ShortFTP

Overview

ShortFTP is a basic file transfer Server/Client that allows the Client to look through a given list of files in the directory Server is executed in, choose files from that list, download them, and verify those downloaded files with a hash. It is made mainly for learning purposes.

I started this project outside of school while in my first networking class last semester (Spring 2019) when I was introduced to C. I designed ShortFTP based off a project that was assigned in class which allowed for bare-bones file transfering between two hosts. Once I was done with that project I started this one on my own, eager to see what I could do if I explored the concept a little bit further.

The lookup_and_connect() in client.c as well as the bind_and_listen() in server.c are modified from a small sample code given in "Computer Networks: A Systems Approach", 5th Edition by Larry L. Peterson and Bruce S. Davis. The rest is original work but it is necesarry to give credit where it is due.

Functionality

Server:

(Port number) (Password) (Options)

Options for the server are:

-D    Turn on debugging, which prints more information to terminal such as client IP
-NP   Disable the password requirement
-NT   Disable the timeout while waiting for client to respond with a file request list
-SU   The server will automatically wait for the next client after finishing a transfer
-RM   Allow the server to recover after certain types of errors, best used with -SU
-PF   Print the file to terminal as the contents are being read during transfer
-LO   Log all activity to a uniquely named output file
-H    Print the usage information to the terminal

Client:

(Server Address) (Server Port) (Password) (Options)

Options for the client are:

-D    Turn on debugging, which prints more information to terminal such as the SHA1 as it's created
-PF   Allow the user to see the file contents in the terminal as it's received
-H    Print the usage information to the terminal

Example usage

Server

Client

Todo:

• Create more automated tests to cover edge cases
• Additional security features for Server
• Rewrite certain functions for more general use
• Ability for server to handle multiple clients simultaneously