Thread: How to allow access to files in BlueFTP?

A few BlueFTP questions here . . . hope they're not TOO obvious:

1) I went into BlueFTP today, created a new folder on the R-hand side (that is, in the remote server) and put some files from my PC's hard drive into it. I want to allow someone else to access and download the files in that folder ONLY. How do I do it?

Every time I try typing into my browser the URL that I think will get me to that particular folder, I get the error message, "Windows cannot access this folder. Make sure you have typed the file name correctly and that you have permission to access the folder." I don't even get a dialog box asking for a username and password. My root domain is jhwm.net.

I see in cPanel that I can create FTP accounts, or grant 'anonymous' access to my FTP server. I just don't fully understand how to use these functions, and the BlueFTP tutorial video doesn't say anything about it.

2) In general, when is it best to use BlueFTP to upload files and when is it best to simply upload them via File Manager?

thanks,
-- Jim

how r u trying to pull up the folder? I don't see why you wouldn't be able to pull up your files. Ok, let's say I have a pic. Let's call it pic.jpg. I put this in a folder called images on HalaalPages.com's server. I will call it up by typing in www.halaalpages.com/images/pic.jpg. If the folder (images) was within Personal Files, I would type, http://www.halaalpages.com/Personal%...images/pic.jpg. Notice the %. If there's a space, most browser require you to "fill" it.

BlueFTP I use to transfer my files. I generally use my File Manager to do minor edits of my files (typos, adding texts, things of that nature). But there are way more things you can do with it, but I think it really just comes down to the fact that it takes too many steps to GET to File Manager then BlueFTP.

It should read Personal%Files/images/pic....

Originally Posted by HalaalPages

It should read Personal%Files/images/pic....

No, it should not.

Each photo title, folder, page name, or other TAG info should contain no spaces or symbols (other than a hyphen or underscore) whatsoever in order to be properly "read" by the SE's as they attribute values, and when any script or function processes them (in this case, the server).
* As seen by the SE's, the above image title with the automatic placeholder of the amphersand will count as a "page error" or "orphaned object" in their system, and overall that counts against your site.

You will need to re-name your folder (via cPanel) in order to for you or another "system" is able to access it normally.
If you need to use a "space", use a 'spaceholder' such as a hypen or an underscore, as seen like-this or even like_this.

thanks for the info...I don't use spaces; that was just for example purposes

OK, thank you very much Vasili and Halaal, but I am still quite confused. I want to allow a user to download three .zip files that I saved (in their own folder) on my BlueFTP server. I believe that the folder I put these three files into is in my root domain, jhwm.net.

To put it another way, when I log into BlueFTP, the blue bar at the top of the R-hand pane shows the IP address of my BV server (FTP://67.228.xxx.xxx/public_html). When I double-click the first folder below it (which has no name other than "..") one of the folders listed 'marist2008', which I created today. THAT is the ONLY folder that I want to allow the user to access. What is the URL I need to give the user in order to access that folder only?

Originally Posted by jimchicago

1) I went into BlueFTP today, created a new folder on the R-hand side (that is, in the remote server) and put some files from my PC's hard drive into it. I want to allow someone else to access and download the files in that folder ONLY. How do I do it?

I see in cPanel that I can create FTP accounts, or grant 'anonymous' access to my FTP server. I just don't fully understand how to use these functions, and the BlueFTP tutorial video doesn't say anything about it.

2) In general, when is it best to use BlueFTP to upload files and when is it best to simply upload them via File Manager? thanks, Jim

1) Since the server protects your Voda account with a Login process (User name and Password), it is highly irregular to create open access to foreign Users, for once you do so (using an anon log or not), it would allow not only your intended Users, but destructive bots, scripts, and other hacks.

Bottom line, it would be best to create a password protected directory accessible via your website that Users must log into to access, and once in, have access to "posted" files as you deem proper -- they can 'download' a file that is linked on the website (providing you upload the Titled file to the server properly).

2) The Blue FTP Manager tool is useful for smaller, individual files, but cannot handle the load for larger or specially formatted files like scripts and larger than say, 1mb. File Manager uploads files with no problem, and the new cPanel FM's have lots of new useful tools like Editors and Composers also --- all powerful tools to make your web composing life easier.

Thank you, Vasili, your promptness in replying is wonderful.

Each of the three .zip files that I want to allow this user to download is 43MB. Each .zip includes an Adobe InDesign, several .jpg or .psd image files, and a few other small files.

If I understand you correctly, I should put on my web site a password-protected page that has 3 separate links, i.e., one to each of these three .zip files? I can do that, no problem, but can you confirm the structure of the link (I don't even know if it should begin with http or ftp).

