File Manager

Contents

2. File Manager overview

3. Managing files
    3.1 Add (upload) files
    3.2 Create subfolders

4. Delete files and folders

5. Using files: file paths

6. VIRUS!

7. Known issues

8. Concluding remarks

1. Introduction

WARNING:
It's important to fist choose the right folder before uploading files. It is good practice to store files for an Area in its Area, i.e. not in another place.. Eventually subfolders can be created in the Area.
The same goes for Groups, Users and My Files, i.e. the personal files of the user that is logged in.

NOTE:
An example: saving files destined for Areas in your own 'My Files' folder results in broken links when you leave the school and your account is deleted.

A user like Andrew Reese (see Basic procedures for beginners), pupil of the Seniors, stores the pictures to his poems in his My Files folder, for example in a subfolder Poems.

NOTE:
Please bear in mind that links in pages, for example images, are stored in their Areas. When moving an Area to another Area, or moving a section with pages to another Area, also change their links.

NOTE:
Take care when deleting files! They might be in use elsewhere. It is not possible to move files with the File Manager. This is a feature.

1.1 Features

• Multiple file upload: Multiple files upload with browsers supporting HTML5.
  "Browser support: The multiple attribute is supported in Internet Explorer 10, Firefox, Opera, Chrome and Safari. NOTE: The multiple attribute of the <input> tag is not supported in Internet Explorer 9 and older versions." (Source: W3Schools).
• Upload files: Configurable number of files per upload. This feature is for older browsers that do not support multiple file upload. It can also be used in combination with multiple file upload from more than 1 directory.
• Delete files: Delete files after confirmation message.
• Resize images: Images can be automatically scaled to a (configurable) size. During upload the configured width or height in pixels is set, depending on landscape or portrait format of images. The original image is not stored on the server, only the resized image is stored. This is a feature.
• All files are stored in the CMS Data Folder. This folder has a unique name and is located outside the webservers Document Root folder, therefore files in the CMS Data Folder are not directly accessible. This is a security feature.
• Files from the CMS Data Folder can only be accessed by using the file.php script. This script is located in the same folder as index.php and admin.php. You have to specify the full path of 'file.php'. This is a security feature, further discussed in 5. Using files: file paths
• File and directory names: Accepted signs are: [a-z], [A-Z], [0-9], a '.' (dot), a '-' (dash) and an '_' (underscore). File names Start with a character or digit. Spaces are not allowed and are replaced with underscores. It's a good idea to keep the name short and descriptive. An unacceptable or invalid name results in an error message. Website@School then makes a suggestion of a suitable directory name.
• Virus detection: All uploaded files are scanned for Viruses before being accepted, provided a virus scanner is installed on the server (Clamav default). The path to the virus scanner is configurable.
• Allowed files: Configurable lists of allowed file extensions, of recognized image file types and recognized flash files.
• Directories: Create and delete directories. If a directory is not empty, the user is redirected to the contents of that directory.
• Thumbnails: Automatic creation of thumbnails from images. Configurable size of thumbnails. Thumbnails are created with GDlib from .png, .jpg, .gif files.
• My Files: After logging in, the user is always directed to her My Files.

Most items in the File Manager are configurable. Please see the chapter Configuration Manager, paragraph 4. Site for configuration and details.

1.2 Assumptions

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2. File Manager overview

filemanager_file_manager_my_files.png

My Files is the default opening dialogue after the user has logged in.

• Menu pane: Clickable links lead to the different file locations. The underlined link is the selected file space, visible in the right pane:
  • My Files: Leads to the personal directories and files, owned by the logged in user, in this case Wilhelmina Bladergroen.
  • Areas: Leads to the list of Areas. Clicking on the name of an Area brings you to the directories and files owned by that particular area [1].
  • Groups: Leads to the list of Groups. Clicking on the name of a group brings you to the directories and files owned by that particular group [1].
  • Users: Leads to the list of Users. Clicking on the name of a user brings you to the directories and files owned by that particular user [1].

