Introduction |
Filetopia is a free communications software that includes: instant messaging, chat, e-mail, a powerful file sharing system with a search engine, online friends list and message boards. What is unique to this software is the level of security and privacy that it provides. It uses a choice of strong ciphers and public key techniques for all communications and sophisticated techniques to protect your IP and thus make you truly anonymous and safe from attacks.
The collection manager included is a powerfull tool to manage your files and compare them with files from other users so that you only obtain files new to your collection. The chat client provides mechanisms to protect your identity and to prevent attacks from other users which are so frequently seen on IRC.
The messaging system allows you to post messages or e-mails to other users and with the message boards you will be able to keep "conversations" or threads without the need to be online at the same time-- Use Filetopia to improve your collection in a secure, easy to use environment.
Basic concepts |
File Sharing
This term applies to programs that can turn a user's machine into a file server. This way, files can be shared among users creating a huge "virtual server" that grows as more users connect. In Filetopia, files can be shared in a one-to-one basis and it is also possible to search for all the files online in the "virtual server".
Context menus
Context Menus appear when the user presses the right mouse button over a certain area of the screen. At that time, a Popup Menu with options related to that part of the screen appears. In Filetopia context menus are used extensively, and will be referenced throughout this help.
Encryption
The process of encoding the information in such a way that it can only be read at the intended destination is called Encryption. If the information is not encoded in this way, it is relatively easy for it to be intercepted by someone while it is travelling to its destination. On the other hand, if the information is encrypted, it is infeasible to intercept. For the information to be read, it needs some data called the key. This key enables the destination computer to decrypt or decode the information.
There are two types of encryption: "Weak Encryption": where the method of encoding is known to have weaknesses or the key length used is 64 bits long or less: and "Strong Encryption": where the method of encoding has no known attacks and the key length used is greater than 64 bits. Filetopia uses strong encryption, which means: there is no way that any unauthorized person can read the message. For a more detailed description of the encryption algorithms used in Filetopia, visit the web.
Collection Managers
These are programs that help users to manage collections of files. However, when you are collecting files, there are some requirements that are not addressed by a "file manager" such as Windows explorer. The additional requirements include:
- Keeping track of files spread through different online and offline media (like CDs).
- The creation of lists of your files which can be shared with other collectors.
- The comparison of your lists with other collectors' lists to identify items missing from your collection.
- The finding of duplicate files based on content -using CRC-.
- The need to keep track of lists of files that you don't want in your collection or that you want to highlight.
- The need to select groups of files by different concepts (category, paths, content, etc) and do operations on them (move them among lists or media, describe them, etc.)
Chat, IRC
In Internet terms, a Chat is a service that enables several connected Net users to maintain a conversation, via the keyboard in real time. One standard protocol used in chat networks on the Internet is called IRC (Internet Relay Chat). These chat networks consist of many interconnected servers and permit thousands of users to chat simultaneously.
Filetopia uses a different chat protocol and therefore it is not compatible with the IRC networks. However it provides many advantages over the IRC protocol:
Security - the Filetopia protocol has less weak points that can be attacked.
Privacy - the information travels encrypted.
Auxiliary protocols - that help in the file exchanging among users and many other tasks.
Message boards
These date back to the early days of bulletin board systems (BBS's) and they are among the most popular ways for a group of users to communicate. The users can effectively share information by posting messages that can be read by other users at a later time. Unlike Chat there is no need for the users to be present at the same time. Filetopia hosts a Message Board, which is highly integrated with the rest of the components and which also shares the secure communications channel.
File clients and servers
If you want to retrieve files from the Net, you need some kind of file client. Web browsers are the most common kind of file client, but there are other kinds. Filetopia is a very specialized kind of file client due to its integration with a collection manager and the ability to use strong encryption. The files made available through the Net need also some kind of software to "serve" them to the clients. The file servers are the programs in charge of performing this function and Filetopia has one of these servers that "speaks" the same language (protocol) as the client.
The Search system |
To search for files shared by other users, all you have to do is press the "Search" button and enter a search text. This can be one or more words that will be matched agains the file's name, path and description. Aditionally, you can choose to limit the results to files that are currently online or to a certain kind of files (categories) as well to a minumun speed.
Once you find a file you want, you can download it by pressing the "Get Selected files" button or you can also send a message to the file's owner by using the context menu over the result list.
Privacy note: User's nicks are not shown in Filetopia's searchs unlike in other file sharing systems. You can send a message to the owner but the user's nick won't show during the whole proccess.
