Re: [Boston.pm] reading in a directory
On Tue, 7 Dec 2004, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Wow, well it's good to see we're all on the same page. Three replies all suggesting the same option.. zipped files. Yeah here's the trick. I'm trying to make this process easier for my mother, not myself. So in the end, this is adding another layer... So, if I don't want to do the zipped files idea (which is a kinda snazzy idea btw) then I have only two other options: 1) do the list of sinlge file selections as suggested, or 2)use another programming language (javascrip or java I would imagine) to connect to the local machine, browse, select the folder, find the files, and submit them in the form as hidden fields (somehow). The newer XForms (http://www.w3.org/TR/xforms/) also don't specify a way to browse a directory, so I suspect filenames will be the state of things for a while. I think it is considered insecure to allow server-side code to browse an entire directory. I don't know if it's difficult to hit Ctrl-A in the file selection box and thus select all the files in the directory - that would be the easiest solution without subfolders and no zip files would be required. You should think about what you're really trying to achieve. If the goal is to upload the contents of a folder including subfolders wherever it may be, that's another thing and zip files are the best solution. If the goal is JUST to send images or do other client-side processing, provide a Perl script that creates the archive and uploads it to a target server location (optionally, signal the server to analyze the upload afterwards). Make the source location static and your mom will not have to enter command-line arguments but instead she can just double-click on an executable that will do everything; your script can empty the source location upon completion. Ted ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] reading in a directory
Yeah, I'm not too excited about creating a connection to a user's desktop to browse it either. But since there's no easy way to send multiple file addresses through html I'm running out of options. And, yeah (you'll love this), my mother uses a Mac. And I was hoping to make this whole procedure platform independent. I know I could be wishing upon a star here. But I gotta try. --Alex On Tue, 2004-12-07 at 16:31, Alex Brelsfoard wrote: Wow, well it's good to see we're all on the same page. Three replies all suggesting the same option.. zipped files. Yeah here's the trick. I'm trying to make this process easier for my mother, not myself. So in the end, this is adding another layer... So, if I don't want to do the zipped files idea (which is a kinda snazzy idea btw) Why not? If she is using XP, then, IIRC, she can zip up a directory as a right click option (been a while). WinZip, properly installed, should also provide a click-menu way of compressing a directory. You might have to experiment with configurations to get the right zip settings/unzipping commands to cooperate at both ends, but since it's you and your mother, I expect you have a fair amount of control over that aspect. But if you like the concept, I'd be surprised if an hour or two experimentation didn't find a workable method, even for your mother. Anyone know if there is a MS version of stuffit? On Tue, Dec 07, 2004 at 02:13:16PM -0600, Alex Brelsfoard wrote: You could use Java applets or MS ActiveX (or whatever it's called now) for multiple uploads. Otherwise, you're stuck with uploading single files. The very idea of giving a web browser the power to browse my directory tree and upload files I didn't explicitly indicate gives me hives. ActiveX == gaping security hole, JMHO -- Sean Quinlan [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] reading in a directory
Thanks all for the great feedback. Yeah, I think the main problem is that I am trying to access remote files from a server-side program, and this is a security violation (rightfully so). So this means (to do this the perfect beautiful way) I will need to create a module to my perl app to be sent over to the end user when trying to do a batch upload (such as a java app). Though I am planning on learning Java soon, when I write this module in Java, I will probably be tempted to re-write the entire thing in Java We'll see. I'm thinking until I have learned another programming language that can be run on the user's side, I will probably just have to do a large number of single selection input fields. I can't remember who at this point, but someone wondered why I didn't just use the html input field and hit ctrl-a. This is exaclty what I would love to do, but if you create that html form with the use of that 'input type=file' field you will notice that it does not let you do ctrl-a. It will only ever select one file at a time. sigh I may at some point try some sort of VB or C# bit. But I really don't like those languages... at all. Thanks again all. --Alex On Tue, 2004-12-07 at 16:31, Alex Brelsfoard wrote: Wow, well it's good to see we're all on the same page. Three replies all suggesting the same option.. zipped files. Yeah here's the trick. I'm trying to make this process easier for my mother, not myself. So in the end, this is adding another layer... So, if I don't want to do the zipped files idea (which is a kinda snazzy idea btw) Why not? If she is using XP, then, IIRC, she can zip up a directory as a right click option (been a while). WinZip, properly installed, should also provide a click-menu way of compressing a directory. You might have to experiment with configurations to get the right zip settings/unzipping commands to cooperate at both ends, but since it's you and your mother, I expect you have a fair amount of control over that aspect. But if you like the concept, I'd be surprised if an hour or two experimentation didn't find a workable method, even for your mother. Anyone know if there is a MS version of stuffit? On Tue, Dec 07, 2004 at 02:13:16PM -0600, Alex Brelsfoard wrote: You could use Java applets or MS ActiveX (or whatever it's called now) for multiple uploads. Otherwise, you're stuck with uploading single files. The very idea of giving a web browser the power to browse my directory tree and upload files I didn't explicitly indicate gives me hives. ActiveX == gaping security hole, JMHO -- Sean Quinlan [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] reading in a directory
