FTP Download to specified Directory Error

[dashley]

HI,

Desktop app VS 2022 VB.net VB


I'm trying to FTP a file to "My Documents/PDFs" folder with a desktop app. I have the FTP working just fine but when I set/change the destination path to "My Documents" , "Documents" or "Downloads" (preferred) I get and error
" InnerException: {"Could not find a part of the path 'C:\Downloads\61503.pdf'."}"
I know the C:\downloads directory exists.
Any Ideas?

  Dim FilenameIs As String = ("61503.pdf")
  Dim destinationPath As String = ("C:/Downloads\61503.pdf")
  Dim client As New WebClient()
  client.Credentials = New NetworkCredential("SigPics", "MtPWD") ' Replace with actual credentials

  Try
      'client.DownloadFile("ftp://ftp.dashleywebs.com/61503.jpg", "C:\Users\Public\Pictures\" & FilenameIs & "") ' Replace with actual paths
      client.DownloadFile("ftp://ftp.dashleywebs.com/61503.jpg", destinationPath) ' Replace with actual paths
      Console.WriteLine("File downloaded successfully using WebClient.")
  Catch ex As Exception
      Console.WriteLine("Error downloading file: " & ex.Message)
  End Try

[jdc2000]

C:/Downloads\61503.pdf

Should be:

C:\Downloads\61503.pdf

[dashley]

@jdc2000


I had it that way and and tried both slashes. Either way with C:\Downloads\61503.pdf I still get

InnerException: {"Could not find a part of the path 'C:\Downloads\61503.pdf'."}

If I change the destination to Dim destinationPath As String = ("C:\Users\Public\Pictures\61503.jpg")
It downloads to that folder. Just can't get it into Downloads folder

[dday9]

What version of .NET are you using? Also, what is the Exception (not just the InnerException)?

The reason I ask is because in .NET core, Microsoft's official position is (reference):

Recommended action
Use the System.Net.Http.HttpClient class instead.

For FTP, since HttpClient doesn't support it, we recommend using a third-party library.

And for the Exception, it very well could be a permissions issue. You can double-check this by running your application as an administrator.

[peterst]

For FTP just try FluentFTP NuGet package. It is open source, MIT license.

Source code link: https://github.com/robinrodricks/FluentFTP

Check this sample (from the repository in GitHub):
https://github.com/robinrodricks/Flu...ownloadFile.vb

[Arnoutdv]

Does C:\Downloads exists??
If you refer to the Download folder this is located in your user folder.
Something like this:
C:\Users\Arnoutdv\Downloads

[dashley]

The cure was
Dim userprof As String = Environ("USERPROFILE")
Dim destinationPath As String = (userprof & "\downlaods\61503.jpg")

It had to go to c:\users\<username>\downloads\myfilename
or in m y case c:\users\dan\downloads\filename

Thanks Arnoutdv

-dan

[dday9]

Ah, I incorrectly assumed that you did indeed want to go to C:\downloads and not the user profile's downloads. In that case, use this instead, it is a much better solution:

Private Function GetDestinationPath(filename As String) As String
    Dim userProfilePath As String = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.UserProfile)
    Dim destinationPath As String = IO.Path.Combine(userProfilePath, "Downloads", filename)
    Return destinationPath
End Function

' usage: Dim destinationPath As String = GetDestinationPath("61503.jpg")

[dashley]

@dday C:\downloads was my intent but the user profile' downloads works just as well. I Like the function you provided to so I shall use it. Since this app wil run on multiple desktops the use profile is still good.
to answer your ealier question(s) The framework is 4.7.2 and the actual error was: Message: "An exception occurred during a WebClient request." Status: UnknownError {16}.
I agree I think it was a permissons issue. Dosen't matter now. It's working with the user profile downloads so I'm content.