File ExchangeMathbox Tools File Exchange provides the web site with a mechanism for the
web site owner and the owner's clients to exchange files via HTML upload and
download. The most benefit occurs from a two-way file exchange. The tool is
useful also in a one-way exchange.
Audience:
- Web designers
- Graphic designers
- Software developers
- Advertisers
- Medical and legal transcription services that accept MP3, MP4, and WAV
files for transcription. Note that HTTPS encryption is strongly recommended
for these services and depending on the application may be required by law.
- Medical Lab reporting services. Note that HTTPS encryption is strongly
recommended for these services and depending on the application may be
required by law.
- Any web site that needs to exchange files with its customers.
Benefits:
- Files are stored securely. Files can be accessed only by the upload and
download tools. File storage is in a directory that is not accessible by web
site URL, so files are not accessible by a web site URL.
- The web site owner can issue customer specific username/password
credentials.
- The web site owner can issue group common username/password credentials.
- One username cannot see or access another username's files. All files are
keyed to the user's Id. None of the examples expose the user Id to the user.
- File upload and download are via HTML and require no technical skills.
Because HTML is used for transmission, a site with a certificate installed
can use HTTPS encrypted transmissions.
- File upload and download handles any file type.
- File upload and download handles very large files. Avoids mailbox size
limit issues.
- Allows both the web site owner and the customer to add comments associated
with files they control.
- Web site owner selectable activity notifications.
Activity Notification Settings:
- Notification Email Address - The web site owner can specify an email
address to which notifications are delivered.
- Annotate Notification - When enabled, a notification is sent whenever a
customer annotates the file comments.
- Delete Notification - When enabled, a notification is sent whenever a
customer deletes a previously uploaded file.
- Logon Notification - When enabled, a notification is sent whenever a
customer logs onto File Exchange.
- Logoff Notification - When enabled, a notification is sent whenever a
customer uses the logoff button. Note that as coded, it is not possible for
the examples to detect if the customer simply closes their browser window.
It is possible to code for session expiration.
- Read Comments Notification - When enabled, a notification is sent whenever
a customer uses the "View Comments" button in the Select List design.
- Upload Notification - When enabled, a notification is sent whenever a
customer uploads a file.
The File Exchange examples contain the following designs:
- Vanilla Select List - The Vanilla Select List example lists upload and download files in separate select lists. The file action buttons apply to the currently selected file
in the list. This compact design requires minimal physical space on the web
page. It is easily incorporated into any site design. This design requires an additional click to view the file comments.
- Vanilla Table Rows - The Vanilla Table Rows example lists upload and download files in separate tables. Each file consumes a row in the appropriate table, where each row
contains the file name, file comments and a set of buttons that apply to that specific file. This design consumes more physical space on the web page and requires more page scrolling. It is easily incorporated into any site design.
- Vanilla IFame - The Vanilla IFame example lists upload and download files in separate tables, with each table in an scrollable iframe element. Each file consumes a row in the appropriate table, where each row contains the file name, file comments and a set of buttons that apply to that specific file. While slightly less
compact than the select list design, it is compact at the cost of requiring the browser to support the iframe element. It is easily incorporated into any site design.
The File Exchange examples are available for download on Mathbox hosted web sites at
/Maintenance/FileExchange/Samples/FileExchange.zip or from Mathbox at
http://www.mathbox.net/Maintenance/FileExchange/Samples/FileExchange.zip.
Also, the examples can be downloaded from the demonstration sites below.
The Mathbox demonstration folder contains six example implementations of
File Exchange. There are the three plain vanilla examples and the same
examples with the Mathbox site design applied. Because security is a
built-in property of the tool, a username and password are required to
access the demonstration sites. Please note that the password is case
sensitive. To access the demonstration sites use the following:
Username: FileExchange
Password: Demo
The File Exchange demonstrations are:
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