Fetch Softworks

Fetch Help > Concepts > Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)

Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) are addresses for resources on the Internet: they specify what kind of resource the item is, what server it can be found on, and its name on that server. In the case of files and folders on FTP servers, an FTP URL has the following format:

If the username and password are omitted, the URL is assumed to refer to an anonymous FTP server. The port value is also optional. For example, the URL for a copy of Fetch on Fetch Softworks' FTP server would look like this:

If you omit the password from a URL, Fetch will prompt you for the password when necessary.

Fetch also supports URLs for SFTP and FTP with TLS/SSL FTP connections. In Fetch, these kinds of URLs are known as Fetch addresses. When WebView is set up, Fetch can also create and understand web addresses, which are HTTP URLs that are used to refer to files and webpages in web browsers. See below for more information about these URLs.

URLs were originally designed for use in the World Wide Web (WWW). Fetch uses URLs as part of its shortcuts, and can also use URLs in the New Connection, Edit Shortcut, and Get dialog. The Edit > Copy Fetch Address command copies an FTP URL for items selected in the file list or for the current folder to the clipboard. When WebView is set up for a server, the Edit > Copy Web Address command copies an HTTP URL for the selected items. Dragging files or folders from a file list to a text editor inserts a URL for those items. You can create shortcuts in Fetch Shortcuts or any shortcut list window by pasting or dragging a URL into the window.

Most Macintosh Internet programs can be used as URL helper applications. When you click on a link or URL in another program, it passes the URL to the appropriate helper application, which then retrieves the desired data or performs the desired action.

Fetch can be used as a helper for FTP, FTP with TLS/SSL, and SFTP URLs. To set Fetch as your default helper, use the Default FTP application and Default SFTP application pop-up menus in the General Preferences pane.

Other URL Formats

SFTP URLs are similar to FTP URLs, except they start with "sftp://".

FTP with TLS/SSL (FTPS) URLs are also similar to FTP URLs, except they start with "ftps://", and Fetch supports extensions to FTPS URLs in order to specify whether the connection should use encryption or not. An FTPS URL has the following format:

The <authtype> extension is optional, and should be "tls" if included; and <encryptiontype> can be either "p" (encrypted) or "c" (clear). If no <encryptiontype> extension is included, Fetch will assume the connection should be encrypted. An example FTPS URL would be:

When no port, or a port other than 990, is specified in an FTPS URL, Fetch will use the AUTH TLS method of connecting. You can specify SSL connect (implicit SSL) in a FTPS URL by using port 990:

Note that other file transfer clients may interpret FTPS URLs differently than Fetch.

HTTP URLs, or web addresses, usually start with "http://" or "https://" and usually do not include usernames. For example:

While Fetch cannot understand all web addresses or display all web content, when WebView is set up for a server, you can use the Copy Web Address command to copy a web address for selected items. You can also paste web addresses for that server in the New Connection dialog or the New Shortcut dialog to fill out the connection information, or in shortcut list windows to create shortcuts.