(CkPython) SFTP Read Text File to String

Demonstrates how to download a text file from an SSH server directly into a string variable.

Chilkat Python Downloads install with pip pip3 install chilkat or download... Python Module for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Alpine Linux, Solaris

import sys
import chilkat

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

sftp = chilkat.CkSFtp()

# Set some timeouts, in milliseconds:
sftp.put_ConnectTimeoutMs(5000)
sftp.put_IdleTimeoutMs(15000)

# Connect to the SSH server.  
# The standard SSH port = 22
# The hostname may be a hostname or IP address.
hostname = "sftp.example.com"
port = 22
success = sftp.Connect(hostname,port)
if (success != True):
    print(sftp.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

# Authenticate with the SSH server.  Chilkat SFTP supports
# both password-based authenication as well as public-key
# authentication.  This example uses password authenication.
success = sftp.AuthenticatePw("myLogin","myPassword")
if (success != True):
    print(sftp.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

# After authenticating, the SFTP subsystem must be initialized:
success = sftp.InitializeSftp()
if (success != True):
    print(sftp.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

# Open a file on the server:

handle = sftp.openFile("hamlet.xml","readOnly","openExisting")
if (sftp.get_LastMethodSuccess() != True):
    print(sftp.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

# Get the total size of this file (in bytes)
bFollowLinks = False
bIsHandle = True

# bFollowLinks is ignored because we are passing a handle
# and not a remote filename.
# There are alternative methods for handling file sizes
# greater than 32-bit.  (See the reference documentation.)
numBytes = sftp.GetFileSize32(handle,bFollowLinks,bIsHandle)
if (numBytes < 0):
    print(sftp.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

# The charset indicates the character encoding of the text
# file on the SSH server.   Setting the charset correctly
# allows the Chilkat SFTP component to correctly interpret
# the bytes that represent the characters.

charset = "ansi"

fileContents = sftp.readFileText(handle,numBytes,charset)
if (sftp.get_LastMethodSuccess() != True):
    print(sftp.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()
else:
    print("Received file:")
    print(fileContents)

# Close the file.
success = sftp.CloseHandle(handle)
if (success != True):
    print(sftp.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

print("Success.")