(DataFlex) Get Create Date/Time of Files in a Remote Directory

Gets the creation date/times of files in a remote FTP directory.

Note: Linux and MacOSX filesystems do not keep a file's creation date/time. If the FTP server is running on such as system, then the Chilkat methods to return a creation date/time will instead return a last-modified date/time.

Also Note: FTP servers have differing capabilities. The "MLSD" command is not supported by all FTP servers. For such servers, only the last-modified date/time is returned per file or directory. Also, the precision of the date/time can vary.

Also, even if MLSD is supported, the server may not return "create" times. A sample MLSD response without "create" times is shown here:

MLSD
150 Opening data channel for directory listing of "/AAWorkarea"

(DirListingCharset: utf-8)
listing size = 1258
type=file;modify=20170915140700;size=1224; 2012-05-12T12_25_23.1481154Z.txt
type=file;modify=20170915140700;size=1297; 2012-05-12T12_25_27.2577797Z.txt
type=dir;modify=20180425163206; chilkat-9.5.0-php-5.6-win32
type=file;modify=20180425163146;size=3768683; chilkat-9.5.0-php-5.6-win32.zip
type=file;modify=20180222182447;size=9487872; chilkat_electron18_win32-9.50.72.tar
type=file;modify=20180222182447;size=3612565; chilkat_electron18_win32-9.50.72.tgz
type=dir;modify=20180903155724; DotNet4_CSharp_Sample
type=file;modify=20180227230517;size=469; meteorNotes.txt
type=dir;modify=20180227225933; my_cool_app
type=dir;modify=20180222183126; package
type=file;modify=20180214223538;size=9487872; package.tar
type=file;modify=20180214223538;size=3612484; package.tgz
type=dir;modify=20180312233811; phpAx
type=dir;modify=20170526002148; smartconnect_terminalemulatorR1.0.0.1
type=file;modify=20180503225204;size=21900478; smartconnect_terminalemulatorR1.0.0.1.zip
type=file;modify=20180503225117;size=1152; smartPay.txt
type=dir;modify=20180514140507; testVc10
type=dir;modify=20180612143825; thinlaunch
type=dir;modify=20180925173446; WindowsFormsApplication1
226 Successfully transferred "/AAWorkarea"

The original creation time of a file is only available if the "create" fact is returned in the MLSD response. See RFC 3659 - Format of Facts / Standard Facts

Chilkat ActiveX Downloads ActiveX for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows

Use ChilkatAx-9.5.0-win32.pkg

Procedure Test
    Handle hoFtp
    Boolean iSuccess
    Integer n
    Variant vDt
    Handle hoDt
    Integer i
    String sTemp1
    String sTemp2

    // This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
    // See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

    Get Create (RefClass(cComChilkatFtp2)) To hoFtp
    If (Not(IsComObjectCreated(hoFtp))) Begin
        Send CreateComObject of hoFtp
    End

    Set ComHostname Of hoFtp To "ftp.example.com"
    Set ComUsername Of hoFtp To "myLogin"
    Set ComPassword Of hoFtp To "myPassword"
    // Use explicit TLS
    Set ComAuthTls Of hoFtp To True
    Set ComPort Of hoFtp To 21

    // For debugging, turn on session logging so we can examine what is sent by the server.
    Set ComKeepSessionLog Of hoFtp To True

    // Connect and login to the FTP server.
    Get ComConnect Of hoFtp To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess <> True) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoFtp To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Get ComChangeRemoteDir Of hoFtp "AAWorkarea" To iSuccess

    Set ComListPattern Of hoFtp To "*.*"
    Get ComGetDirCount Of hoFtp To n
    Showln "n = " n

    Move 0 To i
    While (i < n)
        // Get the original creation date/time as a CkDateTime object.
        Get ComGetCreateDt Of hoFtp i To vDt
        If (IsComObject(vDt)) Begin
            Get Create (RefClass(cComCkDateTime)) To hoDt
            Set pvComObject Of hoDt To vDt
        End
        Get ComGetFilename Of hoFtp i To sTemp1
        Get ComGetAsTimestamp Of hoDt False To sTemp2
        Showln i ": " sTemp1 ", " sTemp2
        Send Destroy of hoDt

        Move i + 1 To i
    Loop

    // Show the session log so we can see the details of the FTP directory listing sent by the server.
    // This tells us what information is available.  Some FTP servers provide better and more accurate information
    // than others.

    Showln "---- Session Log ----"
    Get ComSessionLog Of hoFtp To sTemp1
    Showln sTemp1

    Get ComDisconnect Of hoFtp To iSuccess


End_Procedure