AutoIt

Check if a Remote File or Directory Exists

Demonstrates the Chilkat SFtp.FileExists method, which checks a remote path and returns an integer describing what is there. The first argument is the remote path and the second (followLinks) selects whether a symbolic link is followed to its target. The return value is -1 on error, 0 if nothing exists, 1 for a file, 2 for a directory, 3 for a symbolic link, and higher values for special entry types.

Background: This returns more than a yes/no because "does it exist" usually comes with "and is it the kind of thing I expect" — a job that means to write a file should notice if a directory already occupies the path. The followLinks flag decides whether a symbolic link is reported as a link (3, only when not following) or transparently resolved to its target's type. Always handle the -1 case: it means the check itself failed, which is different from the path not existing.

Chilkat AutoIt Downloads

Download Chilkat for AutoIt

AutoIt

Local $bSuccess = False

;  Demonstrates the SFtp.FileExists method, which checks a remote path and returns an integer
;  describing what is there.  The 1st argument is the remote path and the 2nd (followLinks)
;  selects whether a symbolic link is followed to its target.

$oSftp = ObjCreate("Chilkat.SFtp")

;  Connect, authenticate, and initialize the SFTP subsystem.
Local $iPort = 22
$bSuccess = $oSftp.Connect("sftp.example.com",$iPort)
If ($bSuccess = False) Then
    ConsoleWrite($oSftp.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

;  Normally you would not hard-code the password in source.  You should instead obtain it
;  from an interactive prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
Local $sPassword = "mySshPassword"

$bSuccess = $oSftp.AuthenticatePw("mySshLogin",$sPassword)
If ($bSuccess = False) Then
    ConsoleWrite($oSftp.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

$bSuccess = $oSftp.InitializeSftp()
If ($bSuccess = False) Then
    ConsoleWrite($oSftp.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

;  When followLinks is True, a symbolic link is followed and the target's type is returned.
Local $bFollowLinks = True
Local $iResult = $oSftp.FileExists("subdir/report.pdf",$bFollowLinks)

;  Interpret the return value.
If ($iResult = -1) Then
    ConsoleWrite($oSftp.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

If ($iResult = 0) Then
    ConsoleWrite("The path does not exist." & @CRLF)
EndIf

If ($iResult = 1) Then
    ConsoleWrite("A regular file exists." & @CRLF)
EndIf

If ($iResult = 2) Then
    ConsoleWrite("A directory exists." & @CRLF)
EndIf

;  Other possible values: 3 = symbolic link (only when followLinks is False), 4 = special
;  entry, 5 = unknown, 6 = socket, 7 = character device, 8 = block device, 9 = FIFO.

$oSftp.Disconnect