The Chat client |
Once you have your collection organized, you can reach out to find other users who collect the same kind of files you do and so share your files while increasing your collection.
In Novice mode: all you have to do is press the "Chat" button to start chatting. You can change channels by selecting one from the channels combo (this will exit the current channel and move you to the selected channel). To create channels or join more than one channel at the same time: get the channels list first by selecting: Chat->Get Channel List.
If you are in Expert mode and have entered the required values in Tools->Options->Chat, then pressing the Connect button or the Connect to Server option in the File menu will connect you securely to the Filetopia Chat Server. When you are connected, you can press the Channels button to get a list of all the channels on the server. You can then join a channel by selecting it from the list and pressing the Join button, or you can create your own channel with the Create button. The Info button updates information about the selected channel (topic, number of users, etc) in the channel list.
After you have joined or created a channel, a Public chat window opens, and this is where you can chat with all the users on the same channel. Any text typed in the box located at the bottom of the window will be seen by all users of the channel. To the right of this window there is a list of all the users who are connected to the same channel, including you. If you select any of these users you will have access to a context menu with the following options:
- Get List of files: Asks the selected user for his file list, the list is automatically retrieved and can optionally be compared against your master list.
- Send file(s): With this option we can send any file or files from our computer to the selected user, as long as he accepts our transmission.
- Send Message: We can send an instant message directly to this user.
- Sound alert: To call the attention of the selected user with an audible sound.
- Ping: This option will let us know if the user is "Alive" (can see us) and how lagged the user is.
- Private Chat: Opens a private chat window.
- DCC Chat: Opens a window and makes a DCC connection to the user. This kind of chat is good for some situations, like when one of the users if behind a firewall.
- Ignore User: Adds the selected user to the Ignore Users List. We will be able to see this user in the channel but everything he says and all private chats, list or server requests from him will be completely ignored.
- Add to friends: Adds the selected user to the Friends List. All list and server requests from a friend user are automatically honored.
- Custom messages: We will be able to send a private custom message to any user, or edit a list of custom messages from this menu.
- Invite to channel: If you're in more than one channel, you can invite another user to visit those channels.
- Users list position: This option will let us choose where to put the users list: to the Left or to the Right of the window.
If you are the creator of the channel or have Operator status, then the Operator menu option will also be visible to you. This will give you access to the following commands:
- Give Op Status: Gives Operator status to a selected user.
- Take Op Status: Removes the Operator status from a selected user. If the user is the owner of the channel then the use of this option is not recommend.
- Kick: Kicks the selected user off the channel.
- Kick & Ban: Kicks and also bans the selected user from the channel. It is possible for the Operator to remove banned users by invoking the channel properties in the Users tab.
If you select 'Properties' from the context menu the Channel Properties Window opens. Using this window you can customize your channel:
- Change the channel topic.
- Make the channel secret - i.e. hide it from the channel list.
- Protect the channel with a password so that only those who know the password can enter.
- Enable or disable the ability of logging the text that is typed in the channel.
- Decide if only Operators will be able to post messages to the channel.
- Decide if the Operators will also be able to change properties of the channel.
- Decide if you will allow timed messages in the channel and with which frequency (from 1 to 9 minutes).
- Decide if you allow custom fonts and color in your channel.
- Add or Delete users from the Operator list and Ban list.
- Create a Welcome message for every user that joins the channel.
- Delete the channel -in case you are the owner-.
- Change the appearance of the channel: the font and the colors used for all the elements.
Other things you can do from the chat's context menu are:
- Log a channel: you can save all that is being said in the channel, in case the owner enabled this feature. If it is disabled: copying text to the clipboard from the channel is also disabled for obvious reasons.
- Beep: a beep sound whenever someone types anything.
- Custom auto text: this sends predefined text messages every few minutes to the channel. This must also be enabled by the channel's owner.
- Override customization: in case you don't like the font and colors chosen by the owner of the channel.
- Animated character: to make an animated character speak out loud all that is being typed in the channel. You need to have Ms-Agent technology installed in your computer. Filetopia detects if you dont have it and offers to download the software (400k) for you. A text-to-speech engine is also needed. Two small characters are included (thanks to Gumboot) and more can be found at: www.msagentring.org.
- Add to favourites: to add the current channel to your favourite channels window where you can customize some aspects of it: password, autosend list, custom text, if you want to join the channel automatically when you connect, etc.
In the Chat menu, we have the following options:
- Get Channel List: Like with the Channels button, it opens the Channel List Window and displays new channels created in the server since we last got the channel list.
