uploading files directly from website

[da goose]

My webdesigner is going to build a new site and i want to implement an uploadtool so that clients can directly upload wav/aiff files to my server. My returning customers all use my FTP server but as you know, new and one time customers have problems with FTP because they don't now how to deal with it and it takes a lot of time to get things running. (nothing new for a lot of people here i think)

So i was wondering how, if you have it on your site, did you manage to upload the files directly from your website? Is there a special tool/protocol/script whatever.. I'm not technical at all when it comes to websites and their techniques but my designer is and so it might get technical, i will pass it on to him so he can do his thing.

Thanks!

[macc]

My colleague ben might be able to help, I'll point him over here....

[streetbeats]

Hi....

There are lots of options available, depending on specific needs, the platform you're running your server on, and budget...

Can you give us some more info then I (and Im sure others) will be able to give you some recommendations.

[da goose]

Originally Posted by streetbeats

Hi....

There are lots of options available, depending on specific needs, the platform you're running your server on, and budget...

Can you give us some more info then I (and Im sure others) will be able to give you some recommendations.

Thanks! ,

The site is running in php4 (php5 possible) but i also see cgi scripts, asp.net 2.0/3.5, perl (just copy/paste from what i see on my site) Budget is not to much of an issue.. well.. ok.. not to much ofcourse, it's a worldwide crisis.
What i understood from my webdesigner is that small files are no problem but bigger files (like mastering is about) might cause some problems because it's harder to see the status of the upload.

[da goose]

No one else? is it really that hard to get it running that nobody is using it?

[Cellotron]

I think you'll get much better answers from a forum that is for wed designers and IT professionals instead of mastering engineers. In these days of ultra-specialization there's a good number of excellent ME's out there whom can't even write even simple html after all. These folks tend to just hire web designers to take care of these types of things and don't know what it took to actually implement each of the elements. Since I'm in the same boat as you (and also created all of my studio's website) I definitely am looking for a similar solution - so please post back if you find something that is relatively easy to implement.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[Odeon-Mastering]

Hi,

I got a similar thing going on at my website (Home | odeon-mastering).
If anyone wants some info on the webdesigners, that I hired to implement it, I would be more than happy to send you their details via a P.M.

Sorry I cant be of anymore help but my knowledge on the subject is quite limited.

Regards,
Apostolos Siopis

[da goose]

So i think my webdesigner just needs to look for a good tool/script to take care of it all. Will keep you posted when i have some more info!

[mastertone]

The biggest problem are filesize and restrictions to the php ini file.

Please report back if you find anything that works.

Odeon, very nice looking site you have! who did it?


/J

[dave-G]

I spent an exhaustive amount of time looking at PHP scripts, and trying out several to act as a front-end to my webhost's stupid-cheap 10TB space allotment. .. Some of them worked okay, but I ended up getting Rumpus running on a Mac Mini in my machine room, and couldn't be happier.

Running a local server has been a great convenience for my workflow, and with the Mini's optical outs showing up as a digital input source on my Crookwood, it's great to be able to audition files right there on the server without having to download or move them.

Access can be via any FTP client app, or by http via any web browser using Rumpus' nicely design-customizable web GUI. It all works great. You can see the landing page for my server via the "Client Login" links on my website.

Obviously, having a high-speed connection is important, but man .. It's nice.

-dave

[bob katz]

Originally Posted by da goose

My webdesigner is going to build a new site and i want to implement an uploadtool so that clients can directly upload wav/aiff files to my server. My returning customers all use my FTP server but as you know, new and one time customers have problems with FTP because they don't now how to deal with it and it takes a lot of time to get things running. (nothing new for a lot of people here i think)

So i was wondering how, if you have it on your site, did you manage to upload the files directly from your website? Is there a special tool/protocol/script whatever.. I'm not technical at all when it comes to websites and their techniques but my designer is and so it might get technical, i will pass it on to him so he can do his thing.

Thanks!

Our Rumpus FTP Server has a web-option and we've integrated that with our website, it was easy. So get yourself an FTP server that also has a web option.

BK

[It'sJoeAgain]

Originally Posted by mastertone

The biggest problem are filesize and restrictions to the php ini file.

