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Create Your Own Download Links |
by:
Mark Meshulam |
Copyright twozerozerofive Poingo.com
One ofgreat features of working withweb isability to downloadfile by clicking onlink. As most earthlings know,link is most frequently visible as blue underlined text displayed onwebsite, or onHTML email. Links can also be presented as hot spots onimage, orbutton which can be clicked.
Sometimes when we click on links, we are magically transported tonew web page. Behindscenes, we are actually receiving new files fromweb server, and our browser software is "rendering"files on our screen according to instructions contained infiles.
These new files could be served up bysame web server which served upprevious page, or with equal ease we could be receiving files fromtotally different location, possibly from halfway aroundworld! Such arewondrous ways ofweb.
Other times when we click on links, we getdifferent experience. Our browser offers to downloadfile and patiently awaits our answer. When we accept and possibly tell our browser where to filedownload,web server sendsfile to our computer anddownload takes place.
The usefulness of this functionality is obvious. We do not always want to seeinformation painted on our screen, sometimes we just want to use it. Considerspreadsheet file asexample.
If I want to share my spreadsheet with you, I can easily send it to you asemail attachment, but what happens iffile is too large? Chances are, your file attachment could hitbottleneck somewhere in your, or your recipient's email system and may never deliver.
However, if I sendfile asdownload, email system bottlenecks are bypassed andpipe is wide open. Here's how it works:
one. First, I upload my large file toweb server somewhere.
two. Then, I placedownload link to that file in my email to my pal.
three. When he receivesemail, he either clicks onlink or pastes it intoaddress bar of his browser.
four. He easily downloadsfile.
five. He is incredibly impressed.
To do this, here is what you will need:
one. Rights toweb server to host your file - many web hosting companies offer this.
two. Software for uploading your file - for starters you can actually use Windows Explorer.
three. Knowledge ofcorrect "path", or URL which will allow your recipient to accessfile. This should be available from your web hosting company.
The format ofURL will look like this: http://www.domain.com/downloads/myspreadsheet.xls
Where "domain" isdomain you have registered for your use, which is targeted atfolder onweb server, which hassubfolder named, for example, "downloads". Your example filename, in this case, "myspreadsheet.xls" should matchactual filename exactly. Filenames should not have spaces or odd punctuations.
In caseabove steps seem too intimidating or labor intensive, there issoftware/webhosting package available called Personal FTP (www.poingo.com).
The software uploads your large files to your private webspace onPersonal FTP server, opensnew email, and placesdownload link ontoemail, all infew clicks. In addition, you get your own subdomain, which not only adds your identity tolink, but also enhancesreliability ofdownload.
Aboutauthor:
Mark Meshulam offers Poingo Productivity Suite, unique & inexpensive software which speeds your work and makes it more fun. Includes:
Email reminder system. Create JPGs and PDFs. Edit images in Outlook. Do anything with Hotkeys. http://www.poingo.com
SeeMark's blog, educational ruminations on people and technology inworkplace at http://www.poingology.com
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