file exist rules not preventing transfer

I have just accepted administration of a nonprofit web site. The web hosting service recommended SmartFTP as the FTP client to use, and I am a newbie with it, so be gentle.

My first step was to download the web files to my home computer. I wanted to setup the "file exist" rules so that downloading would only occur if the file was missing or different. However, no matter what I tried, the files were always downloaded.

I started with the default file exist rules, and have trimmed them down to now the only rule I have is:

if destination time=equal and size=equal and transfer=download then skip

yet every file is still transferred every time.

After trying a lot of different things, I noticed that the file timestamps were different. On the SmartFTP server side window, it shows:

modified date: 12/15/2007 22:29 PM

While on the client side window, it shows:

modified date: 12/15/2007 05:29 PM

I don't know if this matters, since the difference in the date may just be in the rendering due to a difference in time zone, but the presentation is still odd; I could understand "22:29 PM" with "17:29 PM", or "10:29 PM" with "05:29 PM", but "22:29 PM" with "05:29 PM" is just weird.

I've clearly got something wrong, but I don't see it. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Hello ..

I recommend you to use the default rules since they are optimized and work in 99% of the situations. After you have changed that please post the the log from the transfer queue for further analysis.

Regards,
Mat

Mat -

I changed the rules back to the default, and downloaded another file a couple of times. Here is the log:

[23:11:37] The operation has been added to the Transfer Queue. Check the Transfer Queue for the status.
[23:11:45] NOOP
[23:11:47] 200 NOOP command successful
[23:12:17] NOOP
[23:12:17] 200 NOOP command successful

TIA.

Mat -

You can probably skip to the bottom, as the log shows the dates to be different. Otherwise, here is my stream-of-consciousness:

Oooops. Sorry. Here is the log from the first (well, not the first, but the first in this sequence!) download:

[11:04:21] Resolving host name "ftp.pockettheatre.com"
[11:04:21] Connecting to 76.162.173.63 Port: 21
[11:04:21] Connected to ftp.pockettheatre.com.
[11:04:21] 220 ProFTPD 1.2.9 Server (Main FTP Server) [web183.opentransfer.com]
[11:04:21] USER ptwebadm
[11:04:22] 331 Password required for ptwebadm.
[11:04:22] PASS (hidden)
[11:04:22] 230 User ptwebadm logged in.
[11:04:22] SYST
[11:04:22] 215 UNIX Type: L8
[11:04:22] Detected Server Type: UNIX
[11:04:22] FEAT
[11:04:22] 211-Features:
[11:04:22] MDTM
[11:04:22] REST STREAM
[11:04:22] SIZE
[11:04:22] 211 End
[11:04:22] PWD
[11:04:22] 257 "/" is current directory.
[11:04:22] CWD /pockettheatre.com/2008_CC
[11:04:23] 250 CWD command successful.
[11:04:23] PWD
[11:04:23] 257 "/pockettheatre.com/2008_CC" is current directory.
[11:04:23] TYPE I
[11:04:23] 200 Type set to I
[11:04:23] SIZE CC_ProgT.jpg
[11:04:23] 213 52497
[11:04:23] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[11:04:23] 213 20071215222927
[11:04:23] PASV
[11:04:23] 227 Entering Passive Mode (76,162,173,63,164,211).
[11:04:23] Opening data connection to 76.162.173.63 Port: 42195
[11:04:23] RETR CC_ProgT.jpg
[11:04:24] 150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for CC_ProgT.jpg (52497 bytes)
[11:04:38] 52497 bytes transferred. (3.57 KB/s) (00:00:14)
[11:04:38] 226 Transfer complete.
[11:04:38] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[11:04:38] 213 20071215222927


And here is the log from the 2nd download of the same file (actually the third - on the 2nd download, it completed before I was able to get the log):

