Anyone using FTP sites?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I am wondering if anyone is using an FTP site to transfer drawings
between clients and consultants.
If so, how are you doing this?
I know there are project based web sites like Buzzsaw but I'm looking
for a cheaper solution. My ISP gives me server space with my account and
I'm just trying to find a way to use it.

We are currently using e-mail to transfer drawings but it's not that as
quick as I'd like to be.

I'm currently testing out the software Columbus which lets you copy to
an FTP and sends an e-mail notice.

Is anyone using Columbus?

Kevin Pohlgeers

[Anonymous]

I use a free isp site to do this and have written my own software.
It involves sending an ini file to the other members which includes
passowrds etc. (encrypted) . Each member has their own folder on the site,
and the software allows them to upload to their folder and to download from
any folder.

--
Stuart Nathan @
http://www.office-manager.co.uk

[Anonymous]

I have been using my "X-drive" account when I have
a client who has the traditional 2mb email message limit.  X-drive provides
up to 100mb free storage and provides a handy user interface.  The system
is secure and you can store data and only those who you have "shared" it with
and can download it.  I've included a copy of the email message sent
automatically by "X-drive" by sharing this file with myself (i.e. I entered my
own email address)  See sample message provided below....

An Xdrive user has shared a file with you!

Sample email message as entered by me when I shared
this file with myself.

This shared file will be available to you on the Web
for seven (7) days. You don't need to be an Xdrive user to view this file. Just
click the link below to download or view the file from the Web:

href="http://www.xdrive.com/share/979208831988RIfLoiNKAXPUJcuBA3gG">http://www.xdrive.com/share/979...

You must be connected to the Internet and have a Web
browser on your computer to use this link.

size=2>=============================================================

Make Xdrive your free hard drive on the Internet. Try
it today!

SIGN UP NOW!=>
href="http://www.xdrive.com/promo/sharefile?referee=287180">http://www.xdrive.com/promo/sharefile?r...

Note: If you have difficulty downloading the file,
the person who shared the file with you may have deleted, renamed or

moved it. Also, some e-mail applications break long
addresses at the end of the line. If you are having problems
connecting,

verify that you have copied the entire address
(above) into the address bar of your browser.

That is a copy of the message one receives from
"X-drive"

RLB

"stuart nathan" <
href="mailto:smn@office-manager.co.uk">
size=2>smn@office-manager.co.uk> wrote in
message
href="news:CBBFDF768F2DBC4C9659632A8908E53C@in.WebX.SaUCah8kaAW">
face=Arial
size=2>news:CBBFDF768...
face=Arial size=2>...

> I use a free isp
site to do this and have written my own software.
> It involves sending an
ini file to the other members which includes
> passowrds etc. (encrypted)
. Each member has their own folder on the site,
> and the software allows
them to upload to their folder and to download from
> any folder.
>

> --
> Stuart Nathan @
>
href="http://www.office-manager.co.uk">
size=2>http://www.office-manager.co.uk

size=2>>

[Anonymous]

We are a small firm and also don't have the money to use the special
software and services that offer project coordination web solutions. We
found another, cheaper way.

We created our web site 2 years ago and set it up with a simple web
authoring program, Microsoft FrontPage, so that we could update it easily
ourselves. Being able to do that allows us to create "Project Web Sites"
within our web site. We did a simple password form in our website with a
JavaScript, and when a visitor enters the right password, they are taken to
the main web page for the project information. From there, the visitor can
go to pages with the project schedule, directory, news, drawings, etc., and
one choice is a section from which the visitor can download CADD files.

We just store the CADD files in a separate directory in the web server and
put a hyperlink to each in the project page. We usually zip the files for
faster downloading.

The project web sites don't cost anything, unless you exceed the limit on
the server space your ISP gives you for the web site. And even then, you
can usually buy additional space for a fairly nominal sum per megabyte per
month. We update our project web sites every day, and it is fast and easy.
Our clients and consultants love it. Though it is unsophisticated, in our
market and for firms of our size, we are the only ones that offer "Project
Web Sites".

There are some drawbacks to our simple, inexpensive approach. I'm sure it
isn't very secure. We decided security wasn't critical for our project
information. Also, we are the only ones that can put things on the project
web sites; the consultants can't modify a CADD file and then post it back to
the web site.

