How does one ftp an entire directory from one Solaris 5.9 machine to another with out moving one file at a time?

Perderabo put together a great script for recursive ftp:

Recursive FTP -- here at last.

Actually, if all you want to do is move all the files from one directory, you don't need the recursive part. Just use "mget *" or "mput *" depending on which direction you're trying to go. Although if you don't issue the "prompt" command first it will ask you to confirm each transfer, so you may want to do that before the mget.

So if you have a directory tree use the above advice and try the recursive script. But if it is just all the files in one single directory you want moved mget or mput is your answer.

I am trying to run mget as advised, and I keep getting the error "disk1 not a plain file". have prompt off, and am in binary mode.

That means disk1 is a directory. If you need to move all the files within /disk1/* then you need to change directory to disk1 and then use the mget or mput. It will not get any directories.

Otherwise, use the program Perderabo was kind enough to write.