File area
The file area is a place where your users can store files. Please read the notes
below to learn how to store and retrieve files from the file areas.
1. Searching the database
Using the search form, you can search the complete file database for specified
keywords or descriptions. This makes it easy to find the resources your need,
and is a huge advantage over a simple FTP server which stores files without any
descriptions. Once you have found the files you were looking for, you have the
choice between downloading them directly via the Web (just by clicking on a link)
or by using your favourite FTP client. Using FTP is generally recommended, because
most FTP clients (and the Hawkeye server) have support for the re-use of broken
connections, thus avoiding to download a file twice. Note however, that the
built-in FTP functions of most Web browser can not be used, since Netscape
and the Internet Explorer do not permit non-anonymous logins.
2. Uploading files
Because Hawkeye wants each file to have an additional database record with
some description and information about the file content, uploading is not
as simple as it is on a normal FTP server. But it's not that complicated anyway...
Here is how to upload a file correctly:
- Start your preferred FTP client and open a connection to your Hawkeye
server. Be sure not to use anonymous login, but log in with your
account and your password, or you won't have permission to upload anything.
- Switch to the directory /incoming and upload the file there.
Make sure the file is really located in the /incoming directory, otherwise
the Hawkeye server will not recognize it! If you want, your can of course
upload multiple files at once.
- After finishing the FTP session, switch to your Web browser and use the
registration form for each upload to register your
file with Hawkeye's database. You will be required to enter the file name
exactly as it is located in the incoming directory. Additionally, you
must choose a file area, and you should give a short title and a full description
of your upload.
- By submitting the form, your upload is removed from the incoming directory
and is placed in the file area you have choosen (which is by default a
subdirectory of /files). The file is now available for searching and downloading
via the Web interface provided by Hawkeye.
Remember: It is not sufficient to place the upload into the incoming directory,
you must use the registration form to make your upload available to other
users.
Hawkeye Sample Pages
/files/files.htm