SFTP Download of Single Files in Root Fails When Login Directory Is Root Folder
Posted: 04 Dec 2025 00:29
I’ve run into a reproducible issue (at least on my end) with SFTP in RJ TextEd when my FTP/SFTP user login lands directly in the site’s root directory (public_html). FTP can be made to work with a workaround, but SFTP consistently fails.
Symptoms (SFTP)
I can connect via SFTP, browse folders, and upload files normally.
Single-file downloads in the root folder appear to succeed but never show up in the local folder.
Folder synchronization works for subfolders. Using “Synchronize Info…” on any root-level file causes an “out of bounds” error and crashes RJ TextEd.
The Remote Folder path cannot be selected or typed when the login directory is the server home path — RJ doesn’t allow selecting the folder I’m already in.
Workaround (FTP only)
I can get FTP (not SFTP) to work using this odd sequence:
Create a new FTP connection.
When RJ prompts me to choose a remote folder, it won’t let me select the login directory (/public_html).
I must purposely select a different/incorrect folder to make the Open button available.
After saving, I manually edit the remote path to /public_html.
FTP downloads now work. (But only if Passive Mode is OFF. With Passive Mode ON, RJ hangs.)
Even with matching settings, SFTP still cannot download root-level files.
All of these connections (same host, same login, same root folder, same paths) work fine in FileZilla for both FTP and SFTP, so the issue appears specific to RJ TextEd’s handling of SFTP root-folder logins, remote path selection, and file downloads at the login directory level.
I do have SFTP working as expected in RJ but only on servers where my FTP login does NOT drop me right into the public_html folder.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Symptoms (SFTP)
I can connect via SFTP, browse folders, and upload files normally.
Single-file downloads in the root folder appear to succeed but never show up in the local folder.
Folder synchronization works for subfolders. Using “Synchronize Info…” on any root-level file causes an “out of bounds” error and crashes RJ TextEd.
The Remote Folder path cannot be selected or typed when the login directory is the server home path — RJ doesn’t allow selecting the folder I’m already in.
Workaround (FTP only)
I can get FTP (not SFTP) to work using this odd sequence:
Create a new FTP connection.
When RJ prompts me to choose a remote folder, it won’t let me select the login directory (/public_html).
I must purposely select a different/incorrect folder to make the Open button available.
After saving, I manually edit the remote path to /public_html.
FTP downloads now work. (But only if Passive Mode is OFF. With Passive Mode ON, RJ hangs.)
Even with matching settings, SFTP still cannot download root-level files.
All of these connections (same host, same login, same root folder, same paths) work fine in FileZilla for both FTP and SFTP, so the issue appears specific to RJ TextEd’s handling of SFTP root-folder logins, remote path selection, and file downloads at the login directory level.
I do have SFTP working as expected in RJ but only on servers where my FTP login does NOT drop me right into the public_html folder.
Thanks in advance for any advice!