Chilkat2-Python

Set FTP Command and Directory-Listing Charsets

Demonstrates the CommandCharset and DirListingCharset properties, which control how non-ASCII text is encoded in commands (including remote paths and filenames) and how directory-listing responses are decoded.

Background: FTP predates Unicode, so servers vary in how they encode filenames; getting non-ASCII names right means matching the server's encoding on both sides. CommandCharset (default ANSI) governs outgoing paths and filenames, while DirListingCharset governs decoding of LIST/NLST/MLSD replies. Modern servers typically use UTF-8 — often negotiated automatically via OPTS UTF8 ON — but setting these explicitly resolves mojibake with servers that do not advertise it.

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Chilkat2-Python

import sys
import chilkat2

success = False

ftp = chilkat2.Ftp2()

ftp.Hostname = "ftp.example.com"
ftp.Username = "myFtpLogin"

# CommandCharset is the encoding used for commands containing non-ASCII text, including remote
# paths and filenames.  The default is ANSI; set utf-8 when the server uses UTF-8 filenames.
ftp.CommandCharset = "utf-8"

# DirListingCharset is used only to decode directory-listing responses (LIST, NLST, MLSD).  It
# does not affect commands or paths.
ftp.DirListingCharset = "utf-8"

# 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.
ftp.Password = "myPassword"

success = ftp.Connect()
if (success == False):
    print(ftp.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()

# Non-ASCII remote paths and listings are now encoded/decoded as UTF-8.
listing = ftp.GetTextDirListing("")
if (ftp.LastMethodSuccess == False):
    print(ftp.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()

print(listing)

success = ftp.Disconnect()
if (success == False):
    print(ftp.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()