I've been looking for a long time for a way to upload large files -- files large enough that the HTTP connection would time-out.
I'm assuming that would require some kind of component that allows you to use a method other than HTTP POST to upload the file. For example, a Java applet or a Flash movie that uploaded via FTP.
FIrst: Does anybody have a recommendation for such a component?
Second, and more to the point: Has anyone made such a component work with Drupal?
The point is to give non-technical users a way to upload large files like videos without having to resort to FTP. It can be a significant bottleneck in some organizations to have to get someone to FTP a file up to the server, and as far as I can see it's difficult to configure Drupal (well, the server, really, not Drupal) such that you can get FTP access to the upload directory without exposing a potential avenue of exploitation. (Though as I think it through, an upload component might not solve that....)
Creating a special FTP account for the component to use would totally be on the table.
Comments
AFAIK, this has nothing to
AFAIK, this has nothing to do with drupal but is a function of your hosting environment. I don't believe there's anything a module can do to address it. I successfully have sites uploading files (videos) via drupal that are several hundred mbs in size and only had to configure the php.ini correctly.
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"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." -- Lao Tzu
"God helps those who help themselves." -- Benjamin Franklin
"Search is your best friend." -- Worldfallz
Bumping timeout value is a kludge
There are two problems with jacking up the timeout value to get bigger uploads:
First, you still have a situation in which you do not know beforehand whether the user is going to be able to upload their file. If (for whatever reason) they have poor upstream bandwidth, they could fail at uploading a 1MB file or succeed at uploading a 20MB file. It's a crap shoot. I want the users to be able to know what they can and can't do before they try to do it.
Second, if the timout is jacked up that high, then they can be stuck waiting for a failing page for a a long, long time before it finally times out. I'd prefer to keep a sane timeout value.
well, then i'm at a loss as
well, then i'm at a loss as to how you can have your cake and eat it too so to speak. In either case, i doubt very much this is something that can be addressed with a drupal module as the factors that determine it are outside the scope of what drupal has control over.
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"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." -- Lao Tzu
"God helps those who help themselves." -- Benjamin Franklin
"Search is your best friend." -- Worldfallz
That's why I assumed I'd need Flash or Java
I realize that I can't use HTTP to overcome HTTP. That's why I assumed I'd need some kind of non-HTTP client-server interaction.
I know that Java applets exist to do this, as well as Flash applets. I've looked at a couple in the past. What I'm trying to determine here is whether anyone has integrated such a module with Drupal.
ah ok, now I understand what
ah ok, now I understand what you're looking for. i haven't come across a module that does this although the http://drupal.org/project/plugin_manager module does have an ftp and ssh interface for its uploads-- maybe you could adapt it for your needs.
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"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." -- Lao Tzu
"God helps those who help themselves." -- Benjamin Franklin
"Search is your best friend." -- Worldfallz
Thanks, that might be
Thanks. Looks as though it works server-to-server, which would be the opposite of simple, but if I do end up having to roll my own it could be a useful model. (Also, everything we're doing right now is on D5, and that module id D6-only.)
Quite aside from this particular need though it looks like a really interesting module, and I'm glad you brought it to my attention -- it brings to the table something that's been there in Xaraya for about 5 years, and I think in Joomla, too. Could really streamline remote admin of Drupal sites.
I agree-- it has a lot of
I agree-- it has a lot of possibilities. I did install it and try it out, and it works well. But it's actually not simpler than maintaining sites with cvs and shell scripts which is what i do now. But it's definitely a leap in the right direction.
===
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." -- Lao Tzu
"God helps those who help themselves." -- Benjamin Franklin
"Search is your best friend." -- Worldfallz