From: Jeff <cohen.jeff@...>
Date: 2007-04-04T11:57:21+09:00
Subject: Re: Net::FTP puttextfile question

On Apr 3, 8:26 pm, "Jeff" <cohen.j...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm trying to use the Net::FTP class to send a text file to my FTP
> server, but I don't have an actual text file to send.  Instead I want
> to send it a multi-line string as my "file".  (I'm using Builder to
> generate an XML file and I don't want to have to physically save it to
> a file before sending it.)
>
> The Net::FTP class has a method called puttextfile that seems to be
> defined like this:
>
>  def puttextfile(localfile, remotefile = File.basename(localfile),
> &block)
>
> but I don't have a local filename to provide.  Is there anything I can
> use that would substitute for one?

I ended up subclassing and providing the functionality myself.

In case it helps anyone, here's what I came up with: two methods,
get_text_lines and send_text_lines.  See below for complete source
(it's not too long).  Suggestions for making the code more elegant are
definitely welcome.
Jeff

require 'net/ftp'

class JeffFTP < Net::FTP

  # Sends a collection of lines to be saved in a file on the server
  # lines can be an array, or anything responding to #each
  def send_text_lines(lines, remotefile, &block) # :yield: line
    storlines_from_array("STOR " + remotefile, lines, &block)
  end

  # Gets a file from the server as a collection of text lines.
  # If you don't provide a block, it will return an array of lines.
  # If you provide a block, each line will be passed to the block,
  # and the return value will be an empty array.
  # Large files should use the block form.
  def get_text_lines(remotefile, &block) # :yield: line
    lines = []
    retrlines("RETR " + remotefile) do |line|
      if block
        yield(line)
      else
        lines << line
      end
    end
    lines
  end

private

  def storlines_from_array(cmd, lines, &block) # :yield: line
    synchronize do
      voidcmd("TYPE A")
      conn = transfercmd(cmd)
      lines.each do |line|
        conn.write(line)
        yield(line) if block
      end
      conn.close
      voidresp
    end
  end

end