How to use the command 'lftp' (with examples)

Description:

The ’lftp’ command is a sophisticated file transfer program that allows users to connect to FTP servers and perform various file transfer operations. It provides a range of useful features and commands that make it a powerful tool for managing file transfers.

Use case 1: Connect to an FTP server

Code:

lftp --user username ftp.example.com

Motivation:

The use case is helpful when you need to establish a connection to a remote FTP server. By using the ’lftp’ command along with the ‘–user’ option and providing the appropriate username and FTP server address, you can easily connect to the server.

Explanation:

• lftp: The main command used to invoke the ’lftp’ program.
• –user username: The ‘–user’ option is used to specify the username to be used for the FTP server authentication. Replace ‘username’ with the actual username.
• ftp.example.com: The FTP server address to connect to. Replace ‘ftp.example.com’ with the actual address or hostname of the FTP server.

Example output:

Upon successful connection, you will receive a confirmation message stating that you are connected to the FTP server.

Use case 2: Download multiple files (glob expression)

Code:

mget path/to/*.png

Motivation:

This use case is useful when you want to download multiple files matching a specific pattern from the FTP server. By using the ‘mget’ command followed by the path and glob expression, you can easily retrieve multiple files in one go.

Explanation:

• mget: The ‘mget’ command is used to download multiple files from the FTP server.
• path/to/*.png: The path and glob expression indicate the directory from which the files should be downloaded. Replace ‘path/to/’ with the actual directory path and ‘*.png’ with the desired file pattern.

Example output:

The command will download all PNG files from the specified directory path and display the progress of each download.

Use case 3: Upload multiple files (glob expression)

Code:

mput path/to/*.zip

Motivation:

This use case is helpful when you need to upload multiple files matching a specific pattern to the FTP server. By using the ‘mput’ command followed by the path and glob expression, you can easily transfer multiple files in one go.

Explanation:

• mput: The ‘mput’ command is used to upload multiple files to the FTP server.
• path/to/*.zip: The path and glob expression indicate the local directory from where the files should be uploaded. Replace ‘path/to/’ with the actual directory path and ‘*.zip’ with the desired file pattern.

Example output:

The command will upload all ZIP files matching the specified pattern from the local directory to the FTP server. The progress of each upload will be displayed.

Use case 4: Delete multiple files on the remote server

Code:

mrm path/to/*.txt

Motivation:

This use case is useful when you want to delete multiple files matching a specific pattern from the remote FTP server. By using the ‘mrm’ command followed by the path and glob expression, you can easily remove multiple files in one go.

Explanation:

• mrm: The ‘mrm’ command is used to delete multiple files from the FTP server.
• path/to/*.txt: The path and glob expression indicate the directory from which the files should be deleted. Replace ‘path/to/’ with the actual directory path and ‘*.txt’ with the desired file pattern.

Example output:

The command will delete all TXT files matching the specified pattern from the remote FTP server. Each file deletion will be displayed.

Use case 5: Rename a file on the remote server

Code:

mv original_filename new_filename

Motivation:

This use case is helpful when you want to rename a file on the remote FTP server. By using the ‘mv’ command followed by the original file name and the new file name, you can easily rename files without the need for manual intervention.

Explanation:

• mv: The ‘mv’ command is used to rename a file on the FTP server.
• original_filename: The name of the file that you want to rename. Replace ‘original_filename’ with the actual file name.
• new_filename: The new name that you want to assign to the file. Replace ’new_filename’ with the desired new file name.

Example output:

The command will rename the specified file on the remote FTP server. You will receive a confirmation message once the renaming is complete.

Use case 6: Download or update an entire directory

Code:

mirror path/to/remote_dir path/to/local_output_dir

Motivation:

This use case is useful when you want to download or update an entire directory from the FTP server to your local machine. By using the ‘mirror’ command along with the source and destination directories, you can perform one-way synchronization between the server and your local machine.

Explanation:

• mirror: The ‘mirror’ command is used to download or update directories between the FTP server and your local machine.
• path/to/remote_dir: The source directory on the FTP server that you want to mirror. Replace ‘path/to/remote_dir’ with the actual directory path.
• path/to/local_output_dir: The destination directory on your local machine where the mirrored files should be saved. Replace ‘path/to/local_output_dir’ with the desired local directory path.

Example output:

The command will download or update all files and subdirectories within the specified directory on the FTP server. The progress of the mirroring process will be displayed.

Use case 7: Upload or update an entire directory

Code:

mirror -R path/to/local_dir path/to/remote_output_dir

Motivation:

This use case is helpful when you want to upload or update an entire directory from your local machine to the FTP server. By using the ‘mirror’ command along with the source and destination directories, you can perform one-way synchronization between your local machine and the server.

Explanation:

• mirror: The ‘mirror’ command is used to upload or update directories between your local machine and the FTP server.
• -R: The ‘-R’ option is used to perform reverse synchronization, i.e., from the local machine to the server.
• path/to/local_dir: The source directory on your local machine that you want to mirror. Replace ‘path/to/local_dir’ with the actual directory path.
• path/to/remote_output_dir: The destination directory on the FTP server where the mirrored files should be saved. Replace ‘path/to/remote_output_dir’ with the desired remote directory path.

Example output:

The command will upload or update all files and subdirectories within the specified directory on your local machine to the FTP server. The progress of the mirroring process will be displayed.

Conclusion:

The ’lftp’ command is a versatile file transfer program that offers a wide range of functionality for managing file transfers with FTP servers. By following the provided examples, you can easily connect to an FTP server, download/upload multiple files, rename files, and perform directory synchronization operations.