Downloading a folder with phpseclib Net_SFTP.get does not work - php

Question

I am trying to access a file in an SFTP folder server using phpseclib. But when I try using $sftp->get, it returns false. I am not sure how to debug the problem at all.
public function get_file_from_ftps_server()
{
$sftp = new \phpseclib\Net\SFTP(getenv('INSTRUM_SERVER'));
if (!$sftp->login(getenv('INSTRUM_USERNAME'), getenv('INSTRUM_PASSWORD'))) {
exit('Login Failed');
}
$this->load->helper('file');
$root = dirname(dirname(__FILE__));
$root .= '/third_party/collections_get/';
$path_to_server = 'testdownload/';
$result = $sftp->get($path_to_server, $root);
var_dump($result);
}
In the $result, I get a false and I am not sure why its happening, I read their documentation but still not sure. Root is the directory where I want my information to be stored. Right now I only added a trial.xml file there, but also wondering how can I get multiple files if its in the folder.
Here is a picture of the server structure:

Answer 1

Normally when I use sftp, I normally change directory and then try to download the information.
$sftp->pwd(); // This will show you are in the root after connection.
$sftp->chdir('./testdownload'); // this will go inside the test directory.
$get_path = $sftp->pwd()
//If you want to download multiple data, use
$x = $sftp->nlist();
//Loop through `x` and then download the file using.
$result = $sftp->get($get_path); // Normally I use the string information that is returned and then download using
file_put_contents($root, $result);
// Root is your directory, and result is the string.

Answer 2

The Net_SFTP.get method can download a single file only. You cannot use it to download a whole directory.
If you want to download whole directory, you have to use one of the "list" methods (Net_SFTP.nlist or Net_SFTP.rawlist) to retrieve list of files and then download the files one-by-one.

Answer 3

<?php
use phpseclib\Net\SFTP;
$sftp = new SFTP("server");
if(!$sftp->login("username", "password")) {
throw new Exception("Connection failed");
}
// The directory you want to download the contents of
$sftp->chdir("/remote/system/path/");
// Loop through each file and download
foreach($sftp->nlist() as $file) {
if($file != "." && $file != "..")
$sftp->get("/remote/system/path/$file", "/local/system/path/$file");
}
?>

Answer 4

I'm a bit late but nonetheless I wanted to share this.
The approach I take is to use zip files to download folders. The reason for this is that you will have a feedback that something is being downloaded.
If you don't want that, simply remove the things related to zip. Then, remove the headers and replace them with $sftp->get("remote/file", "local/file");
<?PHP
use phpseclib\Net\SFTP;
$sftp = new SFTP("IP:Port");
if(!$sftp->login("username", "password")) throw new Exception("Connection failed");
# Create directory variable
$directory = "/remote/path/";
# Set directory
$sftp->chdir($directory);
# File Name
$name = 'file';
# Retrieve file
$file = $sftp->get('file');
# Check if is folder
if ($sftp->is_dir($file)) {
# Temporarily file
$tmp = sys_get_temp_dir()."\\yourSite_".rand().".zip";
# Create new Zip Archive.
$zip = new ZipArchive();
# Open new Zip file
$zip->open($tmp, ZipArchive::CREATE | ZipArchive::OVERWRITE);
function recursive($src, $zip, $sftp) {
# Loop Through files
foreach ($sftp->nlist($src) as $file) {
# Skip . & ..
if ($file == "." || $file == "..") continue;
if (!$sftp->is_file($src . "/" . $file)) {
# Make directory
$zip->addEmptyDir($src . "/" . $file);
# Run the loop again
recursive($src . "/" . $file, $zip, $sftp);
} else {
# Add file to zip within folder
$zip->addFromString($src . "/" . $file, $sftp->get($src . "/" . $file));
}
}
}
# Run Recursive loop
recursive($name, $zip, $sftp);
# Close zip file
$zip->close();
header('Content-Description', 'File Transfer');
header('Content-type', 'application/zip');
header('Content-Disposition', 'attachment; filename="' . $name . '.zip"');
header('Content-length', filesize($tmp));
echo file_get_contents($tmp);
# Delete temporarily file
unlink($tmp);
return;
}
# Otherwise download single file
header("Content-Description: File Transfer");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=\"". $name ."\"");
echo $file;
return;