[11:06:53] SIZE CC_ProgT.jpg
[11:06:53] 213 52497
[11:06:53] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[11:06:53] 213 20071215222927
[11:06:53] Source File: Size=52497, SizeUnit=Byte, Time=2007-12-15T22:29:27, TimeFormat=Exact
[11:06:53] Destination File: Size=52497, SizeUnit=Byte, Time=1601-01-01T00:00:00, TimeFormat=Exact
[11:06:53] RecentTime=2008-05-24T16:06:53
[11:06:53] No rule matched. Default Action="Overwrite".
[11:06:53] PASV
[11:06:53] 227 Entering Passive Mode (76,162,173,63,165,10).
[11:06:53] Opening data connection to 76.162.173.63 Port: 42250
[11:06:53] RETR CC_ProgT.jpg
[11:06:54] 150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for CC_ProgT.jpg (52497 bytes)
[11:07:05] 52497 bytes transferred. (4.41 KB/s) (00:00:11)
[11:07:05] 226 Transfer complete.
[11:07:05] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[11:07:06] 213 20071215222927

I don't know if it matters or not, but the first log was generated when I double-clicked (by accident) on the file to download, instead of using the download button like I normally do, and like I did for the 2nd (3rd) download. I mention it because the logs are a lot different. For instance:

1) the double click forced a re-login.
2) the first download did not list the file size and time like the 2nd (3rd) one did (and like subsequent double-click downloads do - yes I am still playing with it)

I think I see from the log the reason that the downloads always happen - the dates are way different; it looks like the destination date is being read as a 0. Yet, when I look in the SmartFTP destination window (and in Windows Explorer), I see a valid date: 12/15/2007 05:29 PM.

Thanks for your help.

Mat -

> Please install the latest version and try again:

OK, I got 3.0.1016.11 (I had 3.0.1016.7), but it didn't help. Here are the 2 log files:

[22:59:06] Resolving host name "ftp.pockettheatre.com"
[22:59:06] Connecting to 76.162.173.63 Port: 21
[22:59:06] Connected to ftp.pockettheatre.com.
[22:59:06] 220 ProFTPD 1.2.9 Server (Main FTP Server) [web183.opentransfer.com]
[22:59:06] USER ptwebadm
[22:59:06] 331 Password required for ptwebadm.
[22:59:06] PASS (hidden)
[22:59:06] 230 User ptwebadm logged in.
[22:59:06] SYST
[22:59:06] 215 UNIX Type: L8
[22:59:06] Detected Server Type: UNIX
[22:59:06] FEAT
[22:59:07] 211-Features:
[22:59:07] MDTM
[22:59:07] REST STREAM
[22:59:07] SIZE
[22:59:07] 211 End
[22:59:07] PWD
[22:59:07] 257 "/" is current directory.
[22:59:07] CWD /pockettheatre.com/2008_CC
[22:59:07] 250 CWD command successful.
[22:59:07] PWD
[22:59:07] 257 "/pockettheatre.com/2008_CC" is current directory.
[22:59:07] TYPE I
[22:59:07] 200 Type set to I
[22:59:07] SIZE CC_ProgT.jpg
[22:59:08] 213 52497
[22:59:08] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[22:59:08] 213 20071215222927
[22:59:08] Source File: Size=52497, SizeUnit=Byte, Time=2007-12-15T22:29:27, TimeFormat=Exact
[22:59:08] Destination File: Size=52497, SizeUnit=Byte, Time=1601-01-01T00:00:00, TimeFormat=Exact
[22:59:08] RecentTime=2008-05-25T03:59:08
[22:59:08] No rule matched. Default Action="Overwrite".
[22:59:08] PASV
[22:59:08] 227 Entering Passive Mode (76,162,173,63,135,215).
[22:59:08] Opening data connection to 76.162.173.63 Port: 34775
[22:59:08] RETR CC_ProgT.jpg
[22:59:09] 150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for CC_ProgT.jpg (52497 bytes)
[22:59:24] 52497 bytes transferred. (3.21 KB/s) (00:00:15)
[22:59:24] 226 Transfer complete.
[22:59:24] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[22:59:24] 213 20071215222927


[23:00:02] SIZE CC_ProgT.jpg
[23:00:03] 213 52497
[23:00:03] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[23:00:03] 213 20071215222927
[23:00:03] Source File: Size=52497, SizeUnit=Byte, Time=2007-12-15T22:29:27, TimeFormat=Exact
[23:00:03] Destination File: Size=52497, SizeUnit=Byte, Time=1601-01-01T00:00:00, TimeFormat=Exact
[23:00:03] RecentTime=2008-05-25T04:00:03
[23:00:03] No rule matched. Default Action="Overwrite".
[23:00:03] PASV
[23:00:03] 227 Entering Passive Mode (76,162,173,63,135,217).
[23:00:03] Opening data connection to 76.162.173.63 Port: 34777
[23:00:03] RETR CC_ProgT.jpg
[23:00:03] 150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for CC_ProgT.jpg (52497 bytes)
[23:00:15] 52497 bytes transferred. (4.47 KB/s) (00:00:11)
[23:00:15] 226 Transfer complete.
[23:00:15] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[23:00:15] 213 20071215222927

To what place do you download the file to? System harddisk?

