# ARRGGHH!!! HTML and ZIP files, please!



## reapersaurus (Aug 25, 2002)

I brought this up awhile back, and the need for adding these types of files in attachments has slapped me once again!

In a thread going on right now in General Discussion about half-orcs, I would love to attach a previous thread that I believe any poster in that thread would like to read (from 10 months ago).

So I zipped up the HTML threads and tried to post.
And of course it didn't work.
Now WHY again can't we add HTML files, but we can add macro-laden Word files?

I seem to remember what was mentioned previously was vague worries about disk useage and dangerous content that can be put in HTML files, and I don't understand either worry.

Could we please add those 2 (or just one would be fine) file types to the attachment list?
What do you guys think?
Any reason not to be able to attach previous threads to enhance a current discussion?


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## Psionicist (Aug 25, 2002)

1) Rename file blah.zip to blah.txt
2) Upload file blah.txt
3) Write a note "rename blah.txt to blah.zip"
4) User downloads blah.txt, renames it to blah.zip
5) And there you have it.


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## reapersaurus (Aug 27, 2002)

hmm...  interesting idea, but a little sneaky for my preference.

It would work, but I'd rather have those 2 file types added if there's no real reason not to allow them.


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## Psionicist (Aug 29, 2002)

With a little luck, some browsers might process normal txt files as html documents, so they are viewable from your browser. Lets try it.


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## CRGreathouse (Aug 29, 2002)

Psionicist said:
			
		

> *With a little luck, some browsers might process normal txt files as html documents, so they are viewable from your browser. Lets try it.  *




No such luck on IE 6.0


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## reapersaurus (Aug 31, 2002)

Morrus?


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## bondetamp (Aug 31, 2002)

CRGreathouse said:
			
		

> *
> 
> No such luck on IE 6.0 *




How about this one?

test.txt


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## Morrus (Aug 31, 2002)

The problem with that is that it makes it very easy for some to construct an entire website consisting solely of html attachments (each has a URL, so it would be painfully easy to do); they can even use the the server as a storage space for .zip files.


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## CRGreathouse (Aug 31, 2002)

bondetamp said:
			
		

> *How about this one?
> 
> test.txt *




Yes, actually, that worked.  I guess the content declaration overrides the file extention.


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## Psionicist (Aug 31, 2002)

CRGreathouse said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Yes, actually, that worked.  I guess the content declaration overrides the file extention. *




Yes, as I already proved in my second post...


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## reapersaurus (Aug 31, 2002)

Morrus said:
			
		

> *The problem with that is that it makes it very easy for some to construct an entire website consisting solely of html attachments (each has a URL, so it would be painfully easy to do); they can even use the the server as a storage space for .zip files. *



Umm..  I'm not following you, Morrus.

Are these really worries of yours, or just possible outcomes for discussion's sake?

1) Because if you're worried about people making a website out of attached html files distributed amongst multiple posts on multiple threads, i just don;t get that worry. Especially when it's so easy to get free web space on the internet.

2) And how could people use 'your' server as a storage space for .zip files, when _ you limit them to 100 KB per attachment?_
I just don't see anyone doing these two things you bring up.
But I CAN see how useful it would be to be able to have members attach those 2 files, can't you?

It would benefit the community - html files more so than zip's.


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## Morrus (Aug 31, 2002)

Actually, yes.  It is a concern of mine.


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## Psionicist (Sep 1, 2002)

Morrus said:
			
		

> *Actually, yes.  It is a concern of mine. *




The Reaper is right, it shouldn't be. I cannot imagine ANYONE uploading documents for personal use to the ENWorld messageboard. There are MILLIONS of forums and uploading features over the internet without the problems you speak off.


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## Grazzt (Sep 1, 2002)

Psionicist said:
			
		

> *
> 
> The Reaper is right, it shouldn't be. I cannot imagine ANYONE uploading documents for personal use to the ENWorld messageboard. There are MILLIONS of forums and uploading features over the internet without the problems you speak off. *




As many people as we have on here, someone would do it. Just to show others it could be done. You know how the internet goes...


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## The It's Man (Sep 1, 2002)

So, if there it's easy to get free webspace - why use the forums?

Morrus doesn't want to include those types of files, there is a workaround as psionist already mentioned and there a megs of free webspace


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## Metalsmith (Sep 1, 2002)

*Test....*










Sweeeet. 

It worked.


Metalsmith


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## CRGreathouse (Sep 1, 2002)

Psionicist said:
			
		

> *Yes, as I already proved in my second post... *




As I mentioned, your didn't work for me at all.  I just etried it and got the same result.  Is your doctype correct?


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## Psionicist (Sep 1, 2002)

CRGreathouse said:
			
		

> *
> 
> As I mentioned, your didn't work for me at all.  I just etried it and got the same result.  Is your doctype correct? *




Yes. It's the exact same code as the document bondetamp uploaded.


