Subject: Ftp-WG: ftp validation script?

From: Walter Briscoe <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 02:57:09 -0400

Can somebody please point me at an ftp validation script?
I have to interwork with a server at work.
It ignores arguments in LIST commands; it reports itself as a UNIX
system but has case-insensitive filenames; it defaults to image transfer
rather than ascii.
I would find a script to exercise a server useful for this and any
situation where I had to work to new software.
Thanks
-- 
Walter Briscoe

---

From: Alun Jones <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 13:37:00 -0400

>Can somebody please point me at an ftp validation script?

I'm not aware of any such validation suite, I'm afraid.

>system but has case-insensitive filenames; it defaults to image transfer

As to "arguments in LIST commands", it's worth noting that the only
argument allowed by the RFC 959/1123 is a file specification, which can be
a directory or file, or null.  Many clients assume that all FTP servers
accept Unix-style 'ls' arguments, and such an expectation is an indication
of an incompatibility within the client, not the server.  Since the word
used in the RFC is that the server "should" use the argument to list a file
or directory, the server is _allowed_ to ignore those arguments.

The response to SYST is often given as UNIX by non-Unix systems, for the
simple reason that there are clients that will change their behaviour based
on what system they believe they are connected to.  Such a client, for
instance, might expect a server on a DOS machine to respond with a
DOS-style file listing (as output from 'dir') - whereas the server might be
returning a Unix-style 'ls' file listing, to allow less intelligent clients
to interpret the listing properly.  While this is strictly counter to the
RFC, there are several good reasons for a server to do this.

The default to image mode is another common de-facto standard that is
specifically counter to the RFCs presently published.  It is done to avoid
the numerous screw-ups that arise from downloading binary files in the
default ASCII mode.

>situation where I had to work to new software.

This sounds like something that could be written in Perl or TCL, or some
other simple scripting language, without much bother - any takers?

Alun.
~~~~

--
Texas Imperial Software | Try WFTPD, the Windows FTP Server. Find it
1602 Harvest Moon Place | at web site http://www.wftpd.com or email
Cedar Park TX 78613     | us at [email-masked].  VISA / MC accepted.
Fax +1 (512) 378 3246   | NT based ISPs, be sure to read details of
Phone +1 (512) 378 3246 | WFTPD Pro, NT service version - $100.
*WFTPD and WFTPD Pro now available as native Alpha versions for NT*