Web Server Settings

The Rumpus built-in Web server provides HTTP (Web) services for two distinct reasons.  First is remote user account administration, which allows you to manage user accounts from any Web browser.  The second reason Rumpus includes a Web server is to allow users to transfer files with a Web browser via the Web File Manager.  Both of these functions are controlled using the Web Settings window.

Web Server: Server Options

Enable Web Server

To allow Web clients to connect, either for WFM transfers or to perform user account administration, check the "Enable Web Server" checkbox.  When this option is off, all Web services will be disabled when the server is next started.

Port Number

All Internet based services (such as FTP and HTTP) are bound to a specific "port" on the server.  The port allows multiple services to be provided by the same computer at a given IP address, as clients connect to the port they need for the service they are requesting.  The standard HTTP port is 80, and it is the best choice when no other Web server is running on the Rumpus server.  If another Web server is running on the same machine, you will need to run Rumpus Web service on another port to avoid a conflict.  In this case, port 8000 is a good choice.  See the "Using The Web File Manager" section of the "Web File Manager" article in the Rumpus package for additional details.

Maintain Web Server Log

A log file that includes a single line for each transaction processed by the Web server can be maintained.  The log file will be stored in the defined log files folder (see the FTP Settings window) with the name "WFM.log".

Web Server: Web User Account Management

Enable User Password Changes

When enabled, this option allows FTP users to change their own Rumpus password.  Allowing users to regularly rotate their passwords is a good idea to help prevent password theft.

Enable Web User Administration

If you would like to be able to remotely manage user accounts via Web browser, check this checkbox.

Admin Name & Password

Specify a user name and password to be used when logging in to the Rumpus Web server in order to administer user accounts.  The remote Web user account administration name and password do not need to match those of any defined Rumpus user account.  The name and password provided here is unrelated to FTP or WFM login capability, and is used only to restrict access to the Web administration function.

Web Server: Web File Manager

Enable Web File Manager

If you would like to allow clients to perform typical FTP tasks with a standard Web browser, check the box to enable the Web File Manager.

Templates Folder

The Rumpus WFM is fully customizable by modifying a series of HTML template files.  For details on customizing the WFM interface, see the "Web File Manager" article in the Rumpus package.  The template files may be put into any folder on your local hard drive.  You may enter the full path to your custom templates folder, or click the folder button and choose the folder, to let Rumpus know where your template files are located.

Reload Templates

If you make changes to the Web File Manager HTML template files, the changes will need to be loaded by Rumpus.  To have Rumpus re-read all template files, click the "Reload Templates" button.

Open Templates Folder

For easy access to the WFM Templates folder (which is hidden in the Finder when it is in its default location), click the "Open Templates Folder" button.  When clicked, Rumpus will send a command to the system to have the folder opened in the Finder.

For those familiar with HTML, the WFM can be fully customized by modifying the template files as described in the "Web File Manager" article.  However, the WFM appearance can also be tailored to your organization's needs without ever looking at HTML, simply using the options available on the "WFM Appearance" tab. 

WFM Appearance: Colors

To select a color, click the color well next to the desired color setting.  Or, if you know the HTML color value you would like assigned, you may enter it in the color text field directly.

Background Color

The color used for the background of all WFM generated pages.

Primary Highlight Color

The primary highlight color used in the WFM pages as table backgrounds, borders, etc.

Secondary Highlight Color 

The secondary highlight color, used in table cells and directory listing lines.

Alternate Highlight Color

The alternate highlight color, used primarily for alternating directory listing rows.

Text Color

The color assigned to normal text on WFM generated pages.

Bold Color

The color assigned to bold text, usually column headings, on WFM generated pages.  Be sure to select a color that contrasts properly with the background and highligh colors, so that bold text remains visible.

Link Color

The color assigned to hyper-linked text on WFM generated pages.

Rollover Color

The color assigned to hyper-linked text on WFM generated pages.

Schemes

To make it easier to select complementary colors for use in the WFM interface, the "Schemes" button allows you to select among a number of pre-made color schemes.  When you click the "Schemes" button, a sheet will drop down listings the available color schemes.  Simply choose a color scheme and click "Apply", and all 6 color options will be set accordingly.  If you like, you are free to adjust the individual color settings after selecting a scheme, allowing you to use your favorite scheme as a starting point for a completely custom WFM look.