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## Umbran (Sep 1, 2002)

Also, isn't there a decent possibility for destructive use of .zip files?  If you cannot control what's inside the .zip, some idiot could use the ability to post stuff to do nasty things to the unwary. Not everyone who registers is necessarily a nice person...

While you'd imagne folks would be careful dealing with .zip files gotten off an open message board, why ask for trouble?


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## reapersaurus (Sep 5, 2002)

So, Morrus - 
Am I accurate in synopsizing that you don't want to add .html files to the attachment list because you are afraid someone will build a website that links together a bunch of attachments of posts that they don't know the numbers of in advance?

Can you even edit an attachment that you've already posted, to add the correct link to the next attachment to a post they'd make?!

Forget the zip file, if it worries you.

To properly synopsize again:
This worry of yours is so strong that you want the members of this community to have to rename every html file to .txt when wanting to share an older helpful thread, and also make the reader save the file to their HD, then rename the file, then open it up.
All this instead of just making it convenient and having them click the attached file?

And psionicist - your idea has only worked on my machine 1 out of 3 times on my same machine - I conclude that it is not a reliable way of sharing html files.


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## Morrus (Sep 5, 2002)

reapersaurus said:
			
		

> *So, Morrus -
> Am I accurate in synopsizing that you don't want to add .html files to the attachment list because you are afraid someone will build a website that links together a bunch of attachments of posts that they don't know the numbers of in advance? *




Umm... sarcasm is not the way to get what you want.  Spend a few ranks on your Diplomacy skill and get back to me.


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## pennywiz (Sep 5, 2002)

Morrus: I subscribe to belief A.

Reaper: Do you subscribe to belief A?

Morrus:  Actually yes.  I do subscribe to belief A.

Reaper: Let me see if I'm understanding this correctly.  You're saying that you subscribe to belief A?

Y'know, I think someone's a little dense.  Or is Morrus supposed to say "Yes" again, so Reaper can say "Just to get things clear, am I to understand that you subscribe to Belief A?"

Reaper is either deliberately trying to antagonize Morrus or he has some kind of mental block there.  I think it's the former.

Or, as Morrus says, he has zero social skills. That's a possibility.


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## Darkness (Sep 6, 2002)

reapersaurus said:
			
		

> *...you want the members of this community to have to rename every html file to .txt when wanting to share an older helpful thread, and also make the reader save the file to their HD, then rename the file, then open it up.
> ...*



How long does that take - half a minute per file? Not exactly tedious, is it?


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## reapersaurus (Sep 7, 2002)

umm.... huh?!

Morrus - I was just going out of my way to summarize my understanding of your position, because honestly, it makes absolutely no sense to me.

If you'd rather insult me than explain your position, i guess that's your prerogative, but I am just trying to understand.

pennywiz - it's called clarifying something to make sure you've got the other party's position properly understood - maybe you should try it sometime.

Darkness - you are level-headedly proposing that you make it harder for the member, AND potentially discriminate against people who don't truly understand computers (not everyone can save files, change the extension properly, and then read them easily)...  for no real reason?

Morrus - about your "reason".
As psionicist said, it is UNFOUNDED.
That's why I tried to clarify your position, because it is so obviously unfounded.
I truly do not understand your position here.
You can not seriously think that someone would bother making a website from html attachments in posts.
I have explained why, but i really don't think you're examining your position.

(snipped 3 different wordings of what i want to say)
I can't believe that I'm the only person that doesn't understand why you are worried about something that not only wouldn't happen....

Geez.
This is crazy!
I'm literally feeling like you're saying "We need to keep an expensive roof over the snake-pen, reaper."
I point out "but snakes can't fly. Why do we need the roof?"
You say "Because I'm worried they'll start to fly"
I say "But they can't fly. And it would be a lot easier for them to slither out the door and catch the airplane that's waiting for them for free."

I'm a computer instructor for a living, but I don't think I can help you to see why your worry is not needed here if you can't understand me, or worse yet, won't listen to me or others on this issue.


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## pennywiz (Sep 7, 2002)

reapersaurus said:
			
		

> *I'm a computer instructor for a living, but I don't think I can help you to see why your worry is not needed here if you can't understand me, or worse yet, won't listen to me or others on this issue. *




Maybe he finds you condescending and annoying like so many others do?


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## Darkness (Sep 7, 2002)

reapersaurus said:
			
		

> *...
> Morrus - ...
> If you'd rather insult me than explain your position, ...*



Let's look at this realistically: _You_ decide to be insulted - and that's _your_ problem and not anyone else's...



> *Darkness - you are level-headedly proposing that ...[snipped because it didn't make any sense]*



 Assuming that you're _not_ trolling: No, you misunderstood me; that's not what I was saying. So please read it again until you understand it better.


