FTp File Access

[srivi_senthil]

I want to get the creation date of a file in ftp site through VB6. Is there any api or member like DateCreated is available? And How to use thaT ONE. Also How to down load a file using proxy.

[typecast]

hi there,
take a look at the "Using the Internet Transfer Control" in MSDN.
It supports HTTP/FTP protocols and you can easily use also a proxy
server.
Another possibility is to use the WebBrowser/Scriptlet MS controls and
set manually in the registry the proxy values (proxy server and port)
(this is because WebBrowser/Scriptlet control uses the IE settings).

regards,
typecast

p.s. if you are interested about the second possibility i can give
you a code example next time in my post ...
bye

[WizBang]

You may want to take a look at some examples on sites like PlanetSourceCode.com. That should provide you with a lot of insight on various methods to accomplish what you want to do.

[Thread1]

You may use also the WinInet. Here is a sample code from API-Guide. It may be of great help for you.

Const FTP_TRANSFER_TYPE_UNKNOWN = &H0
Const FTP_TRANSFER_TYPE_ASCII = &H1
Const FTP_TRANSFER_TYPE_BINARY = &H2
Const INTERNET_DEFAULT_FTP_PORT = 21               ' default for FTP servers
Const INTERNET_SERVICE_FTP = 1
Const INTERNET_FLAG_PASSIVE = &H8000000            ' used for FTP connections
Const INTERNET_OPEN_TYPE_PRECONFIG = 0                    ' use registry configuration
Const INTERNET_OPEN_TYPE_DIRECT = 1                        ' direct to net
Const INTERNET_OPEN_TYPE_PROXY = 3                         ' via named proxy
Const INTERNET_OPEN_TYPE_PRECONFIG_WITH_NO_AUTOPROXY = 4   ' prevent using java/script/INS
Const MAX_PATH = 260
Private Type FILETIME
    dwLowDateTime As Long
    dwHighDateTime As Long
End Type
Private Type WIN32_FIND_DATA
    dwFileAttributes As Long
    ftCreationTime As FILETIME
    ftLastAccessTime As FILETIME
    ftLastWriteTime As FILETIME
    nFileSizeHigh As Long
    nFileSizeLow As Long
    dwReserved0 As Long
    dwReserved1 As Long
    cFileName As String * MAX_PATH
    cAlternate As String * 14
End Type
Private Declare Function InternetCloseHandle Lib "wininet.dll" (ByVal hInet As Long) As Integer
Private Declare Function InternetConnect Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "InternetConnectA" (ByVal hInternetSession As Long, ByVal sServerName As String, ByVal nServerPort As Integer, ByVal sUserName As String, ByVal sPassword As String, ByVal lService As Long, ByVal lFlags As Long, ByVal lContext As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function InternetOpen Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "InternetOpenA" (ByVal sAgent As String, ByVal lAccessType As Long, ByVal sProxyName As String, ByVal sProxyBypass As String, ByVal lFlags As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function FtpSetCurrentDirectory Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "FtpSetCurrentDirectoryA" (ByVal hFtpSession As Long, ByVal lpszDirectory As String) As Boolean
Private Declare Function FtpGetCurrentDirectory Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "FtpGetCurrentDirectoryA" (ByVal hFtpSession As Long, ByVal lpszCurrentDirectory As String, lpdwCurrentDirectory As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function FtpCreateDirectory Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "FtpCreateDirectoryA" (ByVal hFtpSession As Long, ByVal lpszDirectory As String) As Boolean
Private Declare Function FtpRemoveDirectory Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "FtpRemoveDirectoryA" (ByVal hFtpSession As Long, ByVal lpszDirectory As String) As Boolean
Private Declare Function FtpDeleteFile Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "FtpDeleteFileA" (ByVal hFtpSession As Long, ByVal lpszFileName As String) As Boolean
Private Declare Function FtpRenameFile Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "FtpRenameFileA" (ByVal hFtpSession As Long, ByVal lpszExisting As String, ByVal lpszNew As String) As Boolean
Private Declare Function FtpGetFile Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "FtpGetFileA" (ByVal hConnect As Long, ByVal lpszRemoteFile As String, ByVal lpszNewFile As String, ByVal fFailIfExists As Long, ByVal dwFlagsAndAttributes As Long, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByRef dwContext As Long) As Boolean
