Can I open an FTP client from a link?

[Mark Adams]

I have been grinding myself against this off and on for a while now. I
want a link on my intranet's Web page (small LAN in my home) that will
give users access to a shared directory on my file server.

I'm serving the Web page on my file server via Apache2 and the server
itself is running Mandrake Linux 9.2. The idea here is to allow the
users (my children) to access the shared files via a web browser by
simply browsing my intranet and clicking a link. Samba is connecting
just fine and they could do it with the network neighborhood browser,
but I would really like to just open the shared folder with Windows
Explorer. A directory opening in an FTP client would be fine as well
since I have an FTP server set up to do this very thing. That would
allow the Intranet page to serve as a kind of portal to simplify their
lives.

It seems like it might be possible with either a script of some kind or
some java code in the web page, but I know very little html and even
less java. Any body here have any ideas?

Thanks.

--
Mark E. Adams, 2004 -- drop the "dot" to email me.

CONSIDER: ===========---------,,,,,,,,,............. . . . . .
The problem with this country is that there is no death penalty for
incompetence.

 

[Mark Parnell]

I have been grinding myself against this off and on for a while now. I
want a link on my intranet's Web page (small LAN in my home) that will
give users access to a shared directory on my file server.

Have you tried just a simple link, e.g.

<a href="ftp://192.168.0.1/shared/">shared directory</a>

?

 

[Mark Adams]

Have you tried just a simple link, e.g.

<a href="ftp://192.168.0.1/shared/">shared directory</a>

?

I get "530 Login incorrect". I assume there may be some way to pass the
credentials for an anonymous login to the FTP server with this link, but
i don't know what it is.

 

[Mark Parnell]

I get "530 Login incorrect". I assume there may be some way to pass the
credentials for an anonymous login to the FTP server with this link, but
i don't know what it is.

OK - wasn't sure whether you had an actual username/password set up.

Try something like
<a href="ftp://username[email protected]/shared/">

 

[Mark Adams]

Have you tried just a simple link, e.g.

<a href="ftp://192.168.0.1/shared/">shared directory</a>

?

Okay, I'be been messing with this for about 20 minutes. I can get
"ftp://userass@localhost/path" to work.

Thanks.
--
Mark E. Adams, 2004 -- drop the "dot" to email me.

CONSIDER: ===========---------,,,,,,,,,............. . . . . .
I allow the world to live as it chooses, and I allow myself to live as I
choose.

 

[Jukka K. Korpela]

I get "530 Login incorrect". I assume there may be some way to pass
the credentials for an anonymous login to the FTP server with this
link, but i don't know what it is.

It's described in URL specifications; you could use
ftp://username[email protected]/shared/
though this is risky for several reasons (URLs may be stored in ways that
you don't anticipate, etc.). And ftp: URLs often work poorly, see
http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/ftpurl.html

Why don't you make the data available via the HTTP server, using http:
URLs? Using normal password protection, of course. Alternatively, if
users should be able to both read and write files, you could tell them to
use a suitable ftp client.

 

[Mark Parnell]

Why don't you make the data available via the HTTP server, using http:
URLs? Using normal password protection, of course. Alternatively, if
users should be able to both read and write files, you could tell them to
use a suitable ftp client.

In general that's sound advice, but I assume you didn't see the OP where
he stated that it was for a home intranet so his kids could access a
shared directory on the server. I'm guessing security probably isn't too
much of a concern.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

I'm guessing security probably isn't too
much of a concern.

...it is if the kid posts the link to a friend,
or announces it on some chat room they find.

No. It is best the kids understand that
this is *not* a normal link, and to guard
it with great care.

...how did this get cross-posted between
c.l.j.help and alt.html? F'Ups set to
alt.html (Java is not necessary for
this task).

 

[Mark Parnell]

..it is if the kid posts the link to a friend,
or announces it on some chat room they find.

Surely not if the link address points to localhost or similar? OK, so
the username/password would be publicly available, but you'd still have
to know the OP's IP address or something to be able to put it to any
use. And changing the password would be a trivial matter if that did
happen.

No. It is best the kids understand that
this is *not* a normal link, and to guard
it with great care.

If they know enough about HTML to read the source and get the code for
that link, they probably know enough to at least be able to tell it's
not a normal link.

