Index: /home/im/projects/jakarta-commons/net/src/java/examples/ftp.java
===================================================================
--- /home/im/projects/jakarta-commons/net/src/java/examples/ftp.java	(revision 331835)
+++ /home/im/projects/jakarta-commons/net/src/java/examples/ftp.java	(working copy)
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import org.apache.commons.net.ftp.FTP;
 import org.apache.commons.net.ftp.FTPClient;
 import org.apache.commons.net.ftp.FTPConnectionClosedException;
+import org.apache.commons.net.ftp.FTPFile;
 import org.apache.commons.net.ftp.FTPReply;
 
 /***
@@ -40,10 +41,11 @@
 {
 
     public static final String USAGE =
-        "Usage: ftp [-s] [-b] <hostname> <username> <password> <remote file> <local file>\n" +
+        "Usage: ftp [-s] [-b] [-l[a]] <hostname> <username> <password> <remote file> <local file>\n" +
         "\nDefault behavior is to download a file and use ASCII transfer mode.\n" +
         "\t-s store file on server (upload)\n" +
-        "\t-b use binary transfer mode\n";
+        "\t-b use binary transfer mode\n" +
+        "\t-l[a] list [hidden] files (no <local file> not allowed)\n";
 
     public static final void main(String[] args)
     {
@@ -48,7 +50,7 @@
     public static final void main(String[] args)
     {
         int base = 0;
-        boolean storeFile = false, binaryTransfer = false, error = false;
+        boolean storeFile = false, binaryTransfer = false, error = false, listFiles = false, listHidden = false;
         String server, username, password, remote, local;
         FTPClient ftp;
 
@@ -58,6 +60,13 @@
                 storeFile = true;
             else if (args[base].startsWith("-b"))
                 binaryTransfer = true;
+            else if (args[base].startsWith("-la"))
+            {
+                listHidden = true;
+            	listFiles = true;
+            }
+            else if (args[base].startsWith("-l"))
+                listFiles = true;
             else
                 break;
         }
@@ -62,7 +71,7 @@
                 break;
         }
 
-        if ((args.length - base) != 5)
+        if ((!listFiles && (args.length - base) != 5) || (listFiles && (args.length - base) < 4))
         {
             System.err.println(USAGE);
             System.exit(1);
@@ -72,9 +81,17 @@
         username = args[base++];
         password = args[base++];
         remote = args[base++];
-        local = args[base];
+        if (base < args.length)
+        {
+        	local = args[base];
+        }
+        else
+        {
+        	local = null;
+        }
 
         ftp = new FTPClient();
+        ftp.setListHiddenFiles(listHidden);
         ftp.addProtocolCommandListener(new PrintCommandListener(
                                            new PrintWriter(System.out)));
 
@@ -132,7 +149,24 @@
             // behind firewalls these days.
             ftp.enterLocalPassiveMode();
 
-            if (storeFile)
+            if (listFiles)
+            {
+            	FTPFile[] files = ftp.listFiles(remote);
+            	if (files != null)
+            	{
+            		for (int i = 0; i<files.length; i++)
+            		{
+            			System.err.print("#" + i + ": ");
+            			if (files[i] == null)
+            			{
+                			System.err.println("null");
+                			continue;
+            			}
+            			System.err.println(files[i].toString());
+            		}
+            	}
+            }
+            else if (storeFile)
             {
                 InputStream input;
 
Index: /home/im/projects/jakarta-commons/net/src/java/org/apache/commons/net/ftp/FTPClient.java
===================================================================
--- /home/im/projects/jakarta-commons/net/src/java/org/apache/commons/net/ftp/FTPClient.java	(revision 331835)
+++ /home/im/projects/jakarta-commons/net/src/java/org/apache/commons/net/ftp/FTPClient.java	(working copy)
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@
     private long __restartOffset;
     private FTPFileEntryParserFactory __parserFactory;
     private int __bufferSize;
+    private boolean __listHiddenFiles;
 
     // __systemName is a cached value that should not be referenced directly
     // except when assigned in getSystemName and __initDefaults.
@@ -302,6 +303,7 @@
         __remoteVerificationEnabled = true;
         __parserFactory = new DefaultFTPFileEntryParserFactory();
         __configuration      = null;
+        __listHiddenFiles = false;
     }
 
 
@@ -2387,7 +2389,8 @@
         Socket socket;
 
         FTPListParseEngine engine = new FTPListParseEngine(parser);
-        if ((socket = _openDataConnection_(FTPCommand.LIST, pathname)) == null)
+
+        if ((socket = _openDataConnection_(FTPCommand.LIST, getListArguments(pathname))) == null)
         {
             return engine;
         }
@@ -2401,7 +2404,20 @@
         return engine;
     }
 
-    /***
+    protected String getListArguments(String pathname) {
+    	if (getListHiddenFiles())
+    	{
+    		StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer(pathname.length() + 3);
+    		sb.append("-a ");
+    		sb.append(pathname);
+    		return sb.toString();
+    	}
+    	
+    	return pathname;
+	}
+
+
+	/***
      * Issue the FTP STAT command to the server.
      * <p>
      * @return The status information returned by the server.
@@ -2485,7 +2501,7 @@
         Socket socket;
         FTPFile[] results;
 
-        if ((socket = _openDataConnection_(FTPCommand.LIST, pathname)) == null)
+        if ((socket = _openDataConnection_(FTPCommand.LIST, getListArguments(pathname))) == null)
             return new FTPFile[0];
 
         results = parser.parseFileList(socket.getInputStream(), getControlEncoding());
@@ -2625,7 +2641,7 @@
     {
         Socket socket;
 
-        if ((socket = _openDataConnection_(FTPCommand.LIST, pathname)) == null)
+        if ((socket = _openDataConnection_(FTPCommand.LIST, getListArguments(pathname))) == null)
         {
             return null;
         }
@@ -2667,7 +2683,26 @@
     public void configure(FTPClientConfig config) {
     	this.__configuration = config;
     }
-    
+
+    /**
+     * You can set this to true if you would like to get hidden files when {@link #listFiles} too.
+     * A <code>LIST -a</code> will be issued to the ftp server.
+     * It depends on your ftp server if you need to call this method, also dont expect to get rid
+     * of hidden files if you call this method with "false".
+     * 
+     * @param listHiddenFiles true if hidden files should be listed 
+     */
+    public void setListHiddenFiles(boolean listHiddenFiles) {
+    	this.__listHiddenFiles = listHiddenFiles;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @see #setListHiddenFiles(boolean)
+     * @return the current state
+     */
+    public boolean getListHiddenFiles() {
+    	return this.__listHiddenFiles;
+    }
 }
 
 /* Emacs configuration