Please report back if you find anything that works.

Odeon, very nice looking site you have! who did it?


/J

if you are in a shared environment your host sets the maximum upload size rule which is usually lower than what they tell u..... so maybe you call ur host to ask what is the file size limit for the PHP enviroment, if they tell you is only 30, request to double it for your shared environment only. But, if they bring it up 60 is not going to be enough for 24/96k files. Good enough only for clips and mp3s, so i wouldn't use it as your main upload function.

Try changing the ini file with ur web editor like this:
upload_max_filesize = 100M
post_max_size = 100M

might work with a php upload script...otherwise use Send big files the easy way. Files too large for email attachments? No problem! which is cheap enough but too damn slow.

[jdg]

Originally Posted by dave-G

but I ended up getting Rumpus running on a Mac Mini in my machine room, and couldn't be happier.
-dave

this is_ exactly_ what i do.

its very great.

also rumpus can do some very fancy stuff if u feel like editing the template files or even making a php front end to manipulate the config files (as they're just plain txt)

[Cellotron]

Originally Posted by jdg

this is_ exactly_ what i do.

its very great.

also rumpus can do some very fancy stuff if u feel like editing the template files or even making a php front end to manipulate the config files (as they're just plain txt)

Anyone know of a PC equivalent of Rumpus?

Otherwise seems I need to break down and get another Mac then (my old iMac died about 3 years ago and I've been PC only studio since then). Anyone know what the minimum requirements are to get decent speed from a Rumpus server? I'm not wanting to spend a lot of cash on this - so would hope to just pick up a used G4 if I decide to go this route.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[jdg]

rumpus flies on any G4 or better mac.

im sure there are similar things on the PC, just that with mac software, the world is 1000 fold smaller and stuff is easier to find.

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by dave-G

I ended up getting Rumpus running on a Mac Mini in my machine room, and couldn't be happier.

[bob katz]

Originally Posted by Cellotron

Anyone know of a PC equivalent of Rumpus?

Otherwise seems I need to break down and get another Mac then (my old iMac died about 3 years ago and I've been PC only studio since then). Anyone know what the minimum requirements are to get decent speed from a Rumpus server? I'm not wanting to spend a lot of cash on this - so would hope to just pick up a used G4 if I decide to go this route.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

Steve, great news. First of all, since you're generally limited by the Internet speed, any reasonable Mac can handle the FTP chore. Secondly, the Mac Mini is perhaps the greatest self-contained little bargain out there from any company. You can get a Mac Mini adequate for the Rumpus task for about $500. If you are considering more memory I strongly suggest you have Apple put it in. Replacing memory in a Mac Mini yourself is not for the faint-hearted. I did it, but the first time I did it, I found 4 different conflicting and outdated sets of directions on the internet, since the Mac Mini's insides continue to evolve. And god knows that Apple doesn't supply real "model numbers"!

And if for any reason you want a PC, a Mac Mini with boot camp is an exceptional, well-built bargain, as long as you don't need any PCI cards. The latest Mac Minis now support dual monitors as well!

[Cellotron]

I don't think I'm at liberty to discuss it further than a vague overview as what I was shown was done somewhat in confidence - but Dave McNair dropped by my studio last night and showed me the web based solution for both project and file management he uses that's in beta right now - and it kicks a. Upload and downloads easily accessible from any web browser, automated link generation of any files uploaded that with one click sendable via email (which would save me a ton of time right there), emails automatically generated whenever someone uploads or downloads, even has invoicing built in as well. If/when it's made public I think it will definitely generate lots of interest.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[streetbeats]

Sorry for the delayed reply here have been really busy the past week, in the middle of moving house, and preparing to start building a new studio.

Before I settled on the solution for SC Mastering, i tried loads of options.

The only ones I can recommend are:

1) Rumpus

Pros: Easiest to get set up and customize
Cons: OS X only

If you are serious about having a decent facility for your clients you should be willing to invest in hosting a mac mini at a colocation facility. Either that or ensure you have some kind of lightning fast up and download link, and some form of failover.

