Complex file upload & download question

[webcodez]

Hi there,

Working on a rather complex system in which users can directly exchange files with eachother from the website. However is any of these things possible:

EITHER

• Have another user download a file which is still being uploaded by another user ( in progress )

OR

• Make a user automaticly ( instant ) download a file from another users PC through our website

OR

• Make a user automaticly (instant) download a file from our server ( so it's directly downloaded to the users pc and the progress shown on our website of the download progress, without the normal internet explorer dialog downloading the file or firefox ).

Thank you very much in advanced,

Best Regards,
Webcodez.net.

UPDATE: an example would be MSN's file sharing but then through a website instead of application.

[Orjan]

For option 2 & 3, you need something on the client polling the server, for example an ajax script. I don't believe there is a good way to implement #1 so it works seamless. what you could do is to split the file into parts and sew it together at the end, but that also needs some kind of client which has access to modifying files.

[webcodez]

Hi there,

Thanks for the reply, though, AJAX would only be for the dynamic process like showing progress bar right?

But how do I instantly download it to the user PC because if I'd have a file for example either at the user pc or at the server ( say, website.com/uploads/file.zip ) and I want that file.zip to be downloaded to the user PC, how would I do that with PHP ( so leaving out the AJAX part for now that shows the pogress bar ) so how to just make it instant download it to the user pc, because if you'd just load the file url, it will use the firefox or internet explorer download prompt to download it ( instead of instant from website ).

Thanks in advanced,

Cheers,
Webcodez