[jira] [Created] (NET-674) FTPListParseEngine should support listing via MLSD

["Chris Steingen (Jira)" <ji...@apache.org>]

Chris Steingen created NET-674:
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             Summary: FTPListParseEngine should support listing via MLSD
                 Key: NET-674
                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/NET-674
             Project: Commons Net
          Issue Type: Improvement
          Components: FTP
    Affects Versions: 3.6
            Reporter: Chris Steingen


When using FTPClient#initiateListParsing, one can kind of "lazy" scroll over a FTP directory, acquiring FTPFile(s) in chunks using an iterator style pattern. The underlying code uses the LIST command.

One drawback of the LIST command though is, that depending on the OS of the server, the results might show different precision for file modification/creation dates of files and directories.

When working with those timestamps in directories with a growing history of files, the timestamps "change" after a file gets older and older. This can lead to problems in the consumer of the FTP files.

One solution is, to use MLSD instead, as this (if supported by the FTP) results in much more precise timestamps regardless of a file's age.

FTPClient does offer methods to use MLSD (FTPClient#mlistDir for example) instead, which do result in the desired outcome (precise timestamps).

Sadly the FTPClient API does not offer a public method for using the chunkwise iterator-style FTPListParseEngine along with the MLSD command, although it looks like it could be simply achievable when just exposing some methods to public visibility.

 

 



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