i hope i understand you correctly....
you can use the pooling method as follow:
1) use FTP API functions (see this link : http://vbnet.mvps.org/ and look for "FTP: Connecting To and Retrieving FTP File Listings")
2)run your exe file (use INET ocx) as client that check every - lets say 1 minutes - the size of the file. if no size is returned - the file is not there (or bad connection - this is the fault of this method).
but it simple to implement rether then API functions.
when the going gets tought, jump on your bike and drive away..