Alex Brelsfoard wrote: Yeah, I'm not too excited about creating a connection to a user's desktop to browse it either. But since there's no easy way to send multiple file addresses through html I'm running out of options. One of the online photo processors (ofofo maybe?) used to have a java droplet of some sort where you'd crank it up and just drop images onto it. It was slick when it worked, but it was a little flakey. And, yeah (you'll love this), my mother uses a Mac. And I was hoping to make this whole procedure platform independent. I know I could be wishing upon a star here. But I gotta try. Hrm. The easiest thing, by a huge long shot, would be for her to have a .mac account and just use iPhoto. Okay, maybe not the cheapest ($100/yr). But she'd really point and click pretty effortlessly. Assuming, of course, that your goal is just for her to be able to share photos. I know, it's not as satisfying as writing your own solution. But it is really the seamless and easy solution. It's not what I do with my own photos. But if my mom were wanting to share photos, that's what I'd have her do. --d ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] reading in a directory
I have an online photo album that all my friends and family use to share photos and comments on these photos with each other. It's fairly robust, and was [EMAIL PROTECTED] fun to create. But that is the ultimate destination for her pictures. She has a digital camera and might be able to swing the use of a FTP client. But the idea of this is that everyone is lazy and busy. So I need to make this dreafully easy for the uploader or uploads will not occur. Sad but true. --Alex Alex Brelsfoard wrote: Yeah, I'm not too excited about creating a connection to a user's desktop to browse it either. But since there's no easy way to send multiple file addresses through html I'm running out of options. One of the online photo processors (ofofo maybe?) used to have a java droplet of some sort where you'd crank it up and just drop images onto it. It was slick when it worked, but it was a little flakey. And, yeah (you'll love this), my mother uses a Mac. And I was hoping to make this whole procedure platform independent. I know I could be wishing upon a star here. But I gotta try. Hrm. The easiest thing, by a huge long shot, would be for her to have a .mac account and just use iPhoto. Okay, maybe not the cheapest ($100/yr). But she'd really point and click pretty effortlessly. Assuming, of course, that your goal is just for her to be able to share photos. I know, it's not as satisfying as writing your own solution. But it is really the seamless and easy solution. It's not what I do with my own photos. But if my mom were wanting to share photos, that's what I'd have her do. --d ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] more on hosting and email suggestions, any experience with VPS?
On Dec 5, 2004, at 2:26 PM, Gyepi SAM wrote: The main disadvantage I have found is that you cannot run commands which require real root privileges. For instance: iptables does not work and init is really a fake init which cannot be controlled. Thank you for pointing that out. I assumed that I would be able to use iptables on the virtual interface (to do things like prevent the machine from initiating network connections.) Maybe I need to do more experimenting with user-mode so I'm not making assumptions on what it can or can't do. ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] reading in a directory
AB == Alex Brelsfoard [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: AB I have an online photo album that all my friends and family use to AB share photos and comments on these photos with each other. It's AB fairly robust, and was [EMAIL PROTECTED] fun to create. But that is the AB ultimate destination for her pictures. She has a digital camera AB and might be able to swing the use of a FTP client. But the idea AB of this is that everyone is lazy and busy. So I need to make this AB dreafully easy for the uploader or uploads will not occur. Sad AB but true. then just write a simple tk or cli app that does the ftp. it can list the local files, she can click on them and it ftps them. probably less work than doing client and server java (and it is pure perl). browsers were never designed to do much and they are overloaded to the max now. classic marketplace beating out quality (in terms of the http/browser platform for all things). uri -- Uri Guttman -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.stemsystems.com --Perl Consulting, Stem Development, Systems Architecture, Design and Coding- Search or Offer Perl Jobs http://jobs.perl.org ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] more on hosting and email suggestions, any experience with VPS?
