DataFlex

Open a direct-tcpip Channel (SSH Port Forwarding)

Demonstrates the Chilkat Ssh.OpenDirectTcpIpChannel method, which opens a direct-tcpip channel through the SSH server to a target host and port. The first argument is the target hostname and the second is the target port. It returns the channel number, or -1 on failure.

Background: This is SSH local port forwarding at the API level: the channel carries ordinary TCP traffic to a service that may be reachable only from the SSH server's network — a database, an internal web app, a message broker. The key detail is that the server resolves the target name, not your machine, so it must resolve and be reachable there. Supplying a numeric IPv4 address avoids remote DNS resolution entirely.

Chilkat DataFlex Downloads

Download Chilkat for DataFlex

DataFlex

Use ChilkatAx-win32.pkg

Procedure Test
    Boolean iSuccess
    Handle hoSsh
    Integer iSshPort
    String sPassword
    String sTargetHostname
    Integer iTargetPort
    Integer iChannelNum
    String sTemp1

    Move False To iSuccess

    //  Demonstrates the Ssh.OpenDirectTcpIpChannel method, which opens a direct-tcpip channel
    //  through the SSH server to a target host and port.  The 1st argument is the target hostname
    //  and the 2nd is the target port.  It returns the channel number, or -1 on failure.

    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

    //  The target name is resolved by the SSH server, not by this computer, so it must be
    //  reachable from the server's network.
    Move "db.internal.example.com" To sTargetHostname
    Move 5432 To iTargetPort
    Get ComOpenDirectTcpIpChannel Of hoSsh sTargetHostname iTargetPort To iChannelNum
    If (iChannelNum < 0) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Showln "Opened direct-tcpip channel: " iChannelNum

    //  The channel now carries ordinary TCP data to the target, tunneled over SSH.

    Send ComDisconnect To hoSsh


End_Procedure