¶ Description
List files on a SFTP/FTP server
¶ Parameters
Parameters:
- URL : SFTP URL to the target directory
- Files names filter : Glob-style pattern applied to listed names. Examples:
*,*.csv,2025-*-orders-*.zip.
Start with*to validate the connection returns rows. - Optional: login : SFTP username.
- Optional: password : SFTP password (masked).
- Emit an error if the transfer fails : If ON, non-zero cURL status fails the step (recommended).
- Debug information level : Logging verbosity. Start with basic; switch to verbose for connection issues.
- Optional: extra parameters for cURL : Extra cURL flags (advanced). Usually unnecessary here.
¶ Description tab
See dedicated page for more information.
¶ Code tab
scanDir is a scripted action. Embedded code is accessible and customizable through this tab.
¶ Configuration tab
See dedicated page for more information.
¶ About
sftpListFiles lists files in a remote SFTP directory and returns them as rows in the data stream. It wraps cURL under the hood (using SFTP) and supports simple wildcard filters (e.g., *, *.csv, 2025-10-*.zip). Use it to discover files before downloading or archiving them.
Typical uses
- Build a daily file-ingestion loop: list → filter → download.
- Check if new files arrived in a drop folder.
- Generate audits/inventories of remote directories.
Caveats
- The URL must point to a directory (usually ending with
/). - Authentication is required for most servers.
- Filtering is client-side: an overly strict pattern can yield an empty table.
¶ Prerequisites
- Network egress to the SFTP host on port 22.
- An SFTP account with list permission on the target folder.
- If using a corporate proxy or strict firewall, allowlist the SFTP host.
¶ Input Requirements
- Pin 0: (no input required).
The action produces a table of filenames by itself.
Partitioning
- Not applicable (no input). You can still run it inside partitioned flows as a single step.
¶ How It Works
- Builds a cURL SFTP command that lists directory contents (
--list-only). - Applies the Files names filter to the returned names.
- Emits one row per matched entry.
What the action emits
- Data tab: a table with one column (commonly
file) listing matched names.
Some servers include.and..; you can filter these out downstream.
¶ Minimal Setup to Run
- URL:
sftp://test.rebex.net/pub/example/ - Filter:
* - Login:
demo - Password:
password - Emit error: ON
- Debug: basic
¶ Step-by-Step Run Instructions
- Open the node.
- Set URL to
sftp://test.rebex.net/pub/example/. - Set Filter to
*. - Enter Login =
demo, Password =password. - Toggle Emit error ON; Debug = basic.
- Click Run.
¶ Output
-
Data: a list of files from the remote directory. In the demo run you should see entries like:
imap-console-client.pngKeyGenerator.pngreadme.txt- …and others.
Post-Run Validation
- Row count > 0 with
*filter. - If you switch to
*.txt, only.txtnames should remain. - No connection/auth errors in the Log (exit code
0).
¶ Troubleshooting
-
Auth failed (status 67)
Re-enter Login/Password; confirm the account can list that directory. -
Couldn’t connect (status 7) or timeout (28)
Port 22 blocked or host unreachable. Test from another network or ask to allowlist the host. -
No rows returned
- Ensure URL ends with
/and points to a folder you can access. - Relax Files names filter to
*to test. - Some servers include
.and..; filter them out downstream if needed.
- Ensure URL ends with
-
TLS/hostkey warnings
Rare with SFTP via cURL; if you see strict hostkey messages in your environment, contact infra or test with Debug information level = verbose to capture details.
¶ Use Cases & Tips
- Chain
sftpListFiles→ filter/regex →downloadFileto pull only the newest files. - Keep Emit an error if the transfer fails ON to fail fast when folders disappear or credentials change.
- For predictable runs, standardize naming on the server side so
Files names filterremains stable (YYYY-MM-DD_*.csv, etc.).
