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Scripting the Windows FTP Client

Here's a demonstration of how to script the Windows console based FTP client utility. This technique is useful if you want to set up a batch script to send or retrieve files to a remote server. Furthermore the technique requires no programming language other than writing a simple DOS batch script.

Few people know that the Windows FTP command has a -s parameter that allows you to specify a filename containing a list of commands that the FTP command should use.

So to FTP a file called default.asp from a remote server called ftp.servername.com, you would create a text file containing the following:

open ftp.servername.com
username
password
get default.asp
quit

Note that username and password should be replaced with the username and password of an account which has appropriate access rights to send or retrieve the required files.

Once the file has been saved (in this example it has been saved as FTPcommands.txt, it can be called from the Windows command line or in a batch file using the following:

ftp -s:FTPcommands.txt

The FTP client will then execute the specified commands...

Don't forget that a full list of FTP commands available is in the Windows Help File (available from the Help button on the Windows Start menu). Look for ftp commands, overview or ftp commands, subcommands in the help index.

Further Reading

• ASP Documentation Tool. Creates documentation for ASP 2.0 and 3.0 web applications written in VBScript or JScript.
• Sams Teach Yourself Web Development With ASP in 24 Hours. Start learning ASP with this introductory guide.

Useful Development Tools

SQL Documentation Tool

The SQL Documentation Tool creates technical documentation for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 and 2000 databases. Technical documentation is created in HTML and HTML Help formats. The HTML Help format documentation is fully searchable and cross referenced. The SQL Documentation Tool documents SQL Server Tables, Views, Stored Procedures, Triggers, Table Relationships and Dependencies.

View Sample Output (HTML Help format).     View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (10.3Mb ZIP file).

ASP Documentation Tool™

Automatically creates developer documentation for ASP 2.0 and 3.0 web applications written in VBScript and JScript. Documentation for Microsoft Access, SQL Server 7/2000 databases and Visual Basic 6.0 components associated with the web application can also be incorporated into the reports. Documentation is created in HTML, HTML Help and plain text formats.

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.NET Documentation Tool

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VB Documentation Tool

The VB Documentation Tool creates technical documentation for Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 projects. Technical documentation is created in HTML and HTML Help formats. The HTML Help format documentation is fully searchable and cross referenced.

View Sample Output (HTML Help format).     View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (1Mb ZIP file).

Indexing Service Companion

The Indexing Service Companion is a Windows application that extends the functionality of the Microsoft Windows Indexing Service so that it is able to index content from remote websites and also from ODBC databases. As such it can be used as a low cost alternative to Sharepoint Portal Search Services.

Try Sample Search Facility.     Download Trial Version (1.7Mb ZIP file).

The Website Utility

The Website Utility examines websites for errors and areas that need to be optimised for search engines by using a built in web crawling engine. Errors checked for include broken or moved hyperlinks, missing page titles and missing meta tags. It also generates HTML for use in creating website site maps (table of contents pages - like this one), and is able to create both client-side JavaScript Search Engines and server-side ASP Search Engines for a website.

View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (3Mb ZIP file).

PHP Documentation Tool™

Automatically creates developer documentation for PHP web applications. Documentation is created in HTML, HTML Help and plain text formats.

View Sample Output (HTML Help format).     View Sample Output (HTML Format).     Download Trial Version (1.0Mb ZIP file).