But if that's not what you meant by "a password protected directory accessible via your website" then I think you need to break it down into baby steps for me. Again, MANY thanks to you and Halaal.

If you have 3 separate files that you wish to "protect" individually, you will need to create 3 separate Password Protected Directories via cPanel (one for each file, so they have 3 different Logins).

Each Password Protected Directory (essentially a "folder" with NO spaces in the name when created in cPanel) must have an index page, like any other website. This you create with BV like you would any other page, first Saving it to a new/specific 'folder' in BV which should have the same name as the Directories you created in cPanel. You then publish that page to that Directory like you would any other site.
You can CLONE a page from your site, put the link to the Download File you want, and then Save it as index to the proper new "site"/directory/folder and then Publish it to the Directory pre-established on the server.

Remember to upload the file (with the same exact name you set as a link on those pages) to the server so they can be "found" and "accessed" for download.

Larger files to be downloaded are not a problem, but they will chew up your allowable monthly band, and will potentially cause problems for Users: file integrity is an issue, especially when it depends on their connection speed and type!
Rethink this, and consider breaking up larger files to more manageable ones --- no larger than say 3-5 mb. Even large File Transfer providers like YouSendIt.com limits files to 20mb .... so you have your work cut out for you. Remember, band allowance is used for every page presented, file download, and for every attempted download: if your Users try multiple times to download a single file unsuccessfully, you have an unhappy visitor and a lot less band to go around!

Tutorial on Password Protected Directories


You are capable taking things on your own from here.....

Four more questions, sorry for the length here . . .

A) Please clarify: In cPanel when I click "Anonymous FTP" I see that I have a checkmark in the box beside "Allow anonymous access to ftp://ftp.jhwm.net". Does that checkmark put my files at risk from the "bots, scripts, and other hacks" you mentioned earlier? I would hope not--otherwise, why even allow me to check it? But if so, I'll uncheck it immediately.

B) Before copying the three .zip files to my BlueFTP server, I created a new folder on the server especially for them. When I go into the root directory of my File Manager and look at the file tree in the L-hand column, the new folder name is there (listed just above the "public_ftp" folder, which is just above "public_html"), and when I click on that folder name, I see the names of all three .zip files I uploaded to it.

Seems like this folder is the resource that I should password protect. Is that right? If yes, I assume I should move the folder to a different directory before password protecting that directory, so that my main BV site remains freely accessible.

C) For ANY file on my BlueFTP server, how do I create a link to it? As mentioned before, I don't know whether it would begin "http://" or "ftp://" or something else, and what the rest of the link structure should be.

D) Re bandwidth: my user should only need to download each .zip file once, which I assume would eat less than 150MB of my monthly 600,000MB transfer allocation. As soon as she downloads them, I'll pull those files off the server. Seems like a safe situation--would you agree?

Oh, another thing I've been meaning to ask: Is there a way to access BlueFTP from my cPanel? If not (and so far I can't find it), I wish it were . . . seems like every other possible tool is there in cPanel.

A. Yes, and uncheck it immediately.

B. There is no such thing as a "BlueFTP Server" but there is a thing called Blue FTP Manager Tool within Blue Voda (the web builder software). Again, for moving about larger files, you should be using the File Manager in cPanel, not the BlueFTP Manager. Yes, you did good by creating the 'folders' first, and then uploading the files to those folders. Yes, you will proceed to "protect" each of these folders. No, do not move these "folders" away from the main public_html/ directory of the website, as they will be considered subordinate to the main website and depend on the linking/association to the main website.

D. When using a 'tool' within Blue Voda or any other 'scripted' function, you need only enter the www.yourdomain.com and the http:// is added by default for you automatically. This is common and basic hyperlinking concept, and is clearly detailed in the Linking Tutorials. However, linking to a downloadable file is a little different, and you can study these to develop familiarity.

D. If you are preparing specific files for a specific download session (one time only), I would suggest you drop the whole nine yards and use YouSendIt.com or another large file transfer service (free or otherwise) .... but most seem to have a max limit of 100mb, meaning just copy the thing to a CD and FedEx it to whomever! A lot easier, and a lot less taxing on your VodaPeers!

You are over-complicating a very simple linear logical process, constantly confusing BV tools and cPanel tools, and not following outlined steps that should progressively solve your problems and bring you to a culumlative understanding. Slow down, think in "modes" (be in the mode doing modal tasks without mixing them up) and enjoy the simple, predictable pace!

Thank you very much for all your help, Vasili.

Anytime!