Download file(s) from FTP Server using FTP Command through SQL Server

Just use FPT Commands to Fast download and upload files in SQL Server.

In regular life of coding we are downloading data/files from server using c# code or any other code it may take much time to code as well as more time to download. This same thing you can be done using SQL server with 'Mput' command of FTP which is much lesser to code and will take a bit of time to download. Inverse process is also possible as you can use 'MPut' method.

You can use following script to download file(s) from FTP Server. Just pass your actual attributes and you have done, your files are downloaded. 

MGet Command

-- FTP_MGET.sql (Author Saddamhusen Uadanwala)
-- Transfer all files from an FTP server Direcoty using MGET command.

DECLARE @FTPServer varchar(128)
DECLARE @FTPUserName varchar(128)
DECLARE @FTPPassword varchar(128)
DECLARE @SourcePath varchar(128)
DECLARE @SourceFiles varchar(128)
DECLARE @DestinationPath varchar(128)
DECLARE @FTPMode varchar(10)

-- Attributes
SET @FTPServer = 'ftpserver'
SET @FTPUserName = 'username'
SET @FTPPassword = 'password'
SET @SourcePath = '' -- Folder path/Blank for root directory.
SET @SourceFiles = '*.csv'
SET @DestinationPath = 'D:\Husen\Download' -- Destination path.
SET @FTPMode = 'binary' -- binary, ascii or blank for default mode.

DECLARE @Command varchar(1000)
DECLARE @workfile varchar(128)
DECLARE @nowstr varchar(25)

-- %TEMP% environment variable.
DECLARE @tempdir varchar(128)
CREATE TABLE #tempvartable(info VARCHAR(1000))
INSERT #tempvartable EXEC master..xp_cmdshell 'echo %temp%'
SET @tempdir = (SELECT top 1 info FROM #tempvartable)
IF RIGHT(@tempdir, 1) <> '\' SET @tempdir = @tempdir + '\'
DROP TABLE #tempvartable

-- Generate @workfile
SET @nowstr = replace(replace(convert(varchar(30), GETDATE(), 121), ' ', '_'), ':', '-')
SET @workfile = 'FTP_SPID' + convert(varchar(128), @@spid) + '_' + @nowstr + '.txt'

-- special chars for echo commands.
select @FTPServer = replace(replace(replace(@FTPServer, '|', '^|'),'<','^<'),'>','^>')
select @FTPUserName = replace(replace(replace(@FTPUserName, '|', '^|'),'<','^<'),'>','^>')
select @FTPPassword = replace(replace(replace(@FTPPassword, '|', '^|'),'<','^<'),'>','^>')
select @SourcePath = replace(replace(replace(@SourcePath, '|', '^|'),'<','^<'),'>','^>')
IF RIGHT(@DestinationPath, 1) = '\' SET @DestinationPath = LEFT(@DestinationPath, LEN(@DestinationPath)-1)

-- Build the FTP script file.
select @Command = 'echo ' + 'open ' + @FTPServer + ' > ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select @Command = 'echo ' + @FTPUserName + '>> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select @Command = 'echo ' + @FTPPassword + '>> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select @Command = 'echo ' + 'prompt ' + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
IF LEN(@FTPMode) > 0
BEGIN
    select @Command = 'echo ' + @FTPMode + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
    EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
END
select @Command = 'echo ' + 'lcd ' + @DestinationPath + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
IF LEN(@SourcePath) > 0
BEGIN
    select @Command = 'echo ' + 'cd ' + @SourcePath + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
    EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
END
select @Command = 'echo ' + 'mget ' + @SourcePath + @SourceFiles + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select @Command = 'echo ' + 'quit' + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command

-- Execute the FTP command via above generated script file.
select @Command = 'ftp -s:' + @tempdir + @workfile
create table #a (id int identity(1,1), s varchar(1000))
print @Command
insert #a
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select id, ouputtmp = s from #a

-- drop table.
drop table #a
select @Command = 'del ' + @tempdir + @workfile
print @Command
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command

You can use following script to Upload file(s) from local directory to FTP Server. Replace default attributes to actual attributes.

MPut Command

-- FTP_MPUT.sql (Author Saddamhusen Uadanwala)
-- Transfer all files from an FTP server Direcoty using MPut command.

DECLARE @FTPServer varchar(128)
DECLARE @FTPUserName varchar(128)
DECLARE @FTPPassword varchar(128)
DECLARE @SourcePath varchar(128)
DECLARE @SourceFiles varchar(128)
DECLARE @DestinationPath varchar(128)
DECLARE @FTPMode varchar(10)

-- Attributes
SET @FTPServer = 'ftpserver'
SET @FTPUserName = 'username'
SET @FTPPassword = 'password'
SET @SourcePath = 'D:\Husen\Upload' -- Destination path.
SET @SourceFiles = '*.csv'
SET @DestinationPath = '' -- Folder path/Blank for root directory.
SET @FTPMode = 'binary' --  binary, ascii or blank for default mode.

DECLARE @Command varchar(1000)
DECLARE @workfile varchar(128)
DECLARE @nowstr varchar(25)

-- %TEMP% environment variable.
DECLARE @tempdir varchar(128)
CREATE TABLE #tempvartable(info VARCHAR(1000))
INSERT #tempvartable EXEC master..xp_cmdshell 'echo %temp%'
SET @tempdir = (SELECT top 1 info FROM #tempvartable)
IF RIGHT(@tempdir, 1) <> '\' SET @tempdir = @tempdir + '\'
DROP TABLE #tempvartable

-- Generate @workfile
SET @nowstr = replace(replace(convert(varchar(30), GETDATE(), 121), ' ', '_'), ':', '-')
SET @workfile = 'FTP_SPID' + convert(varchar(128), @@spid) + '_' + @nowstr + '.txt'

-- Deal with special chars for echo commands.
select @FTPServer = replace(replace(replace(@FTPServer, '|', '^|'),'<','^<'),'>','^>')
select @FTPUserName = replace(replace(replace(@FTPUserName, '|', '^|'),'<','^<'),'>','^>')
select @FTPPassword = replace(replace(replace(@FTPPassword, '|', '^|'),'<','^<'),'>','^>')
select @DestinationPath = replace(replace(replace(@DestinationPath, '|', '^|'),'<','^<'),'>','^>')
IF RIGHT(@SourcePath, 1) <> '\' SET @SourcePath = @SourcePath + '\'

-- Build the FTP script file.
select @Command = 'echo ' + 'open ' + @FTPServer + ' > ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select @Command = 'echo ' + @FTPUserName + '>> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select @Command = 'echo ' + @FTPPassword + '>> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select @Command = 'echo ' + 'prompt ' + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
IF LEN(@FTPMode) > 0
BEGIN
    select @Command = 'echo ' + @FTPMode + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
    EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
END
IF LEN(@DestinationPath) > 0
BEGIN
    select @Command = 'echo ' + 'cd ' + @DestinationPath + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
    EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
END
select @Command = 'echo ' + 'mput ' + @SourcePath + @SourceFiles + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select @Command = 'echo ' + 'quit' + ' >> ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command

-- Execute the FTP command via above generated script file.
select @Command = 'ftp -s:' + @tempdir + @workfile
create table #a (id int identity(1,1), s varchar(1000))
insert #a
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command
select id, ouputtmp = s from #a

-- drop table.
drop table #a
select @Command = 'del ' + @tempdir + @workfile
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @Command

Here, we have made a simple text file with a list of commands using your parameters and executed it. Gentle reminder, commectivity and destination path should be there.

Now, refer this link and try other commands http://www.nsftools.com/tips/MSFTP.htm by yourself.