[R] problems with download.file() from ftp?

[Duncan Temple Lang]

FWIW,

Having done some quick checks, the appropriate incantation is

getURL('ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/snow_course/table/history/idaho/13e19.txt', 

        ftp.use.epsv = FALSE)


  D.

Duncan Temple Lang wrote:
> 
> Hi Zack,
> 
>   You might explore some of the options of libcurl
> via the RCurl package for R. Depending on the server,
> you may want to send either EPSV or PASV commands at
> some point in the dialog.
> 
> libcurl, and the functions in RCurl, give you a great
> deal of control in cutomizing and controlling the
> requests to the FTP/HTTP/... server, while the
> functions in base R are less flexible.
> 
>  D.
> 
> 
> zack holden wrote:
>> Professor Ripley and Brian Rowe,
>> Thank you both for your helpful suggestions. I was unable to solve 
>> this problem. Apparently there is a passive FTP server that is not 
>> supported by R. I'll have to find another programming language, 
>> perhaps IDL, that can do this. Manually retrieving the hundreds of 
>> files I need is not an option.  
>> thank you again for your attempts to help me.  
>> Best regards,
>> Zack
>>
>>
>>> Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:37:43 +0000
>>> From: ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk
>>> To: zack_holden at hotmail.com
>>> CC: r-help at r-project.org
>>> Subject: Re: [R] problems with download.file() from ftp?
>>>
>>> First, try the example in the test file (tests/internet.R)
>>>
>>> read.table("ftp://ftp.stats.ox.ac.uk/pub/datasets/csb/ch11b.dat")
>>>
>>> or
>>>
>>> download.file("ftp://ftp.stats.ox.ac.uk/pub/datasets/csb/ch11b.dat", 
>>> "test"
>>>
>>> That is known to work on many, many R systems.
>>>
>>> I get the same error as you on that URL, but it looks to me that the 
>>> site required PASV ftp, something R's download.file does not support. 
>>> From the detailed logs (options(internet.info=0)
>>>
>>> <<<
>>> 230---------------------------------------------------------
>>> 230- Welcome To The
>>> 230- Natural Resources Conservation Service - USDA
>>> 230- NATIONAL WATER and CLIMATE CENTER
>>> 230---------------------------------------------------------
>>> 230-
>>> 230- The Local Date and Time is Mon Jan 12 08:30:25 2009
>>> 230- Current Directory is /
>>> 230- Information Contact is: info at wcc.nrcs.usda.gov
>>> 230- -----------------------------------------------------------
>>> 230- Note that data files herein are at most updated once an hour.
>>> 230-
>>> 230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply.
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> 19: In download.file(url, dest) :
>>> ---
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> 20: In download.file(url, dest) : Got 230
>>> 21: In download.file(url, dest) : Invalid answer to PASV
>>>
>>> Since you are on Windows, using --internet2 (see the rw-FAQ) might work.
>>>
>>> On Mon, 12 Jan 2009, zack holden wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear list,
>>>>
>>>> I am trying to download a text file from an ftp site using 
>>>> download.file().
>>>>
>>>> I used the following code:
>>>> url <- 
>>>> "ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/snow_course/table/history/idaho/13e19.txt" 
>>>>
>>>> dest <- "c:/test/downloadtest.txt"
>>>> download.file(url, dest)
>>>> I get this error message, indicating that R is unable to open the 
>>>> connection:
>>>> trying URL 
>>>> 'ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/snow_course/table/history/idaho/13e19.txt' 
>>>>
>>>> Error in download.file(url, dest) :
>>>> cannot open URL 
>>>> 'ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/snow_course/table/history/idaho/13e19.txt' 
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I'm sure there is a simple solution that allows R to open this 
>>>> connection, but after reading the "url" help file for an hour, I 
>>>> can't seem to find the solution. Is anyone willing to help me solve 
>>>> this problem?
>>>>
>>>> thanks in advance for any advice,
>>>>
>>>> Zack
>>> -- 
>>> Brian D. Ripley, ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk
>>> Professor of Applied Statistics, http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
>>> University of Oxford, Tel: +44 1865 272861 (self)
>>> 1 South Parks Road, +44 1865 272866 (PA)
>>> Oxford OX1 3TG, UK Fax: +44 1865 272595
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> 
> ______________________________________________
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