Create folders on webserver during runtime?

[billkay]

I'm attempting something a bit unconventional.

I'd like to be able to call a a5w page and pass it a variable called "address". This page will then take the address and see if a folder of the same name is created on the webserver under /Photos/.

eg. http ://www.thesite.com/photos.a5w?address=20 cherry st

If the directory exists, it should display the images (jpg) that are in that folder. (/Photos/20 cherry st/)

Below is something I've come up with my limited abilities, it works perfectly on the localhost, but doesn't function on the remote side?!?.

The first problem is that won't create the directory on the remote server. Is there some other "path" command I'm missing, or should be using instead to get the current server path?

(Even if I create the path manually (on remote server), and place photos in it, the script doesn't see them...)!?

<%a5
'Do the header
? "<font size='12'><strong>" + address + "</font></strong>"

'Figure out the source directory prefix into 'dr'
dr="/photos/" + address + "/"
temp=a5.get_path() + dr

? "<br>"

cr="\photos\\" + address + "\\"
create=a5.get_path() + cr
'If there is no directory with the address created, then create it.

if file.exists(create) = .f. then
	file.dir_create_recurse(create)
	'? "<br>Directory Created!"
end if

? "<br>"

'Grab the directory listing into ff, and ready to parse
ff = filefind.get(temp + "\*.jpg", FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY, "N")
ff = filter_stringc(ff,"a5wcmp",crlf(),.t.)
? "<br>"
? "<br>"

i=0 ' prepare counter, in case there are none, (for message below)

'Print the output to display whatever jpg files are in the directory.
for each foo in ff
	? "<strong>"+foo+"</strong><br>"
	? "<image src=\""+dr+foo+"\"><br><br>"
	i=i+1 ' count iterations
next

if i=0 then ' if there are no photos, then display the error message.
    ? "No photos uploaded for " + address
end if
%>

[Steve Wood]

Re: Create folders on webserver during runtime?

a5.get_path() is most often irrelevent on the server. It points to the database location where the ADB files reside. The server (generally) has no ADB file. Instead, use [PathAlias.ADB_Path] which will point to where you DATA resides. So if your data is at c:\a5v9\data, your subfolders would be at that location + photos.

This puts the photos OUTSIDE of your document root, which is more secure, but will ruin the rest of your code. To make the rest of your code work, the photos need to be INSIDE the root. So instead of what I showed above, use:

Request.ApplicationRoot

That variable will resolve to your document root, typically c:\a5webroot, or c:\a5v9\a52webroot if you are on ZebraHost.

I would also mention, I would not use actual physical addresses in your path. Someone is going to enter a problem charactor in the address like a # or @ or & and mess up your process. I'd use a GUID created with api_uuidcreate().

[billkay]

Re: Create folders on webserver during runtime?

Thanks Steve!

Using your tip, and a few more mods... It works like a charm... I even have a section in a grid working now that displays the number of photos in the records "directory", along with a link to go view them.

The only point of confusion was that request.applicationroot throws an error in the component PREVIEW window ONLY
"Error in custom control xbasic: Not found request not found", which had me thinking it wasn't working, but seems the code works... I included this code in a custom control definition to count the photo's in the directory, and display it in the grid, next to a link to the photo's page...

'Figure out the source directory prefix into 'cr'
cr = "photos/" + Data.Address + "/"
create = request.applicationroot + cr 'This line throws error in PREVIEW but works on server

'Grab the directory listing into ff, and ready to parse
ff = filefind.get(create + "\*.jpg", FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY, "N")
ff = filter_stringc(ff,"a5wcmp",crlf(),.t.)

i=0 ' prepare counter

for each foo in ff
	i=i+1 ' count iterations
next


'Write Xbasic code here that returns the HTML to be displayed by this control
Link_edit1_render = i

Thanks again Steve, your tips keep me going!
Bill

[Steve Wood]

Re: Create folders on webserver during runtime?

request.applicationroot is one of the many request variables that may not exist, in this case if not running on the server. You need to provide for that using

if eval_valid("request.applicationroot")
...use the variable
else
.. some other value or omit
end if