Uploading a file to webspace through a java applet

[Teedo]

Hello,
I have some webspace that came with my ISP for free, and that I can access using FTP and host a website or files on. I want to make a program that writes a text file to the webspace, and then another program that will be reading the text file and displaying the information to the user. I have spent the past hour trying to google on how to do this, but i did not understand the answers properly. One answer was to run a php server, though i'm not sure how php works and because it is just webspace, i believe all i can do is upload and store files to it? wouldn't someone with access to the server/webspace computer need to run the php server?

Is there another way?

I have tried the following test which prints 'file does not exist' to the screen. I tried getting the documentbase (where the index.html file is)and write a file to it, but it cannot find the file and i think cannot create it.

package testing;

import java.applet.Applet;
import java.awt.*;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileWriter;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;

public class Testing extends Applet {
    String s;
    public void init() {
        s = "not updated";
        updateFiles();
    }
 
    public void stop() {
    }
 
    public void paint(Graphics g) {
        g.drawString(s, 20, 10);
    }
    
    public void updateFiles(){
        s = "updated";
        File file = new File(this.getDocumentBase()+ "/accounts.txt");
        if (!file.exists()){
            try {
                System.out.println("no exist");
                s = "file does not exist";
                file.createNewFile();
            } catch (IOException ex) {
                Logger.getLogger(Testing.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
            }
        }
        try {
            System.out.println(file);
            FileWriter write = new FileWriter(file);
            s = "FILE FOUND";
            write.write("it worked...");
            write.close();
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(Testing.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
        
    }
}

Thanks, I hope you understand what i am trying to explain :)

[Teedo]

I have done a little debugging and changed the code to the following.
I printed out the location of where it is looking for accounts.txt and it is correct, though it displays the IOException "java.io.IOException: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect."

Is what I am trying to do, possible? Or would I have to upload a php script in order to be able to have access to write files to the webspace?

package testing;

import java.applet.Applet;
import java.awt.*;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileWriter;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;

public class Testing extends Applet {
    
    String s;
    
    public void init() {
        s = "not updated";
        updateFiles();
    }
 
    public void stop() {
    }
 
    public void paint(Graphics g) {
        g.drawString(s, 20, 10);
    }
    
    public void updateFiles(){
        s = "updated";
        File file = new File(this.getCodeBase() + "accounts.txt");
        if (!file.exists()){
            try {
                s = (this.getCodeBase() + "accounts.txt");
                file.createNewFile();
            } catch (IOException ex) {
                s = ex.toString();
                Logger.getLogger(Testing.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
            }
        }
        try {
            System.out.println(file);
            FileWriter write = new FileWriter(file);
            s = "FILE FOUND";
            write.write("it worked...");
            write.close();
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(Testing.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
        
    }
}

[gimbal2]

Why are you using an ancient AWT applet? Use a Swing JApplet at least.

The error seems to indicate that the filename you are generating is not correct. For example you assume that getDocumentBase() ends with a path separator; it may just not have that. System.out.println() the filename you are generating to see what it is, probably it is not what you expect it to be.

[Teedo]

I'm not using SWING so i thought i should use Applet, though i will change it to JApplet instead. There is no separator in my 2nd post and I made sure the path was correct, though it still does not work.

[gimbal2]

Windows does not agree with your assessment. Do all the directories noted in the path actually physically exist?

[Teedo]

They exist on my webspace where the applet is uploaded to, and I can view the file via the same link that (this.getCodeBase() + "accounts.txt") gives.
Is it not some kind of permission problem where it won't allow me to create a file?

EDIT: I have worked out how to run applets in Netbeans. If I place an 'accounts.txt' file in that directory, then it still thinks it does not exist even though the printed directory is exactly the same.

