Logging and managing downloads with PHP

[vetteguy]

I am developing a site which allows users to upload files (specifically Word documents) to the webserver, documents in an MySQL database who uploaded the file, the filename, the date, etc. Then, there is a page for admins to log in and download these files for review. I would like to make it so that when one person downloads a file, it flags it in the database as being downloaded and by whom. I have a script written which lists all of the files currently uploaded, and now I'm trying to make a system to perform the second part. Does anyone have any suggestions? I thought about having like a radio button next to each of the files, and then you pick one and click "Submit" which would take you to a php script which would basically do a redirect to that file and force a download, but I can't seem to figure out how to determine which file has been selected. This is part of the script that displays the files:

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {

$user_id = $row['user_id'];
$username = $row['username'];
$filename = $row['filename'];
$submit_date = $row['submit_date'];
$downloaded = $row['downloaded'];
$download_date = $row['download_date'];
$download_id = $row['download_id'];

if ($downloaded == "N") {
$download_date = "NA";
}
if ($counter %2 == 0) {
echo "<tr bgcolor=#FFFFFF onMouseOver=this.className='highlight'; onMouseOut=this.className='normal';>";
}else{
echo "<tr bgcolor=#DDDDDD onMouseOver=this.className='highlight'; onMouseOut=this.className='normal2';>";
}
td_print($username);
td_print($filename);
td_print($submit_date);
td_print($downloaded);
td_print($download_date);
echo "<td><input type=radio name=download value=Y></td>";
tr_print();

$counter++;
}

So basically it's a while loop which lists all of the rows of uploaded files in the database. Does anyone have any suggestions for how I can take the next step (downloading)? I need to flag the file as downloaded so someone doesn't download a file that's already been viewed. Thanks!

 

[igowerf]

Pass the filename as a parameter in the URL and redirect it as you said.

<a href="download.php?file=<? echo $filename; ?>"><? echo $filename; ?></a>

In download.php, you can flag $filename in your database or wherever.

 

[calpha]

concur on the url...simplest.

Hey did u write a php script to accept multi-part form posts for your uploads?

I tried doing that and said f*** it and just found a cgi to work...too big a hassle w/ php IMO.

 

[kt]

Originally posted by: calpha
concur on the url...simplest.

Hey did u write a php script to accept multi-part form posts for your uploads?

I tried doing that and said f*** it and just found a cgi to work...too big a hassle w/ php IMO.

What's the big hassle with PHP? Upload script with multi-part form is pretty simple with PHP IMHO.

 

[igowerf]

I think PHP handles HTML forms beautifully.

 

[calpha]

Originally posted by: igowerf
I think PHP handles HTML forms beautifully.

HMTL Forms beautifully I agree....as long as it's not multi-part.

but when uploading binary data (read: files) I found that a general CGI script to verify that to check for existing file name, and delete it if exists....and then write it out....was much easier. Maybe that too was because I was lazy.

PHP is by far the best I've ever used in terms of Total Ease of Use. even beats ASP IMO.

I guess I just didn't like doing file operations in PHP....i ran a couple of tests, and said....well, i know there' s tons of cgis that work already written....and the php scirpts I was playing with for the uploads weren't working EXACTLY right.....so I just went with what worked.

 

[kt]

Originally posted by: calpha

Originally posted by: igowerf
I think PHP handles HTML forms beautifully.

HMTL Forms beautifully I agree....as long as it's not multi-part.

but when uploading binary data (read: files) I found that a general CGI script to verify that to check for existing file name, and delete it if exists....and then write it out....was much easier. Maybe that too was because I was lazy.

PHP is by far the best I've ever used in terms of Total Ease of Use. even beats ASP IMO.

I guess I just didn't like doing file operations in PHP....i ran a couple of tests, and said....well, i know there' s tons of cgis that work already written....and the php scirpts I was playing with for the uploads weren't working EXACTLY right.....so I just went with what worked.

You're talking about two different animals here. File handling and HTML form handling. Obviously, nothing will beat Perl/CGI for file handling. But for HTML forms (including multi-part/form-data), I think PHP handles it really well.

 

[vetteguy]

I got the redirect thing to work if I pass it a hard-coded filename, but now I need to have a way to select which file I want to download. Whether it's a radio button or whatever doesn't really matter. Does anyone have any suggestions about this? I would make each row have a link to download, but that wouldn't allow me to flag the database.

calpha-I have a php upload script if you're interested.

 

[calpha]

OK....what's it called when you upload a file using a form post? I thought the Mime type of the form was different, but that it was still a multi-part form?

Or did I just jump offf the short bus?

 

[vetteguy]

Originally posted by: calpha
OK....what's it called when you upload a file using a form post? I thought the Mime type of the form was different, but that it was still a multi-part form?

Or did I just jump offf the short bus?

Here's the script which does the actual uploading...ignore the database stuff, since I'm logging the uploads in MySQL:

<?php
require "includes/dbsetup.php";

$table_name = "files";
$db = @mysql_select_db($db_name, $connection) or die ("Couldn't select database");

if (@is_uploaded_file($_FILES["doc1"]["tmp_name"])) {
copy($_FILES["doc1"]["tmp_name"], "uploads/" . $_FILES["doc1"]["name"]);

$filename = $_FILES['doc1']['tmp_name'];
$realname = $_FILES['doc1']['name'];

$sql = "
INSERT INTO $table_name
(user_id, filename, submit_date, downloaded, download_id)
VALUES
(\"20\", \"$realname\", \"$today\", \"N\", \"0\")
";

$result = @mysql_query($sql,$connection) or die("Couldn't execute query");
if ($connection) {
$msg = "success";
}


header( "Location: http://test2k/owl/success.php?realname=$realname");
}

?>

Here's the HTML form that lets someone pick a file for upload:

<html>
<head>
<title>Submit a Document</title>
</head>

<body>

<p>Use the form on this page to submit a document to the Writing Center
Staff for review. If you have not yet read the policies and statement of
services, please do do <a href="/services.htm">here</a>. Also, if you have not
yet logged into the site, please do so before proceeding. </p>

<form enctype="multipart/form-data" action="do_upload.php" method="post">
<input name="doc1" type="file" size="32" /><br />
<input type="submit" value="Upload" />
</form>

</body></html>

HTH