Private Declare Function FtpPutFile Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "FtpPutFileA" (ByVal hConnect As Long, ByVal lpszLocalFile As String, ByVal lpszNewRemoteFile As String, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwContext As Long) As Boolean
Private Declare Function InternetGetLastResponseInfo Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "InternetGetLastResponseInfoA" (lpdwError As Long, ByVal lpszBuffer As String, lpdwBufferLength As Long) As Boolean
Private Declare Function FtpFindFirstFile Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "FtpFindFirstFileA" (ByVal hFtpSession As Long, ByVal lpszSearchFile As String, lpFindFileData As WIN32_FIND_DATA, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwContent As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function InternetFindNextFile Lib "wininet.dll" Alias "InternetFindNextFileA" (ByVal hFind As Long, lpvFindData As WIN32_FIND_DATA) As Long
Const PassiveConnection As Boolean = True
Private Sub Form_Load()
    'KPD-Team 2000
    'URL: http://www.allapi.net
    'E-Mail: [email protected]
    Dim hConnection As Long, hOpen As Long, sOrgPath  As String
    'open an internet connection
    hOpen = InternetOpen("API-Guide sample program", INTERNET_OPEN_TYPE_PRECONFIG, vbNullString, vbNullString, 0)
    'connect to the FTP server
    hConnection = InternetConnect(hOpen, "your ftp server", INTERNET_DEFAULT_FTP_PORT, "your login", "your password", INTERNET_SERVICE_FTP, IIf(PassiveConnection, INTERNET_FLAG_PASSIVE, 0), 0)
    'create a buffer to store the original directory
    sOrgPath = String(MAX_PATH, 0)
    'get the directory
    FtpGetCurrentDirectory hConnection, sOrgPath, Len(sOrgPath)
    'create a new directory 'testing'
    FtpCreateDirectory hConnection, "testing"
    'set the current directory to 'root/testing'
    FtpSetCurrentDirectory hConnection, "testing"
    'upload the file 'test.htm'
    FtpPutFile hConnection, "C:\test.htm", "test.htm", FTP_TRANSFER_TYPE_UNKNOWN, 0
    'rename 'test.htm' to 'apiguide.htm'
    FtpRenameFile hConnection, "test.htm", "apiguide.htm"
    'enumerate the file list from the current directory ('root/testing')
    EnumFiles hConnection
    'retrieve the file from the FTP server
    FtpGetFile hConnection, "apiguide.htm", "c:\apiguide.htm", False, 0, FTP_TRANSFER_TYPE_UNKNOWN, 0
    'delete the file from the FTP server
    FtpDeleteFile hConnection, "apiguide.htm"
    'set the current directory back to the root
    FtpSetCurrentDirectory hConnection, sOrgPath
    'remove the direcrtory 'testing'
    FtpRemoveDirectory hConnection, "testing"
    'close the FTP connection
    InternetCloseHandle hConnection
    'close the internet connection
    InternetCloseHandle hOpen
End Sub
Public Sub EnumFiles(hConnection As Long)
    Dim pData As WIN32_FIND_DATA, hFind As Long, lRet As Long
    'set the graphics mode to persistent
    Me.AutoRedraw = True
    'create a buffer
    pData.cFileName = String(MAX_PATH, 0)
    'find the first file
    hFind = FtpFindFirstFile(hConnection, "*.*", pData, 0, 0)
    'if there's no file, then exit sub
    If hFind = 0 Then Exit Sub
    'show the filename
    Me.Print Left(pData.cFileName, InStr(1, pData.cFileName, String(1, 0), vbBinaryCompare) - 1)
    Do
        'create a buffer
        pData.cFileName = String(MAX_PATH, 0)
        'find the next file
        lRet = InternetFindNextFile(hFind, pData)
        'if there's no next file, exit do
        If lRet = 0 Then Exit Do
        'show the filename
        Me.Print Left(pData.cFileName, InStr(1, pData.cFileName, String(1, 0), vbBinaryCompare) - 1)
    Loop
    'close the search handle
    InternetCloseHandle hFind
End Sub
Sub ShowError()
    Dim lErr As Long, sErr As String, lenBuf As Long
    'get the required buffer size
    InternetGetLastResponseInfo lErr, sErr, lenBuf
    'create a buffer
    sErr = String(lenBuf, 0)
    'retrieve the last respons info
    InternetGetLastResponseInfo lErr, sErr, lenBuf
    'show the last response info
    MsgBox "Error " + CStr(lErr) + ": " + sErr, vbOKOnly + vbCritical
End Sub

[Thread1]

The WIN32_FIND_DATA would give you the date in file format. To convert it into a system time you will need another API function which is the FileTimeToSystemTime. Once again, below is a sample code from API-Guide.

