Two entries in empty FTP directory

Question

I'm trying to create a list all of the file names found in a folder on an FTP server. The full directory is saved in a settings database table along with the login credentials. It is connecting to the FTP area fine, and I can upload/download files to and from it.

This is my code to get the files from the folder.

lstFiles = new List<string>();

string remoteFTPPath = ftpLocation;
var request = (FtpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(remoteFTPPath);

request.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.ListDirectoryDetails;
request.Credentials = new NetworkCredential(ftpUsername, ftpPassword);
request.Proxy = null;

FtpWebResponse response = (FtpWebResponse)request.GetResponse();
Stream responseStream = response.GetResponseStream();
StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(responseStream);

List<string> directories = new List<string>();

string line = reader.ReadLine();

while (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(line))
{
   directories.Add(line);
   line = reader.ReadLine();
}
reader.Close();

The issue that I'm having is that currently the folder I'm trying to search is empty, yet it's finding 2 files.

Why is this?

The value in remoteFTPPath is ftp://ftp.myArea.co.uk/myServer.co.uk/System-Files/

This is the folder when I open it in FileZilla - it's definitely an empty folder.

How do I just view all of the files in System-Files and get these into a list?

FileZilla log:

Status: Logged in
Status: Retrieving directory listing of "/myArea.co.uk"...
Status: Directory listing of "/myArea.co.uk" successful
Status: Retrieving directory listing of "/myArea.co.uk/System-Files"...
Status: Directory listing of "/myArea.co.uk/System-Files" successful

And when testing the same code on a C# application, the Network.log file outputs as below.

System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpWebRequest#60068066::.ctor(ftp://ftp.myServer.co.uk/myArea.co.uk/System-Files/)
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] Current OS installation type is 'Client'.
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpWebRequest#60068066::GetResponse(Method=LIST.)
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Created connection from xxx.xxx.x.xx:YYYY to xxx.xxx.xxx.x:YY.
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] Associating FtpWebRequest#60068066 with FtpControlStream#34640832
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [220-Matrix FTP server ready.
220-This is a private system - No anonymous login
220-IPv6 connections are also welcome on this server.
220 Please note: files for your website must be stored under the htdocs directory.]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Sending command [USER myUser]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [331 User myUser OK. Password required]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Sending command [PASS ********]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [230 OK. Current directory is /]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Sending command [OPTS utf8 on]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [500 Unknown command]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Sending command [PWD]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [257 "/" is your current location]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Sending command [CWD /myArea.co.uk/System-Files]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [250 OK. Current directory is /myArea.co.uk/System-Files]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Sending command [TYPE I]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [200 TYPE is now 8-bit binary]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Sending command [PASV]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [227 Entering Passive Mode (213,171,193,5,117,157)]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Sending command [LIST]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [150 Accepted data connection]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpControlStream#34640832 - Received response [226-ASCII
226-Options: -a -l
226 2 matches total]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6132] FtpWebRequest#60068066::(Releasing FTP connection#34640832.)
System.Net Information: 0 : [14644] ServicePoint#33675143 - Closed as idle.

In FileZilla if you check the option Server -> Force Showing Hidden Files, do you see anything else? — steve16351
@steve16351 Nope, nothing in there. I'm thinking they might be system/OS files or something that can't be viewed. — David
I believe what you're finding is . (current directory) and .. (parent directory.) — Duston

Martin Prikryl Martin Prikryl · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-21T05:16:29

Many FTP servers return . and .. entries in a directory listing, similarly to *nix ls -a or Windows dir commands. Those are references to the directory itself and the parent directory, respectively.

You will get those for any directory, even an empty one (sometimes [e.g. on Windows servers] with an exception of the root folder).

If you do not want those, you need to filter them out in your code. What FileZilla does too for sure.

Two entries in empty FTP directory

1 Answers