:33] NOOP
[11:59:33] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:59:43] NOOP
[11:59:43] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:59:53] NOOP
[11:59:53] 200 NOOP command successful.


Here is the logfile from the receiver machine:

[11:58:07] SmartFTP v3.0.1024.17
[11:58:07] Resolving host name "receiverhost"
[11:58:07] Connecting to 10.1.66.146 Port: 21
[11:58:07] Connected to receiverhost.
[11:58:07] 220 receiverhost_bldg FTP server (Version 4.2 Thu Jul 12 13:39:06 CDT 2007) ready.
[11:58:07] USER xyz
[11:58:07] 331 Password required for xyz.
[11:58:07] PASS (hidden)
[11:58:07] 230-Last unsuccessful login: Mon Jun 30 08:54:40 2008 on /dev/pts/1 from somepc.somedomain.com
[11:58:07] 230-Last login: Fri Nov 7 11:56:16 2008 on ftp from somepc.somedomain.com
[11:58:07] 230 User xyz logged in.
[11:58:07] SYST
[11:58:07] 215 UNIX Type: L8 Version: BSD-44
[11:58:07] Detected Server Type: UNIX
[11:58:07] RTT: 0.415 ms
[11:58:07] FEAT
[11:58:07] 500 'FEAT': command not understood.
[11:58:07] TYPE I
[11:58:07] 200 Type set to I.
[11:58:07] REST 0
[11:58:07] 350 Restarting at 0 Send STORE or RETRIEVE to initiate transfer.
[11:58:07] PWD
[11:58:07] 257 "/usr/abc/work/users/xyz" is current directory.
[11:58:07] CWD /usr/abc/work/import
[11:58:07] 250 CWD command successful.
[11:58:07] PWD
[11:58:07] 257 "/usr/abc/work/import" is current directory.
[11:58:07] TYPE A
[11:58:07] 200 Type set to A; form set to N.
[11:58:07] PORT 10,1,2,167,7,208
[11:58:07] 200 PORT command successful.
[11:58:07] LIST -aL
[11:58:07] 150 Opening data connection for /bin/ls.
[11:58:07] 226 Transfer complete.
[11:58:07] 654 bytes transferred. (20.6 KB/s) (31 ms)
[11:58:21] TYPE I
[11:58:21] 200 Type set to I.
[11:58:21] SIZE first_file.txt
[11:58:21] 550 first_file.txt: not a plain file.
[11:58:21] MDTM first_file.txt
[11:58:21] 550 %s: No such file or directory
[11:58:21] STAT first_file.txt
[11:58:21] 550 first_file.txt: No such file or directory
[11:58:21] CWD /usr/abc/work/import/first_file.txt
[11:58:21] 550 /usr/abc/work/import/first_file.txt: No such file or directory
[11:58:21] TYPE A
[11:58:21] 200 Type set to A; form set to N.
[11:58:21] PORT 10,1,2,167,7,209
[11:58:21] 200 PORT command successful.
[11:58:21] LIST -aL
[11:58:21] 150 Opening data connection for /bin/ls.
[11:58:21] 226 Transfer complete.
[11:58:21] 654 bytes transferred. (N/A/s) (0 ms)
[11:58:21] The operation has been added to the Transfer Queue. Check the Transfer Queue for the status.
[11:58:27] TYPE I
[11:58:27] 200 Type set to I.
[11:58:27] SIZE first_file.txt
[11:58:27] 550 first_file.txt: not a plain file.
[11:58:59] NOOP
[11:58:59] 200 NOOP command successful.
[11:59:11] PORT 10,1,2,167,7,212
[11:59:11] 200 PORT command successful.
[11:59:11] STOR second_file.txt
[11:59:11] 150 Opening data connection for second_file.txt.
[11:59:11] 0 bytes transferred. (0 bytes/s) (15 ms)
[11:59:11] 226 Transfer complete.
[11:59:18] SIZE second_file.txt
[11:59:18] 213 0
[11:59:18] MDTM second_file.txt
[11:59:18] 213 20081107195912
[11:59:20] The operation has been added to the Transfer Queue. Check the Transfer Queue for the status.
[11:59:25] SIZE second_file.txt
[11:59:25] 213 0
[11:59:25] MDTM second_file.txt
[11:59:25] 213 20081107195912
[11:59:55] NOOP
[11:59:55] 200 NOOP command successful.

Hello ..

Double click the file in the transfer queue. The log window opens. Then please post the log here.

But there is a very high chance that your servers do not support server to server (FXP) transfers. Actually unless you administrate the servers yourself FXP is very likely disabled due to security reasons.

Regards,
Mat

Hi Mat,

I'll get the logs you have requested.

But I do know the servers DO NOT support FXP, for security reasons just as you've said.

I can logon to unix on one server via telnet, launch FTP and open an FTP session to the other server. Then transfer files back and forth. How would that be different from using SmartFTP? Or, perhaps a better question, how can I configure SmartFTP to do the same?

Thanks and regards,
--appyface

SmartFTP uses the FTP protocol to transfer the files from one server to the other. It doesn't login to your telnet server and initiates the transfer.

Regards,
Mat

Forgive my dumb questions...

I know that SmartFTP doesn't telnet into my server, but if I'm running FTP from telnet on unix, and opening an FTP session to another unix server, how is that different than SmartFTP? I'm not trying to be contrary, I just don't know anything about how this works.

My primary reason for getting SmartFTP was to replace Hummingbird FTP. Hummingbird has a couple of very serious bugs that have caused data loss to more than one person using it. The company is not responsive to fixing some of these issues.

My two main uses of Hummingbird FTP are to copy or move files between directories on the same unix server, and also to copy files unix server to unix server. So far I'm not having much luck getting SmartFTP to replace Hummingbird I was really hoping this would work, I'd love to not only have something other than Hummingbird to use for myself, but I was hoping to interest others in abandoning Hummingbird FTP as well.

So I really would like to understand how this works and whether SmartFTP can replace Hummingbird FTP.

Thanks for fielding all my questions,
--appyface