The ftp::Open command is used to start the FTP session by
establishing a control connection to the FTP server. If no
options are specified, then the defaults are used.
The ftp::Open command takes a host name server, a user name
user and a password password as its parameters and returns
a session handle that is an integer greater than or equal to 0 if the
connection is successfully established, otherwise it returns "-1".
The server parameter must be the name or internet address (in dotted decimal
notation) of the ftp server. The user and passwd parameters must contain a
valid user name and password to complete the login process.
The options overwrite some default values or set special
abilities:
-blocksize size
-
The blocksize is used during data transfer. At most size
bytes are transfered at once. After each block, a call to the "-progress callback" is made.
The default value for this option is 4096.
-timeout seconds
-
If seconds is non-zero, then ftp::Open sets up a timeout
to occur after the specified number of seconds. The default value is 600.
-port number
-
The port number specifies an alternative remote port on
the ftp server on which the ftp service resides. Most
ftp services listen for connection requests on default
port 21. Sometimes, usually for security reasons, port
numbers other than 21 are used for ftp connections.
-mode mode
-
The transfer mode option determines if a file transfer
occurs in an active or passive way. In passive mode the
client session may want to request the ftp Server to
listen for a data port and wait for the connection
rather than initiate the process when a data transfer
request comes in. Passive mode is normally a requirement
when accessing sites via a firewall. The default mode is active.
-progress callback
-
The callback is made after each transfer of a data
block specified in blocksize. The callback gets as
additional argument the current number of bytes transferred so far.
Here is a template for the progress callback:
proc Progress {total} {
puts "$total bytes transfered!"
}
-command callback
-
Specifying this option puts the connection in asynchronous mode.
The callback is made after each operation has been
completed. The callback gets as an additional argument
a keyword of the operation that has completed plus
additional arguments specific to the operation.
If an error occurs the callback is made with the keyword
"error". When an operation, such as "Cd", "Get", and so on,
has been started no further operations should be started
until a callback has been received for the current
operation.
A template for the callback is:
proc Callback {what args} {
puts "Operation $what $args completed"
}