FTP Downloading different size

Shark · 01-05-2017, 05:01 PM

Hey,

I have been testing/using FFXP for a little while now. I have noticed on one site recently that when I download (FTP) from site to local that it has downloaded the majority of the files at a different size (larger).

I have never seen any FTP site do this before and it is making it hard when I transfer again as it isn't skipping the file as it usually would for being the same size.

Any idea why this particular site would do that?

bigstar · 01-06-2017, 10:36 AM

Are the files being transferred in Binary (image) or ASCII mode?

The only way to ensure the files are 100% identical is to transfer everything in BINARY mode.

You can set the default transfer mode on startup to Binary via the Preferences dialog under the Transfer section Transfer Mode > Binary

Click Apply and then restart FlashFXP to start using this mode by default.

Shark · 01-06-2017, 06:06 PM

Ah ok, I thought it might be that and I turned on binary mode, but, it didn't make any difference. However, I didn't restart FFXP...

I will try that and see what happens.

Shark · 01-06-2017, 06:37 PM

Looks good. Any downside to just leaving binary mode on all the time?

bigstar · 01-07-2017, 03:03 PM

In ASCII mode text files are converted from DOS to UNIX format. (which is why the size is different)

With the DOS text format a line ends with a CR/LF and with UNIX text format a line ends with LF.

Most modern text editors (i.e. notepad++) support loading/saving and saving-as formats. In most cases the line endings are trivial and typically not an issue, however in the unlikely event that you run into problems, just make sure you save your files in UNIX text format.

I started using Binary mode for all my transfers several years ago because in many cases in Binary mode its just faster, also you don't have to worry about the FTP server mangling the text format during conversion.

This conversion takes place on the server side, and some FTP servers have started disabling the ability to use ASCII mode; they simply send in BINARY mode regardless.

Shark · 01-07-2017, 10:45 PM

Cool, I will just leave it on binary mode then. Thanks