FTP Client choice

[nbuzdor@project]

I'm running Windows 2k, and developing web sites on PowWeb (not for PowWeb). I've used a few free or openly available FTP clients, and not been satisfied.

FireFTP (Firefox) can't really deal well with errors, and reports disconnects with a message that waits for me to say "OK" before it retries. Sure, it claims to be able to resume, but it has choked a few times, requiring a restart of Firefox, and when restarted it's forgotten everything I told it to transfer. And it can't drag-and-drop to other programs.

IE's built-in FTP client handles connections and drag-drop great. But it doesn't really handle threading well, nor does it remember anything from session to session (password excluded). It chokes on wierd filenames, and isn't exactly a "full featured FTP client."

FTPGenious is not an option - tried that and couldn't stand it.

Knowing that PowWeb likes to log you off for 900 seconds of inactivity, even when it's been merely 60 seconds, and you've been transferring files during that time, does anyone have a good recommendation for a full featured FTP client? Keep in mind that I'm not exactly being paid for these websites, so I'm not exactly looking for a commercial product.

[tbonekkt]

FileZilla - http://filezilla.sourceforge.net

[YvetteKuhns]

I used CuteFTP Pro for years, but every time I reformat my hard drive, I have to reregister the program. I have been using FileZilla for some time with no problems.

[nbuzdor@project]

I had FileZilla installed for a while last year, I recall being a little frustrated by the navigation there. Again, the lack of drag-drop handling was a disappointment. Have they improved it any in the last 6 months? Perhaps I'll give it another chance.

Any other suggestions?

[YvetteKuhns]

I drag and drop files all of the time. The navigation works, too. I use that to download or upload many files, but I usually drag and drop to upload a few files.

[bbinder]

I use FileZilla as well, especially since it's so portable. I use it on my USB drive all the time.

I also love FTPRush because of it's nice GUI, but it's not free like FileZilla is.

[nbuzdor@project]

I drag and drop files all of the time. The navigation works, too. I use that to download or upload many files, but I usually drag and drop to upload a few files.

The specific shortcoming was if I had an open explorer window, I could not drag files from a foreign computer in Filezilla into that Explorer window. If you're saying they've made that work, then golden!

[YvetteKuhns]

The specific shortcoming was if I had an open explorer window, I could not drag files from a foreign computer in Filezilla into that Explorer window. If you're saying they've made that work, then golden!

Hmm... I haven't tried that in a while. Give it a try and let us know if it works!

[foofoo]

Smart FTP has by far been the most useful and simple FTP program I've ever used. The interface is simple. Oh, and it's completely free.

Only complaint is that if you don't register SmartFTP (for commercial users only) you get a warning every time it opens. But I can cope with that.

www.smartftp.com

[nbuzdor@project]

Smart FTP has by far been the most useful and simple FTP program I've ever used.

Almost perfect. If you drag a file into explorer, it works! Drag multiple folders and pthhhhhhbbbbbb. Nothing. But the queue is cool if I could figure it out. Any other ideas? Otherwise I'm into the SmartFTP. Thanks.

[gandm]

Smart FTP is my client of choice. The nag at the beginning is annoying, but who cares for such a well made program.

[foofoo]

I just dragged over three different directories (in the older v1.5) from ftp04 to my hard drive and it worked perfectly. Two directories also had sub-dirs in them and they were copied perfectly.

I've seen it periodically have problems where it won't "realize" what directory you are in and will try to download stuff from the wrong direcotry. It will give you errors like:

550 Can't open GenericRequest.php: No such file or directory
Transfer failed.

Which it actually did on a second and third attempt as the same thing. I just refreshed the parent directory and tried it again and it worked. It's a weird bug and sort of annoying as the best fix I found for it is to re-start SmartFTP or refresh the directory. They might have fixed this in 2.1 but I haven't used it yet.

[YvetteKuhns]

I've seen it periodically have problems where it won't "realize" what directory you are in and will try to download stuff from the wrong direcotry. It will give you errors like:

I recall having that trouble with several programs: CuteFTP, SmartFTP and possibly even FileZilla. I always end up closing the program and reopening it, since I didn't trust refreshing the directory. It keeps you on your toes!

[nbuzdor@project]

I just dragged over three different directories (in the older v1.5) from ftp04 to my hard drive and it worked perfectly. Two directories also had sub-dirs in them and they were copied perfectly.
It didn't work the first time I tried it, it put a funny-named directory there instead. I figured that meant it was a no-go. But I just tried it again to find the name of that funny directory, and it worked. Very cool.