Python pysftp get_r from Linux works fine on Linux but not on Windows

linux, pysftp, python, sftp, windows

Solution

Indeed, pysftp `get_r` does not work on Windows. It uses `os.sep` and `os.path` functions for remote SFTP paths, what is wrong, as SFTP paths always use a forward slash.

But you can easily implement a portable replacement.

import os
from stat import S_ISDIR, S_ISREG

def get_r_portable(sftp, remotedir, localdir, preserve_mtime=False):
    for entry in sftp.listdir_attr(remotedir):
        remotepath = remotedir + "/" + entry.filename
        localpath = os.path.join(localdir, entry.filename)
        mode = entry.st_mode
        if S_ISDIR(mode):
            try:
                os.mkdir(localpath)
            except OSError:     
                pass
            get_r_portable(sftp, remotepath, localpath, preserve_mtime)
        elif S_ISREG(mode):
            sftp.get(remotepath, localpath, preserve_mtime=preserve_mtime)

Use it like:

get_r_portable(sftp, '/abc/def/ghi/klm/mno', 'C:\\pqr', preserve_mtime=False) 

Note that the above code can be easily modified to work with Paramiko directly, in case you do not want to use pysftp. The Paramiko `SFTPClient` class also has the `listdir_attr` and `get` methods. The only difference is that the Paramiko's `get` does not have the `preserve_mtime` parameter/functionality (but it can be implemented easily, if you need it).

And you should use Paramiko instead of pysftp, as pysftp seems to be a dead project. See pysftp vs. Paramiko.

Possible modifications of the code:

- Do not download empty folders while downloading from SFTP server using Python

- Download files from SFTP server that are older than 5 days using Python

- How to sync only the changed files from the remote directory using pysftp?

For a similar question about `put_r`, see: Python pysftp put_r does not work on Windows

Side note: Do not "disable host key checking". You are losing a protection against MITM attacks.

For a correct solution, see Verify host key with pysftp.

Problem

Original source

Related problems

• pysftp vs. Paramiko
• Verify host key with pysftp
• How to sync only the changed files from the remote directory using pysftp?