File Transfer Proxy

Richard Huddleston (reh@wam.umd.edu)
Fri, 23 Sep 1994 21:23:03 -0400

I'm part of a team that is working on an application where the NCSA
httpd would be an attractive choice as an agent transfering a file
to a host, where all of the necessary information is provided by the
browser/client in a URL (e.g., absolute path and filename, IP address
of target, etc.). The file is on the same host as the httpd, and the
client will access the file, via a network file system, once is has been
delivered to the target host--but the target IS NOT the client machine.
Right now, FTP is the protocol of choice. Probably not anon FTP.

While I've been reading the httpd code (Boy, is it UGLY!) and everything
else I can find on WWW and related topics, there's a learning curve here
just like everywhere else. I can't say I've completely scaled it yet. ;)

It seems like I'm talking about adding a method, perhaps called "RCOPY"
--but I really want to know is if what we're considered is intrinsically
in keeping with the spirit of the Web. If the answer is "yes" then
are we on the right track--or is there an existing method that already
provides a mechanism for doing this? I've looked some at the CGI stuff,
and, at least at first glance, it doesn't seem robust enough.

Clues gratefully accepted. ;)

Richard