Problematic characters in folder name (using ftp)

[pmennen]

One of my folders happens to be named "Plans [2000]". When I click on the compare button to compare it (using file size comparison) with the files on my server (using standard ftp over port 21) it indicates that all the files are missing on the server even though they are not. If I go ahead and hit "Syncronize" it will copy all the files to the server, but then when I do a compare it still claims the files are missing. I also tried deleting the folder and recopying using another ftp transfer program, but the compare always shows these files as missing. However if I rename the folder "Plans 2000" (i.e. remove the square brackets) then when I compare it doesn't find any differences as expected. I also experimented by copying this folder to another local location (i.e. not using ftp) and then the compare worked correctly even with the brackets in the folder name. So it looks like some characters cause problems in ftp file names. I believe I noticed some other special characters with the same problem. Has anyone else seen this type of problem? Does this look like a bug in FreeFileSync or an ftp limitation?
Thanks
~Paul

[Zenju]

"Plans [2000]" works for me in combination with FTP. Do other FTP clients also have issues with the folder name?

[pmennen]

No, but my other FTP clients don't do compares, but they will copy all these folders including the ones with brackets in the names. But actually, FreeFileSync does that fine as well. i.e. if I delete the offending folder from the ftp site and do a synchronize, FreeFileSync will copy the missing folder to the destination absolutely perfectly and without complaint. But then when I do a compare, it reports that the folder is still missing.

As an experiment, I tried this using another ftp server on a different remote computer and I found the exact same problem. Could this have anything to do with differences between Windows and Linux? Both of the ftp servers I was experimenting on are on Linux systems, whereas the local file system I was comparing with is on a Windows 10 system. Is your local operating system the same as the one running the ftp server? If so, your success might not be relevant to my particular problem.

[Zenju]

What do you mean with "missing". The listing must include at least something else instead?

[pmennen]

I mean that on the left side (my local drive) it lists all 17 files in the Plans [2000] folder, and on the right side (the ftp server) it is completely blank indicating that those 17 files are not on the server (but they are!). In between those two columns there is a rightward green arrow with a plus sign over it, and hovering over that arrow gives me the popup "Copy new item to right".

[Zenju]

Is "Plans [2000]" the base folder on the FTP side or a child folder of base? In the former case you should get a warning about a not-existing folder, in latter case something else, e.g. folder with broken name should be shown, unless it's the FTP server that simply returns no folder information.

[pmennen]

If I do the compare so that "Plans [2000]" is the base folder, then the compare indicates that all the files in the folder are missing from the ftp site, but it doesn't list the folder itself as missing. Your theory that the FTP server is simply not returning any folder information doesn't seem to be the case because then I wouldn't even have been able to select that folder as the base folder using the cloud button. I just tried one more experiment. I renamed the folder on the FTP site from "Plans [2000]" to "Plns [2000]" (i.e. removed the "a"). Then I went up one level on both sides to that the compare would include this folder and all the other folders in that directory. Then FreeFileSync reports that all the files in "Plans [2000]" are missing as well as the folder itself, i.e. the folder name and all the files inside it are shown on the left side with a green right arrow with a plus sign over it and nothing on the right. Then the folder "Plns [2000] is shown only on the right side with a minus sign over a garbage can symbol indicating that this folder will be deleted when I hit the Syncronize button (since I have selected Mirror to the right).

All your questions about my problem suggest that this problem is not common, and perhaps even unique to me. I find this somewhat mystifying, especially since I tried it on two different ftp sites and it is hard for me to think of anything unusual about my system or these particular ftp sites.

Thanks for your help though Zenju, and if you can think of any other experiments I can do to shed some light on what is going wrong I would appreciate it.
~Paul

[Zenju]

Is there any chance you can provide me with a test login into this FTP system so that I can reproduce from my end?

[pmennen]

Hi Zenju. Yes, I can do that. I have emailed the information to you. Let me know if you don't get the email.
Thanks ~Paul

[Zenju]

unless it's the FTP server that simply returns no folder information.

Yup, exactly what we've got. No error indication of any kind, just an empty folder response...

Turns out, it's not a bug, it's a "feature": Some FTP servers abuse RFC 3659 and add globbing syntax, i.e. support for wildcard characters such as ?, *, [ ], although nobody ever asked for this. Even with newer standards, FTP server devs still think they're in the Wild West.

=> added yet another FTP workaround for FreeFileSync:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/13rzqcoh3jx2y4s/FreeFileSync_10.4_%5BBeta%5D_Windows_Setup.exe

[pmennen]

Wow, this works great. Many thanks for the update.
With FTP being such an old standard I wouldn't think people would be mucking with it. Interesting that this problem happened with both of the FTP servers I tried. The first was my ftp server on a Synology NAS box, and the 2nd was the ftp server supported by my web hosting service.
~Paul

[Blackadder]

I am using FFS to sync between two PCs on my LAN. I am getting error messages whenever FFS encounters a filename or folder with a non-standard (accented) character in it, such as é or ç - so music files by artists such as Michael Bublé or albums such as "The Haçienda Classics" are failing. (Not a FTP issue, so sorry if this should be in a separate thread.)
Any help would be appreciated!
- Julian

[xCSxXenon]

I am using FFS to sync between two PCs on my LAN. I am getting error messages whenever FFS encounters a filename or folder with a non-standard (accented) character in it, such as é or ç - so music files by artists such as Michael Bublé or albums such as "The Haçienda Classics" are failing. (Not a FTP issue, so sorry if this should be in a separate thread.)
Any help would be appreciated!
- Julian

Could you open a new post for this? This will allow better organization and can help future users find a solution quicker. Title it something like "Does not sync files/folders with accented characters". I will do some experiments as well to see what the problem/solution is.