'This program needs a Dialog box, named CDBox1
'  (To add the Common Dialog Box to your tools menu, go to Project->Components (or press CTRL-T)
'   and select Microsoft Common Dialog control)
Private Type FILETIME
    dwLowDateTime As Long
    dwHighDateTime As Long
End Type
Private Type SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    hWnd As Long
    wFunc As Long
    pFrom As String
    pTo As String
    fFlags As Integer
    fAborted As Boolean
    hNameMaps As Long
    sProgress As String
End Type
Private Type SYSTEMTIME
    wYear As Integer
    wMonth As Integer
    wDayOfWeek As Integer
    wDay As Integer
    wHour As Integer
    wMinute As Integer
    wSecond As Integer
    wMilliseconds As Integer
End Type
Private Const GENERIC_WRITE = &H40000000
Private Const OPEN_EXISTING = 3
Private Const FILE_SHARE_READ = &H1
Private Const FILE_SHARE_WRITE = &H2
Private Const FO_DELETE = &H3
Private Declare Function CopyFile Lib "kernel32" Alias "CopyFileA" (ByVal lpExistingFileName As String, ByVal lpNewFileName As String, ByVal bFailIfExists As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function CreateDirectory Lib "kernel32" Alias "CreateDirectoryA" (ByVal lpPathName As String, lpSecurityAttributes As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function DeleteFile Lib "kernel32" Alias "DeleteFileA" (ByVal lpFileName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function GetFileSize Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hFile As Long, lpFileSizeHigh As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetFileTime Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hFile As Long, lpCreationTime As FILETIME, lpLastAccessTime As FILETIME, lpLastWriteTime As FILETIME) As Long
Private Declare Function MoveFile Lib "kernel32" Alias "MoveFileA" (ByVal lpExistingFileName As String, ByVal lpNewFileName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function CreateFile Lib "kernel32" Alias "CreateFileA" (ByVal lpFileName As String, ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Long, ByVal dwShareMode As Long, lpSecurityAttributes As Long, ByVal dwCreationDisposition As Long, ByVal dwFlagsAndAttributes As Long, ByVal hTemplateFile As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hObject As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SHFileOperation Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "SHFileOperationA" (lpFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT) As Long
Private Declare Function FileTimeToSystemTime Lib "kernel32" (lpFileTime As FILETIME, lpSystemTime As SYSTEMTIME) As Long
Private Declare Function FileTimeToLocalFileTime Lib "kernel32" (lpFileTime As FILETIME, lpLocalFileTime As FILETIME) As Long
Private Sub Form_Load()
    'KPD-Team 1998
    'URL: http://www.allapi.net/
    'E-Mail: [email protected]
    Dim lngHandle As Long, SHDirOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT, lngLong As Long
    Dim Ft1 As FILETIME, Ft2 As FILETIME, SysTime As SYSTEMTIME
    'Set the dialog's title
    CDBox.DialogTitle = "Choose a file ..."
    'Raise an error when the user pressed cancel
    CDBox.CancelError = True
    'Show the 'Open File'-dialog
    CDBox.ShowOpen
    'Create a new directory
    CreateDirectory "C:\KPD-Team", ByVal &H0
    'Copy the selected file to our new directory
    CopyFile CDBox.filename, "C:\KPD-Team\" + CDBox.FileTitle, 0
    'Rename the file
    MoveFile "C:\KPD-Team\" + CDBox.FileTitle, "C:\KPD-Team\test.kpd"
    'Open the file
    lngHandle = CreateFile("C:\KPD-Team\test.kpd", GENERIC_WRITE, FILE_SHARE_READ Or FILE_SHARE_WRITE, ByVal 0&, OPEN_EXISTING, 0, 0)
    'Get the file's size
    MsgBox "The size of the selected file is" + Str$(GetFileSize(lngHandle, lngLong)) + " bytes."
    'Get the fil's time
    GetFileTime lngHandle, Ft1, Ft1, Ft2
    'Convert the file time to the local file time
    FileTimeToLocalFileTime Ft2, Ft1
    'Convert the file time to system file time
    FileTimeToSystemTime Ft1, SysTime
    MsgBox "The selected file was created on" + Str$(SysTime.wMonth) + "/" + LTrim(Str$(SysTime.wDay)) + "/" + LTrim(Str$(SysTime.wYear))
    'Close the file
    CloseHandle lngHandle
    'Delete the file
    DeleteFile "C:\KPD-Team\test.kpd"
    With SHDirOp
        .wFunc = FO_DELETE
        .pFrom = "C:\KPD-Team"
    End With
    'Delete the directory
    SHFileOperation SHDirOp
    End
End Sub

Goodluck!