Windows-Service-workable FTP Client?

June 23, 2009 1:33 AM

Free/cheap FTP Client as Windows service?

I have a headless home server running Windows, and in order to run a program, I need to be logged in - via Remote Desktop, right now. Not so with services. I can force a program to act as a service, but that means I won't get the benefits of a GUI. I need the server to take care of downloading files without my being logged in. Downloading only; uploading either won't be necessary or can be handled on a case-by-case basis with a different client.

What FTP client can I use that has a web- or command-line-interface, or would otherwise allow me to control it even as a service?

posted by Picklegnome to computers & internet (6 comments total)

I am not sure what you are looking for but you might want to look into FileZilla
posted by Danniman at 4:21 AM on June 23

As a service?

You after a client or a server?

FTP client is built into Windows, and it's OK for most FTP requirements. Can be scripted and called from scheduled batch files- for a server- IIS or filezilla
posted by mattoxic at 4:31 AM on June 23

Youre mistaked about needing to run a service. You need a scheduler not a service here.

Filezilla doesnt have many command line options. I think the old 2.x version did, but the modern version cant do much with command line, just specify server which brings up the GUI.

I need the server to take care of downloading files without my being logged in.

On top of this you can do this with the built-in ftp.exe for free in windows. Write a batch file to run your command and set the task scheduler to run it at whatever time you need it to run.

Another free solution is using the ftp client in cygwin, but thats probably the least easy.

WS_FTP does this with an easy to use GUI but its 50 dollars. It doesnt need to run as a service because it makes an entry in the windows task scheduler to run at a certain time and download whatever files you want with whatever credentials you like. This supports FTPS, SFTP, and regular FTP.
posted by damn dirty ape at 6:59 AM on June 23

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

I'm not going to be doing scheduled downloads, but when I am downloading, I'll be downloading large chunks of data. I'll need to log in, select and start the downloads, and log out, but keep the client running.
posted by Picklegnome at 10:53 AM on June 23

Why not just create a batch file to do the ftp, then create a job with the scheduler. When you need to download, open the scheduler and do a "run now" on the job - presto, it runs in the background.
posted by Calloused_Foot at 11:48 AM on June 23

I'll need to log in, select and start the downloads, and log out, but keep the client running.

When youre in remote desktop, dont log out, just close the session. You session will continue to run. That way you can use any plain jane FTP client. When you dont want to log in, just run a scheduled task. Am I missing somthing here? Are you unable to keep the session closed but running for whatever reason?
posted by damn dirty ape at 12:04 PM on June 23