2) The solution we settled on in the end: Filechucker and Userbase from Encodable.com

Pros: Cross platform, lots of integration options, very configurable (sending emails when files uploaded and downloaded etc)
Cons: Harder to configure and customize (but really no problem for someone with even a little web design and coding experience. Anthony from Encodable seems a nice chap and provides good support

I ended up setting up a slice on linode.com (highly recommended if you are ok with configuring a linux server) and installing and configuring Filechucker and Userbase on that.

You can check out the login page at http://clients.subvertmastering.com

thumbsup

[Rick Hoekman]

+1 On Rumpus for OSX. Running it on a spare Macmini. I get an email when someone uploads or downloads a project so I can respond quickly.

There is also a crossplatform ftp server with webinterface (for client upload) called CrushFTP. It's interface is somewhat cluttered because you can really tweak everything. It's also really cheap. CrushFTP

[streetbeats]

Originally Posted by TrackZero

+1 On Rumpus for OSX. Running it on a spare Macmini. I get an email when someone uploads or downloads a project so I can respond quickly.

There is also a crossplatform ftp server with webinterface (for client upload) called CrushFTP. It's interface is somewhat cluttered because you can really tweak everything. It's also really cheap. CrushFTP

CrushFTP was one of the ones I evaluated and eventually discounted.

As per my post above, Rumpus is a great solution but unless you have a very fast up and downlink at your studio/home/wherever you have your mini, and you have some kind of set up to provide failover, then I couldnt completely recommend it as its then a solution with a few comprimises.
You can get round these by hosting your mini at a colo facility, but then the cost is much higher - hence us looking for an alternative solution, and eventually settling on Filechucker

[Cellotron]

Originally Posted by streetbeats

CrushFTP was one of the ones I evaluated and eventually discounted.

As per my post above, Rumpus is a great solution but unless you have a very fast up and downlink at your studio/home/wherever you have your mini, and you have some kind of set up to provide failover, then I couldnt completely recommend it as its then a solution with a few comprimises.
You can get round these by hosting your mini at a colo facility, but then the cost is much higher - hence us looking for an alternative solution, and eventually settling on Filechucker

Thanks much for the links.
Considering a MacMini would cost about $500 + $270 minimum for a Rumpus license I think I might use my already existing P4 office computer as an FTP server and see if I can get Filechucker / Userbase combo or something similar working with it as a cheaper alternative.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[jdg]

its a huge advantage for me having the server on my local gigabit network wiht the macmini/rumpus solution.
but dont forget, if you want really good up/down speed, thats a big cost.
i have 50mbps up/down with comcast, and its about 150/mo .. maybe more, i forget.

also, i use my macmini to run spectrafoo, so its a dual use.

but, the rumpus solution isn't cheep, its just easy.

[streetbeats]

Originally Posted by Cellotron

Thanks much for the links.
Considering a MacMini would cost about $500 + $270 minimum for a Rumpus license I think I might use my already existing P4 office computer as an FTP server and see if I can get Filechucker / Userbase combo or something similar working with it as a cheaper alternative.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

Steve

As per jdg's post, the limiting factor will be both your up and down bandwidth from wherever the server is.
Thats why I chose a linode slice - the bandwidth from their data centers.

[cooker]

zSHARE - Registration options

I didn't try it but maybe it could be helpful to anyone read this topic

[Virtalahde]

How about Sendspace? They have a dropbox that can be added to your website. That isn't limited to your personal up/download speed, and no maintenance of a physical server.

[streetbeats]

Originally Posted by Virtalahde

How about Sendspace? They have a dropbox that can be added to your website. That isn't limited to your personal up/download speed, and no maintenance of a physical server.

Depends how professional you want to look I guess.

A dropbox like that, even if very well integrated into your site still has drawbacks:

- no user control; anybody could upload files of any size to you
- users will still see that its sendspace - if not at time of upload, they definitely will when you send them a download link

I personally care in as much as I dont want clients to get the impression that we are an outfit that cant be bothered or are too cheap to invest in a bespoke solution for them, which could easily lead to the presumption that the same lack of care or investment occurs in the rest of the business.
Might not be the case but its the sort of thing I care about.