fetch file to download...

[deemarcus]

Hi, i am currently using the following <a href=\"$file_location$value\">$value</a> to allow a user to download a file which is in an .htaccess passworded directory.



If the user selects the file he/she will be prompted to enter a username and password (the same applies if he / she tries to access the file directly. If i am not logged in i can get my php code to browse the directories and files, can i get it also to get the file and prompt to download it.

Meaning the only way to get to the file is by accessing my web page?

hope this makes scence!

 

[sleipnir214]

I have found that as a good general rule your application should do exactly one of the following:[ul][li]use .htaccess and let Apache handle all authentication[/li][li]let all authentication, and thus all downloads, be handled by PHP[/li][/ul]

It sounds to me like you're trying to hybridize.


Want the best answers? Ask the best questions!

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[deemarcus]

Thanks for replying, whats the best was to get users to log in with usernames / passwords kept in mysql database and using .htacess for directlry security?

regards.

 

[sleipnir214]

Again, why are you hybridizing? Just put PHP in charge of all authentication, including file downloads.


I suppose you could output the correct headers from within PHP to make the browser display the login dialog to the user, then capture that data. Anything that PHP doesn't capture would be passed to Apache. I suppose as long as all userids/passwords were syncronized between the two, everyting could work. It'd be awfully clunky, though.


Want the best answers? Ask the best questions!

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[lgarner]

Use mod_auth_mysql. It's the only way that I can think of to have Apache's basic authentication use a Mysql password DB.

If you're having PHP perform authentication and deliver the file, then you don't need .htaccess at all- just put the file directory outside of the web root and Apache won't be able to access the file at all. PHP still can, since it has access to the filesystem.

 

[deemarcus]

lgarner, thanks for replying. I put the directory outside the web root which worked fine, i could browse the directory etc... but i have problems selecting the file to download as it is a hyperlink... maybe this is the correct way to do it... if i post my php code you can see what i mean...... if i can get select the file to download then this will solve all my problems...


<?php
// false - don't allow switching to the parent-directory of this script
// true - allow simple switching to the parent-directory (via 'href')

$allow_parent = "false";

//configuration ends here---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

//=======================================================================================
$path=$_GET["path"];
$SCRIPT_NAME=getenv("SCRIPT_NAME");
//put directory content in arrays-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// if (!isset($path)) { $path = "./"; }
if (!isset($path)) { $path = "/home/websys/webs/test.websys.co.uk/files/standard/reports/"; }
if (!file_exists($path)) { echo "<h2>File not found!</h2>"; exit; }
if (strstr($path,"..")) { echo "<h2>invalid path!</h2>"; exit; }
// $base_dir = getcwd();
$base_dir = "/home/websys/webs/test.websys.co.uk/files/standard/reports";
chdir($path);
$current_dir = getcwd();
$directory = dir("./");
$directories_array = array();
$files_array = array();
while ($file = $directory->read()) {
if (is_dir($file) AND $file != ".") { $directories_array[] = $file; }
if (is_file($file)) { $files_array[] = $file; }
}
$directory->close();
//sort and output the arrays-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$file_location = "files/standard/reports/".basename($current_dir)."/";
echo "<P class='tableheading'>Directory listing for ".basename($current_dir)."</P>";
echo "<table width='100%'>";
echo "<tr class='tableheading'><td width='250'><div align='left'>Name</div></td><td width='50'><div align='left'>Size</div></td><td width='50'><div align='left'>Date</div></td></tr>";
sort($directories_array);
foreach($directories_array as $value) {
if ($value=="..") { $new_path=strrev(substr(strstr(substr(strstr(strrev($path),"/"),1),"/"),1)); }
else { $new_path=$path.$value; }
if (($value != "..") OR ($base_dir != $current_dir)) {
echo "<tr><td><a href=\"$SCRIPT_NAME?path=".urlencode($new_path."/")."\">$value</a><b>/</b></td><td></td><td>".gmdate("d M Y H:i",filemtime($value))."</td></tr>";
}
elseif ($allow_parent == "true") {
echo "<tr><td><a href=\"$value\">$value</a><b>/</b></td><td></td><td>".gmdate("d M Y H:i",filemtime($value))."</td></tr>"; }
}
sort($files_array);
foreach($files_array as $value) {
if($value != basename($SCRIPT_NAME) or $path!="./") {
$filesize=filesize($value);
if ($filesize > 1073741823) { $filesize = sprintf("%.1f",($filesize/1073741824))." GB"; }
elseif ($filesize > 1048575) { $filesize = sprintf("%.1f",($filesize/1048576))." MB"; }
elseif ($filesize > 1023) { $filesize = sprintf("%.1f",($filesize/1024))." kB"; }
else { $filesize = $filesize." byte"; }
//echo "<tr><td><a href=\"$path$value\">$value</a></td><td>$filesize</td><td>".gmdate("d M Y H:i",filemtime($value))."</td></tr>";
echo "<tr><td><a href=\"$file_location$value\">$value</a></td><td>$filesize</td><td>".gmdate("d M Y H:i",filemtime($value))."</td></tr>";

}
}
echo "</table>";
?>

kindest regards,

dee

 

[lgarner]

You missed my point. PHP must handle the file delivery in this case because Apache does not have access to files outside of the webroot

If you must have a simple hyperlink, then I'd do it one of two ways:
1. Follow sleipnir's suggestion and have your web app pass the basic authentication credentials. Try

http://us3.php.net/features.http-auth

for a start.
2. Use basic authentication only]/i] and have your web app use that username.

 

[deemarcus]

Oh pants! i was hoping that i could replace the href to the file with a getfile() function or somthing. How can i browse folders / directories out side the web tree but not select them to download? Im a little confused.


Dee