file transfer on internet ??

[Mason A. Clark]

I have no idea where to ask this question. Google didn't help.

What method is used to read a file on another computer?

Example, the Validators on W3C. You give them your filename,
on your computer, and they read it and check it.

I've found a web page that will read a pdf file on my computer
as a service (uses ghostscript pdf reader).

How do they do that? ( It seems dangerous.) Why couldn't
they read *any* file, perhaps by trying random names.

Mason C (where should I be asking this?)

[Jukka K. Korpela]

Post by Mason A. Clark
What method is used to read a file on another computer?

There are several methods.

Post by Mason A. Clark
Example, the Validators on W3C. You give them your filename,
on your computer, and they read it and check it.

If you give "them" your _filename_, you are using the interface with
file upload: you select a file from your computer using a special
widget, and you submit the contents of the file along with other form
data.

If you give them a URL, then you specify the address of a page on the
WWW, on some server. The W3C validators then use the URL to get the
contents by sending an HTTP request to the server specified in the
address.

Post by Mason A. Clark
I've found a web page that will read a pdf file on my computer
as a service (uses ghostscript pdf reader).

Are you sure?

Post by Mason A. Clark
How do they do that?

Hard to guess withou the page's URL.

Post by Mason A. Clark
( It seems dangerous.) Why couldn't
they read *any* file, perhaps by trying random names.

Well, a web page might contain a link like
<a href="c:/foo.pdf">xxx</a>
Then, when you click on the link, your browser tries to find file
c:/foo.pdf and then pass it to an application capable of displaying PDF
files. Of course, there is no guarantee that there is such a file on
your computer. But "they" would not get the file; it would all take
place in your computer only.

[Mason A. Clark]

Post by Jukka K. Korpela

Post by Mason A. Clark
What method is used to read a file on another computer?

There are several methods.

Post by Mason A. Clark
Example, the Validators on W3C. You give them your filename,
on your computer, and they read it and check it.

If you give "them" your _filename_, you are using the interface with
file upload: you select a file from your computer using a special
widget, and you submit the contents of the file along with other form
data.
If you give them a URL, then you specify the address of a page on the
WWW, on some server. The W3C validators then use the URL to get the
contents by sending an HTTP request to the server specified in the
address.

Post by Mason A. Clark
I've found a web page that will read a pdf file on my computer
as a service (uses ghostscript pdf reader).

Are you sure?

Post by Mason A. Clark
How do they do that?

Hard to guess withou the page's URL.

http://view.samurajdata.se/

It resembles the W3C validation form.

So, after I enter a local file address, they could ignore that
address and do a random search for file names and steal something?

Thanks for the info,

Mason C

Post by Jukka K. Korpela

Post by Mason A. Clark
( It seems dangerous.) Why couldn't
they read *any* file, perhaps by trying random names.

Well, a web page might contain a link like
<a href="c:/foo.pdf">xxx</a>
Then, when you click on the link, your browser tries to find file
c:/foo.pdf and then pass it to an application capable of displaying PDF
files. Of course, there is no guarantee that there is such a file on
your computer. But "they" would not get the file; it would all take
place in your computer only.

[Jukka K. Korpela]

Post by Mason A. Clark
http://view.samurajdata.se/

Thanks, but the page keeps saying "Sorry, the viewer is resting for the
moment. Give it try later when things have settled down!"

Post by Mason A. Clark
It resembles the W3C validation form.

Which of them, in which way(s)?

Post by Mason A. Clark
So, after I enter a local file address, they could ignore that
address and do a random search for file names and steal something?

Form data processing may surely ignore anything that was submitted, but
it cannot do a random search on your system.