DataFlex

Read Data from an SSH Channel

Demonstrates the Chilkat Ssh.ChannelRead method, which reads incoming SSH channel messages. The only argument is the channel number; the ReadTimeoutMs property limits how long it waits. Received data is appended to the channel's receive buffer, then retrieved with a GetReceived... method.

The integer return value is -1 on error, -2 if nothing arrived before the timeout, 0 if EOF or channel close was processed, or — when greater than 0 — the total bytes currently buffered for the channel (not the bytes newly received by this call).

Background: SSH reading is a two-step pattern that trips people up at first: the Channel* read/poll methods move bytes from the network into an internal per-channel buffer, and a separate GetReceived... call hands that buffer to your code. A positive return is therefore a buffer total, not a count of what this call fetched. Note that a 0 return means EOF or close — buffered data can still remain and should be drained.

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DataFlex

Use ChilkatAx-win32.pkg

Procedure Test
    Boolean iSuccess
    Handle hoSsh
    Integer iSshPort
    String sPassword
    Integer iChannelNum
    Integer iResult
    String sOutput
    String sTemp1
    Boolean bTemp1

    Move False To iSuccess

    //  Demonstrates the Ssh.ChannelRead method, which reads incoming SSH channel messages.  The only
    //  argument is the channel number.  The ReadTimeoutMs property limits how long it waits.

    Get Create (RefClass(cComChilkatSsh)) To hoSsh
    If (Not(IsComObjectCreated(hoSsh))) Begin
        Send CreateComObject of hoSsh
    End

    Move 22 To iSshPort
    Get ComConnect Of hoSsh "ssh.example.com" iSshPort To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  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.
    Move "mySshPassword" To sPassword

    Get ComAuthenticatePw Of hoSsh "mySshLogin" sPassword To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Get ComOpenSessionChannel Of hoSsh To iChannelNum
    If (iChannelNum < 0) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  Start a shell WITHOUT requesting a PTY.  Without a PTY the shell sees it is connected to a
    //  raw data pipe and enters non-interactive mode: it suppresses the command prompt, does not
    //  echo typed commands back, and skips interactive login scripts.  The output is therefore
    //  clean and easily parseable -- but because no prompt is ever sent, code must not wait for
    //  one.  Instead, have each command print a predictable marker, or wait for EOF / channel close.
    Get ComSendReqShell Of hoSsh iChannelNum To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Get ComChannelSendString Of hoSsh iChannelNum "uname -a" + (character(10)) "utf-8" To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  The return value is: -1 on error, -2 if nothing arrived before the timeout, 0 if EOF or
    //  channel close was processed, or the total number of buffered bytes when greater than 0.
    Get ComChannelRead Of hoSsh iChannelNum To iResult
    If (iResult = -1) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    If (iResult = -2) Begin
        Showln "No channel data arrived before the timeout."
    End

    If (iResult = 0) Begin
        Showln "EOF or channel close was processed.  Buffered data may still remain."
    End

    If (iResult > 0) Begin
        Showln "Total bytes buffered: " iResult
    End

    Get ComGetReceivedText Of hoSsh iChannelNum "utf-8" To sOutput
    Get ComLastMethodSuccess Of hoSsh To bTemp1
    If (bTemp1 = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Showln sOutput

    Send ComDisconnect To hoSsh


End_Procedure