Copy As URL functionality

[Henrik]

Apologies if it's been already asked for.

I've always used my site to upload some temporary files and send a quick link to my friends, or some picture to a forum or similar things. Now, the thing that has always left me kept wishing for, is the ability to - instead of getting the ftp address to a certain file, such as in ftp://somesite.com:@ftp.somesite.com/somefile.php - rather get the link in a format that makes people able to just click on it in their web browsers, for faster access.

As in the example with ftp://somesite.com:@ftp.somesite.com/somefile.php, perhaps this regular expression could be of use (I'm by no means a regex guru; something I believe JD must be, right? ):

.*(?<=p)\.

That expression would catch ftp://somesite.com:@ftp. in ftp://somesite.com:@ftp.somesite.com/somefile.php and then, I could simply choose (granted there is a preference option for it) which prefix I want to add in; say, http:// or http://www. before the actual path. (I never really understood why some websites include and yet some do not include the www part, but that's another story I guess.)

Anyway. As for my own, highly sophisticated workflow (if I may call it a such), this would come in very handy (yet, I may be the only one wishing for this, yes, no?).

[JD]

Something along those lines is already on the To Do list, so you're not the only person who wants it

[dave_r]

JD just pointed me to this menu item in yftp and the way my server's configured I just swap http for ftp in the link and it works in the manner you describe.  Any old joe with a browser (and the login) can get the file, couldn't be simpler.

Cheers,
Dave

[JD]

That's right, the existing Copy As URL feature works fine if you have a simple setup such as yours, but many people need something a little more intelligent. Henrik was asking for something to automatically replace the ftp:// part and additional data with http:// and a web site relative link.

[dave_r]

That's great.  I've gone through some configuration contortions to make this work simply but an elegant solution built into your program would be way better.  Keep up the good work

Dave

[reesmaxwell]

I'm sooo close to purchasing FileChute for a few reasons:

1> It allows me to dump a bunch of files onto it and have them zipped up if I wish before sending. (And allows for file passwords, and an expiration date automatically set.)

2> It will create short filenames on the fly (using one of two sites, in the background).  And I can create an email with the URL with a simple doubleclick. 
 
Now, YummyFTP allows me to drop files on the outbox-with-a-fork-in-it icon ... so there is hope that it can also include the functionality mentioned above.

Waddaya say, JD?  This would make it so that I don't have to also use FileChute.  I would SO love to be able to just dump and grab a URL (and having the files zipped up on the fly is such a brilliant addition).  Any chance of these things coming to pass soon?  I am not dissing the Copy As URL function, just that the way FileChute does it is so elegant!!

-Rees

[reesmaxwell]

What's better than FileChute is that you already have the FTP Alias, (or ToGo Bag / Doggy Bag if you want another try at a food themed name), so with Yftp I could create several Aliases that go to different places (.Mac, my own FTP site, etc.) and I can have all of those on my dock or my desktop, and then could just drop my files onto whichever one I want to send them to and then a pref would allow me to then have an email be created with the link automatically inserted into the main body area of the email.  Or, after dropping the files onto the Alias, a sound would be made indicating that I now had the URL copied to my clipboard, and I could then do whatever I wanted with that.

This functionality would be so great.  And if Yellow Dog can make some money off of only this type of feature, then surely it is valued out there and would add that much more to Yftp! 

Agreed?

[JD]

All sounds good and doable. The only part I'm not clear about is:

2> It will create short filenames on the fly (using one of two sites, in the background).  And I can create an email with the URL with a simple doubleclick. 

Short file names? Using one of two sites, in the background?

Please explain

[paulc]

The best known is tinyurl.com. The concept is giving them a very long URL and they create a small URL... which goes to tinyurl in this case. That site then forwards that connection to the original site.

Only danger is if tinyurl is offline, then the system breaks down.

More explanation can be found there. I don't think they are the only place, there are others.

[JD]

Ah.... duh! for me then

[reesmaxwell]

@JD  Head on over to http://yellowmug.com/filechute/ and download the trial.  (You haven't done that already?)    It is a great product .. I just feel you can <easily> add in that functionality.

They use two sites to shorten URLs .. can't remember which ones, but it is in their documentation, and on their web forums.  They use SnipURL.com and NotLong.com when snipurl is down.  (Found it on their version history page.)  Once you run their demo you'll see that even as the files are being uploaded, the http URL is displayed.  You just click "Short URL" and it grabs the converted URL from either of the two sites mentioned and displays that instead.  Very slick.

Really, download the trial and check it out!  It is nice!  And regarding copying functionality .. here is what Engadget reported when Nokia demonstrated a direct rip off of Apple's iPhone functionality:
  When pressed during the Q&A about the striking similarity to the little Cupertino device, Anssi Vanjoki -- Nokia's Executive VP & General Manager of Multimedia -- said, "If there is something good in the world then we copy with pride."

-Rees

[JD]

Enough already with the someone else's product promotion!  I have downloaded it and will investigate

[dave_r]

You're almost there, actually.  The fact you handle timed-out control connections gracefully makes you better imo.  I think when you get it dialed they'll be copying you

dr

[reesmaxwell]

Hey JD,

 Hope you don't take the 'another person's product promo' thing badly.  I talk up a program when I see it deserves talking up .. but not just to tell people to buy it .. just pointing to a product with some well done features.  FileChute that other product ain't an FTP program, it is only a drag and drop and upload to one place program. 

But maybe I missed the <sarcasm> tag on your post. 

 

[JD]

Yes, absolutely no problem - I was only kidding!