A4 Command Reference

Important: On Windows, mtime and atime may be affected when the system automatically adjusts for Daylight Savings Time (DST). For details, see the Microsoft KB article, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129574.

Note: As of version 3.3, datagram size can also be enforced by setting <datagram_size> in aspera.conf on the server. If size is set with both -Z (client side) and <datagram_size> (server side), the server setting is used. If the client-side is pre-3.3, datagram size is determined by the -Z setting, regardless of the server-side setting for <datagram_size>. In this case, if there is no -Z setting, datagram size is based on the discovered MTU and the server logs the message "LOG Peer client doesn't support alternative datagram size".

-N pattern

• * (asterisk) represents zero or more characters in a string, for example *.tmp matches .tmp and abcde.tmp.
• ? (question mark) represents a single character, for example t?p matches tmp but not temp.

Rules are applied in the order they are encountered, with the first rule taking precedence.

• fixed – Attempts to transfer at the specified target rate, regardless of the actual network capacity. This policy transfers at a constant rate and finishes in a guaranteed time. This policy typically occupies most of the network's bandwidth, and is not recommended in most file transfer scenarios. In fixed mode, a maximum (target) rate value is required.
• high – Monitors the network and adjusts the transfer rate to fully utilize the available bandwidth up to the maximum rate. When congestion occurs, a it transfers at a rate twice of a session with fair policy. In this mode, both the maximum (target) and the minimum transfer rates are required.
• fair – Monitors the network and adjusts the transfer rate to fully utilize the available bandwidth up to the maximum rate. When other types of traffic build up and congestion occurs, it shares bandwidth fairly by transferring at an even rate. In this mode, both the maximum (target) and the minimum transfer rates are required.
• low – Similar to fair mode, the low policy uses the available bandwidth up to the maximum rate, but is much less aggressive when sharing bandwidth with other network traffic. When congestion builds up, the transfer rate is reduced to the minimum rate until other traffic retreats.

If --policy is set on the command line, it will be reflected in the GUI. If no related options are specified on the command line, ascp4 uses the server-side policy setting (fair by default).

• follow – Follow symbolic links and transfer the linked files.
• copy – Copy only the alias file. If a file with the same name exists on the destination, the symbolic link will not be copied.
• skip – Skip the symbolic links.

For example, the directory /clips on the remote computer contains the following folders and files:

/clips/outgoing/file1
/clips/outgoing/folderA/file2
/clips/outgoing/folderB/file3 

In this case, to transfer all folders and files in /clips/outgoing (but not /outgoing itself) to the /incoming directory at the destination, run the following command:

> ascp4 -d --src-base=/clips/outgoing/ root@10.0.0.1:/clips/outgoing/ /incoming  

Result: The following folders and files appear in /incoming at the destination:

(docroot)/incoming/file1
(docroot)/incoming/folderA/file2
(docroot)/incoming/folderB/file3 

Files outside of the source base (for example, /temp/file4) are not transferred, and warnings are generated.

Without --src-base

If --src-base is not used, and the source item is a folder, the contents of the folder are transferred, along with the folder itself. For example:

> ascp4 -d root@10.0.0.1:/clips/outgoing/ /incoming  

Result:

(docroot)/incoming/outgoing/file1
(docroot)/incoming/outgoing/folderA/file2
(docroot)/incoming/outgoing/folderB/file3

> ascp4 -d root@10.0.0.1:/clips/outgoing/file1 root@10.0.0.1:/clips/outgoing/folderA/file2 /incoming

Result:

(docroot)/incoming/file1
(docroot)/incoming/file2

• src
• src2
• ...
• srcN

Important: Multiple --file-list options are not supported in a single ascp4 command. If multiple file lists are specified, all but the last will be ignored. In addition, you cannot also include file names on the command line when you use --file-list. Only files from the file list will be transferred.

Note: This option requires the transfer user be authenticated as a superuser.

Note: This option requires the transfer user be authenticated as a superuser.

• always – Always overwrite the file.
• never – Never overwrite the file. If the destination contains partial files that are older or the same as the source files and resume is enabled, the partial files resume transfer. Partial files with checksums or sizes that differ from the source files are not overwritten.
• diff – Overwrite if the file is different from the source, depending on the compare method (default is size). If resume is not enabled, partial files are overwritten if they are different from the source, otherwise they are skipped. If resume is enabled, only partial files with different sizes or checksums from the source are overwritten. otherwise they are resumed.
• diff+older – Overwrite if the destination is older and different from the source, depending on the compare method (default is size). If resume is not enabled, partial files are overwritten if they are older and different from the source, otherwise they are skipped. If resume is enabled, only partial files that are different and older than the source are overwritten, otherwise they are resumed.
• older – Overwrite if the destination timestamp is older than the source timestamp.

• -k 0: Always retransfer the entire file (same as --overwrite=always).
• -k 1: Check file modification time and size and resume if they match (same as --overwrite=diff --compare=size --resume).
• -k 2: Check sparse checksum and resume if they match (same as --overwrite=diff --compare=md5-sparse --resume).
• -k 3: Check full checksum and resume if they match (same as --overwrite=diff --compare=md5 --resume).

--exclude-older-than=mtime