  NOTE:
  Access to Areas and Groups depends on the user's access permissions. When the user has no access the link is not available.

• Workplace pane:
  • You are here: all files > my files: The breadcrumb trail and it's clickable links permit easy navigation.
  • My Files: For an explanation, see the next section.
  • /users/username: The directory path. That is, the path from the CMS Data Folder. For details, see the chapter Installation, paragraph 3.2 Data files.

filemanager_file_manager_user_andrew_my-files.png

After logging in Andrew also has access to his My Files. Wilhelmina has set access to the File Manager in Andrews Admin permissions.
Several icons are grayed out (Module Manager, Account Manager, Configuration Manager, Statistics and Tools), indicating that Andrew has no access to these functions. The File Manager is accessible.
When Andrew clicks Areas, he would not have seen the other Areas (Exemplum Primary School, Exemplum Intranet and Exemplum inactive):

filemanager_file_manager_user_andrew_areas.png

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3. Managing files

filemanager_file_manager_my_files.png

Explanation:

• You are here: all files > my files: The breadcrumb trail and it's clickable links permit easy navigation and direct access to folders.
• Add (upload) files: Clickable link to the upload dialogue.
• Create a new subfolder: Clickable link to create a new subfolder. Please see paragraph Create sections.
• Name Size(in bytes) Date/time: Shows what they are.
• Up one level: Clickable link to go up one level in the directory tree.

3.1 Add (upload) files

filemanager_file_manager_add_files.png

For this screenshot the maximum number of files is set to 4. The number of uploadable files (default 8) can be set. Please see chapter Configuration Manager paragraph 4. Site for details.

Add (upload) files

Note:
File size is limited to 4 194 304 bytes, total upload size is limited to 16 777 216 bytes and files per upload is limited to 20.

Explanation:

• Filename (1) [Browse]: Clicking on the [Browse] button opens a dialogue window on the computer you are now working on. Depending on the used browser, one, more or a list of files can be selected for upload. Click [LeftMouse] to select one file. Click [Ctrl-LeftMouse] on each file to select more than 1 file. To select, as example, file 1 to 10, hold the [Shift] key and press {LeftMouse] on file 1 and 10 to select them.
  

  filemanager_file_manager_upload_browse.png

  The picture might differ depending on the Operating System (Linux, Mac, Windows, etc.).
  Navigate to the desired file, select the file for uploading and click the (OS dependent) [Open] button to enter the file path(s) in the Filename (1) field:

  

  filemanager_file_manager_upload_ready.png

  The path and filename are visible in the Filename (1) field.

• [ ] Resize images (nnn x nnn): Default resized images are stored in the (configurable) size of 800 pixels horizontally or vertically. This Feature enables massive file upload from a camera or phone. These devices produce image sizes of, for example, 16 Mega pixels with a file size of 8-10 MB. These large files are automatically resized to a web-friendly format.

  However, there are some potential pitfalls that may disturb the pleasure. Firstly, the server must have enough memory to manage multiple file upload and, secondly, the PHP configuration file php.ini must be configured for multiple file upload. The following rule of thumb seem valid for configuring php.ini:

  If you want to upload N images of P Mega pixels, THEN some settings in php.ini must be properly configured:

  upload_max_filesize =  P megabyte
  max_file_uploads = N
  post_max_size = N * P megabyte    
  memory_limit = 6 * P megabyte
  
  
  

  As example a php.ini configuration:

  
  upload_max_filesize             = 8M    ; P
  post_max_size                   = 160M  ; P * N  
  memory_limit                    = 48M   ; 6 * P
  max_file_uploads                = 20
  
  

  NOTE: In PHP versions prior to php 5.2.12 the last configuration option is not available. This means: no limit on number of files (if other settings, for example in Apache, permit this). Default is max_file_uploads = 20.
• Save, Done, Cancel: Please see Save, Done, Cancel in the Basic procedures for beginners.

filemanager_file_manager_file_uploaded.png

The image is uploaded to the My Files directory. No virus(es) were detected.