Note that for each scheme, you can choose whether or not you would like to use alternating colors in folder listings.  In many cases, alternating colors makes it easier for users to differentiate between lines in the listing, though this can lead to a more cluttered appearance.

Color schemes are designed primarily for use with the default WFM template.  Most schemes will work well with any template set, but in some cases, when plain or bold text is invisible or difficult to read, some color customization may be necessary.

WFM Appearance: Style

Rumpus uses a style sheet to control the display of fonts on each WFM page, allowing you to easily customize the WFM appearance.

Enable WFM Style Sheets

To control the use of fonts on the browser, enable this option.  If "Enable WFM Style Sheets" is unchecked, Web browsers will use their own default font styles and sizes.

Font

Select the font to be used for all text presented by the WFM interface.  Numerous Web-safe options are provided.

Size

Select the font size to be used for text presented via the WFM.  Recommended font size choices are provided.

Links

Several options are offered here for controlling the look and behavior of links in WFM pages.  Keep in mind that WFM links include file and folder names in directory listings, as well as navigation links that allow users to move through the various WFM pages.  "Rollover" options cause changes in the display of links as the user moves their cursor over each link, which can provide valuable feedback and help users accurately choose their actions.

WFM Options: User Login

Enable Cookie-Based User Login

Rumpus supports two different mechanisms for allowing users to gain access to the WFM server by entering a name and password: standard HTTP Authentication and Cookies.  Standard HTTP authentication is universally supported by Web browsers and is therefore extremely reliable.  Some browsers permit users to disable or restrict the use of cookies, which may cause problems for some clients.  This is fairly rare, though, and the very large majority of users should have no problems with either method of login.

Cookie-based login has a number of advantages over standard HTTP authentication.  First, Rumpus can control the interface for login, presenting a clean, consistent, and customizable Web page for the user to supply their name and password, rather than the standard HTTP authentication dialog box.  This interface also allows for one-button anonymous login, rather than requiring users to enter a name of "anonymous" and a password to gain anonymous access.  Another advantage is that the logout procedure works more reliably on a wider range of Web browsers, since Rumpus has better control over cookies than is provided by standard HTTP authentication.  Finally, cookies allow Rumpus to better track user activity, greatly improving the reliability of the user session transcript and logging.

In general, we recommend leaving the "Enable Cookie-Based User Login" option on, unless you have a specific reason for using standard HTTP authentication.

Always Prompt For Login

When this option is enabled, all users will immediately be required to enter a username and password when they first connect.  If this box is left unchecked, users first accessing the Web File Manager will be assumed to be "anonymous" until they click a login link and supply a name and password.

Realm Hint

The "Realm Hint" can be any short text string you like. It will be displayed in the HTTP username/password dialog box presented to users when they log in for authenticated transactions. It is used only to let visitors know what server they are attempting to access, and doesn't establish any security options or requirements.  This option is ignored when cookie-based login is enabled.

WFM Options: Page Header

The basic WFM options allow you to specify how the page header appears, including a graphic logo and system title.  Either or both of these fields may be blanked, and Rumpus will adjust the header display accordingly.

Title

Enter a word or phrase that describes the file upload system. For example, the default setting is "Web File Manager" but could be changed to "Upload Service", "File Center", or simply your company name.

Logo 

If you would like to include a small graphic representing your company or organization, copy the graphic file (expected to be a GIF or JPEG file) into the "WFM Templates" folder, which is inside the “Rumpus Prefs” folder, then enter the name of the file in the "Logo" field.  To have Rumpus copy the file and enter the name for you, click the small "Get File" icon and locate and select the GIF or JPEG image file.

WFM Options: WFM Features

Confirm Delete Actions

If the Rumpus WFM option "Confirm Delete Actions" is checked, a page will be displayed to the user asking them if they are sure they would like to delete the file, and providing an option to return to the folder listing without deleting. If the "Confirm Delete Actions" option is not checked, the file will be deleted as soon as the delete link is clicked.

Enable Directory List Sorting

When this option is enabled, the file listing will include small up and down buttons next to the "Filename", "Size" and "Update" ("Last Modified") column headings.  These buttons can be used to sort the directory listing in either increasing or decreasing order, a handy feature that can make finding a file easier for people using your server.  Rumpus allows you to disable this feature, if you wish, to reduce screen clutter or to reduce load on the server.  (Directory list sorting causes additional load because the listing needs to be completely regenerated for each sort performed by the user, and because sorting requires considerable extra overhead.)

