Creating Downloads with the Files facility -Oct 2024

Written on 15 April 2022.

Introduction

This article is an example of using the

option to upload one or more files and then directly create Downloads from the uploaded files.

The facility allows uploading multiple files so it is often useful when adding several Downloads.

It is a two stage process (i) upload the files and then (ii) create the Downloads.
Note that the target Categories for the Downloads must already exist.

The uploaded files are temporaily stored in root directory jdownloads.

To find the Files Facility go to

and select

as usual. From the pulldown list select

This article is an example of using the Option

to upload one or more files and then directly create Downloads from the uploaded files.

The facility allows uploading multiple files so it is often useful when adding several Downloads.

It is a two stage process. First upload the files and then create the Downloads. Note that the target Categories for the Downloads must already exist.

The uploaded files are temporaily stored in root directory jdownloads.

Uploading the files

Clicking on the

button gives the initial step as shown opposite.

The default main jDownloads directory is jDownloads in the Joomla! root directory. This directory is usually empty.

This allows uploading any files that you wish to make into a Download so click on the

button.

Please note that the maximum size and type of file that may be uploaded are constrained by the Options - Uploads tab 'Maximum File Size (MB)', 'Allowed Image Extensions' and 'Other allowed File Extensions'.

For more details on these setup options see the article Uploads Options (opens in a new tab/window).

Adding files for uploading

As indicated files may either be dragged onto the panel or you can use the Add button at the bottom left.

Clicking on the

button will open your operating system File Manager of your device, such as a Windows PC, to allow selection. Alternatively you may just drag files from the operating system Files Manager. files select01A

As each file is included in the panel then its name and approximate size of the file are shown.

The status is shown at 0% as they have not yet been uploaded.

Note also that after uploading the first file that the Start Upload button is now active.
If you have added a file by mistake then click on the

button. This removes the selected file. files select02

Note that you may see an HTTP error as shown opposite. This occurs if your site is using http://. With jDownloads 4 it must be https:// files select02

Start uploading

Click on the

to initiate the Uploading.

Whillst the files are uploading you will see a progress bar and the amout uploaded.

As the upload is quite quick then typically a total size of say more than 4MByte is needed to actually see the progress bar and the percentage uploaded.

If it is a small total size it might be too quick to notice!
files select03

When the uploading has completed, it will indicate 100% and show the status as successfull

.

If you click on the

button you can upload more files.

files select04

The file is also checked for size and a valid extension.

For example if it has an invalid extension, that is one not specified in the jDownloads '

- 'Other allowed File Extensions' or ' Allowed Image Extensions ', then you will get an error message such as shown opposite. invalid extension

Using FTP to Upload

To avoid any upload limit then an alternative is to use FTP to upload the file to the jdownloads folder in the Joomla root. This folder has the top level Category folders and folders like _preview_flies, _tempzipfiles and Uncategorised.

In the example opposite FTP was used to upload a 20MB file. The actual limit set in jDownloads and php.ini was 12MB. invalid extension

If we now select the

button we will be able to create the new download as describedin the Creating Downloads section below.

invalid extension

Creating the Downloads

The next step is to create the Downloads.

So clicking on the Files button

which will show a list of files awaiting creation into a Download.

If one of the files is not required, maybe it was uploaded by mistake, click on the small box next to the relevant file name and use the

button, which is located on the view header, to remove the file from the list.

You will be asked to confirm so click on OK to procede.

In this example the 1GB.zip file was deleted. files select05