AjaXplorer is an easy-to-install file explorer for remotely managing files on a web server or operation as a simple file-sharing system. Its rich layout and actions make it easily accessible to virtually any end-user. It requires PHP and server access (either local or remote via FTP) for installation. It uses an AJAX based interface, providing streamlined and intuitive functionalities, similar to that of a standard file-system explorer on any operating system.
Quick Links:
Project: http://ajaxplorer.info/
Demo: http://www.ajaxplorer.info/demo/
Download: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=192639
Copyright (c) 2008 Trent Scott - trescott3[at]users.sourceforge.net
Doc Version: 2.3.7
Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction to AjaXplorer
AjaXplorer is an easy-to-install file explorer for remotely managing files on a web server or operation as a simple file-sharing system. Its rich layout and actions make it easily accessible to virtually any end-user. It requires PHP and server access (either local or remote via FTP) for installation. It uses an AJAX based interface, providing streamlined and intuitive functionalities, similar to that of a standard file-system explorer on any operating system.
Chapter 2: Basics
The current build of AjaXplorer can be downloaded from http://sourceforge.net/projects/ajaxplorer/. Unzip using WinZip, ZipGenius or tar -xzf AjaXplorer-core-2.3.7-dist.zip.
Now that we’ve got our files, we can upload the whole directory to the web server (using your favorite FTP program) in case you’re not already working there.
AjaXplorer needs to save/download files and be able to modify user registry. Therefore make sure the following directories (and file within) are writeable for the web server:
Browse to server/conf and open the file conf.php. Use your favorite text editor to open and modify this document. We’ll customize settings in this file for your unique server configuration and security purposes. Make the mandatory changes listed in section 2.4 Required Settings.
Access through your web server to the following directories should be denied upon completing configuration:
Note: AjaXplorer uses .htaccess files to protect these directories automatically, be sure to allow override of the Limit directives on your web server (contact your Webmaster).
Upon completing installation, browse to your live site on the web server (http://yourdomain.com). As AjaXplorer loads, it will display "Loading Components… Main Template Loaded… Action Bar Initialized… List Loaded". Once you arrive at the login screen, login using your credentials. [default username=admin / password=admin]
Select Remember Me to save a cookie with your login credentials to the local machine. Note: Do not use on public computers.
Chapter 3: Toolbar
AjaXplorer’s intuitive toolbar (top of the screen) has 15 buttons, corresponding to unique features/functions that can be performed. From left to right, the buttons are as follows:
Chapter 4: Details/Search Pane
4.1 Details
Click the Details tab in the lower left pane (below Folders) to display current file or folder attributes (name, date/time modified). If a folder is selected, click Explore to view its contents. Click Download to compress the folder contents into a .zip file and download them to your local machine.
4.2 Search
Click the Search tab in the lower left pane (below Folders) to enter a search string (phrase) to find in the current repository. File or folder names are acceptable queries. Click the magnifying glass icon to begin the search or X icon to clear the field. Previous searches are displayed in the box below.
Chapter 5: Navigation
The Folders pane (left) provides a quick view of all folders in the current repository. To browse folders within the current repository, simply click the folder name listed. Click the + icon next to a folder to display its subfolders.
The Folders pane is also used to navigate between other repositories (file spaces). To switch repositories, select the repository name from the dropdown menu with Default Files (unless modifed) as the current repository.
The field below the toolbar (top) displays the current path relative to the root directory (default repository). You can traverse between folders by modifying the path listed here as an alternative to the file browser (below). Click the blue arrow icon to go to the given location and the gold star to bookmark it.
Chapter 6: User Settings
To modify your individual user settings (the account you're logged in on), click Logged in as xxxx in the upper right corner (xxxx=your username). This opens the User Preferences window wherein you can specify the current Language, Default Display method (details or thumbnails) and Change Password for the account.
Note: Admin account is required to change server settings. [default username=admin / password=admin]
In the Settings window, click User Management at the top. Under the section labeled Create User, you can specify a new username/password.
The User List section displays all current users on your AjaXplorer file system. To edit a user, click on their name (must be done from admin account). You can specify their Repositories Rights (read/write privileges), modify their password or delete the account.
In the Settings window, click Repositories Management at the top. All current repositories (file spaces) will be displayed here and new repositories can be created by giving them a unique label (name) and choosing an access driver.
After specifying the name and driver, you must specify the path to root folder on the server (e.g. files/). You also have the option to specify the name for the recycle bin folder to be used for deleted files.
When finished, click Create (if it is a new repository) or Save (if modifying settings for an existing repository).
To delete a repository, click the red X next to its name under the Repositories List.
The built-in logging system in AjaXplorer is useful for debugging and troubleshooting your file server. In the Settings window, click Logs and specify a log file (by date) using the dropdown menu labeled Choose a log file. Log entries are sorted by Date/Time, IP address, Level, User, Action (whatever was done) and Parameters (specific to each operation).
Chapter 8: FAQ
As admin, open the “Settings” window. You probably see a Logs tab but nothing listed inside of it. If so, there is probably a write permission missing -- the “logs” folder is created inside the “server” folder. Thus the /path/to/install/server/ folder should be writeable.
8.2 My file upload size is limited, how can I change this?
File upload size limit is not an AjaXplorer limitation, but a server configuration for PHP. If on a shared host, it is unlikely that you can access this configuration. If you are on your own server and can edit the PHP configuration file (php.ini), please have a look at the “upload_max_filesize” instruction on the PHP website.
8.3 I created a repository but cannot see it?
This often happens if you have created a repository but not granted access to this repository for each user. Logged in as “admin”, open the Settings window, Users Management tab, and give read/write access to the newly created repository to whichever user you want.
8.4 How do I create user-specific repositories accessible only to them?
As admin, open the Settings window, click Create Repository” and in the Path form, use the AJXP_USER keyword to create a path that will be adapted to each user. For example, use the following configuration:
Repository Label : “My Files”
Driver : “File System”
Path : “AJXP_INSTALL_PATH/files/AJPX_USER”
Create : “Yes”
Recycle bin folder : “recycle_bin”
(Each user will have their own unique repository and the admin can view them when browsing the Default Repository packed with AjaXplorer.)
8.5 I want to develop my own extensions but the JavaScript and CSS files are unreadable?
Change the $JS_DEBUG variable to true in the file index.php at line 72. After doing so, AjaXplorer will load all JS files and CSS files separately, instead of the big compressed file used normally.
AjaXplorer was created by Charles du Jeu. Other developers include Mathieu Baudier, Trent Scott and Stage NexVistion.
Components: WebFX widgets (XLoadTree, SortableTable and Selectable), LightBox modified by Leightbox, and the very nice CodePress syntax highlighter.
Please visit our website, http://ajaxplorer.info for more information.