- Favorite Channels: It opens the favorite channels window. This allows users to store information on channels they use often, so they don't need to get the channel list every time. You can customize here many things related to the channel. You can even make a channel an Auto-join channel so it will be joined as soon as you connect.
- Set Away: Enables the Away mode. You use this mode when you want to advise other users that you are going to be away from the keyboard. You can type a message here that will be sent to any user talking to you in private chats. When you are in this mode the user list in the public chats will show a '-' sign in front of your nickname. To leave the away mode, you have to select this same option in the chat menu, which has not changed to 'Set Back'.
- Change Password: This option will let you change your password at the server and also re-encrypt all your saved messages with the new password.
- Chat Options: Opens the Options window with the Chat tab already selected.
The Private Chat window opens when you double click on a user in the list or you select Private Chat from the context menu. In this window, you will be able to have a secure one-to-one chat with another user.
The Messaging system |
If you don't find the kind of collectors you're looking for when you're online, you can leave messages on the appropriate channels or send them to particular users of the system. To see the messages associated with a given channel, get into the chat room and press the "Messages" button. The "Messages window" will open and you will be able to see all the messages previously posted by selecting any from the list. It is also possible to perform the following actions in this window:
- The New button lets you post a new message, it opens the "New message dialog" box.
- The Reply button lets you answer a selected message, by adding your new message to the thread.
- Using the Private button allows you to send a private answer to the author of the selected message.
- Close closes the "Messages window"
The "New message window" lets put a subject heading to your message. Your message can include a Subject, the text of your message and an expiration period, which can be from 1 to 30 days (it defaults to 7). After this period the message will be deleted from the server.
The "Actions" menu has a few options related to the messages:
- Send Message: To open the new message dialog and send a message to a user (like an internal mail in Filetopia).
- Private Messages: It opens the private messages window, where you read and answer to messages.
Private Messages
It is possible to send and receive private messages using Filetopia. The 'Messages' button opens your private messages and lets you read and reply to other users. The messages first shown are those stored on the server, if they're bold it means that they are new messages. You can also open your past messages history and see all the messages that you have sent (red) or that have been sent to you (blue). The 'History' button can be disabled as well as the procedure for saving of messages by un-checking 'Save personal messages encrypted in my hard disk' in Options->Advanced. If the message files are stolen, the hacker must also know your connection password in order to access your messages.
Once you connect, if you have any new messages, the "Private messages window" will open automatically.
The File Client and Server |
The file Client is integrated in the List window. When a list is Activated, two new tabs appear: the Download and the Upload tab, which serve the purpose of getting files from the list-owner's server and sending files respectively. From the Files or Missing tab, it is possible to add files to the Download list. As soon as files are added, a connection with the owner's server is established and file retrieval starts automatically (unless changed in options). We can add as many files as we want, which will be queued for delivery in the Download list. Inside the Download tab, it is possible to move the files up or down in the queue, or to delete them from the queue. It is also possible to skip a given file or to stop completely the connection to the remote server. Similarly, we can add files from the Missed list to the Upload list.
The file Server starts as soon as we go online, from the File Server Window in the Tools menu -or clicking in the transfer panel at the lower right of the screen-, we can monitor all file transactions taking place in the program, we can abort any transaction, kick a user from our server and even ban that user. The Active Transfers tab, shows all transfers currently in progress, while the History tab shows all past transfers with some statistics and the status of the transfer (Ok, Not found, Aborted, etc). In the Users tab, you can see all users that connected to our server during the current session as well as those currently connected. This window has some statistics for each user: files sent and received, Kbs sent and received, time online, time idle and credit remaining.
To open the windows explorer right in the Download directory, we have an option under the Tools menu called Open Download directory.
To create a list with all the files downloaded and received, we have an option under the Tools menu called Make a list with new files.
Trade mode
If you dont want to share your files freely, but rather just share with a limited number of users or under a set of rules you decide, you can choose to become a trader by selecting this option in Options->Server. In this mode, you can decide which users get your file's list and access to your server. You can set a ratio: which means the number of bytes you allow to get for each byte that is uploaded to you, and you can set a Initial credit: which are the number of bytes a user has to sample your files before they need to start uploading.
Additionally, you can automate the file exchange procedure with other users by entering a channel and selecting 'Unattended' from the channel context menu. In this case, you will allow all users (except ignored or banned users) of that channel to have access to your List and file Server.
On the other hand, a trader cannot retrieve files from searchs (the system will warn you if you try and invite you to change to 'share' mode) and cannot get files from other users that are not traders.