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## Psionicist (Sep 7, 2002)

Grazzt said:
			
		

> *
> 
> As many people as we have on here, someone would do it. Just to show others it could be done. You know how the internet goes...  *




Many? Are you kidding me? Look at hardforums 50000 members. It's a computer forum - WITHOUT this problem. The same with anandtech, arstechnica yadda yadda. The problem with the problem... there is no problem. See?


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## Psionicist (Sep 7, 2002)

Also, in the VB admin panel, you can configure so only registered members can download the uploaded files...


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## reapersaurus (Sep 9, 2002)

wow.

OK, Darkness.
I'll make it very clear (as clear as I can)

You: It's not that hard, and doesn't take much time to change the file extension from htm to txt when you want to attach an html file to a thread.
Also, any time someone wants to read this attached file, they will most likely have to save it to their HD, then find it, rename it, and open it.

THIS is what you are saying, is it not?

If so, I replied that it is inconvenient to the person attaching the file, but most importantly, you are making it much more difficult for the person viewing the html file.
(the attached txt files that were html files I don't believe are a viable consistent option)

So for those members and lurkers who aren't very savvy with computers, you are making it quite hard for them to simply read an attached html file that they are interested in.
And all because of a worry of Morrus' that is ...  I don't know of a more dilpomatic way of saying it other than It Is Unfounded.


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## reapersaurus (Sep 9, 2002)

Psionicist said:
			
		

> *Also, in the VB admin panel, you can configure so only registered members can download the uploaded files... *



I really am wondering if they're even listening, Psionicist...

My guess is that because _I_ asked for the inclusion of html files to better the discourse on the boards, they feel most comfortable thinking of it as "Me trying to make Them Change".

I'm used to my DM just saying "ummmm...  NO." to me, but I would hope they would do this for _other_ board members.


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## Darkness (Sep 9, 2002)

reapersaurus said:
			
		

> *wow.
> 
> OK, Darkness.
> I'll make it very clear (as clear as I can)
> ...



Thanks. 

Look...

Morrus obviously doesn't want to risk enabling the attachment of html files - and as far as I can tell, nobody has so far been able to lessen his worries (and I don't think that merely repeatedly telling him "Your Worries Are Unfounded!" will help much ).

Therefore, I tried to point out that it's not _that_ hard to still achieve your desired results.
Yeah, _of course_ it's not as simple as directly attaching an HTML file (duh!). But compared to _not_ attaching the file at all, it's the better alternative by far IMO... 

*shrug* Just my 2 cents...


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## Psionicist (Sep 9, 2002)

"Morrus obviously doesn't want to risk enabling the attachment of html files "

Risk? What risk?


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## Darkness (Sep 9, 2002)

Psionicist said:
			
		

> *"Morrus obviously doesn't want to risk enabling the attachment of html files "
> 
> Risk? What risk? *



Check Morrus' posts in this thread.


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## Morrus (Sep 9, 2002)

reapersaurus said:
			
		

> *
> My guess is that because _I_ asked for the inclusion of html files to better the discourse on the boards, they feel most comfortable thinking of it as "Me trying to make Them Change". *




Oh, don't be so ridiculous!


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## reapersaurus (Sep 9, 2002)

Morrus said:
			
		

> *Oh, don't be so ridiculous! *



Well, then, please -  *dropping to my hands and knees in a praying position* 
could you help me understand why a seeming rational person such as yourself would be clinging to an irrational worry after repeatedly showing you that your worry is misplaced?


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## pennywiz (Sep 9, 2002)

reapersaurus said:
			
		

> *Well, then, please -  *dropping to my hands and knees in a praying position*
> could you help me understand why a seeming rational person such as yourself would be clinging to an irrational worry after repeatedly showing you that your worry is misplaced? *




How can he make you understand anything when you don't even understand the word 'NO'?  He said 'NO'.  Get it?  *'NO'*  Why not stop acting like a child and accept that he is not interested in doing what you keep annoying him to do?


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## Psionicist (Sep 10, 2002)

pennywiz said:
			
		

> *
> 
> How can he make you understand anything when you don't even understand the word 'NO'?  He said 'NO'.  Get it?  'NO'  Why not stop acting like a child and accept that he is not interested in doing what you keep annoying him to do? *




JESUS! I don't know who you are, but get this straight *I. don't. like. you*. In every single "I have an idea how to improve the boards"-thread I've read over the past months you post ignorant and rude replies to those who actually try to change things to the better, no comments about the particular question just immature replies to the thread starter and those who support the idea.

If there's something I learned here at EN World is... This is none of your business, unless you have a good point, which you obviously don't.


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## Morrus (Sep 10, 2002)

OK, that's enough.  This thread has devolved into childishness now.


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