Andrew Langmead wrote: On Dec 5, 2004, at 2:26 PM, Gyepi SAM wrote: The main disadvantage I have found is that you cannot run commands which require real root privileges. For instance: iptables does not work and init is really a fake init which cannot be controlled. Thank you for pointing that out. I assumed that I would be able to use iptables on the virtual interface (to do things like prevent the machine from initiating network connections.) I looked at tektonics.net and subsequently did some research into virtuozzo. It looks like a very slick application, and it sounded like you could do EVERYTHING including iptables. Quoting from http://www.sw-soft.com/en/products/virtuozzo/hsp/vps/ * VPS performs and executes exactly like an isolated stand-alone server * Each VPS has its own processes, users, files and provides full root access. * Each VPS can have its own IP addresses, port numbers, tables, filtering and routing rules. This says to me that any VPS provider using Virtuozzo has support for custom iptables per VPS instance. I'm seriously considering trying out tektonics.net based on the recommendation earlier in this thread. At only $15/mo for the cheapest plan, it's kind of hard to turn down. As far as control panels, the common ones I've seen are Plesk 7 Reloaded, cPanel, and DirectAdmin. Any one have experience with these packages? BTW, you don't get a control panel with the $15/mo account at tektonics.net. Drew -- Drew Taylor * Web development consulting Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Site implementation hosting Web : www.drewtaylor.com * perl/mod_perl/DBI/mysql/postgres ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] more on hosting and email suggestions, any experience with VPS?
On Wed, Dec 08, 2004 at 11:55:40AM -0500, Andrew Langmead wrote: On Dec 5, 2004, at 2:26 PM, Gyepi SAM wrote: The main disadvantage I have found is that you cannot run commands which require real root privileges. For instance: iptables does not work and init is really a fake init which cannot be controlled. Thank you for pointing that out. I assumed that I would be able to use iptables on the virtual interface (to do things like prevent the machine from initiating network connections.) Maybe I need to do more experimenting with user-mode so I'm not making assumptions on what it can or can't do. As I mentioned in a follow-up message, my provider actually uses Virtuozzo and not UML as I originally stated. According to John West, in a private email, neither of those limitations exist on his UML based VPS. Further investigation has also revealed that the iptables limitation, at least, is merely a provider policy: they don't include iptables support in the VPS kernels. I guess the lesson here is: don't use my provider if you really want full control of your environment! -Gyepi ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] reading in a directory
Sounds like a neat idea. But I am very inexperienced in TK. Can you point me to a good place online to do some studying? --Alex AB == Alex Brelsfoard [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: AB I have an online photo album that all my friends and family use to AB share photos and comments on these photos with each other. It's AB fairly robust, and was [EMAIL PROTECTED] fun to create. But that is the AB ultimate destination for her pictures. She has a digital camera AB and might be able to swing the use of a FTP client. But the idea AB of this is that everyone is lazy and busy. So I need to make this AB dreafully easy for the uploader or uploads will not occur. Sad AB but true. then just write a simple tk or cli app that does the ftp. it can list the local files, she can click on them and it ftps them. probably less work than doing client and server java (and it is pure perl). browsers were never designed to do much and they are overloaded to the max now. classic marketplace beating out quality (in terms of the http/browser platform for all things). uri -- Uri Guttman -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.stemsystems.com --Perl Consulting, Stem Development, Systems Architecture, Design and Coding- Search or Offer Perl Jobs http://jobs.perl.org ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] reading in a directory
On Wed, Dec 08, 2004 at 12:20:38PM -0500, Uri Guttman wrote: browsers were never designed to do much and they are overloaded to the max now. classic marketplace beating out quality (in terms of the http/browser platform for all things). Amen! Truer words were never spoken. You would not believe the number of times, I have determined the best solution to be a client based GUI app using tk or WxWidgets (formerly WxWindows) then been forced, instead, to use a browser because everybody knows how to use a browser! -Gyepi ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
Re: [Boston.pm] reading in a directory
AB == Alex Brelsfoard [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: AB Sounds like a neat idea. But I am very inexperienced in TK. Can you AB point me to a good place online to do some studying? dunno any online places but the docs for perl/tk aren't bad and o'reilly's book mastering perl/tk is decent i hear (skip the learning perl/tk book). a basic top level thing would be a widget to enter a dir and another to allow selecting from its list of files (pix?). then an upload button to take the files and upload to the server. not a complex UI i would think as this is a one task app, make it easy for mom to upload pix. so learn basic perl/tk which isn't hard and then create the widgets you need and populate them. you could also choose wxwindows (apparently renamed to wxwidgets) as it has a perl binding. also you can prototype widget UIs with glade and some other tools. then all you need to do is write the dir reading code and to stuff the select widget and the upload code (ftp i assume which is easy). this would be the path of least work IMO. uri -- Uri Guttman -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.stemsystems.com --Perl Consulting, Stem Development, Systems Architecture, Design and Coding- Search or Offer Perl Jobs http://jobs.perl.org ___ Boston-pm mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/boston-pm
