FTP Problems - New Filezilla

JohnMichnr

I couldn't find this on the lists, but anybody having problems FTP'ing into a master with current releases of Filezilla? It comes back with a bad directory structure or something?

HARMAN_Chris

Yes. I have encountered this and was unable to resolve it. I ultimately switched to coreftp.

John Nagy

Just add a forward slash to FileZilla's DEFAULT REMOTE DIRECTORY item on the ADVANCED tab of the Site Manager window, and it works fine. This is required due to the NetLinx using a hidden actual root directory, a plain FTP connection attempts to enter at a forbidden level. This is not a flaw in Filezilla. FTP clients that don't require this are actually making assumptions from the error and trying alternatives that are NOT what you asked for. The fact that they work is arguably a feature or flaw.

Note that you must use the site manager, not QUICKCONNECT to access these required connection settings. That's not a downside, it saves the details, including login, for one-click connects next time.

While you are in the Site Manager of FileZilla (or the FTP client of your choice), look in the TRANSFER SETTINGS tab and check the box for LIMIT NUMBER OF SIMULTANEOUS CONNECTIONS to ONE. This will help avoid the dreaded 421 error you can get when you move a lot of files. FTP will presume robust servers, and if you want to make 100 file transfers, it will open 100 connections and move them all at once. The NetLinx FTP server is -not- a robust FTP server, and it will soon exhaust its allotted IP connections and not allow any more until it cleans up, which can take minutes, hours, or a reboot to do. During this time, you will get 421 errors, "Too many connections". Limiting to a single thread virtually eliminates this problem.

FileZilla is our preferred client after years of trying probably over 50 alternatives. While it requires these settings, they are there for that express purpose. Clients that don't have these settings leave you to wonder what they are doing. Something to do while waiting for the 421 to clear, I guess.

By the way, that same TRANSFER SETTINGS tab has a TRANSFER MODE. It defaults to an AUTOMATIC mode, but if you find, as I sometimes do (maybe 1 in 20 customer sites), that a file listing seems not to occur, go to this tab and chose ACTIVE, and try again. If it still fails, try forcing PASSIVE by that setting. One will work, and FileZilla will use that for the site thereafter. It seems to be an issue with some routers or ISP arrangements that sometimes prevents the AUTO from working.

DHawthorne

I've never had to jump through any of those hoops. Just change the server type from automatic to DOS for your connection and it's fine. I sent the Filezilla people a bug report on it ages ago; there is either something wrong wit their detection routine, or with the way the AMX master sends it's welcome handshake. You would think it should be VMS, but DOS is the one that actually works.

jweather

VMS doesn't mean what you think it means: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS Are you thinking of VxWorks?

the8thst

DHawthorne wrote: »

I've never had to jump through any of those hoops. Just change the server type from automatic to DOS for your connection and it's fine. I sent the Filezilla people a bug report on it ages ago; there is either something wrong wit their detection routine, or with the way the AMX master sends it's welcome handshake. You would think it should be VMS, but DOS is the one that actually works.

This is all that I have ever had to change in filezilla to get it to work with AMX masters.

DHawthorne

jweather wrote: »

VMS doesn't mean what you think it means: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS Are you thinking of VxWorks?

Yup, that's what I was thinking . They both start with V, right? Two nights in a strange bed, and not enough coffee yet ...

John Nagy

I see that selecting DOS for connection type does eliminate the / needed otherwise in the remote directory.

Probably most AMX users move one or a few files at a time, and the 421 error will not occur. We see it at every training session, where we have all the dealers connect FTP to the same NetLinx. It lets about 6 in at most, then everyone trying after that gets a 421. Even long after the initial 6 drop out.

But if you move large datasets (well over 200 files at a time) as we do with our relational database system for the NetLinx, this "too many connections" error is common if you don't limit the simultaneous transfers. It happens with any FTP software, it is worst if you use the ftp in a browser (they specialize in rapid parallel transfers on as many ports as they can open). FileZilla is among the clients that allow you to limit that.

Its reporting of what is and isn't happening, errors, etc. is also very good. And the price (free) is better than many.

JohnMichnr

OK thanks for the info - I'll try it out. I didn't want to upgrade the Filezilla I had on this computer until I had a plan.

And Dave - I think the strange bed comment was TMI

DHawthorne

JohnMichnr wrote: »

OK thanks for the info - I'll try it out. I didn't want to upgrade the Filezilla I had on this computer until I had a plan.

And Dave - I think the strange bed comment was TMI

More to blame on the not-enough-coffee situation. Should have mentioned I'm traveling this week. Strange bed = not sleeping at home.

the8thst

John Nagy wrote: »

I see that selecting DOS for connection type does eliminate the / needed otherwise in the remote directory.

Probably most AMX users move one or a few files at a time, and the 421 error will not occur. We see it at every training session, where we have all the dealers connect FTP to the same NetLinx. It lets about 6 in at most, then everyone trying after that gets a 421. Even long after the initial 6 drop out.

But if you move large datasets (well over 200 files at a time) as we do with our relational database system for the NetLinx, this "too many connections" error is common if you don't limit the simultaneous transfers. It happens with any FTP software, it is worst if you use the ftp in a browser (they specialize in rapid parallel transfers on as many ports as they can open). FileZilla is among the clients that allow you to limit that.

Its reporting of what is and isn't happening, errors, etc. is also very good. And the price (free) is better than many.

You are correct. I just checked filezilla and I had enabled the checkbox to "Limit Active Connections to 1" as well as switching the server type.

DHawthorne

Interesting thing I just noticed: the Enova DGX with the built in master does not require you to set the server type to DOS, it works fine on auto-detect (firmware 4.2.364). This suggests to me that the problem is not with Filezilla, but with the handshake code the master sends when the connection is initiated.