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PureBasic

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 PureBasic Downloads

PureBasic
IncludeFile "CkSsh.pb"

Procedure ChilkatExample()

    success.i = 0

    ;  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.

    ssh.i = CkSsh::ckCreate()
    If ssh.i = 0
        Debug "Failed to create object."
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    sshPort.i = 22
    success = CkSsh::ckConnect(ssh,"ssh.example.com",sshPort)
    If success = 0
        Debug CkSsh::ckLastErrorText(ssh)
        CkSsh::ckDispose(ssh)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    ;  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.s = "mySshPassword"

    success = CkSsh::ckAuthenticatePw(ssh,"mySshLogin",password)
    If success = 0
        Debug CkSsh::ckLastErrorText(ssh)
        CkSsh::ckDispose(ssh)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    channelNum.i = CkSsh::ckOpenSessionChannel(ssh)
    If channelNum < 0
        Debug CkSsh::ckLastErrorText(ssh)
        CkSsh::ckDispose(ssh)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    ;  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.
    success = CkSsh::ckSendReqShell(ssh,channelNum)
    If success = 0
        Debug CkSsh::ckLastErrorText(ssh)
        CkSsh::ckDispose(ssh)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    success = CkSsh::ckChannelSendString(ssh,channelNum,"cat /var/log/syslog" + Chr(10),"utf-8")
    If success = 0
        Debug CkSsh::ckLastErrorText(ssh)
        CkSsh::ckDispose(ssh)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    ;  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.
    pollTimeoutMs.i = 500
    maxNumBytes.i = 65536
    ;  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.
    result.i = CkSsh::ckChannelReadAndPoll2(ssh,channelNum,pollTimeoutMs,maxNumBytes)
    If result = -1
        Debug CkSsh::ckLastErrorText(ssh)
        CkSsh::ckDispose(ssh)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    If result = -2
        Debug "No channel data arrived before the timeout."
    EndIf

    If result = 0
        Debug "EOF or channel close was processed.  Buffered data may still remain."
    EndIf

    If result > 0
        Debug "Total bytes buffered: " + Str(result)
    EndIf

    output.s = CkSsh::ckGetReceivedText(ssh,channelNum,"utf-8")
    If CkSsh::ckLastMethodSuccess(ssh) = 0
        Debug CkSsh::ckLastErrorText(ssh)
        CkSsh::ckDispose(ssh)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    Debug output

    CkSsh::ckDisconnect(ssh)


    CkSsh::ckDispose(ssh)


    ProcedureReturn
EndProcedure