SFtpDir Lua Reference Documentation
chilkat.SFtpDir
Current Version: 11.7.0
Markdown version of this page for AI tools (v 11.7.0) · all AI docs
Chilkat.SFtpDir
Holds the files and subdirectories returned from an SFTP directory-read
operation.
Use
Read
Use
Use
Sort entries by filename, timestamps, or size, and load directory
listings returned from completed async tasks.
Inspect, sort, and iterate an SFTP directory listing.
Chilkat.SFtpDir represents a directory listing returned by an
SFTP operation. It provides the original path used to fetch the listing, the
number of files and subdirectories found, methods for retrieving filenames
or full SFtpFile entry details by index, sorting support, and a
way to load a completed asynchronous directory-listing result.
Directory listing object
Original path tracking
OriginalPath to see the remote path that was requested
when the directory listing was created.
Entry count
NumFilesAndDirs to determine how many directory
entries are available for iteration.
Filename access
GetFilename to retrieve the name of an entry by
zero-based index.
Full entry details
FileAt to populate an SFtpFile object with
metadata for a selected file or subdirectory.
Sorting and async results
Chilkat.SFtp object to open or read a remote directory,
then use the returned SFtpDir object to inspect
NumFilesAndDirs, optionally call Sort, and loop
from index 0 through the final entry. Use
GetFilename when only names are needed, or FileAt
when the application needs the full SFtpFile metadata for each
entry.
Object Creation
local chilkat = require("chilkat")
local sftp_dir = chilkat.SFtpDir.new()Creates the object (chilkat.SFtpDir() does the same). Lua's garbage collector frees it when it is no longer referenced; sftp_dir:dispose() frees it at once, and in Lua 5.4 and later local sftp_dir <close> = chilkat.SFtpDir.new() frees it when the block ends. Calling a method of a disposed object raises an error.
Errors
A method that fails returns nil followed by the error text, as io.open does: local body, err = sftp_dir:method(...), where err is the object's last_error_text. Wrap the call in assert() to raise an error with that text instead. Methods that answer a question return true or false, numbers are returned as they are (check last_method_success where the description says a value means failure), and property reads and writes never fail for Chilkat reasons.
Misuse raises a Lua error: a wrong argument type or a missing argument (bad argument #1 to ...), an unknown property name, a write to a read-only property, an out-of-range integer, or an object of the wrong class.
Names are Chilkat's in snake_case: QuickGetStr is quick_get_str, LastErrorText is last_error_text. Properties are fields (sftp_dir.verbose_logging = true) and methods use the colon (sftp_dir:method(...)). Strings are UTF-8; binary data is a Lua string of bytes. Indexes are 0-based, as in every Chilkat API. Unlocking: call chilkat.unlock_bundle("...") once at startup.
Properties
DebugLogFilePath
local strVal = sftp_dir.debug_log_file_path
sftp_dir.debug_log_file_path = strVal
If set to a file path, this property logs the LastErrorText of each Chilkat method or property call to the specified file. This logging helps identify the context and history of Chilkat calls leading up to any crash or hang, aiding in debugging.
Enabling the VerboseLogging property provides more detailed information. This property is mainly used for debugging rare instances where a Chilkat method call causes a hang or crash, which should generally not happen.
Possible causes of hangs include:
- A timeout property set to 0, indicating an infinite timeout.
- A hang occurring within an event callback in the application code.
- An internal bug in the Chilkat code causing the hang.
LastErrorHtml
local strVal = sftp_dir.last_error_html
Provides HTML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
topLastErrorText
local strVal = sftp_dir.last_error_text
Provides plain text information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
LastErrorXml
local strVal = sftp_dir.last_error_xml
Provides XML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
topLastMethodSuccess
local boolVal = sftp_dir.last_method_success
sftp_dir.last_method_success = boolVal
Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: true means success, false means failure. This property remains unchanged by property setters or getters. This method is present to address challenges in checking for null or Nothing returns in certain programming languages. Note: This property does not apply to methods that return integer values or to boolean-returning methods where the boolean does not indicate success or failure.
NumFilesAndDirs
local intVal = sftp_dir.num_files_and_dirs
Returns the number of entries in this directory listing.
The count includes every item returned by the server, such as regular files, directories, symbolic links, and special entries. Valid zero-based indexes range from 0 through NumFilesAndDirs - 1.
OriginalPath
local strVal = sftp_dir.original_path
Returns the original remote path used to create this directory listing.
This is the same path string that was supplied to the SFTP directory-open operation. It identifies the requested directory and is retained with the listing for later reference.
topVerboseLogging
local boolVal = sftp_dir.verbose_logging
sftp_dir.verbose_logging = boolVal
If set to true, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. The default value is false. Verbose logging should only be used for debugging. The potentially large quantity of logged information may adversely affect peformance.
Version
local strVal = sftp_dir.version
Methods
FileAt
-- file_obj is a chilkat.SFtpFile
-- ok is true, or nil and err on failure
local ok, err = sftp_dir:file_at(index, file_obj)
Copies the metadata for the directory entry at the zero-based index into fileObj.
The first entry is at index 0. Use NumFilesAndDirs to determine the number of available entries.
The populated SFtpFile object provides the entry name, type, size, timestamps, ownership, permissions, and any additional attributes supplied by the SFTP server.
GetFilename when only the entry name is needed.
Returns true on success, nil, err on failure. The second return value, err, is the object's last_error_text; wrap the call in assert() to raise an error instead.
GetFilename
-- str is a string, or nil and err on failure
local str, err = sftp_dir:get_filename(index)
Returns the filename of the directory entry at the zero-based index.
The first entry is at index 0. Use NumFilesAndDirs to determine the number of available entries.
FileAt when the application needs the full SFtpFile metadata rather than only the entry name.
Returns the string, or nil, err on failure (or when nothing is found). The second return value, err, is the object's last_error_text; wrap the call in assert() to raise an error instead.
Sort
-- ascending is a boolean
sftp_dir:sort(field, ascending)
Reorders the files and subdirectories in this listing according to field.
Set ascending to true for ascending order or false for descending order. The new order is used by index-based methods such as GetFilename and FileAt.
| field | Sort key |
|---|---|
filename |
Filename using the normal case-sensitive comparison. |
filenameNoCase |
Filename using a case-insensitive comparison. |
lastModifiedTime |
Last-modified date and time. |
lastAccessTime |
Last-access date and time. |
lastCreateTime |
Creation date and time. |
size |
Entry size in bytes. |