radozd wrote on 2026-04-09, 06:26:

Version 3 is here

I'm not entirely sure why I keep doing this, but I seem to get a kind of forgotten enjoyment from exploring old FTP servers.

Hi,
I could not use version 3 since it gave me 'Not enough free memory' right at start. This happens because of the increased max item size to 2000.
I have MS network stack also loaded under MS-DOS that eats up quite a lot conventional memory.
So I downloaded the source to compile a max items = 1000 version for myself but I got build errors in UIAPP.CPP:
1. at line 757 ->

1bool UiApp::IsViewable(const const UiEntry *e) const  

. After removing one of the 'const' the error disappeared.
2. at line 764 ->

1 const char *ext = strrchr(name, '.');

After modifying name to e->name the error disappeared.

So finally I succeeded in building an 1000 max item size version for myself but I still think that a run-time configurable max item size would be better.
Bye.

@Edit:
BTW, I do not think that restricting the quick viewer to only .txt/.diz/.ion extension is useful in any way. The user most likely knows better what file has text content. Removing this restriction would enable the user to view e.g. html or server config files (that usually have no extension at all) as well.

Right. I forgot to move the latest sources to my macbook. Updated.

Still 2000 files vs 1000 files take only ~30k+~30k = 60k bytes more.
How much free memory do you have?

radozd wrote on 2026-04-09, 08:13:

Right. I forgot to move the latest sources to my macbook. Updated.

Still 2000 files vs 1000 files take only ~30k+~30k = 60k bytes more.
How much free memory do you have?

About ~ 450 KB free.
This is a relatively 'modern' system (i7-4770K) with AHCI option ROM etc. so you cannot get the same amount of free conventional memory as on retro systems.

Falcosoft wrote on 2026-04-09, 08:16:

about ~ 450 KB free.

Wow. v3 needs 500+. I can reduce it by 40k. I think. Wait for 3.1 😀

Hi,
I also think that in UiApp::IsViewable() the

1if( e->size > 4096ul ) return false;

check is unnecessary since later when the file is opened and read in UiApp::QuickViewCurrentItem() it is truncated anyway to a fixed size buffer.

With the file size and extension check removed you could preview the beginning of any files.

Falcosoft wrote on 2026-04-09, 08:55:

Hi, I also think that in UiApp::IsViewable() the […]
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Hi,
I also think that in UiApp::IsViewable() the

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1if( e->size > 4096ul ) return false;

check is unnecessary since later when the file is opened and read in UiApp::QuickViewCurrentItem() it is truncated anyway to a fixed size buffer.

With the file size and extension check removed you could preview the beginning of any files.

Without any limit 1GB text file must be downloaded and then cut to 4k.
I need to implement memory mode and partial downloading to do this properly.

radozd wrote on 2026-04-09, 09:01:

Falcosoft wrote on 2026-04-09, 08:55:

Hi, I also think that in UiApp::IsViewable() the […]
Show full quote

Hi,
I also think that in UiApp::IsViewable() the

Copy code to clipboard

1if( e->size > 4096ul ) return false;

check is unnecessary since later when the file is opened and read in UiApp::QuickViewCurrentItem() it is truncated anyway to a fixed size buffer.

With the file size and extension check removed you could preview the beginning of any files.

Without any limit 1GB text file must be downloaded and then cut to 4k.
I need to implement memory mode and partial downloading to do this properly.

I do not think that 1GB text files are that common 😀
But OK, then you should raise the size limit to at least 64K (4K -> 64K files are much more common) since the file size limit does not have to be the same poor 4k as the read buffer size.

radozd wrote on 2026-04-09, 08:13:

macbook

Hehe, so that's where the "__MACOSX" directory comes from 🤣
For a DOS program, it's just garbage...

Grzyb wrote on 2026-04-09, 10:27:

radozd wrote on 2026-04-09, 08:13:

macbook

Hehe, so that's where the "__MACOSX" directory comes from 🤣
For a DOS program, it's just garbage...

I basically have no chance of publishing from my 486 😀

BTW, consider advertising your program here - Anyone know a DOS FTP Client with GUI or shell
People have been looking for something like this for ages, make sure they don't miss this!

Grzyb wrote on 2026-04-09, 11:33:

BTW, consider advertising your program here - Anyone know a DOS FTP Client with GUI or shell
People have been looking for something like this for ages, make sure they don't miss this!

Thanks!

Falcosoft wrote on 2026-04-09, 09:07:

I do not think that 1GB text files are that common 😀
But OK, then you should raise the size limit to at least 64K (4K -> 64K files are much more common) since the file size limit does not have to be the same poor 4k as the read buffer size.

3.1
64K + reduced memory footprint. I hope it will be enough.

https://github.com/radozd/ftp2p/releases/tag/v3.2

The most notable update is the -simple-utf8 mode, which removes diacritics and allows working with CP850 and CP852 without switching code pages.

That "pulse indicator" seems unnecessary - there's already the status line with progress display.
Consider adding a normal progress bar instead.

BTW, I find it strange that the transfer starts immediately on F5 - consider adding a dialog with the option to edit the destination filename.

The pulse is mainly useful for very slow servers, where even a directory listing can take seconds and it’s otherwise unclear whether anything is happening.
In other cases, I don’t see a strong need for it.

radozd wrote on 2026-04-15, 12:15:

The pulse is mainly useful for very slow servers, where even a directory listing can take seconds and it’s otherwise unclear whether anything is happening.
In other cases, I don’t see a strong need for it.

For ages I was searching a FTP program with panels like this one and there was none.

You are a pioneer, building something new. Please keep up the good work, Thanks a lot!