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Learn how to download files from FTP servers while preserving their original last modified time. This guide provides step-by-step instructions using PowerShell.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/63414564/ asked by the user 'Lexxy' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/10767014/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/63421924/ provided by the user 'Julien' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/5855940/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Copy File from FTP and Preserve Original LastWriteTime

When dealing with files on an FTP server, you may encounter a common issue: how to download a file while preserving its original last modified timestamp. By default, when you download a file using common methods, the last modified time gets updated to the current time, which can be inconvenient if you need the original timestamp for record-keeping or auditing purposes. In this guide, we will explore a solution using PowerShell that allows you to overcome this problem.

The Problem

When you download files from an FTP server, the default behavior of many tools and programming libraries is to set the last write time of the downloaded file to the time of download. This is not ideal if you need to maintain the integrity of file timestamps, especially in scenarios involving logging, backups, or synchronization tasks.

The Solution

To retain the original last write time of the file from the FTP server, you will need to make two requests:

Retrieve the File's Timestamp: This will get you the last modified date of the file on the server.

Download the File: After obtaining the timestamp, download the file and then update its last modified time locally.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Here’s how you can do that using PowerShell:

1. Prepare Your Variables

You will start by defining some essential variables needed for the process:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

2. Retrieve the File's Original Last Modified Time

Next, you will need to create a web request to get the last modified timestamp of the file:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

3. Download the File

After you've retrieved the original last modified time, you can proceed to download the file:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

4. Update the Last Modified DateTime

Finally, update the last write time of the downloaded file to match that of the remote file:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can efficiently download files from an FTP server while preserving the original last modified timestamps. This ensures that you maintain the integrity of your file system and keep accurate records.

If you run into any issues or have further questions, feel free to reach out in the comments below!