Re: [bug-inetutils] ftpd returns 550 to NLST

[M E Andersson]

onsdag den  6 juli 2011 klockan 21:25 skrev Andrew Stevenson detta:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> If you NLST a non-existent file ftpd returns a 550 error. RFC 959 does not
> list 550 as a valid return code - IIUC the intended behaviour is to return
> an empty list.

I disagree regarding the last claim, meaning I find the text inconclusive.

The text states 450 as the only allowed negative reply.

However, the category 4xy is expressing a temporary condition like
a busy or locked file. A message expressing a permanently missing
file should be found in the message class 5xy. This was the path
chosen by the original Netkit code and is presently continued also
by GNU Inetutils. The FTP server of OpenBSD continues this design
decision, as does linux-ftpd (available in Debian).

In contrast, ProFTPD replies with a 450 message, whereas Pureftpd
responds with 226 and expresses naught matching names in total.

> I would guess the change would have to happen in send_file_list...it's not
> very elegant but perhaps pass in a flag indicating if ENOENT should be
> considered an error or not?

Best regards,
  M E A