Attachment Downloads

[bantu]

@oddfish: I like your proposal and reported a few tickets related to that.
http://tracker.phpbb.com/browse/PHPBB3-11241
http://tracker.phpbb.com/browse/PHPBB3-11242
http://tracker.phpbb.com/browse/PHPBB3-11243
Feel free to send patches.

[Pony99CA]

Anyway, here are a few thoughts to thought further on ..

1. Change the logic with only one attachment in the topic, as it currently appears with one string assigned Download all attachments.
   • Hidden in this instance
2. Ajax archive selection (see a & b below)
3. Indication of a multiple attachment download system by:
   1. Attach icon on viewforum as a multiple attach icon, replacing the single attach icon when more than one attachment.
      • dl_method added to this icon in viewforum for quick download.
   2. Attach icon next to topic title.
      • Next to each post title containing an attachment.
      • As a postrow download option beside each or the last attachment download link in the containing post
   3. Move the download links to linklist leftside in viewtopic.
4. A page with no attachments but there are multiple attachments throughout the topic.
   • A multi attach icon (dl_method) with the topic title again to indicate a multiple attachment download option applies to this topic.

I'm not sure if this was covered in Oddfish's list, but I would change things to be more flexible.

• "Download all attachments" would be a link. You wouldn't select the download file type yet.
• Clicking that link would open a download box showing the attachments in this post/topic (or even forum or board).
• The box would show the filename, size, date/time and author of each file with a checkbox to select the file for downloading. There might also be an icon for file type and a thumbnail view for images.
• There would be the standard Select all/Unselect all links. All items would be selected by default (because the link said "Download all attachments" after all ).
• There would be radio buttons to select the download type (zip, tar, gz, etc.).
• There would a Download button to begin the download and pop-up the default browser download window.

That would require an extra click to download everything, but it would be much more informative and flexible about what you were downloading.

Plus, if you extend the concept to the entire board (as alluded to above), you have a File Download page similar to what I mentioned previously.

Steve

P.S. This board has a Download all attachments link, so hasn't this code been merged? If so, shouldn't the [RFC] tag be changed to reflect that?

[bantu]

I'm not sure if this was covered in Oddfish's list, but I would change things to be more flexible.

• "Download all attachments" would be a link. You wouldn't select the download file type yet.
• Clicking that link would open a download box showing the attachments in this post/topic (or even forum or board).
• The box would show the filename, size, date/time and author of each file with a checkbox to select the file for downloading. There might also be an icon for file type and a thumbnail view for images.
• There would be the standard Select all/Unselect all links. All items would be selected by default (because the link said "Download all attachments" after all ).
• There would be radio buttons to select the download type (zip, tar, gz, etc.).
• There would a Download button to begin the download and pop-up the default browser download window.

That would require an extra click to download everything, but it would be much more informative and flexible about what you were downloading.

While this mostly sounds like a useful suggestion, I'd rather not complicate matters even more for 3.1. Instead, I'd suggest only fixing the suboptimal user interface. For example: Only provide a single link for downloading all attachments. If JavaScript is enabled, allow selecting the format. Otherwise use a default format, e.g. zip.

Plus, if you extend the concept to the entire board (as alluded to above), you have a File Download page similar to what I mentioned previously.

I'd rather not do that in phpBB core. A page listing all downloadable attachments of a board is in general not useful because attachments are usually tied to the topic/post content. An extra downoad page sounds like a good extension that boards focussing on file exchange can install.

P.S. This board has a Download all attachments link, so hasn't this code been merged? If so, shouldn't the [RFC] tag be changed to reflect that?

Initial post is not in RFC format. Also this topic is in the discussion forum. I've removed the RFC tag.

[MaFeSa]

This board has a Download all attachments link

This option can be tuned off?
I have a forum with many attachments on topics and this option can be a serious problem.
Thanks

[nickvergessen]

The button is only for all attachments of one post/topic/pm, not a forum or even the whole phpbb. You still see the need for a disable option?

[MaFeSa]

Yes because many people like me have many attachments on single topic (pictures, zip, etc etc) and download a big attachment from forum can be a problem if is done by many users at same time.

[DavidIQ]

Edit out the feature from your own template then. I don't see being able to turn it off as being a much desired option. I'm fact it was never brought up as being needed. Also unless you're planning to schedule it, I highly doubt many people are going to do that at the same time on a board.

[MaFeSa]

You're right, but why change a template when a simple option would be enough?
It would be easier for all or not?

[DavidIQ]

We're going to have to draw the line somewhere on what is configurable and what isn't. This would be like someone saying they don't like the joined date to show in posts. Do we add an option to turn that off as well because one person doesn't like seeing it? We would have an endless list of options/settings... Just saying.

[MaFeSa]

This would be like someone saying they don't like the joined date to show in posts.

Sorry but I do not agree, are two very different things!
If 20 users download all attached files from a discussion forum slows down a lot, do a test with this discussion and look what happens if 10 users download the same attachment at the same time.