"Kevin Pohlgeers" wrote in message
news:3A5D4589.D6E6CE43@home.com...
> Hi, I am wondering if anyone is using an FTP site to transfer drawings
> between clients and consultants.
> If so, how are you doing this?
> I know there are project based web sites like Buzzsaw but I'm looking
> for a cheaper solution. My ISP gives me server space with my account and
> I'm just trying to find a way to use it.
>
> We are currently using e-mail to transfer drawings but it's not that as
> quick as I'd like to be.
>
> I'm currently testing out the software Columbus which lets you copy to
> an FTP and sends an e-mail notice.
>
> Is anyone using Columbus?
>
> Kevin Pohlgeers

[Anonymous]

"Allen A." wrote in message
news:156DCEA558016AABCB16F67B85890AB7@in.WebX.SaUCah8kaAW...
> We are a small firm and also don't have the money to use the special
> software and services that offer project coordination web solutions. We
> found another, cheaper way.
>
> We created our web site 2 years ago and set it up with a simple web
> authoring program, Microsoft FrontPage, so that we could update it easily
> ourselves. Being able to do that allows us to create "Project Web Sites"
> within our web site. We did a simple password form in our website with a
> JavaScript, and when a visitor enters the right password, they are taken
to


You might be interested in looking at our example "Project Web Site"
http://cpm-inc.com/project/html/0000.html
Because this is an example site, the forms are not "active" (meaning they
don't call the ASP code that would happen in reality). However there will be
URLs that will show you what would occur if X was selected and Y was
pressed, etc.

The other thing that does not occur in the example site is you are not
prompted to login. Because we are running this web site on NT, we use NT's
permissions for access control and User Manager to setup the logins. This
allows us to assign users rights via the web interface and FTP. There are
some people (contractors we are working with on projects) that still prefer
to upload via FTP. While there has been some discussion as to allowing
uploads (via ASP) only through the web interface so that filling out the
file's information form is forced, we have not implemented it yet. Mainly
this is because the FTPers have been good about remembering to do so.

If you are interested in learning ASP, this site was the biggest help to me:
http://www.learnasp.com/
You can do ASP in Front Page, but stay away from it's "database components"
as they are very limited. You'll have to do your coding in the HTML view or
get one of the ASP editors like ASP Express (shareware) or EasyASP
(freeware):
http://www.aspexpress.com/
http://www.optweb.net/ebanker/easyasp/

BTW, we are a small firm too of only 10 people - 3 drafters/designers, 3
project managers/engineers, 3 administrative, and 1 boss (owner).

Enjoy,
Stef
--
mailto: yodersj@ipass.net || Drafter, Leather-worker
http://www.ipass.net/~yodersj/ || Dos, Win, LT
in progress http://computerhowto.homestead.com/
RFC 1855, section 3.1.1, item 10 at http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/

[Anonymous]

Hi Kevin,

Yes, we use our FTP server to transfer files to offices around New York. 
Because I am not involved with the administration of the system, I do not
know the software being used.  However, last weekend I setup my home
system as a server and I use two different FTP client softwares. 
I use CuteFTP (free FTP client), available at www.globalscape.com,
and recently started using SmartFTP (another free client) (http://www.katho.be/freeware/FTP_Clients.htm). 
I will probably be uninstalling CuteFTP tonight because I am already impressed
by the features found in SmartFTP.

good luck...hope this helps some.

Gary Vandawalker

NRCS USDA

Civil Engineering Technnician / NY State CADD Coordinator

Syracuse, New York

Kevin Pohlgeers wrote:

Hi, I am wondering if anyone is using an FTP site
to transfer drawings

between clients and consultants.

If so, how are you doing this?

I know there are project based web sites like Buzzsaw but I'm looking

for a cheaper solution. My ISP gives me server space with my account
and

I'm just trying to find a way to use it.

We are currently using e-mail to transfer drawings but it's not that
as

quick as I'd like to be.

I'm currently testing out the software Columbus which lets you copy
to

an FTP and sends an e-mail notice.

Is anyone using Columbus?

Kevin Pohlgeers

[Anonymous]

We use a simple FTP site, that is a portion of our web page with no special
software. We create subdirectories for specific clients, where they can
upload to, and we can upload dwgs for them. Prior to uploading, we use
Winzip with a password . We either call the receiving party or email them
the password. We don't leave files on the FTP for more than 7 days, and this
keeps us within our storage capability.

Since Winzip is readily available for free, it makes it easy for anyone to
retrieve their files.
It can be seen at www.sfrninc.com