Browse-able directory page

We need to put a page up to our site which has files needed for engineers at remote locations. To do the download file action for several hundred files is a non-starter. I have tried generating an empty folder without any html files and no links into which I can ftp the files (a selection of docs, pics and product specific files). But when we point a browser at the folder we get either a 403 or forbidden to access message. Is there something I am missing? Is there a better way of doing this? The page once we can view it will be password protected.

As a newbie to web design FWP has saved my life. Just need to be saved again!

Nick


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You are doing it the right way, as I do this alot with my clients rather than emailing large files - they can simply go to their particular folder and choose the file they need. So not sure why you’re getting the 403. Maybe something server side is preventing access. Im sure the experts here will know!

Nathan Garner
Partner

Austin Wells Design Consultants
1 Elmgate Drive, Littledown, Bournemouth BH7 7EF
+44 (0)1202 301271
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http://www.awdc-creative.com

Member of NAPP

On 14 Feb 2008, at 11:32, Nick Ground wrote:

We need to put a page up to our site which has files needed for engineers at remote locations. To do the download file action for several hundred files is a non-starter. I have tried generating an empty folder without any html files and no links into which I can ftp the files (a selection of docs, pics and product specific files). But when we point a browser at the folder we get either a 403 or forbidden to access message. Is there something I am missing? Is there a better way of doing this? The page once we can view it will be password protected.

As a newbie to web design FWP has saved my life. Just need to be saved again!

Nick


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Nathan,

thanks for reply. Will await the experts. Irony of the web, we are based in Ferndown, Dorset less than 10 miles away.

Nick


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Cool. The same thing happened to me on the Napp forums. I was talking with someone for ages and then found out they were in Bournemouth too. Could have just gone round there!

Nathan Garner
Partner

Austin Wells Design Consultants
1 Elmgate Drive, Littledown, Bournemouth BH7 7EF
+44 (0)1202 301271
email@hidden
http://www.awdc-creative.com

Member of NAPP

On 14 Feb 2008, at 11:51, Nick Ground wrote:

Nathan,

thanks for reply. Will await the experts. Irony of the web, we are based in Ferndown, Dorset less than 10 miles away.

Nick


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Your server can be configured to display a listing when it is asked
for a folder and that folder doesn’t contain an index page. But
usually that’s off, because it’s a privacy issue. You can ask your
hosting provider to turn indexing on for this folder, and they may do
that for you. There are also tons and tons of folder auto-index
scripts available at http://hotscripts.com in all the popular
(language) flavors.

Walter

On Feb 14, 2008, at 6:46 AM, Nathan Garner wrote:

You are doing it the right way, as I do this alot with my clients
rather than emailing large files - they can simply go to their
particular folder and choose the file they need. So not sure why
you’re getting the 403. Maybe something server side is preventing
access. Im sure the experts here will know!

Nathan Garner
Partner

Austin Wells Design Consultants
1 Elmgate Drive, Littledown, Bournemouth BH7 7EF
+44 (0)1202 301271
email@hidden
http://www.awdc-creative.com

Member of NAPP

On 14 Feb 2008, at 11:32, Nick Ground wrote:

We need to put a page up to our site which has files needed for
engineers at remote locations. To do the download file action for
several hundred files is a non-starter. I have tried generating an
empty folder without any html files and no links into which I can
ftp the files (a selection of docs, pics and product specific
files). But when we point a browser at the folder we get either a
403 or forbidden to access message. Is there something I am
missing? Is there a better way of doing this? The page once we can
view it will be password protected.

As a newbie to web design FWP has saved my life. Just need to be
saved again!

Nick


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On our hosting - clients can configure this option for themselves from within their control panel.

David

On 14 Feb 2008, at 13:19, Walter Lee Davis wrote:

You can ask your hosting provider to turn indexing on for this folder,

David Owen
Freeway Friendly Web hosting and Domains ::

http://www.printlineadvertising.co.uk/freeway
http://www.ineedwebhosting.co.uk

Sometime around 14/2/08 (at 06:32 -0500) Nick Ground said:

To do the download file action for several hundred files is a non-starter.

Agreed. :slight_smile:

when we point a browser at the folder we get either a 403 or
forbidden to access message.

This is fairly normal server configuration stuff. You aren’t given a
plain listing of the folder’s contents, because that could pose a
security risk if the directory contains scripts or other similar
items. Most servers today won’t do this, although it isn’t universal.

If your web hosting includes support for PHP then I (and a number of
others here as well) could give you a drop-in PHP script that will
produce a hyperlinked listing of the contents of a folder
automatically. Pretty much all you’d need to do would be to change
the page suffix from .html to .php, add the code to your Freeway page
as a markup item, and upload.

Any use?

k


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Thanks for the response. I have checked the hosting and it supports php5 (sounds like I know what I am talking about doesn’t it).

