UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hey all,
I'm trying to upload a file to my ftp server through an automated batch program. I will be uploading a file that's name changes according to you IP Address, so I am using the variable %ip% to represent the file's name. The problem occurs when it transfers over to the ftp portion of the batch program, as the file isn't found because the ftp portion can't use the batch portion's variables. I was wondering if it was possible to transfer the variables over to the ftp portion, and if so, how would it be done.

Here is the code I am using:

Code:

set ip=%1
echo %1 > %1.txt
%windir%\system32\ftp.exe -v -i -s:"%~f0"
goto done
open ftp.server.to.use
username
password
cd folder1
cd folder2
put %ip%.txt
bye
:done

From another program I run it using:

Code:

start ftpupload.bat yourip

I'm not at all familiar with windows batch files, so this might not be possible. However, as nobody has posted anything, I thought it might be worth considering.

In the past I have generated a file with all of the necessary ftp commands and redirected that file into ftp from the command line. In psuedo code, it looks something like this:

Code:

echo "cd $target_directory" >ftp_cmds
echo "put $file_var1" >>ftp_cmds
echo "put $file_var2" >>ftp_cmds
echo "quit" >>ftp_cmds

ftp targethost <ftp_cmds

I'm assuming that the batch processor under windows can expand a variable name on the echo, and thus the resulting file will contain the desired filename and not the unexpanded variable name.

Don't know if the windows based ftp supports a .netrc or like file in which passwords and usernames can be securely kept. If it does, I'd suggest looking into using that; it's not a good idea to have usernames/passwords floating round in your scripts.

Thanks, I'll try it. As for the passwords and usernames, I am going to convert it to an executable when I am finished.

EDIT:
Thanks it worked, but I messed something up and it won't load it know. Oh well, I'll keep messing with it.

EDIT 2:
Thanks it is now fixed!