Large file upload questions

[opaque]

I need to add an upload area to my client’s site (a video company) so his clients can upload large files (anywhere from 4-5mb on up to say 100mb). He wants user accounts with logins. I found a script that had everything he wanted, eZUpload, and it even had instructions on how the adjust the php limit to allow large uploads – but ran into a wall because his host won’t allow the php upload limit to be modified in .htaccess.

1. Is setting up a large file upload area simply out of the question if you don’t manage your own server? All the info I find seems to involve changing settings that aren’t an option with a shared host (like adjusting the php upload limit)

2. What is normally used/done to set up an area on a website to allow clients to login and upload large files (such as a printshop or video company may need)

3. Is it common for hosts to not allow certain .htaccess changes, so changing to another host wouldn’t help?

I’ve researched all over and I am just unsure of which way to go with this, I’d appreciate it if anyone can point me in a direction.

[mack]

Yea it is pretty common for hosts to block certain changed from being made. The htaccess file can over ride some but not all server settings.

You coucl email your host and tell them what you are trying to acheive, they may be acomodate your setting request in some way.

I may be missing somethign but is it possible for your client to use drag and drop into an FTP client.

Mack.

[opaque]

My client could give out FTP info, but his intentions were to provide something easier, just tell them to "go to his site to upload" instead of trying to explain FTP and FTP clients to them.

The host got back to me and they don't allow that sort of change to .htaccess and suggested moving to a virtual server where that could be controlled. This is more money of course and he doesn't need that for anything else.

I suppose I am out of options here then-- it's a virtual server or FTP? No other software solution?

I am just trying to make sure before I have to explain to him it's not going to work how he intended and I quoted. ( I did do research before I quoted, but the .htaccess problem was unexpected - of course!)

[mack]

There are some programs that work like virtual FTP. They in are like web based scripts, that register to the ftp server in the same way any FTP clients would, but the entire process is very much web based. You could customise the script to look the way you want and also to behave the way you want it to. This is in many ways similar to what you suggested in your origional post, but may be a way around your problems.

Mack.