Delphi ActiveX

Download an FTP Text File into a StringBuilder

Demonstrates the Chilkat Ftp2.GetFileSb method, which downloads a remote text file, decodes it with a charset, and appends the text to a StringBuilder. The arguments are the remote file path, the charset, and the StringBuilder.

Background: When the remote file is text and you want its content as characters, this decodes it in one step so you can parse or display it directly. The charset must match the file's actual encoding or the text will be garbled. Like GetFileBd it appends, so clear the StringBuilder first if you want only this file's text.

Chilkat Delphi ActiveX Downloads

Download Chilkat for Delphi ActiveX

Delphi ActiveX

var
success: Integer;
ftp: TChilkatFtp2;
sb: TChilkatStringBuilder;
fileText: WideString;

begin
success := 0;

//  Demonstrates the Ftp2.GetFileSb method, which downloads a remote text file, decodes it, and
//  appends the text to a StringBuilder.  The 1st argument is the remote file path, the 2nd is the
//  charset, and the 3rd is the StringBuilder.

ftp := TChilkatFtp2.Create(Self);

ftp.Hostname := 'ftp.example.com';
ftp.Username := 'myFtpLogin';

//  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 = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

//  The StringBuilder is not cleared automatically, so clear it first for replacement behavior.
sb := TChilkatStringBuilder.Create(Self);
success := ftp.GetFileSb('public_html/data.csv','utf-8',sb.ControlInterface);
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

Memo1.Lines.Add('Characters downloaded: ' + IntToStr(sb.Length));
fileText := sb.GetAsString();
Memo1.Lines.Add(fileText);

success := ftp.Disconnect();
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;