using system or Shell

[lanier]

I am new to perl programming. I am trying to create a program that will test ftp for several different servers. I do system(ftp servername) then I want to someone input the user name, password, test a file, delete the file, and close the ftp without having to type that info into the command line. I tried to pipe the info in like mylogin|system(ftp servername) when i tried using Shell nothing happened at all.

[Zaxo]

Once you fire a system call you don't get to interact with it. LWP or Net::FTP will let you do that in a more shell-like way.

After Compline,
Zaxo

[Snuggle]

Check out NET::FTP. It does everything and the kitchen sink with the FTP protocol.


---

Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power.

--P. J. O'Rourke

[davorg]

You should probably be looking at the Net::FTP module.

--
<http://www.dave.org.uk>

"The first rule of Perl club is you do not talk about Perl club."
-- Chip Salzenberg

[rbi]

You might find this useful, I hope:


#!/bin/sh
:
# @(#) transfer  Transfer files via ftp to/from remote host.
# Author: James W. Brown, July 1992.
PATH=$PATH:/usr/sbin; export PATH    # Add directory containing ping
exit_status=0   # No error condition exit code
lflag=""        # Don't use log by default
tdirection=mget # Retrieve file by default
tmode=ascii     # Use ASCII representation type by default
LogFile=$HOME/.transfer_log     # Log file path
usage_exit(){
cat << EOF >&2
Usage: `basename $0` [-p] [-b] [-l] [-s] [-r rem-dir] -h host file...
    -p      Put instead of take the file
    -b      Use binary instead of ASCII mode
    -l      Store messages from ftp in log file
    -s      Silent mode ( no loging ) 
    -r rem-dir  Specify remote directory instead of default (.)
    -h host     Remote host name
    file...     File(s) to be transferred
EOF
exit_status=1 ; exit
}
# Set trap to restore .netrc file:
trap '[ -f $HOME/.netrc% ] &&
    mv $HOME/.netrc% $HOME/.netrc; exit $exit_status' 0 1 2 3 15
# Process command-line options:
if [ "$OPTIND" = 1 ]; then      # can use getopts
    while getopts bh:lpr:s options; do
    echo $options
        case "$options" in
            b)  tmode=binary ;;
            h)  host=$OPTARG ;;
            l)  lflag=yes ;;
            p)  tdirection=mput ;;
            r)  remdir=$OPTARG ;;
            s)  LogFile=/dev/null; lflag=yes;;
            \?) usage_exit ;;
        esac
    done
    shift `expr $OPTIND - 1`    # shift options of the way
else                            # getopts not available
    while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
        case $1 in
            -b) tmode=binary ; shift ;;
            -h) if [ ! "$2" ]; then
                    echo "-h option requires an argument" >&2
                    usage_exit
                else
                    host=$2 ; shift ; shift
                fi ;;
            -l) lflag=yes ; shift ;;
            -s) LogFile=/dev/null; lflag=yes ; shift ;;
            -p) tdirection=mput ; shift ;;
            -r) if [ ! "$2" ]; then
                    echo "-r option requires an argument" >&2
                    usage_exit
                else
                    remdir=$2 ; shift ; shift
                fi ;;
            --) shift; break ;; # end of option list
            -*) echo "Unrecognized option \"$1\"" >&2
                usage_exit ;;
            *)  break ;;        # saw first non-option argument
        esac
    done
fi
# Check for non-option (file) argument(s):
case $# in
     0)  echo "Must specify at least one file argument" >&2
        usage_exit ;;
esac
# Check for remote system name, remote directory:
if [ ! "$host" ]; then
    echo "You must specify a remote host machine." >&2
    usage_exit
elif [ ! "$remdir" ]; then  # If no remote directory, then
    remdir="."              # use current directory
fi
# Echo a packet to see if remote host is reachable:
if ping $host 64 1 >/dev/null 2>&1; then             
# if ping $host >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    :   # No problem
else
    echo "$host either down or doesn't exist." >&2 ;
    exit_status=2; exit
fi
# Check .netrc file:
if [ -f $HOME/.netrc ]; then
    hostinfo=`grep $host ${HOME}/.netrc`
    if [ ! "$hostinfo" ]; then
        echo "No $host entry found in $HOME/.netrc, exiting..." >&2
        exit_status=4 ; exit
    fi
    mv $HOME/.netrc $HOME/.netrc%   # Save original file
    # Create new .netrc that's only accessible by owner:
    touch $HOME/.netrc
    chmod go-rw $HOME/.netrc
else
    echo "$HOME/.netrc not found, exiting ..." >&2;
    exit_status=3 ; exit
fi
# Put the set-up information into .netrc:
cat << EOF >> $HOME/.netrc
$hostinfo
macdef init
cd $remdir
$tmode
prompt
$tdirection $*
quit

EOF
# Log transaction in file or on standard output:
if [ "$lflag" ]; then
    date >> $LogFile        # note date/time
    ftp $host >> $LogFile   # log ftp messages
else
    ftp $host
fi


ciao,
Roberto

"A child of five could understand this. Fetch me a child of five." (G.Marx)

[chromatic]

I think the original poster meant the Shell module, and not a shell script, actually. :)

[Flexx]

which doesn't change the fact that Net::FTP is what he needs... ;)