multiupload

[Mr. Anon]

I don't like it. Not natural , not standard, requires user preparation.

Yes, it does require user preparation. But first, it saves bandwidth. Second, it solves the problem where a user will have to select many files to upload a folder if the folder contains many files. For example: 40 files.
But say, which will be faster? Selecting 40 files in the browser or zip it all up?

Ideally - I see the user either selecting files/directories, or dragging them to some pane, and selecting a destination. Then watching the progress. That should be it.

This is more like FTP you are talking about. HTTP doesn't do do it.
As rejetto said, the browser is the one which sends the POST command. There's no way to have it select a folder there.

But I see no harm in starting with a single file and debugging the SW engine. Then multiple files version.

Rejetto, if you are rushing to get 2.0 done, then I will agree with this.

Also - FTP engine is not a "no-no"... Servers are free, and clients, are embedded inside every Windows/DOS . No need to invent the wheel!

I don't get what you meant by that.

Also, user's permissions should be available/selectable to either upload/download or both.

Agreed!

[Rafi]

Also - FTP engine is not a "no-no"... Servers are free, and clients, are embedded inside every Windows/DOS . No need to invent the wheel!

I don't get what you meant by that.

I meant roughly:
* server side: Interface & activate a small ftp server from inside the HFS server
* client side: have an upload button activating  a dialog (like the one above or something else) that will use the external ftp command\function
and you are allmost done...

[Mr. Anon]

Maybe it's me. But I haven't seen such buttons?

[Rafi]

Maybe it's me. But I haven't seen such buttons?

Right, it's in example I posted "above" on prevous page (#2) dated Sat Apr 10, 2004 9:39 am    

[rejetto]

the unzip feature is interesting where you don't have the ability to unzip the file. in web hosting there's often no way to unzip a file.
HFS is thought for file swapping, you have users in both sides, there's no way to automatically extract an archive.

i think the best way is to implement an FTP server in HFS.
What will the H mean then... Hyper?


anyway, people, first 2.0 preview is very near.

[Rafi]

i think the best way is to implement an FTP server in HFS.
What will the H mean then... Hyper?

HFS => HTTP/FTP/Server...

Just thought of something crazy - use HFS on both sides... so Upload=Download   8O + remote web viewer & download your files to the remote site   ... probaby a bad idea...

[Mr. Anon]

rejetto, how I think the unzip feature should is like this:
1. User zips up files + folders.
2. User goes to HFS webpage and select zip file
3. User checks "Unzip this zip file" checkbox
4. User clicks Upload
5. HFS then interprets the POST command and if the "Unzip this zip file" checkbox is checked, HFS calls the unzip function in it's unzip engine. If not, HFS leaves the zip as a zip file.
So all this should take is a unzip engine and also some additional codes to call it up when the checkbox is checked.

FTP is sure nice, but:
1. Client needs a FTP client to connect (maybe IE will do? )
2. It causes NAT problems (Server and Client behind firewall / NAT etc.)

It think it's a nice idea to implement the unzip feature in HFS 2.0 because it makes sure that HFS is NAT friendly and User Friendly. It will be perfect if you could put them both in.

Nice name for HFS, Rafi!
--- HFS Reloaded

[rejetto]

anon, i understand perfectly the way you intended it to work.
mind this while re-reading my reply
anyway, i think we should better think about an external script called on uploaded files. then the script could just check if the archive contains an "unzip me" comment, or an "unzip.me" file in it.
this let people do antivirus scan and anything they want to.
it would be better if i can (someway) pass non-file POST data to scripts, for easier interface.

ftp nat problems, in PASV mode, are same to http ones

"Http Ftp Server" is a good suggestion

[Rafi]

I didn't understand what you said (except for the last line...   ) .  In simple word, may be you can explain what are the 1-2-3... steps the user has to take to simply download say, 3 files or one full directory ?

[Mr. Anon]

anyway, i think we should better think about an external script called on uploaded files. then the script could just check if the archive contains an "unzip me" comment, or an "unzip.me" file in it.

Although I agree on the script part, I don't really agree on checking the zip comment for "unzip me", because it could cause conflicts such as if the zip comment contains "Unzip me if you want to run the app". Instead I came up with the HTML code below.