Sounds like a good idea to add the hyperlinked listing if that does not compromise security.

How does it cope with sub-folders as some of the files we need are grouped into system types in sub-directories?

Can we protect the entry point or root folder with a password in the normal way?

Nick


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If you apply basic folder-level security (through your ISP or hosting
provider) then that will cover every folder below that point as well.
Most of these directory scripts are recursive if you let them be –
they will burrow down from their point of origin until they run out
of directory hierarchy.

If you are looking to segment the views, so that some clients can see
some folders, and others can see others, then you are in a whole
other realm of need. Again, there are scripts that support this, but
the barrier to entry is usually setting up a database and populating
it with access control information for each of your clients. The
types of scripts that Keith and I are talking about are very basic
“dumb lists”, and don’t offer anything in the way of security.

Walter

On Feb 14, 2008, at 10:06 AM, Nick Ground wrote:

Thanks for the response. I have checked the hosting and it supports
php5 (sounds like I know what I am talking about doesn’t it).

Sounds like a good idea to add the hyperlinked listing if that does
not compromise security.

How does it cope with sub-folders as some of the files we need are
grouped into system types in sub-directories?

Can we protect the entry point or root folder with a password in
the normal way?

Nick


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Walter

Thanks, there is no need to segment the views as the access is only for our engineers who need access to everything. So it sounds like we only need to be using ‘dumb scripts’.

We can apply basic folder level security via the hosting.

Where now?

Nick


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I have made the script I use (a modified version of an open-source
script) available on my Actions Download page. <http://freewaypro.com/
actions/downloads> Unzip it, drop it into your file directory, and
rename it to index.php and you will see a list of files and folders.
If the folder is writable, there is a configuration option you can
turn on which will add an upload dialog to the bottom of the page as
well.

You will need to edit some code in order to fit it into your site
(change the title and heading, naturally) but it is a good enough
start and will certainly be secure in a private environment.

Walter

On Feb 14, 2008, at 10:28 AM, Nick Ground wrote:

Walter

Thanks, there is no need to segment the views as the access is only
for our engineers who need access to everything. So it sounds like
we only need to be using ‘dumb scripts’.

We can apply basic folder level security via the hosting.

Where now?

Nick


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Thanks Walter I’ll have a go at this later today.

Nick


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Sometime around 14/2/08 (at 10:06 -0500) Nick Ground said:

Sounds like a good idea to add the hyperlinked listing if that does
not compromise security.

It would make it more secure than plain directory listing, as you can
specifiy certain files to be left out. But in reality I don’t ink
security is an issue for the sort of thing you describe.

How does it cope with sub-folders as some of the files we need are
grouped into system types in sub-directories?

With the things I’ve written, you’d need a similar page dropped into
the sub-folders. It is just a basic index page with PHP code that
lists the files in the same folder and wraps each item in a link to
itself. It would be possible to make a script that traversed
subdirectories, but I’ve not needed that - and it would be more work.

Can we protect the entry point or root folder with a password in the
normal way?

Yep. Remember, it is just a web page with an added script that lists
what’s in the folder, nothing more fancy than that.

So shall I dig up one of my scripts? I won’t get to this before
tomorrow; remember tonight is Valentine’s day; I’ll be heading off to
pick up my wife from her office in Canary Wharf in an hour or so.

k


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Sometime around 14/2/08 (at 10:37 -0500) Walter Lee Davis said:

drop it into your file directory, and
rename it to index.php and you will see a list of files and folders.
If the folder is writable, there is a configuration option you can
turn on which will add an upload dialog to the bottom of the page as
well.

Sounds perfect! I’ll take a peek at this myself. :slight_smile:

k


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thatkeith

Walter has kindly given me a script to try so please go and enjoy your valentines evening. I will report back if I have a problem.

Nick


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Walter

Works well! My only problem seems that I need to put the index file in every folder is this expected?

Nick


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I found a typo in the script. Please download it again and it will
work. (It actually works if you click on the little > mark left of
the folder name, but if you click on the folder name, it doesn’t work.)

Walter

On Feb 14, 2008, at 11:44 AM, Nick Ground wrote:

Walter

Works well! My only problem seems that I need to put the index file
in every folder is this expected?

Nick


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Very useful as usual Walter - don’t need it today but I like to be prepared for tomorrow.

And now I have it I am sure it will get used very soon.

David


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Thanks Walter,

all working and even managed to restrict upload to one page to be able to receive site data. Thanks again.

Amazing how much we have to do to get legitimate data through e-mail filters at customers.

Nick


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You’re welcome!

Walter

On Feb 15, 2008, at 3:07 AM, Nick Ground wrote:

Thanks Walter,

all working and even managed to restrict upload to one page to be
able to receive site data. Thanks again.

Amazing how much we have to do to get legitimate data through e-
mail filters at customers.

Nick


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