FTP Client?
 

I find that I cannot use Firefox as an FTP client to upload files, so I tried Safari. I log in, and Safari automatically brings up a Finder window to display the remote FTP. It seems to be logged in so, OK.

I drag the files to the correct remote directory, drop them, and get a popup window saying, "The items cannot be moved because darkmatter.org cannot be modified. First of all, I don't want to move them, I want to copy, to update my website. Second, it appears that Finder can only read FTP.

I have been so inured to the wonderful Konqueror, which would do anything I asked it to.

What is the built-in way to FTP in OS X? Rather not use a third-party client, but if it's necessary prefer open-source.

I saw the FireFTP Firefox plugin, but unfortunately I cannot use it. I am running Firefox 3 GranParadiso alpha7, which is so new it has prevented me from loading some wonderful plugins like AdblockerPlus, LocationBar, OrganizeStatusBar, and the Dictionary.

So I went into the Firefox package (Show Package Contents|MacOS) and edited Application.ini to change my version to alpha1. Then I could install those plugins! Unfortunately though, FireFTP requires a minimum of alpha6, and so I can't have it and my other plugins.

Wish Firefox, Safari, or Finder could write FTP...

I'm not sure how good it is, but you can try MacFusion, which allows you to mount FTP servers as read and write in the Finder.

You first need to install MacFUSE before using it.

Thanks Three. Soon after I posted this, I realized 'why not use that Swiss Army knife, MacFuse?' I'll check out MacFusion, thanks. Hazzahh, I say!

And ya tlarkin, I noticed cyberduck and was about to DL it, when I came across one which may be better, and is also free to use. But I think I'll go with the radical Fuse technology on this.

Hm, something is dreadfully wrong with MacFusion on OS X 10.4.10. FTP transfers are incredibly slow, and numerous timeouts on the mounted volume.

Ultimately, the lack of write with built-in FTP on the Finder has forced everyone to a 3rd party client. Perhaps that's why it's crippled. Personally I really like what Transmit does for me. I also like the integrated SFTP/SSL/foo. I don't mind paying.

I saw Transmit, but in a comparison test with 4 other FTP clients it was slowest.

I've just found that CaptainFTP gives only a 15 day trial period, so it's the Duck for me.

I am quite sure that the problem with MacFusion is that I have MacFuse 0.5 installed but MacFusion is designed for 0.4 . Should be an update soon, which I look forward to.

Well, Cyberduck works great with sFTP (SSH FTP) without any muss or fuss!
Fast, too.

Cyberduck is awesome. It does everything (SFTP, FTP, and FTPS) and, of course it’s free and open source, which is nice, too.

If I were going to get a commercial FTP client, I would probably go for Fetch, since they’re so old-school and reliable. I mean - they were around even back in System 6! How many other FTP clients can say that?

For just SFTP, I think Fugu is probably the best…

What about using the command line (/usr/bin/ftp)? You just need a few simple commands & that's it.

"man ftp" for more info.

Happy FTP'ing

Ya, been aware of CLI method for years, but this takes so much memory work (remote server IP? Command structure?) and it is just easier to drag-drop when I have more important things to think about/keep track of.

I've just found out that the FTP slowness of MacFusion has been a known issue for at least three months. There are four different apps to coordinate, and apparently they haven't identified the culprit yet. Don't know why something's not been done, but I've entered my 2 cents in the bug reports.

It's not that much to remember at all, as with anything...you just have to get used to it. Say I have a folder on my desktop (with a ton of JPG's in it) named, "Upload".

cd /Users/me/Desktop/Upload

ftp ftp.uploadMe.com

mput ./*.jpg

Bam, that's it...just watch as it uploads away.

I actually prefer to do it this way, there's nothing to install and it's super quick & easy.

If you have installed macports you could try curlftpfs which is another fuse ftp which uses curl as its backend. To me it looks quite fast. It's a bit cranky and as far as I've seen so far you have to put your password in a file (.netrc) or on the command line put otherwise seems OK.