package testing;

import java.awt.*;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileWriter;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;
import javax.swing.JApplet;

public class Testing extends JApplet {
    
    String s;
    
    public void init() {
        s = "not updated";
        updateFiles();
    }
 
    public void stop() {
    }
 
    public void paint(Graphics g) {
        g.drawString(s, 20, 10);
    }
    
    public void updateFiles(){
        s = "updated";
        File file = new File(this.getCodeBase()+ "accounts.txt");
        if (!file.exists()){
            try {
                System.out.println("file does not exist, try creating file");
                s = (this.getCodeBase() + "accounts.txt");
                file.createNewFile();
                System.out.println("File created!");
            } catch (IOException ex) {
                //s = ex.toString();
                System.out.println(file.getPath());
                System.out.println(ex);
                Logger.getLogger(Testing.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
            }
        }
    }
}

run-applet:
file does not exist, try creating file
file:C:\Users\Teedo\Documents\NetBeansProjects\Testing\build\classes\accounts.txt
java.io.IOException: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect
Aug 8, 2013 5:07:23 PM testing.Testing updateFiles
SEVERE: null
java.io.IOException: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect
	at java.io.WinNTFileSystem.createFileExclusively(Native Method)
	at java.io.File.createNewFile(File.java:883)
	at testing.Testing.updateFiles(Testing.java:34)
	at testing.Testing.init(Testing.java:17)
	at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(AppletPanel.java:425)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:662)
BUILD SUCCESSFUL (total time: 6 seconds)

[Tolls]

Does this directory structure:
C:\Users\Teedo\Documents\NetBeansProjects\Testing\ build\classes
exist on the machine that you are running the browser?

Not the server where the applet is loaded from...the client machine.

And yes, it could be permissions, except you would (I'm pretty sure) get a security exception rather than an IOException.

[Teedo]

Yes it exists, i'm testing it all through netbeans now so my computer is the server/client.

[gimbal2]

You print out the path and it ends up as this:

file:C:\Users\Teedo\Documents\NetBeansProjects\Tes ting\build\classes\accounts.txt

Notice that extra file: bit at the beginning?

[Teedo]

I see....Though i'm unsure on how to fix that. I tested File file = new File("accounts.txt");.....which worked, but I want it to create the file on the server/webspace and not locally on the clients computer.

EDIT: Ah, I see. getCodeBase() adds "file:" to the front, so I guess I need to create a string and remove it, then create a URL from that string to use.

[Tolls]

...but I want it to create the file on the server/webspace and not locally on the clients computer.

The only way to do that is to have something on the server that does that.
In the Java world this would be (eg) a servlet that would do the job of creating the file.

The client does not have direct access to the server except via http, and http does not give you the power to create stuff on the server unless there's code there to do it.

[Teedo]

The only way to do that is to have something on the server that does that.
In the Java world this would be (eg) a servlet that would do the job of creating the file.

The client does not have direct access to the server except via http, and http does not give you the power to create stuff on the server unless there's code there to do it.

Thank you very much, that's what I was after :)

[gimbal2]

Or FTP, as was described in the original post. I would prefer FTP over HTTP myself. I've never used that in combination with an applet though, so I wouldn't know in what ways the sandbox is going to be in the way.

[Tolls]

I'm a bit hesitant since we're talking Applet here, and using FTP opens up the whole security thing.
But, if the "webspace" is just a dumping ground and not actually a web server with something like PHP then it's all a bit moot, and FTP will be the only answer.

... put another way, I should have re-read the original post...:)

[gimbal2]

Well you make a good point because you'd need to store the credentials somewhere, but HTTP has similar security limitations :) If you create a webservice that needs to be invoked from an applet AND you manage to somehow get it running on the server itself, you're also basically opening it up to the world.

[Tolls]

I was thinking more of the whole applet security and permissions model. I hate that...:)
It's fine talking back to where it came from, but I don't think FTP is covered in that.

[Teedo]

My website hosting has the following.....PHP, Microsoft Front Page Server Extensions, Website statistics, PERL
I guess i'll be attempting to learn and use PHP :)

[Tolls]

You could just try the FTP route first and see if you can get that working, since that would not involve learning a new language.

If that suits your situation then you're done...otherwise you could then look into PHP.

[gimbal2]

@Tolls: I think it restricts the host, not the protocol used. If the host name of the FTP server is the same as where the applet is downloaded from, the sandbox should allow the connection. Maybe you need to sign the applet however.

Anyway, there are existing FTP applets available for download so it must work somehow :)

[Teedo]

Okay thanks, I shall research and try that this weekend. I really have no idea about how I would go about doing that, but after a quick search it sounds like I need to learn about apache or something similar....Would I be on the right track?