While I wait for my host to respond...

I use WinSCP to update my website continuously every 15 seconds or so and it is invoked by a batch file with an associated script from my weather software.

I haven't had a problem for a very long time now but this morning I got a message from one of the sites that use my data saying that it hadn't been updated (i.e. from my website content) for a couple of hours. True enough, when I checked my website it was showing a few hours old.

When I checked the website using the WinSCP console, from the updating system, and tried to access my root folder (/public_html) it took me to a folder called ??? which contained the files that would normally be sent to the root folder but nothing else. It is obvious that the same thing was happening with the script as the update files were in the ??? folder. I rebooted the system, restarted my weather app. and it made no difference.

When I checked the website using the WinSCP console, from my laptop, and tried to access my root folder it was fine.

I copied the updating files across to my laptop and and updated the website fine using WinSCP.

IP addresses are the same, access via WinSCP is essentially the same, so, any ideas why it would react differently?

Well it looks as if some interaction between WinSCP and my host is failing, particularly as I am unable to access the directory in batch or control panel mode and yet I have no problem from my laptop. I can access the folder ok using the host's cpanel facility, from the updating system, too.

So, no one has any idea why WinSCP, after working fine for years, every 15 seconds, and without any (user) changes, decides to FTP to a spurious folder called ??? as opposed to the one specified in the script and won't enable access to the correct folder through the control panel but shows the ??? folder instead and yet there is no problem using WinSCP from another system on the same network?

My host HostPapa are useless. They are looking at my emails with 24 hour intervals, not reading the content, and offering ridiculous responses. This is the latest...

"If you will use the cpanel user name and password to login WinSCP will access the xxxx (my root) and will list the files under it. You will just have to select the correct path where you want to upload the files."

I don't know if this is a host problem or a WinSCP problem but why would WinSCP suddenly start writing to a folder called ??? in batch mode, instead of the folder that it has been writing to for a couple of years and, from it's console, jump from the correct folder, when selected, to the ??? folder?

I am now having to use my laptop (from which WinSCP appears to access the folders correctly) to occasionally move the files from the ??? folder (and another folder that I have now created under it) to the correct folder(s).

So, using the WinSCP console from the problem system, I have deleted the ??? folder and when I try to access the public_html folder it says \\??? doesn't exist. I can access all the other folders ok.

No one any ideas why WinSCP is behaving like this when, from my laptop, I have no problem accessing the public_html folder?

Ummm didn't I just see a request to send an email and I would get a debug version? I lost internet, came back and it had disappeared.

Anyway, I have used FileZilla from the problem system and from my laptop. The latter accesses it fine but the former shows "Unable to access directory listing" message when it logs in. I'm still none the wiser whether this is a local problem or a host problem.

ok, I have made a suggested mod to the settings for FileZilla and now that logs in and accesses the public_html folder fine.

so... it appears that the problem is with WinSCP accessing my site but again, whether it is a change that HostPapa have made or whether there is a glitch in WinSCP, who knows.

To reiterate, after using WinSCP for years to transmit my files to the public_html folder every 15 seconds without a problem, suddenly it appears to be failing to access the public_html folder and is putting to the ??? folder and, when attempting to access the public_html folder via the WinSCP console, it is being directed to the ??? folder. And, this is only a problem with my updating system not with three other systems on the same network.

Any idea why?

Another 24 hours and HostPapa's daily email response shows a total lack of understanding of what the problem is...

To reiterate, after using WinSCP for years to transmit my files to the public_html folder every 15 seconds without a problem, suddenly it appears to be failing to access the public_html folder and is putting to the ??? folder and, when attempting to access the public_html folder via the WinSCP console, it is being directed to the ??? folder. And, this is only a problem with my updating system not with three other systems on the same network.

Any idea why?

Please attach a full log file showing the problem (using the latest version of WinSCP).

Attached log.

WinSCP run in console mode and remote folder public_ftp automatically displayed. Presumably because that was the last one accessed previously. Then I choose .. to go up to the root. Then I choose public_html and it displays the contents of ???

The relevant line appears to be "Cached directory change via "public_html" to "//???"."

From all other systems, I am able to access public_html.

Well, I've lost five days worth of data and I cannot get any sort of reasonable response, least of all from HostPapa, so I may as well shut down my website. Pity, after so many years. Oh, well.

Looks like a cache of WinSCP is corrupted. Please go to Commands > Clear Caches.

Posted before I saw your post.

Oh well, who to blame?

I installed WinSCP in a completely separate directory this time and was able to access public_html fine.

I moved my bat and script files across to that directory, changed my weather software to invoke the batch file from there and WinSCP put to the ??? directory again.

The only difference between the two local WinSCP folders was that there was an additional WinSCP settings file in the first of the two.

it looks like the offending line might be...

[Configuration\CDCache]
userid@IP address=412F70756........................

...but, anyway, I removed (renamed) the settings file and WinSCP ran fine from the new directory.

I guess my questions are...
1. why was the spurious ??? folder created in the first place?
2. why did WinSCP put it into the settings file?
3. why doesn't my cd override the directory in the settings file?
4. why does a version of WinSCP in a completely separate directory pick up the settings file from the old directory?
5. why, when I used console mode from the new WinSCP, was I able to access the public_html folder but was not able to from the old WinSCP console?

I guess after 4.25 million invocations of WinSCP, I shouldn't complain.