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DataFlex

Read an SSH Channel with a Byte Threshold

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Demonstrates the Chilkat Ssh.ChannelReadAndPoll2 method, which works like ChannelReadAndPoll but also returns once newly processed data brings the total buffered data to or above a byte threshold. The arguments are the channel number, the poll timeout, and the threshold.

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: The threshold makes it practical to stream large output in manageable chunks instead of buffering an entire multi-megabyte result. Treat it as a return threshold, not a hard cap: a complete SSH packet is buffered as a unit, so the amount returned can exceed what you asked for. Data already buffered before the call does not by itself trigger an immediate return.

Chilkat DataFlex Downloads

DataFlex
Use ChilkatAx-win32.pkg

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

    Move False To iSuccess

    //  Demonstrates the Ssh.ChannelReadAndPoll2 method, which works like ChannelReadAndPoll but also
    //  returns once the total buffered data reaches or exceeds a byte threshold.  The 1st argument is
    //  the channel number, the 2nd is the poll timeout, and the 3rd is the byte threshold.

    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 "cat /var/log/syslog" + (character(10)) "utf-8" To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  Return when output goes quiet for 500ms, or once about 64KB has been buffered.  The
    //  threshold is not a hard buffer limit -- a whole SSH packet may push the total above it.
    Move 500 To iPollTimeoutMs
    Move 65536 To iMaxNumBytes
    //  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 ComChannelReadAndPoll2 Of hoSsh iChannelNum iPollTimeoutMs iMaxNumBytes 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