Shell Programming and Scripting

I concur that the return code from ftp is still zero when the login failed.

For automated ftp scripts you would normally use a $HOME/.netrc file (owned by root and with permissions 600) containing the servername username and password. You still need some error handling in case the remote end password changes.

Your ftp script suggests to me that you are already using a .netrc file, or perhaps you are trying to force the user to enter the password?

The above was just in case you didn't know about .netrc files.



The main remaining use for ftp nowadays is to transfer files between incompatible older systems or where free software is important. Your script suggests that both systems are modern unix in which case we would normally use a modern file transfer method.

Does the script actually work? I can't see how the "*" in the breakout "!" line gets expanded. There is much variation in unix and ftp and IBM never cease to amaze me with their variations.

mrn6430, if you were to solve a problem and the computer responded after entering a command the following error message

Code:

this did not do anything

would you be able to solve this? So, please give a detailed error output you got when using the here-script corona presented. Help us to help yourself, thanks.

Further to zaxxon it would be helpful to show where the ftp username and password are coming from. Please blot any real values with X's .

In all cases ftp will always return zero unless it cant ftp at all that means run itself...).
So you are doomed if looking for simple test...
Most people use dummy files put/get with CRC to check...

Code:

220 lo17 FTP server (Version 4.2 Mon Sep 21 10:03:34 CDT 2009) ready.
Name (lo17:vbe): titi
331 Password required for titi.
Password:
530 Login incorrect.
Login failed.
Remote system type is UNIX.
Using binary mode to transfer files.
ftp> 221 Goodbye.
ant:/home/vbe $ echo $?
0

That 221 goodbye was the result of a CTRL-d....

Here is my Own design and it does work: "I was hoping of an easier way!!!!".

Code:

ftp $HOST1 <<END_SCRIPT>EpicFtp.chk
cd idx
prompt
mget $PICKUPFILE*.txt
!cp $PICKUPFILE* $TARGETPATH/data/
bye
END_SCRIPT
exit 0
 
ErrorChk=`grep "Login incorrect" EpicFtp.chk| wc -l'`
 
if [ $ErrorChk -gt 0 ]
then
 echo "FtpFromEpicFileIn.sh:Unable to login to Epic Production server. Check jcaps Id/Password."|mailx -s "Prod Epic To Idx Charges Login Error" $PageOncall
fi

Just for completeness, how are you giving the ftp process the login name and password? Is it from the keyboard of from a .netrc file or from "expect"? There is no "user" line in your ftp script so it can't be that way.

For a tight script you'll need to also check the exit status (a poster earlier showed how) and check for more different error messages. Once you have one robust script it becomes easy to either clone it or turn it into a utility.

Well, there's doubtless simpler ways than counting the number of lines output from grep in backticks to find whether grep found your string... grep's own return value, perhaps?

Code:

if grep "Login incorrect" EpicFtp.chk > /dev/null
then
        echo "FtpFromEpicFileIn.sh:Unable to login to Epic Production server. Check jcaps Id/Password."|mailx -s "Prod Epic To Idx Charges Login Error" $PageOncall
fi

That only covers one kind of error, though. 'connection refused' or something might not be detected.