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AnyClient: Multi-protocol File Transfer Freeware

AnyClient

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AnyClient (Version: 4.2.1.57 tested) is a java based FTP client that also features some other not often supported protocols. These are FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3 and AFTP by JSCAPE, AnyClient’s own developers.

AnyClient

AnyClient features a standard two pane interface with an area to show or log transfers and a debug section. First thing to do, of course, is to set up login details by using the Site Manager (File —>Site Manager). The Site Manager features options to preserve time stamps when downloading and uploading, though this is often the case anyway. Here AnyClient also features settings and support for proxy servers and PGP decryption.

Back in the main interface of the program there is one interesting feature that can prove useful. The right most icon under the local system pane is called ‘Zip upload’. Here AnyClient supports choosing several files from the local machine side (via Ctrl+Click) and creating a zip file within the program and uploading them compressed.

AnyClient requires the Java Runtime Environment 1.5 or newer and it should run on all Windows versions.

Have a look at the comments section of the recently reviewed dropf for some other possible file transfer options suggested by regular visitor Asen.

Comments

2 responses to “AnyClient: Multi-protocol File Transfer Freeware”

  1. Asen Anastassov Avatar
    Asen Anastassov

    Although Java-based AnyClient is a decent FTP client, I would say even very good because of its broad protocol support, as far as I know there are only two other FTP clients that support WebDAV (BitKinex and CyberDuck). AnyClient has improved a lot recently, especially the site manager that now provides more options, before version 4 the users could not customize the local and remote directories. Now it supports drag & drop which makes it ever handier. It offers also themes (I prefer ‘bedouin’ theme). The on-the-fly compression (called Mode Z) is a great feature as well (I never expected to find it in a Java FTP client). By the way AnyClient can even check for updates automatically. It is a bit heavy on resources compared to other FTP clients but since it is written in Java this is normal. For me its main disadvantage is that the user cannot re-arrange the accounts in site manager nor can AnyClient sort them automatically in alphabetical order (it would be nice if it was possible to move the accounts using drag & drop or via ALT+arrow keys, I am used to have all my accounts stored alphabetically). In fact I do not need AnyClient but I have it (I like to test FTP clients and download managers especially) because it is good and it proves that a Java program is not necessary to be awful. In fact the WebDAV support makes AnyClient even more powerful than FileZilla and WinSCP since the users can use AnyClient to manage services (Box.net, HiDrive, MyDrive, etc) that does not support FTP connections but only WebDAV. In conclusion, although a bit basic AnyClient is a surprisingly good FTP client with some nice features. It is in constant development and with every new release it becomes better and better. It is really a good alternative to both commercial and free FTP clients and its WebDAV support makes it almost unique.

  2. RG Avatar
    RG

    Great points and info, thanks Asen. High resources and Java always go hand in hand, you are right. In the short time using AnyClient I am pretty impressed as well.

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