Create FTP-Connected Business Apps in AppSheet

AppSheet provides a no-code development platform for application software, which allows users to create mobile, tablet, and web applications. When paired with CData Connect Server, you get instant access to FTP data for business applications. This article shows how to create a virtual database for FTP in Connect Server and build a simple app from FTP data in AppSheet.

CData Connect Server provides a pure SQL Server interface for FTP, allowing you to easily build reports from live FTP data in AppSheet — without replicating the data to a natively supported database. As you build visualizations, AppSheet generates SQL queries to gather data. Using optimized data processing out of the box, CData Connect Server pushes all supported SQL operations (filters, JOINs, etc) directly to FTP, leveraging server-side processing to quickly return the requested FTP data.

Create a Virtual SQL Server Database for FTP Data

CData Connect Server uses a straightforward, point-and-click interface to connect to data sources and generate APIs.

1. Login to Connect Server and click Connections.
2. Select "FTP" from Available Data Sources.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to FTP.

   To connect to FTP or SFTP servers, specify at least RemoteHost and FileProtocol. Specify the port with RemotePort.

   Set User and Password to perform Basic authentication. Set SSHAuthMode to use SSH authentication. See the Getting Started section of the data provider help documentation for more information on authenticating via SSH.

   Set SSLMode and SSLServerCert to secure connections with SSL.

   The data provider lists the tables based on the available folders in your FTP server. Set the following connection properties to control the relational view of the file system:

   • RemotePath: Set this to the current working directory.
   • TableDepth: Set this to control the depth of folders to list as views.
   • FileRetrievalDepth: Set this to retrieve and list files recursively from the root table.

   Stored Procedures are available to download files, upload files, and send protocol commands. See the Data Model chapter of the FTP data provider documentation for more information.

4. Click Save Changes
5. Click Privileges -> Add and add the new user (or an existing user) with the appropriate permissions.

With the virtual database created, you are ready to connect to FTP data from AppSheet.

Connect to FTP in AppSheet

The steps below outline connecting to CData Connect Server from AppSheet to create a new FTP data source.

1. Log into AppSheet.
2. Click the letter icon in the top-right corner, then select Account Settings.
3. Click the Sources tab and click + New Data Source. Then, select Cloud Database.
4. Set the connection information to the following:
   • Type: SQLServer
   • Server: the endpoint for your instance, including port, for example, CONNECT_SERVER_URL,3306
   • Database: the virtual database, for example, FTP1
   • Username: a Connect Server user with permissions for the database
   • Password: the password for the above Connect Server user
   • SSL: Require SSL
5. Click Test. Then, click Authorize Access.

Create an App

Once you create the data source for FTP, you can start building apps on FTP data.

1. Start by clicking + Create -> App -> Start with existing data.
2. Name the app and select an appropriate category, based on your data. Then, click Choose your data.
3. Select the newly created data source (e.g., FTP1).
4. Select the table or view with the data you want.

At this point, you can configure the design of your app, selecting which columns from the selected table to display, use as labels, and more. Preview the app in the preview panel and then publish or share it when ready.

To get SQL data access to 200+ SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources directly from your applications, try the CData Connect Server.