Download link sent in email - HOW?

[richardv2]

I want to send a link in email that when clicked, automatically starts
the download of a file on my web page/server to the recipient of the
email.

Is there something in XHTML that does this, or does it take a script?
I couldn't get <a href="ftp://..... to work.

[Lars Eighner]

In our last episode,
<11**********************@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups .com>,
the lovely and talented richardv2
broadcast on comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html:

I want to send a link in email that when clicked, automatically starts
the download of a file on my web page/server to the recipient of the
email. Is there something in XHTML that does this, or does it take a script?
I couldn't get <a href="ftp://..... to work.

Thakn goodness! Any mail reader that does what you want should
be scrapped immediately.

I am afraid you'll have to come up with some other way to
deliver your virus.

--
Lars Eighner ei*****@io.com http://www.larseighner.com/
War on Terrorism: History a Mystery
"He's busy making history, but doesn't look back at his own, or the
world's.... Bush would rather look forward than backward." --_Newsweek_

[richardv2]

Actually, I'm trying to deliver an eBook to a customer, but there are
always lurkers who can't answer the question but just have to say
something and assume the worst in everyone. It seems like you are one
of those. I guess your answer to my question is "I don't have a clue,
and I have no idea why you woulod want to do such a thing, but let me
insult you anyway."

Sincerewly,

Still waiting for a *HELPFUL* answer.

[Michael Vilain]

In article <11**********************@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups .com>,
"richardv2" <ri*******@cox.net> wrote:

I want to send a link in email that when clicked, automatically starts
the download of a file on my web page/server to the recipient of the
email.

Is there something in XHTML that does this, or does it take a script?
I couldn't get <a href="ftp://..... to work.

This is really a function of your email agent or how the client has
setup their browser to deal with the ftp protocol. If they haven't
setup to handle it, they'll be calling you for help. Be prepared to
talk them through setting up their browser to do ftp downloads.

Alternately, you can send a http link where the page sends the correct
MIME type and downloads the file. Again this is totally up to how the
client has setup their browser. If it doesn't know what to do with the
MIME type you're sending, you'll get support calls.

Bottom line, I see no way to guaranteed and reliable way to enable a
client browser can download a file. And this is a Good Thing(tm)
because it would mean the propagation of trojans and phishers. This is
exactly why opening email attachments from unknown senders is frowned
upon in Corporate environments. It's also why phishing emails
work--people don't know what they're really clicking.

You could make the file available in ZIP format and make a freeware
unzip utility available, but people would have to trust the URLs you're
sending.

And a last word of advise--loose the 'tude. Newsgroups aren't your
personal support network. Better to hire someone who knows what their
doing if all you want to do is be an imperious queen. Divas belong on
American Idol, not in newsgroups.

--
DeeDee, don't press that button! DeeDee! NO! Dee...

[Doug S]

We work with small businesses with weak IT abilities to whom we need to
transfer large files. There is an ongoing overhead in guiding them
through setting up ftp clients. The next time they need a file we start
over because of turnover, different PC etc. I know why the question was
posed. It would be very convenient to send the customer an email with a
hyperlink they are instructed to click on. Ideally they would be
prompted for a username and password and then would be prompted for a
file save location.

Google searches returned very little on this which reinforces Lars
comment that it isn't a great idea. Is there a secure way to setup up
something like this?

Thanks

[Doug S]

We work with small businesses with weak IT abilities to whom we need to
transfer large files. There is an ongoing overhead in guiding them
through setting up ftp clients. The next time they need a file we start
over because of turnover, different PC etc. I know why the question was
posed. It would be very convenient to send the customer an email with a
hyperlink they are instructed to click on. Ideally they would be
prompted for a username and password and then would be prompted for a
file save location.

Google searches returned very little on this which reinforces Lars
comment that it isn't a great idea. Is there a secure way to setup up
something like this?

Thanks

[Eric Bohlman]

"Doug S" <do******@optonline.net> wrote in news:1112894439.066188.320220
@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:

We work with small businesses with weak IT abilities to whom we need to
transfer large files. There is an ongoing overhead in guiding them
through setting up ftp clients. The next time they need a file we start
over because of turnover, different PC etc. I know why the question was
posed. It would be very convenient to send the customer an email with a
hyperlink they are instructed to click on. Ideally they would be
prompted for a username and password and then would be prompted for a
file save location.

Google searches returned very little on this which reinforces Lars
comment that it isn't a great idea. Is there a secure way to setup up
something like this?

I'd suggest finding a free cross-platform FTP client (FileZilla:
<http://sourceforge.net/projects/filezilla> might be a good start),
distributing it to your customers, and standardizing on it. That way you
can at least prepare a standard instruction sheet/FAQ document which you
distribute to all your customers and make available on your own site.
Won't solve all your problems to be sure, but at least it will stop
"combinatorial explosion."

[Safalra]

richardv2 wrote:

Actually, I'm trying to deliver an eBook to a customer, but there are
always lurkers who can't answer the question but just have to say
something and assume the worst in everyone. It seems like you are one
of those. I guess your answer to my question is "I don't have a clue,
and I have no idea why you woulod want to do such a thing, but let me
insult you anyway."

Actually, he's one of those people who assume that everyone on the
internet understands the concept of *irony*. What he's saying is that
mail readers don't do that because it *could* be used to deliver a
virus. His point is that *even if* there are legitimate reasons to want
to do this, the risk of security problems means it can't be done
(unless you use some custom mail reader). Note that the ironic version
took fewer words. ;)

--
Safalra (Stephen Morley)
http://www.safalra.com/hypertext/