This is a macro reproducing the error.
String getFile(String s) {
v = VFSManager.getVFSForPath(s);
ses = v.createVFSSession(s, null);
f = v._getFile(ses, s, null);
String sRet = f.getPath();
v._endVFSSession(ses, null);
return sRet;
}
jEdit.getPlugin("console.ConsolePlugin").getConsole(view).print(null, getFile("/tmp/out"));
jEdit.getPlugin("console.ConsolePlugin").getConsole(view).print(null, getFile("ftp://testserver"));
For the file call it works as expected. Ftp call returns null. To see null replace testserver with a link to a valid ftp file.