SmartFTP doesn't prompt on upload file exist -- unconditionally overwrites

I've been experiencing major reliability problems with SmartFTP.

The problem that I need some answers about right now is SmartFTP's failure to reliably prompt for a decision (Overwrite / Skip / Abort) when uploading a file that already exists on the server. I never had this problem until I upgraded to a newer version a couple months ago in hopes of fixing a different reliability problem that I had become aware of.

When I drag a file from the local browser to the remote window, SmartFTP often reports the following error and unconditionally overwrites the file without prompting me:
"550 SIZE: Operation not permitted"

Sometimes it inexplicably switches from working (prompting me) to not working. Earlier today it was working, then stopped (all the while accessing the same server). Right now it has stopped working entirely -- crippling my ability to work. The problem has occurred with a variety of FTP servers.

This behavior -- automatically overwriting files on the server -- is totally unacceptable.

Registration Data:
ID: 400009979
User: Jesse McCarthy


System Info:
+- System -----------------------------
Microsoft Windows XP Home
Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)

CPU Speed : 2998 MHz
Total Memory : 1047788 KB
Free Memory : 679204 KB

+- SmartFTP ---------------------------
Version : 1.5.991.24
Time Stamp : 2005-12-15 22:44:57

+- Application DLL --------------------
Controls.dll : 1.6.991.24
sfFTPLib.dll : 1.5.7.5
SmartHook.dll : 1.0.2.1

+- Language ---------------------------
SmartFTP.exe : 1.5.991.24

+- System DLL -------------------------
shell32.dll : 6.00.2900.2763 (xpsp_sp2_gdr.050922-1642)
shlwapi.dll : 6.00.2900.2781 (xpsp_sp2_gdr.051020-1730)
comctl32.dll : 6.0 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)
riched20.dll : 5.30.23.1221
schannel.dll : 5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)

+- Internet Explorer ------------------
Version : 6.0.2900.2180

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



The following is an example log that corresponds to me connecting to a server, changing directory twice, then uploading a file that already exists on the server. The file was overwritten without me ever being prompted. The same thing keeps happening even after closing SmartFTP and rebooting.

SmartFTP v1.5.991.24
Resolving host name "XXX.X.XX.X"
Connecting to XXX.X.XX.X Port: 21
Connected to XXX.X.XX.X.
220 ProFTPD 1.3.0rc2 Server (Main FTP Server) [XXX.X.XX.X]
USER username
331 Password required for username.
PASS (hidden)
230 User username logged in.
SYST
215 UNIX Type: L8
FEAT
211-Features:
MDTM
REST STREAM
SIZE
211 End
PWD
257 "/" is current directory.
CWD /
250 CWD command successful
PWD
257 "/" is current directory.
TYPE A
200 Type set to A
PASV
227 Entering Passive Mode (XXX,X,XX,X,8,194).
Opening data connection to XXX.X.XX.X Port: 2242
LIST -laL
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for file list
1449 bytes transferred. (30.1 KB/s) (47 ms)
226 Transfer complete.
CWD /internal.domain.com
250 CWD command successful
PWD
257 "/internal.domain.com" is current directory.
PASV
227 Entering Passive Mode (XXX,X,XX,X,8,195).
Opening data connection to XXX.X.XX.X Port: 2243
LIST -laL
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for file list
2333 bytes transferred. (36.1 KB/s) (63 ms)
226 Transfer complete.
CWD /internal.domain.com/library
250 CWD command successful
PWD
257 "/internal.domain.com/library" is current directory.
PASV
227 Entering Passive Mode (XXX,X,XX,X,8,196).
Opening data connection to XXX.X.XX.X Port: 2244
LIST -laL
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for file list
6888 bytes transferred. (47.7 KB/s) (141 ms)
226 Transfer complete.
Remote file exist check: 'email_list_results.php'.
SIZE email_list_results.php
550 SIZE: Operation not permitted
PASV
227 Entering Passive Mode (XXX,X,XX,X,8,200).
Opening data connection to XXX.X.XX.X Port: 2248
STOR email_list_results.php
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for email_list_results.php
3649 bytes transferred. (57.4 KB/s) (62 ms)
226 Transfer complete.
PASV
227 Entering Passive Mode (XXX,X,XX,X,8,201).
Opening data connection to XXX.X.XX.X Port: 2249
LIST -laL
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for file list
6888 bytes transferred. (48.0 KB/s) (140 ms)
226 Transfer complete.
Transfer successful.
NOOP
200 NOOP command successful
NOOP
200 NOOP command successful



What the hell is going on?

Hi, do you have that site on favorites? if yes, edit the favorite and check the settings at Transfer->Files->On File Exist.

Hi, can you try with the version 2.0 if it fixes your trouble? you can get it at https://www.smartftp.com/download
For the size denied, i think it can be because server configuration, maybe they touched something on a recent server upgrade.

Well, SmartFTP 2.0 don't overwrites the 1.x version, you can test it without fear of doing something bad for you, and you can delete if it don't fixes your trouble.

Your FTP server doesn't support or doesn't allow a basic FTP command (SIZE). Thats where the problem is coming from. We do not have any plans to write a workaround for this at the moment.

Regards,
-Mat
SmartFTP

Thank you for the research.

You are right that the SIZE command is not part of the RFC 959. But sticking to this RFC only would leave us with a very primitive protocol which is certainly not adequate anymore. As you pointed out, the SIZE command is implemented by proftpd, but it doesn't return any value if the transfer type is set to ASCII. This implementation is correct and makes sense. Other FTP servers ignore the transfer type and always return the size of the file if it would be transferred with the type set to binary/image.
As a result to support both scenarios the new version makes sure that the transfer type (TYPE) is set to binary/image before the SIZE command is sent to the server.

Please get the latest version from
https://www.smartftp.com/download

In addition, because ASCII transfers (TYPE A) cannot be resumed and the transfer integrity checks aren't working, I recommend you to remove all entries from the ASCII list in the Global Settings->Transfer->ASCII/Binary dialog.

-Mat
SmartFTP

Thank you, that appears to resolve the problem. I appreciate your attention to this issue.

In addition, because ASCII transfers (TYPE A) cannot be resumed and the transfer integrity checks aren't working, I recommend you to remove all entries from the ASCII list in the Global Settings->Transfer->ASCII/Binary dialog.

Could you elaborate on that, please? It sounds like that will cramp my style, considering that I am authoring things like HTML documents on a Windows machine and then transferring the files to *nix servers.

Any good (programming) editor under Windows can handle Unix (and even Mac) style line-feeds. It is always recommended to edit files in their target system's native format and upload them in binary mode.

Also see my post here: https://www.smartftp.com/forums/index.ph ... st&p=31648