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Home > Archive > IIS FTP Server > January 2004 > Re: Dynamic files with FTP
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Re: Dynamic files with FTP
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| =?Utf-8?B?RXJpYyBDaGF2ZXM=?= 2004-01-25, 11:34 pm |
| Hi Folks,
Ok, FTP is a protocol for file transfer. However, IMHO, is a mistake that most people do to mix the protocol goals with the server features. HTTP was not designed to offer dynamic files trough CGI or scripts. The PROTOCOL still doing what it was planned
to, but the SERVER can be extended and offer greater flexibility in provide new services. And you should agree that the "web revolution" foundation was that!
The server side processing is outside of the scope of the protocol, and that’s why it is not impossible to be done. And I don't think that is is something har to be done:
1- The server side processing engine is ready (ASP engine could be used).
2- FTP is a state-full protocol, different the HTTP, so it should be easiest to implement.
3- HTTP is evolving for file system access (take a look in WebDAV)
4- Although this feature may not seem too much useful for “user based services”, for “enterprise services” and system legacy integration, witch uses FTP as de-facto protocol for file exchange it will allow more value added implementation. Don’t
you agree that is a waste of time and effort to invoke an ASP page that will create a file for later download trough the FTP? Why not just allow the user to invoke the file trough a normal “GET” (just as we do with HTTP GET’s)
5- There is already some academic implementation that allows this to be done (called Application Level Gateways, but I’m not sure if this name is universal. Take a look at http://www.delegate.org) however due to its generic purpose it’s harder to use
then an IIS integrated solution
I’m still convinced that dynamic-ftp would be a killer feature in IIS as server solution for enterprise servers. This is certainly a feature not addressed for "everyone" since FTP protocol, at afirst glance, is a little bit more complex than FTP, and de
mands more experience programmers, but this is not a problem for enterprises.
Cheers,
Eric.
quote:
> FTP is for data transfer only.
> You can have an ASP generate your files, and then you can FTP them... but it
> will be two seperate processes, and require a little creativity on your
> part.
quote:
> Sure. Keep in mind that all FTP does is transfer files, so creating
> the files dynamically has to be outside of FTP, but there's no reason
> you can't get them via FTP.
Though if you explained exactly what you're trying to do, I'm sure I
could say it's impossible the way you're looking to do it. 
Though we may have an alternative that will work.
Jeff
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| Jeff Cochran 2004-01-26, 5:35 am |
| On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 04:06:05 -0800, "Eric Chaves"
<anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
quote:
>I'm still convinced that dynamic-ftp would be a killer feature in IIS as server solution for enterprise servers.
While I'm not convinced (WebDAV hasn't really caught on either), my
suggestion would be to go for it. If it's really a killer feature,
you'll find a market. If not, you'll have your answer.
Jeff
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| Alun Jones [MS MVP] 2004-01-27, 2:35 pm |
| In article <40215ddd.960102384@msnews.microsoft.com>,
jcochran.nospam@naplesgov.com (Jeff Cochran) wrote:quote:
>On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 04:06:05 -0800, "Eric Chaves"
><anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> server solution for enterprise servers.
>
>While I'm not convinced (WebDAV hasn't really caught on either), my
>suggestion would be to go for it. If it's really a killer feature,
>you'll find a market. If not, you'll have your answer.
Something like it is already available. In WFTPD Pro, for instance, we have
the concept of conversions - you can set up the software such that if
"file.txt" exists, but the user asks for "file.txt.zip", the server will run
a program to convert file.txt into a zip file and send that over the data
stream.
Alun.
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