Monitoring File Transfers with SmartFTP

Of all the FTP clients, SmartFTP has the most robust and unique set of tools for monitoring your file transfers. SmartFTP offers several components to keep you apprised of your file transfers:

• The Message Log
• The Transfer Queue
• The Speed pane
• The Statistics Pop-up
• Event Pop-ups

All of the monitoring tools can be accessed from the View menu.

The Message Log (Remote Browser)

One of the neat things about SmartFTP is its ability to connect to more than one FTP site at a time. Therefore, each Remote Browser window has its own message log.

Remember that you can turn the Remote Browser's windows on and off. However, setting them to Auto Hide will probably offer you the greatest flexibility.

The message log is used to show a detailed, command-by-command view of the file transfer. When you are having a problem with a transfer, then this is probably the place to look. However, you will probably find that the window is a bit small to work with, and that it cannot be docked outside of the Remote Browser window. To overcome this problem, you'll want to export the log:

1. Go to the main menu: File - Settings.

2. The Settings dialog opens

3. Go to the General - Advanced dialog.

4. Check Enable transfer log.

5. Check Enable connection log.

6. Restart SmartFTP for the settings to take effect.

By default, the logs can be found in the %localappdata%\SmartFTP\Client 2.0\Log folder: The Connection sub-folder contains the logs for each underlying connection. The Transfer Queue sub-folder contains the log for each transfer. This is the same log that can be obtained through the the Transfer Queue pane (see below).

Transfer Queue logs in the Transfer Queue pane:

1. Double-click the task in task list in the Transfer Queue pane.

2. The task details view will open

3. Right-click on the item and select Show log from the context menu.

4. Copy text and save in Notes or Document.

5. Give the saved log file a meaningful name.

6. E.g.: Fred's upload 01-Apri1-2010

SmartFTP's developers have done a great job of de-geek-ifying FTP messages. Here's some actual examples:

If you are ever having trouble connecting and you cannot figure out why, the message log will almost certainly, tell you exactly what is going on.

• At ExaVault, we speak fluent FTP-ese. Feel free to send in a copy of your message log to support@exavault.com.

The Transfer Queue

The Transfer Queue is the pane that appears at the bottom of the SmartFTP application window. The transfer queue is what you watch while a file is transferring.

During an active transfer, you'll see information about:

• The file names being transferred.
• The size of files being transferred.
• The destination (and folder) of the files being transferred.
• the average speed of the file transfer.
• The current speed of the file transfer.

You can also right click on the column headers and select the columns that you want to appear in the Transfer Queue.

The Speed Pane

The Speed Pane essentially shows you: A line graph of how fast your files are transferring. As a file is being transferred, you get to see the peaks of speed.

• The Speed pane will give you a long term picture while transferring a large queue of files.

To turn on (or off) the Speed Pane, click the View menu > Check (or uncheck) Speed.

Sound Events

One of the best tools that SmartFTP offers to monitor files is the Sound Events. Using Sound Events give you a message box and sound when something important happens. There are a number of events that you'll probably want to enable (E.g. Queue Complete) so that you make the best use of your time.

Sound Events are enabled in the Settings window:

1. Select File - Settings. The Settings dialog appears.

2. From the Settings dialog under General select Events. From the Events tab select the Event you want to apply the sound to by highlighting it.

3. Click the checkbox to show notification and click OK.