How Important Is FTP Access to You? OR, File Manager With Features To Upload Multiple Files With Relative Paths?

[Jen]

How Important Is FTP Access to You?

I have discussed the lack of no FTP (File Transfer Protocol) access with several Ning Team Members, since this platform feature was removed. I think it would be interesting to hear from fellow Network Creators and find out how important is this feature to you and your Network?

If you're not familiar with FTP access, this discussion topic probably doesn't affect you. If you want to hear a little more, I'll try to explain. This is a method used to upload files to a hosted location - - a place to store your files like for scripts, or 3rd party sliders, etc...

Currently, the Ning platform does not enable FTP access. Instead, Ning built what is called the File Manager. The problem with the File Manager method, the uploaded files are uploaded to the Ning API, and the file path names are very long. But that's not the entire problem. The limitations with this type of file uploading method are severe.

Quick Summary:

If you need to upload several files (scripts, images, css, etc...) or a folder containing all the files needed to add something like a slider to your Ning Network, you cannot. You either have to upload to an external host and call your application into your Ning Network via an iFrame, or attempt to upload many files via the File Manager, and edit your code throughout using the long Ning API file paths.

More Details:

1. You must upload each file, one at a time.
2. There are no relative paths using the current File Manager Upload Method. To explain: Let's say your script that runs your slider engine calls custom css or other js files. Each js and css file has to be uploaded via the Ning File Manager. You then have to hard code each path within your script and HTML. Additionally, your slider images have to be uploaded one at a time, you then need to copy/paste the long Ning API URL into the proper location in your HTML. It's a tedious and easy-to-make-mistakes process.

• Relative Path Example - \slider\js\yourfile.js
• Ning API Path Example - "http://api.ning.com/files/sbcI5*UFXaKvItF6DEMsWegpfCglyldZabcdefghijklmnopqr123yourfile.js"
• If you upload a file today, and edit the file tomorrow, for example a slider image, you must do the following:

1. Re-upload the image file via the File Manager.
2. Change the file URL in your HTML code, to call the new image.
3. Save and re-upload your HTML file, or change the image path in your Text Box HTML Code.

 

With FTP access, the paths would be relative and never change. For example, you would upload your new image, keeping the same file name, something like: slide1.jpg.

Your code would already contain the calling path for slide1.jpg. Therefore, that's all you would need to do to update your slider. The calling path would stay the same http://yourning.com/slider/images/slide1.jpg.

 

Why Did Ning Remove FTP Access?

I think most experienced NCs understand why Ning removed FTP access. I'm sure it was a nightmare with access to backend files, and newbies wiping out files, probably NCs uploading files that had nothing to do with their Ning site, Security issues, file serving load times, cost for Support Team to stay on top of the problems, etc...

However, we desperately need a way to upload files, without having to change filename paths, therefore having to edit all code for one simple app.

I suggest that Ning build the following File Upload Interface:

• A limited amount of disk space for uploading files.
• No access to platform files for security measures.
• A way to upload a folder of files and use relative paths. Note: Even if we only had relative paths like a virtual relative path, this would work.

 

Fellow Network Creators, what are your thoughts?

• How much do you need this, and why?
• Would you pay extra for this type of interface?

 

Thanks in advance to everyone!

Jen

 

 

 

[Atheist Universe]

What!!!

The Plus plan doesn't provide a File Manager? We are planning to downgrade from Pro (thanks to the price hike) to Plus, what'll happen our 100 files????

[Eric Suesz]

The files will still be there, Atheist. We don't remove content if you downgrade, but the feature won't be accessible. 

[Atheist Universe]

Well, perhaps this should be added to the cute little comparison chart you have here.
File Managing is not a negligeable part of the NC job.

Anything else I should worry about?

[Andrew Aker]

Sorry to post this here but my discussion is not showing up on my status page, the NC homepage, or anywhere.  

Ning billing support ticket staff are not giving me straight answers, and not very fast, either!   

I fear they will shut down my account soon for non-payment ( actually because I've been a big pain in their butts with my unrelenting crusade for fairness and honest business practices )  but I can't pay until they allow me to downgrade.  I can't downgrade until they give me an answer about the video thumbnails.  Will they come from the videos, or revert back to the static ning video icon??  

Please let me know if you have the answer!   

Thanks,

Andrew

[soaringeagle]

?????

video icons should remain the same no matter the plan

but im not sure what you mean;;

[Phil McCluskey]

Your thumbnails will stay Andrew.

[Atheist Universe]

Relative file paths FTW!

[Garfield Creator]

I would concur especially if this is along the lines of giving access to the <head></head> which I have heard mentioned before by Jen. I have my workarounds but I must admit I am unaware the the price I am paying in latency and that is not something I should have to deal with when paying a premium when seemingly a company like Wordpress offers it for free. I am not saying Ning should be free but that I shouldn't have to pay for slower speeds than a free offering when it can be avoided.

[SweetPotato]

Totally agree, garfield. access to the head would a significant move forward in my book. So many ning sites are slow, clunky and unprofessional looking, especially homepages, because of script loading last. If we are allowed it for pages why not site-wide?

[Jen]

If we had a way to add multiple files at one time with relative paths, and access to the <head> tag, Ning would be the most powerful Social Network building platform, period.

Thanks for your input,

Jen

[Phil McCluskey]

Hi Garfield and SP,

Just a couple of points of clarification. Moving your js from the footer to the header won't make your site load faster; it will make it load slower. Moving js to the bottom of the page is a basic performance enhancement. Also note that Wordpress doesn't allow script access of any kind in their hosted platform. Self-hosted of course you can do what you want.

[Jen]

Hi Phil,

I know you didn't address me, but seriously? I was thinking since Ning's custom code box loads last and seems to be unusually slow, that adding this type code to the head would improve performance. This is sure interesting, and something to think about even more. You know how much I admire your technical expertise.

Thanks,

Jen