---
name: "CURLOPT_PREQUOTE"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "curl"
version: "8.23.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/CURLOPT_PREQUOTE"
---

# CURLOPT\_PREQUOTE(3)

commands to run before an FTP transfer

## NAME

CURLOPT\_PREQUOTE - commands to run before an FTP transfer

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_PREQUOTE,
                          struct curl_slist *cmds);
```

## DESCRIPTION

Pass a pointer to a linked list of FTP commands to pass to the server after the transfer type is set. The linked list should be a fully valid list of struct curl\_slist structs properly filled in as described for *[CURLOPT\_QUOTE(3)](/CURLOPT_QUOTE/3.md)*.

Using this option multiple times makes the last set string override the previous ones. Set it to NULL to disable its use again.

libcurl does not copy the list, it needs to be kept around until after the transfer has completed.

While *[CURLOPT\_QUOTE(3)](/CURLOPT_QUOTE/3.md)* and *[CURLOPT\_POSTQUOTE(3)](/CURLOPT_POSTQUOTE/3.md)* work for SFTP, this option does not.

## DEFAULT

NULL

## PROTOCOLS

This functionality affects ftp only

## EXAMPLE

```
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl;
  struct curl_slist *cmdlist = NULL;
  cmdlist = curl_slist_append(cmdlist, "SYST");
  curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode result;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "ftp://example.com/foo.bin");
    /* pass in the FTP commands to run */
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_PREQUOTE, cmdlist);
    result = curl_easy_perform(curl);
    curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
  }
  curl_slist_free_all(cmdlist);
}
```

## AVAILABILITY

Added in curl 7.9.5

## RETURN VALUE

*[curl\_easy\_setopt(3)](/curl_easy_setopt/3.md)* returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.

CURLE\_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error occurred, see *[libcurl-errors(3)](/libcurl-errors/3.md)*.

## SEE ALSO

[**CURLOPT\_POSTQUOTE**(3)](/CURLOPT_POSTQUOTE/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_QUOTE**(3)](/CURLOPT_QUOTE/3.md)