RE: Proxy support for zftp functions

["Andrej Borsenkow" <Andrej.Borsenkow@mow.siemens.ru>]

> >
> > Yes, it makes more sense. Proxy is relevant only for a
> logon - then it
> > is completely transparent (hopefully :-).
>
> Actually, for just that reason, your idea of doing it in the
> functions is
> probably better.  The less hidden code the more I like it.
>

May be. For a start function is easier, of course.

> > Actually, much more interesting (needed) feature is ls parsing.
> > Currently, zftp relies on MDTM/SIZE to exist - and,
> unfortunately, they
> > are missing in "common" Unix servers. Have you ever thought
> about it?
>
> There's a nice project for someone with a bit of time.  This
> can probably
> be done in shell functions too --- it's system-specific, so
> not good to
> hard code, and the only place this is used internally is for
> supplying to
> functions doing progress reports, which can be rewritten to
> use information
> returned by ls where necessary.
>

The main use for it is to be able to compare times on remote/local
files. Without it no real directory sync (and even reliable reget) is
possible. Is it possible to pass file date/size from function to zftp.c
code? O.K., file mtime can be set by function as well ...

There are some possibilities:

- use external Perl code. The excellent piece of work is Mirror, that
understands a dozen remote systems (inluding DOS-based FTP server! Wow!
:-) That may do for a start, but thinking about calling Perl every time
I need to parse ls line makes me shudder. What is the status of Perl
module for Zsh? It would make life much easier.

- rewrite Perl modules (system detection + parsing routines) in Zsh.
They are based on regexps, so it is doable (but needs some time, of
course).

If we had working Perl module, I would favour the first approach. No
need to reinvent the wheel.

-andrej