Thread: Vistor to upload files

I would like visitors of my site to be able to upload files by themselves to my site.

Is this possible?

How do I do it?

Thanks for any help

yes it is possible. By just inserting a file field in a form it will upload a file, although I wouldn't recommend it. Doing it that way won't check for any file types, file size, or if the file already exists on the website. To be able to do that you will need a script to handle that. Navals ABVFP http://www.vodahost.com/vodatalk/new...ighlight=ABVFP
should be able to handle your upload

Is there a way to do it where the file will appear on the site without me having to do anything after the user submits the files?

What kind of files are we talking here about ?

If you mean pictures, they are immediately available, but you need to create some kind of link to those images.
Otherwise, you need a script that will take care of his part by creating the link, in a preestablished template of your site.

This is a feature usually used for user profiles pages, where users create their own pages by uploading pictures, videos, personal info etc. However, these are dedicated scripts.

It is a file that I would like to be readily available for download once the user uploads the file to my site. It is not a picture.

If you mean downloadable by you, it is. It ill also be attached in the email you will recieve.
If, instead you mean available for download by other visitors, you must somehow create a link to the file. otherwise no one knows it's existance.

This link creation can be manual (you have to add the link in a page and republish the page each time a file is added) or automatic, as it happens whith directory scripts: as soon as a file is added a relevant link is automatically created and added in a page. But, you are going to need a specific custom made script for this.

Usually, uploaded files do NOT become automatically available. The reason is that usually the webmaster examines the file and approves it, otherwise there is a risk that someone can upload a script that, if immediately available, could be executed and take control of your site. So the file type as well as it's content should be verified by you before placing the link to the file in one of your pages. Unless you restrict the file type to images, pdf's and other NON executable files.

Hi

I would like my visotors to send me a file. What is the best way to do this. Do I create an ftp for them or is there a better way.

Allowing anonymous ftp is a bad idea unless you know exactly what you are doing (meaning disabling anything in that directory from running on the website). If you allow user to upload any file they want they can very easily trash your website.

The best way is to use a form to upload a file, if you do it that way you can check the file type, the size, and decide if it can be uploaded or not.

Originally Posted by navaldesign

If you mean downloadable by you, it is. It ill also be attached in the email you will recieve.
If, instead you mean available for download by other visitors, you must somehow create a link to the file. otherwise no one knows it's existance.

This link creation can be manual (you have to add the link in a page and republish the page each time a file is added) or automatic, as it happens whith directory scripts: as soon as a file is added a relevant link is automatically created and added in a page. But, you are going to need a specific custom made script for this.

Usually, uploaded files do NOT become automatically available. The reason is that usually the webmaster examines the file and approves it, otherwise there is a risk that someone can upload a script that, if immediately available, could be executed and take control of your site. So the file type as well as it's content should be verified by you before placing the link to the file in one of your pages. Unless you restrict the file type to images, pdf's and other NON executable files.

Hi, I am trying to make a website where my visitors can upload there swf (flash) files on to my site. can ya plz tell me how I could make it automatic so when they upload the file, a link will appear on one of my pages that will display all uploads by visitors in order by date. So that they will just keep getting up loaded without me having to do anything. I have spent days trying to work this one out.



thanks. :)

This is not so simple.

1. You need to setup a database.
2. You need to create an upload form that will upload the file. The file info will be stored in the database, while the file itself can be either stored in the database or simply uploaded in a folder in the site, and the path to the file saved in the database.
3. You need a script, that will display, in a page, links to all files. The user selects a file to play.
4. This page needs to also have a Flash Player embedded. Upon file selection the Flash player plays the chosen file.

The files are displayed in inverse date order sorted from the database.

This is a complicated script, certainly not easy to accomplish if you have no php coding experince.