need to add secure ftp file upload area to a client's website

Question

This is a variation on a previous question as I am having tons of trouble finding answers in all my relentless online searches.

Am designing a website for an architecture firm. They want their clients to be able to upload files to them, through a link on their site, via ftp. They also want to have a sign in for their clients, and ensure the uploads are secure.

I can figure out how to make a form that has a file upload area - but just don't understand the ftp and the secure part...

I understand html, css and a bit of JQuery; the rest is still very challenging to me.

Have found something called net2ftp that claims to do what I'm looking for - but the even the installation instructions (for administrators, here: http://www.net2ftp.com/help.html) confuse me. Do I need a MySQL database? Where do I put in Admin password they refer to? It goes on...

Is there anything "easier" out there that anyone knows of? I have read that I should be Googling "file managers" - but don't know if these can be embedded in a client's website.

I even need to understand of what happens to said file, and where it ends up, when client clicks the upload link.

Oh - I am so in over head on this one.

Answer 1

As far as I can see, it's possible to make a HTTP upload to a FTP server simply by having the file moved to the same directory accessible from a FTP server. For example, say that the FTP server has a user who can access /home/ftp. You may simply move uploaded files there once the upload finishes (by using move_uploaded_file() in PHP, for example).

The secure part could refer to SSL (quite complicated, and setting this up probably belongs on serverfault), or just a log in system; the latter can be implemented with a database.

Overall, from the sound of it, this project may be a little too much for you right now. You should:

1. Ask for more detailed specifications for what they want (and propose alternatives if it makes your life easier), and
2. Work your way up until you have a good grasp of web scripting (e.g. PHP) and databases (e.g. MySQL).