Problem with FTPClient class in java

Question

I'm using org.apache.commons.net.ftp.FTPClient and seeing behavior that is, well... perplexing.

The method beneath intends to go through an FTPFile list, read them in and then do something with the contents. That's all working. What is not (really) working is that the FTPClient object does the following...

1) Properly retrieves and stores the FIRST file in the list  
2) List item evaluates to NULL for x number of successive iterations of the loop (x varies on successive attempts  
3) manages to retrieve exactly 1 more file in the list  
4) reports that it is null for exactly 1 more file in the list  
5) hangs indefinitely, reporting no further activity.

public static String mergeXMLFiles(List<FTPFile> files, String rootElementNodeName, FTPClient ftp){
        String ret = null;
        String fileAsString   = null; 
        //InputStream inStream;
        int c;

        if(files == null || rootElementNodeName == null)
            return null;
        try {
            System.out.println("GETTING " + files.size() + " files");
            for (FTPFile file : files) {
                fileAsString = "";
                InputStream inStream = ftp.retrieveFileStream(file.getName());

                if(inStream == null){
                    System.out.println("FtpUtil.mergeXMLFiles() couldn't initialize inStream for file:" + file.getName());

                    continue;//THIS IS THE PART THAT I SEE FOR files [1 - arbitrary number (usually around 20)] and then 1 more time for [x + 2] after [x + 1] passes successfully.
                }
                while((c = inStream.read()) != -1){

                    fileAsString += Character.valueOf((char)c);
                }
                inStream.close();


                System.out.println("FILE:" + file.getName() + "\n" + fileAsString);
            }


        } catch (Exception e) {
            System.out.println("FtpUtil.mergeXMLFiles() failed:" + e);
        }
        return ret;
    }

has anyone seen anything like this? I'm new to FTPClient, am I doing something wrong with it?

Answer 1

According to the API for FTPClient.retrieveFileStream(), the method returns null when it cannot open the data connection, in which case you should check the reply code (e.g. getReplyCode(), getReplyString(), getReplyStrings()) to see why it failed. Also, you are suppose to finalize file transfers by calling completePendingCommand() and verifying that the transfer was indeed successful.

Answer 2

It works ok when I add after the "retrieve" command :

        int response = client.getReply();
        if (response != FTPReply.CLOSING_DATA_CONNECTION){
            //TODO 
        }