Understand what you're saying uid, but most of the time I am working on 16 things at once, and trying to distill 5 forks into one branch at the same time, and to have to stop and engage my (ever more rusty) aging memory is problematic. The remote FTP I only have an IP for, which I'd have to look up every time, manually put in my ID and password, etc. Just a distraction, bringing the whole show to a halt.

baf, ya I have MacPorts and have installed a number of things with it. I find that it even has a Search function. But I am trying to avoid installing curlftpfs as that comes with MacFusion, a complete GUI implementation of MacFuse. MacFusion is sick though at the moment unfortunately; FTP transfers are dreadfully slow. I find that this has been known for months, and so am concerned that they will make a solution. I am running MacFuse 0.5 (svg) and MacFusion 1.2 beta3.

BTW, with MacPorts, is there any way to tell it to update all apps which were installed with it? Fink has this ability, but I've avoided installing Fink apps as they do not seem to be native to BSD, as ports are.

Something like:
should do it of course after you have updated the ports with

"The remote FTP I only have an IP for, which I'd have to look up every time, manually put in my ID and password, etc...."

You could edit your /etc/hosts file to give the IP you upload to a name, then you wouldn't have to remember those numbers ever again.

# /etc/hosts

72.XXX.XXX.XXX uploadMe

Save your username / pw info in a README file in the Upload folder of your Desktop, then;

cd /Users/me/Desktop/Upload

ftp uploadMe (then cut & paste your username & pw info from the README file)

mput ./*.jpg

Sounds easy enough to do, I think. Sorry, I guess I'm really trying to get you to use the command line huh?

Ah, I'm well used to the command-line; used Debian exclusively for 9 years. But it takes a different mode of thought than graphical; more mathematical. But humans evolved working in an object-oriented world, where objects are comprised of elements like command-lines. An object has properties which you can modify, and to pick up and throw an object is far easier than to do the chemistry which makes it up.

Thanks baf, but it looks like we gotta add a sudo to that. Good to know my ports can be updated.

Then it sounds like you need another human or human/s to help you do your FTP'ing for you (among the other 16+ things you do), maybe you can put in for an assistant or worker bee...

Good luck, hopefully you'll find something that will help you out :)

Interesting.
I had Fetch, but got rid of it due to slowness.. now i use Transmit, as i felt it was quite a bit faster than Fetch, and more elegant somehow.

Is the Duck the way to go?
Can someone else pitch in re. the speed issue?

I have my own local ftp sever, but when uploading to others, speed is the word.. clearly.

Husky

Scott Lowe did an unscientific test which has spread like wildfire, indicating that Cyberduck takes many times longer to do transfers that four other clients. But this disparity is implausible to me. Run your own test and let us know.

I do know that Cyberduck connected to my web hoster's server in Sweden via sFTP with no intervention on his end and almost none on mine.

Wow.. that's quite a remarkable difference!

I'll look at the Duck if i get a moment, and post anything useful that i might find.

Thanks

Husky

Now son, let me explain something to you:

I was a Systems Analyst with Digital Equipment Corp, maybe before you were born. From 1980-1990 my specialty was VAX/VMS, the grandfather of modern operating systems. You may know that all we had then was command-line.

And since 1997 I have run nothing on any of my machines but Linux. I have delved deep into its power and been mercilessly punished and disgraced by half-baked distros such as Suse and Mandrake, but I still never fled into the malignant arms of Mother Borg.

A cursory examination of my posts here should show that I put high demands on my computers and expect nothing less than full control. Maybe this is in fact why you spoke up?

I do sympathize with the dated priesthood of CLI, and know that you come by it honestly. And I know that some GUI methods leave much to be desired, as I have complained about the many limitations of OS X's GUI in these forums, because know what it possible being a Debian refugee. I must use CLI to offset so many of OS X's shortcomings thusfar in these two weeks I've been using it.

But I had done my best above, to explain the intellectual difference between CLI and GUI in evolutionary terms, in hopes of elevating the discussion. Your response is disappointingly dull. Surely you can do better, but chose not to. I had hoped for more from someone who I am sure has depth, but has so far shown little evidence of it. Are you just another young anti-intellectual commoner?

You can explain all you'd like (that's what these forums are for). You seem very smart - I'm not at all denying that. But your "Son", definitely not ... my own attends University already. Thanks.

Dirisive commentary stops now. Thanks.

So, after reading all the the problems you've had with ftp clients I've had no problems with, and the nature of the problems (slow, frequent disconnects) I'm wondering if perhaps you should be using PASV but are not or vice versa.

I wonder why nobody mentioned FileZilla.