8.3 Anonymous FTP via URLs

Files can be referenced via FTP using the URL convention. The general form is:

ftp://internet.address.edu/file/path/file.txt

If you specify a directory instead of a file (by requesting a URL such as ftp://internet.address.edu/file/path/, most browsers will give you a list of the directory contents and allow you to select files, or other directories.

NOTE If a URL points to a directory it *must* end with the slash character. This tells the URL that the desired target is a directory (i.e. the directory path) and not a file (i.e. the file path).

You can access non-anonymous ftp resources by specifying, within the URL, both the username and password of the account you wish to access. ( NOTE -- This is not secure -- see the following warning). For example:

ftp://joe_bozo:bl123@internet.address.edu/path/file.gz

******** WARNING ********
What is wrong with the above? Well, if you had this line in a html document it would mean that everybody who accessed this document would know joe_bozo's password. This is very unsecure, and is to be discouraged!

Other Notes

• At times the FTP request may fail, either because the network is down or because the machine you are trying to access is overloaded with ftp accesses and refuses your request. Alternatively the server may be configured to restrict access to only certain internet sites. So, if it does not work don't start thinking you are being persecuted!
• I am a UNIX person, so I am unfamiliar with any peculiarities with ftp that may be important to VAX/PC/Mac persons? Can anyone point out any useful material I should include on this subject?