Dial and FTP Files On Microsoft Windows With Perl

[john2]

I have a Perl application that uses the DOS program Rasdial95 to open the Microsoft Windows dialer program to connect to the internet. The application FTP's files back and forth using the Perl FTP module. After connecting and disconnecting a few times with Microsoft Dialer, the dialer program locks up.

The FTP portion of the application is written in Perl. I would like to replace the Microsoft Dialer program with a Perl module, perl code or another program written in any language.

 

[MikeLacey]

Have you tried it without using rasdialler at all? You can set a dialup connection to remember the password and connect automatically... Would that meet your needs or do you need to use a particular dialup connection?

Mike
michael.j.lacey@ntlworld.com

http://www.cargill.com/

 

[john2]

I would like to bypass the Windows dialer if possible.

I found this thread on the perlmonks.org forum and it describes how to dial.

http://www.perlmonks.org/index.pl?node_id=37633&lastnode_id=864

One of the messages describes module Win32::RASE to bypass the the DOS Rasdial95.exe program and control the Windows dialer directly. Another message on the forum describes how to dialup using Unix.

I will try the Windows module first in a day or two. If this doesn't solve the problem then I will have to modify the Unix program to work with Microsoft Windows.

 

[MikeLacey]

I'm not sure I understand you -- what is stopping you from setting the dialup connection to connect automatically and then, from within your perl script, just using IP -- that will trigger the dialup connection.

Mike
michael.j.lacey@ntlworld.com

http://www.cargill.com/

 

[john2]

Th current application uses a shareware DOS program called RasDail95 to launch Microsoft Dialup Networking. Then it logs into a server and FTP's files.

If you put these two lines in a loop, the Microsoft Dialer will stop returning results or lock up after several tries.

$results = `rasdial95 $phone_number`;  # To connect
$results = `rasdial95 /disconnect`;    # To disconnect

There were references on some Microsoft forums about a memory leak that could cause the dialer to lockup. I am trying to figure out how to use Perl to bypass the dialer to dial a phone number directly, log into the server then FTP the files. The module Win32::RASE also uses the Microsoft Dialer.