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.
Browse file database Register an uploaded file

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:
  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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