How to start?

[ahBird]

Hi guys,

I'm quite new to PHP developing. Just wondering how could I start on this problem of mine.

I would need to develop a system where by I could upload a file which is directed to this account( let's same account X) and then the server would automatically sends a email to the owner of account x to notify him to download the stuffs for him.

From where I should start ? Btw, I'm still working on localhost, but if there's a need for a server, I have one ready beside me to start working on it.

[stephan.gerlach]

First play around with uploading files. Learn how to limit filesizes and where you upload them. There are a couple long posts on here that will help you with that.

Then you need to play around with sending emails. There are different methods to do it and you need to know them so you can select the best one for your site.

Then you simply need to put it together

[ahBird]

Awesome, thanks.

But I got a new problem here. How do I create the links for my users to download the files? And I would need to limit the files to him only.
Example: X could download files that are for X only.

[JeremyA]

rename the uploaded file (this is done in the same page as the uploading script).

store that name in a database....
then randomly generate a password and login (a simple rand(min,max) would suffice) which will be sent to the person who's file it belongs to or got sent to.

and then TADA...only he can download the file (although this would also require you to create an authorization script, not too tough but took me a while when i was first learning)

Good luck!
Jeremy

[spliff]

for authorization scripts there are several very reliable ones available on the internet. if you dissect them you can learn a lot. maybe also look into forms if you want to for example select x's account from a dropdown menu or fill in his accountname to make sure the file is directed at him.

[ahBird]

Got it, will try those. But I was wondering how to do it on a bigger scale? On some days I could have more files to send to users.