Delphi ActiveX

Get the Number of Bytes Buffered on an SSH Channel

Demonstrates the Chilkat Ssh.GetReceivedNumBytes method, which returns how many bytes are currently available in a channel's normal receive buffer. The only argument is the channel number. It returns -1 when the channel number is invalid or its retained resources have been released.

Background: This is a non-consuming look at how much is waiting, useful for deciding whether to retrieve now or keep reading, and for reporting progress on a large transfer. It counts only the normal receive buffer — bytes in the separate stderr buffer are excluded when StderrToStdout is false. Note that data received earlier can remain available even after a disconnect, so a positive count does not imply the connection is still up.

Chilkat Delphi ActiveX Downloads

Download Chilkat for Delphi ActiveX

Delphi ActiveX

var
success: Integer;
ssh: TChilkatSsh;
sshPort: Integer;
password: WideString;
channelNum: Integer;
numBytes: Integer;
output: WideString;

begin
success := 0;

//  Demonstrates the Ssh.GetReceivedNumBytes method, which returns the number of bytes currently
//  available in a channel's normal receive buffer.  The only argument is the channel number.
//  It returns -1 for an invalid channel or one whose resources have been released.

ssh := TChilkatSsh.Create(Self);

sshPort := 22;
success := ssh.Connect('ssh.example.com',sshPort);
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ssh.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  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.
password := 'mySshPassword';

success := ssh.AuthenticatePw('mySshLogin',password);
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ssh.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

channelNum := ssh.OpenSessionChannel();
if (channelNum < 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ssh.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

success := ssh.SendReqExec(channelNum,'ls -l /tmp');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ssh.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

//  IMPORTANT: Set a read timeout.  ReadTimeoutMs defaults to 0, which means no limit -- without
//  it, this call waits forever if the server never sends channel close.
ssh.ReadTimeoutMs := 15000;

success := ssh.ChannelReceiveToClose(channelNum);
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ssh.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

//  Find out how much is waiting before retrieving it.
numBytes := ssh.GetReceivedNumBytes(channelNum);
if (numBytes < 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add('Invalid channel, or its resources were already released.');
    Exit;
  end;

Memo1.Lines.Add('Bytes available: ' + IntToStr(numBytes));

output := ssh.GetReceivedText(channelNum,'utf-8');
if (ssh.LastMethodSuccess = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ssh.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;
Memo1.Lines.Add(output);

ssh.Disconnect();