..how did this get cross-posted between
c.l.j.help and alt.html? F'Ups set to
alt.html (Java is not necessary for
this task).

The OP thought that there may be a Java solution (probably meaning
javascript).

 

[Mark Adams]

..it is if the kid posts the link to a friend,
or announces it on some chat room they find.

No. It is best the kids understand that
this is *not* a normal link, and to guard
it with great care.

..how did this get cross-posted between
c.l.j.help and alt.html? F'Ups set to
alt.html (Java is not necessary for
this task).

Hi Andrew.

I don't think this system can be accessed from outside the LAN unless
someone hacks the wireless net. At any rate, there isn't much sensative
stuff here.

It got crossposted because I don't have any idea how to do all this.

Now, I've got the link to work like I want it to, but I have to use a
genuine username and password. That looks pretty scary hard coded into
a link -- it shows up in the status bar big as life. ProFTPd (the ftp
server I'm using) is supposed to allow anonymous logins
(ftp://private:emailpass@server/path) but I haven't been able to get
that to work yet.

Got any suggestions on that one?

Thanks.
--
Mark E. Adams, 2004 -- drop the "dot" to email me.

CONSIDER: ===========---------,,,,,,,,,............. . . . . .
What's the matter with the world? Why, there ain't but one thing wrong
with every one of us -- and that's "selfishness."
-- The Best of Will Rogers

 

[Mark Adams]

Mark Adams wrote:

I'm about 90% situation here. At this point, I can click a link
(ftp://"[email protected]") and I am challenged for a password.
Password is provided and...

It opens up a browser in the wrong (home for "private") direcotry.

It's late. I need to go to bed. I just can't tear myself away!!!

--
Mark E. Adams, 2004 -- drop the "dot" to email me.

CONSIDER: ===========---------,,,,,,,,,............. . . . . .
Seeing is deceiving. It's eating that's believing.
-- James Thurber

 

[Mark Adams]

I have been grinding myself against this off and on for a while now. I
want a link on my intranet's Web page (small LAN in my home) that will
give users access to a shared directory on my file server.

I'm serving the Web page on my file server via Apache2 and the server
itself is running Mandrake Linux 9.2. The idea here is to allow the
users (my children) to access the shared files via a web browser by
simply browsing my intranet and clicking a link. Samba is connecting
just fine and they could do it with the network neighborhood browser,
but I would really like to just open the shared folder with Windows
Explorer. A directory opening in an FTP client would be fine as well
since I have an FTP server set up to do this very thing. That would
allow the Intranet page to serve as a kind of portal to simplify their
lives.

It seems like it might be possible with either a script of some kind or
some java code in the web page, but I know very little html and even
less java. Any body here have any ideas?

Thanks.

Okay all done here. The code looks like this:

<p align="left"><a href="ftp://private[email protected]/"
target="_new"><img name="Graphic2" src="/icons/hrddrv.gif" align="left"
border="0" height="32" width="32">Access
local file stores.</a></p>

It opens a new browser window pointed toward the shared directory.

It's exactly 1:00 am. I'm off to bed.

Thanks for assist all.
--
Mark E. Adams, 2004 -- drop the "dot" to email me.

CONSIDER: ===========---------,,,,,,,,,............. . . . . .
Why a man would want a wife is a big mystery to some people. Why a man
would want *two* wives is a big mystery.

 

[Jeff Thies]

I have been grinding myself against this off and on for a while now. I

Have you tried just a simple link, e.g.

<a href="ftp://192.168.0.1/shared/">shared directory</a>

How do you upload a file?

Jeff

 

[Kris]

Have you tried just a simple link, e.g.

<a href="ftp://192.168.0.1/shared/">shared directory</a>

How do you upload a file?[/QUOTE]

If your browser supports FTP functions, then dragging to the browser
window that holds the FTP connection often will do. Some might have
other ways.

When I click such a link, my browser Safari will open Transmit for me,
my favorite FTP client. I can also have it try and open an FTP
connection through the OS X Finder.

The issue is about making an FTP link, not what a browser will do with
it after the visitor clicks it.

 

[Mark Adams]

How do you upload a file?

Jeff

They don't. I provide the files and maintain the directory structure.
Users are allowed access to those files so they can download them to
local hard drives and use them, then delete them from their machines as
appropriate.

According to the docs in ProFTP, I can allow uploads, but I'm not
interested and haven't looked into it.