Using the Clipboard to Transfer

You can use the Windows clipboard to copy and paste a URL directly into CuteFTP with the Connect to URL feature. This allows you to connect to a Site, or if specified, download a file.

  1. In a browser or Windows application, copy the URL to the clipboard (i.e., press CTRL+C). The URL may be general (ftp://www.globalscape.com) or specific (ftp://www.globalscape.com/pub/cuteftp/cute2632.exe).

  2. In CuteFTP, on the main menu, click File > Connect > Connect to URL (or press CTRL+U). The Connect to URL dialog box appears.

  3. Paste the URL into the Connect to URL dialog box (i.e., press CTRL+V).

  4. Click OK. CuteFTP parses the URL and connects to the Site or, if specified, starts downloading the file.

The URLs that you paste into the Connect to URL dialog box are saved for future sessions. Then you can just press CTRL+U, then click the down arrow to select the URL.

The following formats are supported:

  • ftp://user:pass@host.host.com:port

  • ftp://user:pass@host.host.com

  • ftp://user@host.host.com

  • ftp://host.host.com:port

  • ftp://host.host.com

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub l: user p: pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub:44 l: user p: pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub port:44 l: user p: pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub l/p: user/pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub:44 l/p: user/pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub p:44 l/p: user/pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub port:44 l/p: user/pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub l: user p: pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub:44 l: user p: pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub p:44 l: user p: pass

  • ftp://ftp.sitename.com/pub port:44 l: user p: pass

  • ftp://[any of the above formats]/pathnametofile/[optional filename]

CuteFTP also accepts http, https, sftp, and ftps URLs.

Pasting an URL Directly into the Transfer Engine

The Paste URL feature is also accessible from the Transfer Engine icon in the Windows system tray.

  1. Right-click the TE icon, then click Download URL. The Download URL dialog box appears.

  2. Paste the URL into the Download URL dialog box, then click OK. The TE attempts to download the URL regardless of whether the URL specifies a path to a folder or a file.

Depending on the URL you paste, CuteFTP tries to connect and navigate to the specified folder or attempts to download the item. In the table is a sample of path endings and how CuteFTP handles them.

Path endings

Interpretation

Action Attempted

ftp://host/dir.ext/

A folder

Connection

host/.ext/

A folder

Connection

host/dir/

A folder

Connection

host/dir

A folder

Connection

host/dir.ext

A file

Download

host/.ext

A file

Download