Include "File Download" Link

The usual way to access files via the Rumpus WFM is to click the name of the file in the file listing.  When the "Include 'File Download' Link" option is enabled, an additional link is included in the file listing on each line representing a file (folder entries do not get a download link).  By default, this link is a down arrow graphic, and when clicked, Rumpus serves the file in the same way that it does when the user clicks the filename, except that it tells the browser that the file's "Content-Type" is "Application/Binary".  Most browser will interpret this to mean that the file should be saved to disk, rather than displayed in a browser window or otherwise processed.

For example, if a JPEG image exists on your server, and a user clicks the file's name, virtually all browsers will load the image and display it in the window.  When a user clicks the download link, however, most Web browsers will save the file to the user's local hard drive, and then use a helper application to display the file.

Note that when the "Present 'Download Begun' Page" option is checked, the behavior of the download link is changed, as described in the section below.

Present "Download Begun" Page

Some file download services present a download page prior to beginning a file transfer to the client.  This page generally displays additional information or instructions and uses a javascript to initiate the file transfer.  This can be useful in providing feedback to users that their transfer has begun, which helps to keep users from clicking on the download link multiple times or otherwise interrupting the transfer.

However, most Web browsers do a good job of indicating that a transfer is under way, either by showing the partial contents of the file as it is transferred or by opening a "Downloads" window to show the progress of the transfer.  For this reason, the "Download Begun" page usually adds more complexity than it is worth, and we normally recommend that this feature be left off.  If you find users becoming confused about downloading files from your server, or if you have some other specific reason to display a page when transfers begin, this option is available.  When this option is enabled, and the "Include 'File Download' Link" option is also enabled, the download page is shown when the download button is clicked.  If the "Include 'File Download' Link" option is not enabled, then the download page is shown when the user clicks the file's name in the file listing.

Display Upload Progress Indicator

If you would like to enable the javascript-based progress indicator pop-up window, check this option.  When enabled, a pop-up window will be opened during file transfers, which will periodically display statistics about the file upload in progress.  This option is useful when you expect WFM users to upload large files over relatively slow Internet connections, as it provides positive feedback to the user that their file upload is proceeding.  This is a great way to discourage accidental cancellation of file transfers.

WFM Options: Additional Options

Default Type

When a file is served via the Web File Manager, Rumpus sends a header field called the “Content-Type”, which tells the browser how to process the file it is receiving.  Rumpus determines the content-type for each file served based on the filename extension, or suffix.  See the “File Types” help article for details.

When a file is served, and it’s name does not match a suffix defined in the File Types list, the default content-type is used.  This essentially controls the behavior of browsers when they receive a file whose type can not be determined using the File Types list.

Java Scripts

This option allows you to select whether or not the Rumpus Web File Manager sends client side java scripts in WFM pages.  Disabling javascripts can be useful if you need to allow some older Web browsers to transfer files to and from your server.  However, many of the handy features implemented in the Web File Manager are accomplished only through the use of client-side javascripts.  Disabling javascripts will make these features unavailable.

Date Format

The default WFM directory listings include the last modified date/time of each file or folder .  The format of the date and/or time can be set to one of several options.  The choices include the standard FTP date/time format, a numeric date with the time, a numeric date only, or the time only.  The pop-up menu selector shows how each option would appear for the current date and time.

Support Tunneled SSL Connections

If you use an SSL tunnel to provide secure transfers via the Web File Manager, enable this option.  Note that when enabled, any WFM access from a browser running on the server itself will be re-routed through the SSL tunnel.  For this reason, if you are not running an SSL tunnel, leave this option disabled.

For full details on using an SSL tunnel with the Rumpus Web File Manager, see the "Secure Transfers" article in the "Helpful Info" folder of the Rumpus package.

Note that in order for these customization options to take effect, you must use the default WFM Template files.  These files are automatically copied to your server at the location "/usr/local/Rumpus/WFMTemplates/" when the Rumpus server daemon is installed.

The best way to work with the available customization options is to start Rumpus, enable the Web File Manager, and log in from a browser on the same computer or another computer nearby.  With a directory listing displayed in the browser, make the desired changes, and click "Apply Changes".  Then simply reload the page in the browser to see the effect of your changes.  Making additional changes, clicking "Apply", and reloading the directory may be repeated as many times as needed.