How to download files from FTP site in one command line without user interaction (Windows)

I know there is an FTP command which can be run from command line on Windows, and it downloads a file from an FTP site. User + password are specified in "that" one-line cmd. These options + password passtrough should be on that command line.

echo open 192.168.1.64 21> ftp.txt
echo anonymous>> ftp.txt
echo [email protected]>> ftp.txt
echo bin >> ftp.txt
echo get test.txt >> ftp.txt
echo bye >> ftp.txt

ftp -s:ftp.txt

Try this: Batch files - Unattended FTP downloads

WGET ftp://ftp.mydomain.com/path/file.ext  

for anonymous downloads

or:

WGET ftp://user:[email protected]/path/file.ext  

when authentication is required.

As @XavierStuvw pointed out via edits and comments, swapping WGET to a lowercase wget would work in linux.

wget ftp://user:[email protected]/path/file.ext

I found the way:

echo open 192.168.0.1 >> ftp &echo user admin w00t >> ftp &echo binary >> ftp &echo get file.zip >> ftp &echo bye >> ftp &ftp -n -v -s:ftp &del ftp

Note that you can ask for the syntax of a command in DOS by using the /? switch. For example:

C:\>ftp /?

Transfers files to and from a computer running an FTP server service
(sometimes called a daemon). Ftp can be used interactively.

FTP [-v] [-d] [-i] [-n] [-g] [-s:filename] [-a] [-A] [-x:sendbuffer] [-r:recvbuf
fer] [-b:asyncbuffers] [-w:windowsize] [host]

  -v              Suppresses display of remote server responses.
  -n              Suppresses auto-login upon initial connection.
  -i              Turns off interactive prompting during multiple file
                  transfers.
  -d              Enables debugging.
  -g              Disables filename globbing (see GLOB command).
  -s:filename     Specifies a text file containing FTP commands; the
                  commands will automatically run after FTP starts.
  -a              Use any local interface when binding data connection.
  -A              login as anonymous.
  -x:send sockbuf Overrides the default SO_SNDBUF size of 8192.
  -r:recv sockbuf Overrides the default SO_RCVBUF size of 8192.
  -b:async count  Overrides the default async count of 3
  -w:windowsize   Overrides the default transfer buffer size of 65535.
  host            Specifies the host name or IP address of the remote
                  host to connect to.

Notes:
  - mget and mput commands take y/n/q for yes/no/quit.
  - Use Control-C to abort commands.

In your case, you'll want to use the -s switch to feed it a script, including the login responses.

For example:

1. Create a script file (c:\scriptfile.txt) with the following contents:

   open
   servername_or_ip
   username
   password
   get
   /fullpath/thefile.txt
   c:\fullpath\thefile.txt
   quit
   

2. execute ftp with the -s switch and specify the script filename

   C:\>ftp -s:c:\scriptfile.txt
   

Here is another solution of how to download all files from a remote server folder to your local folder, using the command line and winscp scripting:

1. Download and install WinSCP: https://winscp.net/eng/download.php

2. Create a batch file e.g. "ftp-automate.bat" in a custom folder of your choice (e.g. "C:\customfolder").

3. Edit the batch file "ftp-automate.bat" and add this content:

@echo off
echo Starting WinSCP
"C:\Program Files (x86)\WinSCP\WinSCP.com" /script="C:\customfolder\winscp-script.txt"
echo WinSCP finished

4. Create the file "winscp-script.txt" in "C:\customfolder\winscp-script.txt" and add this content:

# Connect to SFTP server
open sftp://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOSTORIP
# Download remote to local folder
get /var/lib/myfolderofinterest/* C:\mylocalfolder\
# optional: Remove remote files (remove #)
# rm /var/lib/myfolderofinterest/*
# Exit WINSCP
exit

Of course, you have to replace USERNAME with your FTP username, PASSWORD with your FTP password and HOSTORIP with your domain (ftp.mydomain.com) or IP address (12.34.56.78).

Security Note: Make sure the above script file on your PC is safe because it contains the credentials (password) to your server!

Tip: You might want to use Windows Task Scheduler (Action > Create Basic Task) to run the batch file once a day.