Sample code for 30+ languages & platforms
Delphi ActiveX

Download Text File into String Variable

See more FTP Examples

Download a text file directly into a string variable.

Chilkat Delphi ActiveX Downloads

Delphi ActiveX
uses
    Winapi.Windows, Winapi.Messages, System.SysUtils, System.Variants, System.Classes, Vcl.Graphics,
    Vcl.Controls, Vcl.Forms, Vcl.Dialogs, Vcl.StdCtrls, Chilkat_TLB;

...

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
success: Integer;
ftp: TChilkatFtp2;
fileContents: WideString;

begin
success := 0;

// This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
// See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

ftp := TChilkatFtp2.Create(Self);

ftp.Hostname := 'ftp.someFtpServer.com';
ftp.Username := 'myFtpUserAccount';
ftp.Password := 'myFtpPassword';

// Set other possible settings...
// See http://www.cknotes.com/determining-ftp2-connection-settings/ 
// for more information about FTP connection settings.
ftp.Passive := 1;
ftp.AuthTls := 1;

// Connect and login to the FTP server.
success := ftp.Connect();
if (success <> 1) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

// Change to the remote directory where the existing file is located.
success := ftp.ChangeRemoteDir('junk');
if (success <> 1) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

// Download the contents of the remote file into a string variable.

// The GetRemoteFileTextData method assumes the remote file contains ANSI chars.
// To download text files containing non-ANSI text, such as utf-8, call GetRemoteFileTextC
// instead. (see below)
fileContents := ftp.GetRemoteFileTextData('ansiText.txt');
if (ftp.LastMethodSuccess <> 1) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end
else
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(fileContents);
  end;

// To download a remote text file containing utf-8 chars, 
// call GetRemoteFileTextC and pass "utf-8" for the 2nd arg.  This tells
// Chilkat to interpret the incoming bytes according to the utf-8 character encoding.

fileContents := ftp.GetRemoteFileTextC('utf8Text.txt','utf-8');
if (ftp.LastMethodSuccess <> 1) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end
else
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(fileContents);
  end;

success := ftp.Disconnect();
end;