Can you try to download the same file to another folder/drive?

Can you please post the system information from the menu: Help->About "System Information"?

Thank you.

Regards,
Mat

Also can you please post the complete log without removing some lines?

Mat -

> To what place do you download the file to? System harddisk?

Yes.

> What is the harddisk formated with? NTFS or FAT32?

NTFS

> Can you please post the system information from the menu: Help->About "System Information"?

+- System -----------------------------
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)

CPU Speed : 930 MHz
Total Memory : 381 MB
Free Memory : 52 MB

+- SmartFTP ---------------------------
Version : 3.0.1016.11
Time Stamp : 2008-05-24 16:12:21
Platform : x86
Unlicensed
Days in use : 1

+- Application DLL --------------------
sfFTPLib.dll : 1.5.13.29
sfFavorites.dll : 1.0.12.11
sfFavoritesShellExtension.dll : 1.0.1.13
sfTransferQueue.dll : 1.0.9.11
sfFTPShellExtension.dll : 1.0.7.11

+- Language ---------------------------
SmartFTP.exe : 3.0.1016.11

+- Internet Explorer ------------------
Version : 7.0.5730.13

+- Winsock ----------------------------
Winsock : 2.2




> Also can you please post the complete log without removing some lines?

I'll run another download, but the logs I posted before were always complete (pretty sure, anyway).

[00:20:19] Resolving host name "ftp.pockettheatre.com"
[00:20:19] Connecting to 76.162.173.63 Port: 21
[00:20:19] Connected to ftp.pockettheatre.com.
[00:20:20] 220 ProFTPD 1.2.9 Server (Main FTP Server) [web183.opentransfer.com]
[00:20:20] USER ptwebadm
[00:20:20] 331 Password required for ptwebadm.
[00:20:20] PASS (hidden)
[00:20:20] 230 User ptwebadm logged in.
[00:20:20] SYST
[00:20:21] 215 UNIX Type: L8
[00:20:21] Detected Server Type: UNIX
[00:20:21] FEAT
[00:20:21] 211-Features:
[00:20:21] MDTM
[00:20:21] REST STREAM
[00:20:21] SIZE
[00:20:21] 211 End
[00:20:21] PWD
[00:20:21] 257 "/" is current directory.
[00:20:21] CWD /pockettheatre.com/2008_CC
[00:20:21] 250 CWD command successful.
[00:20:21] PWD
[00:20:21] 257 "/pockettheatre.com/2008_CC" is current directory.
[00:20:21] TYPE I
[00:20:22] 200 Type set to I
[00:20:22] SIZE CC_ProgT.jpg
[00:20:22] 213 52497
[00:20:22] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[00:20:22] 213 20071215222927
[00:20:22] Source File: Size=52497, SizeUnit=Byte, Time=2007-12-15T22:29:27, TimeFormat=Exact
[00:20:22] Destination File: Size=52497, SizeUnit=Byte, Time=1601-01-01T00:00:00, TimeFormat=Exact
[00:20:22] RecentTime=2008-05-25T05:20:22
[00:20:22] No rule matched. Default Action="Overwrite".
[00:20:22] PASV
[00:20:22] 227 Entering Passive Mode (76,162,173,63,138,35).
[00:20:22] Opening data connection to 76.162.173.63 Port: 35363
[00:20:22] RETR CC_ProgT.jpg
[00:20:23] 150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for CC_ProgT.jpg (52497 bytes)
[00:20:34] 52497 bytes transferred. (4.30 KB/s) (00:00:11)
[00:20:34] 226 Transfer complete.
[00:20:34] MDTM CC_ProgT.jpg
[00:20:35] 213 20071215222927

When you look at the last modified date/time of the file "CC_ProgT.jpg" in Windows Explorer, what time is displayed?

Please try it again with the newest version .12. I changed a couple of things and added more messages to the transfer queue log:
https://www.smartftp.com/download

Regards,
Mat