NOTE:
The last line implies that a virus scanner is installed and working properly. For further information on this subject, see chapter Installation, paragraph 4.1 Virus scanning. and section VIRUS!.

3.2 Create subfolders

filemanager_file_manager_create_subfolder.png

• Create a subfolder: Here you can add a new subfolder. The name of the new folder should contain only letters, digits, dots, dashes or (single) underscores. Other characters such as slashes, colons, at-signs and spaces are not acceptable and are replaced with an underscore or even removed completely.
• Folder name: Enter the name of the data folder. Example: class_1970>
• Save, Done, Cancel: Please see Save, Done, Cancel in the Basic procedures for beginners.

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4. Delete files and folders

We only describe deleting files. Deleting folders is the same procedure, except that in the dialogue file is replaced with folder.

NOTE:
Folders can only be deleted when empty. This is a feature.

filemanager_file_manager_files_uploaded.png

To delete files either:

• click on the Trashcan icon next to a file, to go directly to the Confirm file delete dialogue, or
  
• check one or more boxes next to the Trashcan when deleting multiple files, and click the [Delete] button to open the Confirm file delete dialogue, or
  
• check the Select all files box to select all files, and click the [Delete] button to open the Confirm file delete dialogue:

filemanager_file_manager_delete_file.png

The files to delete are displayed.
Click [Delete] to delete the files or [Cancel] to end your apparently unwise action.

NOTE about copying files when merging or splitting areas

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5. Using files: file paths

• Using the Fileroot script file.php as prefix. This script is located in the CMS Root folder [1].
• An example of an image in HTML text:

  ...of the Seniors 
  <img src="/file.php/areas/seniors/seniors.png"> 
  We hope you....
  
  

  NOTE:
  A leading slash before file.php!

• If the path is on a subdirectory of the CMS Root Folder [1]:

  Example:
  

  
  <img src="/was1/file.php/areas/seniors/seniors.jpg"> 
  
  

Although not really part of the File Manager chapter, also other paths are possible.

• Here is the example of replacing the Website@School logo with the school logo:

  #header {
  background-image: url('http://exemplum.eu/file.php/areas/seniors/basics_pupils_heads.png');
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-position: 40px 20px;
  }
  
  

  This incomplete BSS code snippet is further explained in chapter Bazaar Style Style, paragraph 2. Replace the Website@School logo
• In a theme's 'Static stylesheet' or 'Printer friendly stylesheet'

  
  /file.php/areas/seniors/ourstyle.css
  
  

  NOTE: A leading slash before file.php. And, if the path is on a subdirectory of the CMS Root Folder [1], the path is:
  /was1/file.php/areas/seniors/ourstyle.css.

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6. VIRUS!

filemanager_virus_found.png

At the same time, an alert is sent:

There was an attempt to upload a file containing
a virus. The output of the virus scanner is as follows:

/tmp/phpi21GgP: Eicar-Test-Signature FOUND

----------- SCAN SUMMARY -----------
Infected files: 1
Time: 0.000 sec (0 m 0 s)

The currently logged in user was
Wilhelmina Bladergroen (wblader)

and the file was /tmp/phpi21GgP (nice_picture.jpg).

Kind regards,

Your automated webmaster

Observe that we used the innocent test virus eicar.com.

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7. Known issues

• Issue: having added a number of files in Add (upload) files and clicking the [Save] button, all fields are empty and no error message is produced. Only a blank screen is visible
  Reason: No error message: the memory was so filled that there was no room for anything, not even an error message, not even to create thumbnails.
  Maybe, in the servers' PHP configuration file /etc/httpd/php.ini the values memory_limit (the total memory) or/and post_max_size (the maximum size per file) are too low. Or (more probably) your files are too big.
  In the first case, humbly ask the system administrator to raise (a) value(s). In the second case, reduce the file sizes or reduce the number of files you upload in one time.

8. Concluding remarks

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