Defaults

Use this tab to set default advanced options for connections, default settings for keeping connections alive, and default file transfer mode.

Options

Default advanced options for connections

Proxy server

If you are using a proxy server for access to FTP servers (usually on the Internet), specify settings for this proxy server here. A proxy server is an intermediary between local network (intranet) and the Internet. If you do not need to use a proxy server, select Not Used. To add settings for a proxy server click the Add button, it opens the Add/Edit Proxy Server dialog box. You can add more settings for proxy servers and later just choose which one to use.

Use passive transfer mode (may help if you are behind firewall or proxy server)

When checked, data connections are opened in the passive mode. It means that the FTP client opens data connection by connecting to the supplied port on the FTP server. Otherwise, data connections are opened in the active mode. It means that the data connection is opened by the FTP server by connecting to the supplied port on the FTP client. This mode is problematic if the FTP client is behind firewall or proxy server because they can block access to the FTP client (if they have not support for FTP protocol). The passive mode is not supported by some FTP servers (only few), you have to use active mode for accessing these FTP servers.

Keep connections alive (prevents server from disconnecting you due to no activity)

When checked, the FTP client tries to keep its connections alive. It means that if the FTP client is not sending commands or transferring data to/from the FTP server for longer than specified time, it starts periodical sending auxiliary commands or making auxiliary data transfers. This should prevent closing the connection by the FTP server due to no activity or no data transfer (usually after 5 or 10 minutes). See Default settings for keeping connections alive below for more information about keeping connections alive.

Use cache for viewed files and lists of files and directories on server (faster browsing)

When checked, all viewed files and all path listings (lists of files and directories) from the FTP server are cached. It allows to use these cached files and listings when they are requested next time. Advantage is faster browsing of already visited directories and viewing of already viewed files. Disadvantage is that listings and files could be changed and when they are taken from the cache, they can be out of date. Use the Refresh command to reset cache for the current directory and all its subdirectories (it removes all listings and all viewed files from cache). Cached files are stored in the temporary directory. Cached listings are stored in the memory cache, you can limit the size of this cache, see Size limit for memory cache in Configuration/Advanced.

Compress data transfers if server supports compression (MODE Z)

When checked, the plugin attempts to compress all data transfers (downloads and uploads, plus directory listings obtained from the server). No error is reported when the server does not support compression. However, you can check if compression is used: Check the result of the MODE Z command at the end of the Welcome Message or look for MODE Z just before the SYST or first PWD command in the FTP log.

Default settings for keeping connections alive

Choose a command which is sent to keep the connection alive (when the connection is not used to communicate with the server nor to send any data). NOOP and PWD commands are not transferring any data. If your FTP server closes connections due to no data transfer, use NLST or LIST commands. We recommend to use the NLST command because it transfers less data (the current path listing containing only filenames). Moreover specify a period of sending keep alive commands and when to stop sending keep alive commands. See Keep connections alive (prevents server from disconnecting you due to no activity) above for details on activation of the keep alive feature.

Default file transfer mode

Binary mode (no changes during tranfers)

When checked, all files are transferred in Binary mode. It means no changes in the file content during transfer.

ASCII mode (convert files to use system default line ends)

When checked, all files are transferred in ASCII mode. It means that all files are treated like text files and so all end of line characters will be converted to target system default end of line characters during transfer.

Automatic - ASCII mode for specified files

When checked, all files matching the specified file masks are transferred in ASCII mode and all others are transferred in Binary mode. See Binary and ASCII mode description above.