There are several settings that can be configured here in Options-Server:
The Number of Slots is the number of people we allow to be connected simultaneously. This depends on our bandwidth and, as a general rule, it is better to have a few happy people with quick response times, than a lot of frustrated ones with very poor response times.
The Max number of search connections that we allow: from those slots that we just defined, how many are available for search users (the rest will be available for friends and users we meet in the chatrooms).
The Bandwidth allowed for each connection: we can limit the speed a user can download from us.
The Bandwidth allowed for all search users: this is how much bandwidth will be available to all search users (note that for each search users the maximun speed is still what we defined in the previous option).
Options |
There are a large number of things that can be configured in the Filetopia's Client, and to do so we need to open the Options Window, which is under the Tools menu. In Expert mode, this window is divided in eight different tabs that group related parameters together. These tabs are:
- Paths: Options related to where -and how- things are stored on the disk.
- Lister: File list related options. This indicates which is our master list and our automatic send list.
- Hot/Ignore: Options related to the files we want to highlight or we don't want to see.
- Server: File Server related options: Paths, Maximum number of people we allow, Bandwidth throttle and trade mode options.
- Chat: Login information and user mode inside the chat server. Some default options and the ms-agent character used in the chat. We can define our custom chat font from here.
- Users: We can maintain the Friends, Ignore and Banned user lists here. We can also open the "Address book".
- Security: Encryption, ports, IP hidding (bouncer)... they can all be configured here.
- Advanced: Miscellaneous advanced options: Auto-dialing, Debug, tray menu, etc.
The Collection Manager |
This is the heart of the Filetopia's Client, the module in charge of managing the collections of files. The collections are organized in file lists.
The file list window, is organized it tabs, it can have up to 5 tabs, although only two are visible initially.
The first tab, called Files, holds the collection file list. The list consists of a grid, which has initially the following columns: Icon, Filename, Size, Date, Category, Path and Description. By default, the lists are ordered by filename in ascending order - although clicking on any of the column headers can change this.
The Properties tab holds some information about the list such as the summary of a "compare" if the list has been compared. It also allows the entry of a written description of the list that will appear in the status bar.
The Missing tab holds a list of the files that are not in this list but which are in a "compared to" list.
The Missed tab shows those files that are in this list but are not in the "compared to" list.
When the list is Activated (we have access to the list owner's server) it also shows the Upload and Download tabs, which will be explained later - they allow the transfer of files among users.
There are a number of operations that can be performed on the file lists:
- New: This brings up the "New List" creation dialog. Before a list is created, you need to specify the directory set that makes up the list. You can "Add" and "Delete" directories and you can "Save" the directory set in order to speed up future list creation.
There are two types of lists that can be generated:
- Dynamic (CMD) lists: These lists will only store the directory set, building the list of files each time they're used. They're always updated, but the trade-off is that they'll take longer to open and that you cannot assign Categories or descriptions to them. Use them if your shared files change often and you don't need descriptions or categories.
- Static (CML) lists: These lists store all the files they find when they're created. They need to be re-built each time the contents change but on the other hand: they're faster to load, can be used to describe and categorize files and can hold descriptions of files that are not online.
Additionally, it is possible to mark the "Generate CRC Checksums for exact duplicate analysis". This makes Filetopia analyze each and every file included in your collection. For this purpose, the program applies an algorithm that extracts a unique number that identifies each file. This helps to produce an exact duplicate file analysis, however this list takes much longer to generate. It is also possible to mark the "Make this list the Master list for default comparing" option if you want the list that you are creating to be used to automatically compare all the lists you receive. When you're ready, you can click the Create button to start the list creation. To help you share your files, there is also an option: "Share the selected directories" which you can use to add all the directories used in the list to your shared paths.
Selection:
Disk Files:
Other:
The Getting Started Wizard |
This opens automatically the first time we start the program and anytime we select the option under the Help menu. This wizard will help us in the initial configuration tasks, taking us step by step through the following:
- Asking for a Login name (Nick) and a password, so we can connect to the Filetopia Server.
- Guiding us in the configuration of our shared directories, and other settings so we can share our files easily.
- Letting us choose the initial sharing mode (Free share or Trade mode).
Additionally, it allows us to start Filetopia when the system starts (not a default option).
It is very advisable that the newbies complete the Wizard every time they want to change their shared files, as the Wizard does all the necessary adjustments to the configuration for you.
Contact Information |
For updated versions and more information, please visit our web page at:
You can also contact Filetopia at the following email addresses: