Display root folders with files in jDownloads

[OrangeStar]

Hello.


I'm a new user of jDownload. I have an extension in my Joomla 4 which automatically saves files on my server. I would like to simply display these files through jDownload as links but without adding it as new download in the jDownloads extension. It is due to the important amount of files being automatically posted. Eventually display files and folders as a tree inside jDownloads.

Is it possible ? Thank you in advance.

Regards,
Max.

[ColinM]

Hi
You can create a Download by setting the location of the file. 

So Create your Categories and sub categories tree - you can of course add later 'branches to the tree.  You can even have mutiple category trees, that is multiple top level Categories.
So create a Download and allocate it to the appropriate category, which may of course be anywhere in the tree. To include the downloadable file, then in the Files tab use the External File Link to set its location (web address)
See article https://www.jdownloads.net/documentation/general-items-v3-9/downloads-with-an-external-file]Downloads with an External File
 In particular section Web Site Server

Colin
PS if unsure please ask!!

[OrangeStar]

Hello Colin and thanks for the feedback.


I understand that you can create a unique download for an external file but I have a ton of files in my directory so how I can only display it without adding through jDownloads (without indexing it) ? I cannot create separate files one by one in jDownload each time when a new one is generated by user (from another Joomla extension). 


Thank you in advance.

Regards.
Max.

[ColinM]

Max
In the Directory where you have the file I presume you wish to allocate then into various categories. Is that Correct?

How do you intend to identify the new 'additions', that is those files that have not been made into a Download?

My aim is to use the jD ChecK Download Area.  When activated this will take a set of directories and sub directories ,at multiple depths, with files in them and automatically convert these into Categories and Downloads.

So please let me know what is your intended structure
ColinM

[OrangeStar]

Hi Colin.


In the directory where I have my files I want to allocate the whole Directory to one category for example. Another directory will be affected to another category in jDownloads...

New files added outside jDownloads are generated bu another extension each time that a user submits a form. So basically I need a solution like yours jD Check Download Area to automatically convert all new files in the defined directory as jDownloads. Please tell me more about the jD Check Download Area. 

Thanks in advance.
Max.

[ColinM]

Max
A quick view of the jD control panel is given in the article https://www.jdownloads.net/documentation/getting-started-v3-9/control-panel-overview.  Sopecifically in the Check Downloads feature section.  There is also a reference there to another article which may help.

It would help me if you advise which Joomla Component is creating the relevant files.

Basically you would create the single top level category, called say Top-Level, using the regular Category function in jDFownloads.
 
As it stands the process is only semi automatic as you have to copy, or move, the files from the present directory to the jdownloads directory.  The file manager in regular website control panel shoud be able to do this ok.
When they are there use the Check Download function  which will create the Downloads.

Colin

[OrangeStar]

Hello Colin.


The extension which creates files is called BreezingForms.

The file manager in regular website control panel shoud be able to do this ok.

How can I do this ? I want to avoid the manual copy of files in my BreezingForms directoty to jDownloads directory because it will double the size on my server...

Thank again.
Max.

[ColinM]

Max,
I presume you need to see the Forms files in both Breezing Forms and jDownloads.  Is that the case?

How many Forms do you anticipate each year?

Most sites have more than enough web space typically around 3Gb - also it is a very low cost in my experience to add more space. 
The usual forms, even the complex ones, produced by Breezing Forms are not overly large.
Colin

[OrangeStar]

Hello Colin. Thank you again for your answer and your time. 


My forms are very complex (used for aviation purposes) and I expect between 20 and 27 files per each form submission (each file is limited to 3Mb). Approximately 20-30 forms submissions per month at the beginning. So it will be around 2-3Gb/month of submitted files on server.

Regarding the BreezingForms file displaying on the frontend - it is not possible. That's why I'm looking for an extension like jDowloads (already in use) to display generated BF files on the frontend and also the possibility to upload new files directly from jDownloads.


Regards,
Max.

[OrangeStar]

Hello Colin.


Does it make sense to change the default jDownload folder (instead of root/jdownloads) in jDownloads options:



as described here to then perform a full scan in the Check Download Area ?



I guess I also need to activate "Automatically publish new found Items" in the Monitoring Tab ?




My BreezingForms files are also generated in the folder root/documents/name_of_user/name_of_folder. In this case is it possible to automatically publish new downloads (as categories and files) in jDownloads and to display all associated subfolders of the /documents folder on my frontend ?

I mean after all actions that I described above:

1. Default folder change
2. Full scan perform
3. Automatically Publish new found items

Will it scan and generate new categories/files in jDownloads from the /documents folder? Of course I will first perform a test run than deactivate it if successful.

Update: when I'm switching to "Check Download Area" - "Full scan" a window appears telling "Content Encoding Error An error occurred while connecting..." So I cannot change the Check Download Area option. However I can see in the Monitoring Logs that all files and directories are found.

My Joomla version is 4.4.3, jDownloads version was freshly installed since few weeks as 4.0.42. PHP version 8.1.29.


Thank you in advance.
Max.

[ColinM]

Max,
I have asked Arno about changing the location of the files to be made into Downloads but he has not yet replied.
Colin
PS think he is on holiday so might be adelay

[OrangeStar]

Hello Colin.


Thank you, I'm waiting. I will respond you in other topic regarding my "Check Download Area" bug.


Regards.
Max.

[ColinM]

Max
Yes it seems that changing the Upload Directory Path in Path Setting Options is the correct thing to do.

This does set the path to the main directory where uploaded files are saved. It must be entered as an absolute path. The specified directory and all its subdirectories must be writable. The subdirectories will become jD Caterories.

NB If you have already created Downloads and Categories using the default directory jdownloads then it may cause a 'challenge'. But as a one time exercise you could note all the existing ones, download the files and set them into the relevant directory of the new structure.

Apologies for not pointing this out earlier but I have never personally investigated this possibility - think another article will appear!!
Colin

[OrangeStar]

Hi Colin!


Thank you for the advice. Regarding the root (default) directory + subdirectories permissions: currently it is set to 755. Does it need to be changed to 777 (writable by visitors) or not ?

Whatever happens, I cannot use the Check Download Area and configure the plugin due to my bug (explained in another topic)...


Thank you in advance.
Max.

[ColinM]

Hi
I have now investigated further.
You need to copy over to the new 'file' all the contents of jdownloads directory. Your site Files Manager should be able to do this AOK

Colin