FTP protocol does not support directory monitoring

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Posts: 4
Joined: 1 Nov 2018

The-Night

Good evening, I have to synchronize local folders with those on an ftp server.

I've created an automatic process with RealTimeSync, but it keeps giving me the error "FTP protocol does not support directory monitoring"

how can I fix it?

Thanks in advance.
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Zenju

I've removed your screenshot because it was showing a password.
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The-Night

I've removed your screenshot because it was showing a password. Zenju, 01 Nov 2018, 19:07
The password is encrypted, it is not the real password.

Thank you for the correct moderation on privacy.

Do you know the solution to the problem?
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Joined: 22 Aug 2012

Plerry

Obviously, Zenju can not change what is or is not supported by the FTP protocol.

You write:
I have to synchronize local folders with those on an ftp server
From your description it is not clear what sync you are exactly running.
If you are running a Mirror or Update sync in which your local folders are the "source" and the FTP server is the "destination", you only need to monitor your local folder(s) for changes; there is no need to monitor the FTP location for changes (as no changes originate there anyway).
In that case, you can simply remove the FTP location(s) from the folder(s) being monitored for changes by RealTimeSync (RTS).

If changes might originate on the FTP-server side and need to be synced to your local folder(s), you would need to change protocol (step away from FTP), or simply run FreeFileSync at scheduled times or (supported) events (via the Task Scheduler), instead of being triggered by RTS.
Posts: 5
Joined: 19 Jan 2019

beb66

Hello
I have the same problem, in my case my remote FTP server doesn't support directory monitoring, but it's not a big issue for me as I Use FreefileSynch in Mode "MIROR" so I do not really care about changes on the FTP server (right side), just on my local directory (left side).
When I run Manualy RealTimeSync I only monitor my local folder, it works perfectly

When I try to schedule RealTimeSync as a Service, despite the fact that the batch file shows "mirror" ( <Variant>Mirror</Variant>) RealTimeSync starts with monitoring BOTH my local folder & Ftp remote folder .
So it sends a directory command to the ftp server with goes in error...

This probably could be fixed by Monitoring ONLY the left folder in case of MIROR but this would require a code change.

The only solution I found is to start a time based event and run FreefileSync directly. In my case this is OK I do not need to mirror folders immediately.
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Zenju

@beb66: use an .ffs_real configuration as input, not an .ffs_batch.
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beb66

I auto-comment my reply... as I understood how this works now...

This is already implemented.... I did not understood you can pass either a batch file or a "ffs_real" file to RealTimeSynch. If you pass the "ffs_real" file as an argument to RealTimeSync in your scheduled tasks this world perfectly like when you run RealtimeSync manualy (in my case only monitor local directory)

To do so :
Run manualy RealtimeSync with the parameter you want to use (folders, batch file... )
Go to your "user/appdata/roaming/freefilesync" folder in windows
copy lastrun.ffs_real to wherever you put your ffs batch files (you may rename it to xxxx.ffs_real)
follow the User_Manual methodology to "run as a service" passing your "ffs_real" file as argument and NOT your "ffs_batch" file.
example : "C:\Program Files\FreeFileSync\RealTimeSync.exe" "D:\xxxx.ffs_real"

Works like a charm, you'll only monitor (and do) what you put in the RealTimeSync interface (and so you'll not have the Directory error on your crapy FTP server as you will not send any unsupported command to it)
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beb66

oh... I saw your Answer Zenju, many thanks... this is what I found in //

MERCI ! very nice tool !!! the donation edition is perfect !
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Joined: 28 Mar 2024

minogig

Hi beb66.
I take advantage of your response.
I also have the same problem as you.
I have activated a mirror synchronization that allows me to synchronize a folder on ftp every time a file is added to a folder on google drive.
The source folder is the drive one, and the destination folder is the one on ftp. In practice I only have to check if the folder on the drive is updated.
When I synchronize manually everything works, but if I create the synchronization in real time it tells me that the ftp protocol does not allow folder monitoring.
Could you explain better how you solved it considering that I'm not an expert and I just started using freefilesync?
I would be very grateful. Many thanks in advance
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Joined: 24 Mar 2024

Greg12

I'm going to take a shot at the answer to this question and if my recall is clear the answer is that it is not possible for real-time sync to monitor Google Drive directly. If you synchronize the folder down to your PC you can have the software monitor the local folder for changes.

I don't know if this feature exists but perhaps there is a way to schedule a sync job every 15 minutes or so and see if that is an acceptable solution.

I just did a quick search on the internet and if you create a batch job you can have task scheduler on Windows run that batch job every 15 minutes or however frequently you want it to and that will be a solution.