<form method="POST" enctype="multipart/form-data" action="http://localhost/upload.asp">
   <p><font face="Arial">Upload File #1: <input type="file" name="file1">
   <input type="checkbox" name="U1" value="U1"> Unzip This Zip File<br>
   Upload File #2: <input type="file" name="file2">
   <input type="checkbox" name="U2" value="U2"> Unzip This Zip File<br>
   Upload File #3: <input type="file" name="file3">
   <input type="checkbox" name="U3" value="U3"> Unzip This Zip File</font></p>
   <p><input type="submit" value="Upload" name="button_upload"></p>
</form>

If the Unzip This File check box is checked for file "x", the browser will also send the U"x" section to HFS. Otherwise, the U"x" section won't be sent. All you will have to do is to send all the data to the script, and the script will store the file part of the POST command and also try to look for the U"x" section in the POST command. If the U"x" section exists for file "x", HFS will then try to decompress file "x" if possible. If the file extraction is successful, then HFS deletes the zip file and put the extracted contents into the current upload folder. But if the extraction process fails (ex. not a zip file), then HFS will leave it as it is.
--- Wonder if this is possible

ftp nat problems, in PASV mode, are same to http ones

Umm... FTP PASV mode uses random PASV ports as well as port 21, but HTTP only uses port 80. (Single fixed port)

"Http Ftp Server" is a good suggestion

I agree!

Rafi: I didn't understand what you said (except for the last line... )

We are talking about how HFS should handle the zip files and how HFS should decompress it.

Rafi: In simple word, may be you can explain what are the 1-2-3... steps the user has to take to simply download say, 3 files or one full directory ?

Go Here For My Example: http://swg.fg.bz/HFS/HFS.htm (Example Only, cannot actually upload!  :lol: )
To upload one file: Click Browse, Select the file, click Upload.
To upload one or more file: Click Browse #1, select first file, click Browse #2, select second file, click Upload.
To upload a folder/directory: Zip the folder up into a zip file, click Browse, select the zip file, then click the "Unzip This Zip File" checkbox for that row, click Upload.

--- HFS Reloaded

[rejetto]

anon, you did not get the point.
i think it is not useful to automatically unzip a file.
why should we want it?
you talked about servers were no-one will unzip files for you. you are acting with machines.
if you send a file to someone, he will unzip it as he wish to do it.

[Rafi]

We are talking about how HFS should handle the zip files and how HFS should decompress it.

Well, I like very much to be opimistic and have Ver 2 RC001 include ALL the upload features possible, but I would be very happy to see three stages:

V 2.0 - support for single file upload. this will test the basic engine, and the security. Also - resuming uploads mechanism.

V 2.1 - add support for multiple files. This will test the final GUI, multiple file download, directory/tree or any combinations, and progress report/graph (client and server sides)

V 2.2 - the extras - such as zip/unzip

V 2.0 should be good  for many people !

[Mr. Anon]

Well, I am not talking about "automatically unzipping a file", but instead asking HFS to unzip a folder when the checkbox is checked. The zip file uploaded is not for archiving but instead to speed up the upload process of a folder. (So that users do not have to select every single file in the folder + It saves some extra bandwidth because the zip file is compressed.)

you talked about servers were no-one will unzip files for you. you are acting with machines.
if you send a file to someone, he will unzip it as he wish to do it.

I don't get what you are saying but then this feature I am mentioning as I said before: not for archiving but instead to speed up the upload process of folders. And once the zip containing the folders has been extracted, HFS deletes the zip and the folder that is supposed to be upload is shown.

I hope you understand my point.

In other words, I am trying to point out that this feature is for people who want to upload folders faster, as the thread states earlier. I am not trying to request this feature so that users could "conveniently" unzip their files via HFS. I agree with you that it's no use just unzipping the zip files to it's directory if they could just unzip them their-selves. But what if the zip file is not for archival purposes? What if a user just want to upload a folder to HFS with speed? Then this feature will solve this problem. This feature also solves the problem with not being able to select a folder in the browser and upload it to HFS.

Goto http://www.1asphost.com/faqs.asp?q=15 if you want an example of what I am trying to point out.

[Rafi]

I'm not sure, but I think  that FTP may be incorporating internally a compression algorithm, per RFC 468.

[rejetto]

we have 2 sides, hfs-side and browser-side.

on the browser-side, nothing changes, he can already do it. you already can zip, to send foders, to speed up and all things you said.

on the hfs-side. what do we need? do we need hfs unzipping our files automatically (on remote request) ? why should hfs unzip in place of me?