[thelist] client driven ftp access

Jason E. Burk jasonb at halstead-architects.com
Thu Feb 8 15:36:31 CST 2001


i trying to figure out how to easily build ftp access into a web site
for transferring customer files to a company.

what we would like to see happen is this:  client needs to send a file,
so she goes to the company's website.  get's to the transfer files
page.  clicks a "transfer files" button that brings up a browse dialog
box.  finds the appropriate file on her hard drive.  clicks "ok."
download process begins and ends.  file is transferred and client is
happy.

now this sounds easy enough to this community i'm sure, but many clients
that we deal with don't have much techie knowledge and don't even want
to learn.  how do you ID10T proof the process so the most minimal of
clicks is required to send your file?

my ideas are: 1)email 2)third party website 3)some fancy scripting
4)usps [he he]

[note:  let's assume that the files being transferred could be quite
large, say 50mb]

1)    limitations of sending attachments are well known.  sometimes
limited to a certain size cap.  our email system is capable of accepting
large attachments, but the operation of this function depends on the
client's set up.  we don't want really want to depend on client side
stuff.

2)    third parties usually cost money.

3)    what kind of scripting is easily written / available on the web to
handle our simple request?  i'm not familiar with much other than
javascript, and we want to make sure to have enough security that
someone couldn't hack our ftp site.  we plan on giving out usernames and
passwords to clients for the express use of this function on our
website, so the script has to be compatible with the ftp user / pass
process.

4)    i was kidding.

if anyone can help sort this issue out, it will be much appreciated.  i
owe you a coke.

jason
*************************************************
j a s o n  e . b u r k
HALSTEAD | architects
[ 317.684.1431 ]
http://www.bsu.edu/World2000/research/burk/
http://www.halstead-architects.com
jasonb at halstead-architects.com
[ jdog at 020.co.uk ]
icq # | 33425254






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