Hey guys! I want to share a 100MB file with some (non-geek) friends. I usually upload them to my ftp server, but they don't know how to use an ftp client. Is there a way to upload the file and send them a link for download? Maybe some cool web app you used before?
also megaupload,rapidshare......many file sharing sites / google file sharing also :P
all file sharing sites provide a direct link for download that stays active for about a month i guess each one is different . good luck
if you have a webhost, upload it there and give them the http url.
where's your ftp server? on your machine? if you have a real ip and a fast connection, install your own webserver and put the file there.
you can upload it to your ftp server, then send them the link in this form:

ftp://username:password@yourserver.yourdomain.com/directory/file

usually, in most browsers, it should cause the download to start.
All browsers I know of can be used to browse and download directly from FTP servers (but not upload to).

Also, if you have access to a fast ftp server - normally - you should have access to a web (HTTP) server too... I have never heard of someone offering FTP only accounts.

Edit Above I have told you how to send file. Maybe you want to share a file, that is work concurrently on it. Am I right? In this case, I dont know...
Edit Above I have told you how to send file. Maybe you want to share a file, that is work concurrently on it. Am I right? In this case, I dont know...
That was my problem. I want them to upload it back and I was looking for a nice web interface. Ultimately we're using sendspace.

Now I'm looking for solutions using my own machine.
rahmu wroteNow I'm looking for solutions using my own machine.
index.html : 
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
<title>File Upload</title>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body {
	font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif;
	font-size: 16px;
	line-height:34px;
	text-align: center;
	vertical-align: middle;
	padding-top: 8px;
	padding-right: 4px;
	padding-bottom: 8px;
	padding-left: 4px;
}

input {
	margin-top:3px;
	padding-top: 3px;
	padding-bottom: 3px;
	padding-right: 2px;
	padding-left: 2px;

}

-->
</style>
</head>

<body>

Warning! Maximum File Size is <u>180 Megabytes</u>, and maximum upload time is 10 minutes.

<form enctype="multipart/form-data" action="uploader.php" method="POST">
Choose a file to upload: 
<input name="uploadedfile" type="file" /><br/>
<input type="submit" value="Upload File" />
</form>

</body>
</html>
uploader.php : 
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
<title>Send your file to me...</title>

<style type="text/css">
<!--
body {
	font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif;
	font-size: 16px;
	line-height:20px;
	text-align: center;
	vertical-align: middle;
	padding-top: 8px;
	padding-right: 4px;
	padding-bottom: 12px;
	padding-left: 4px;
}
input {
	margin-top:8px;
	padding-top: 1px;
	padding-bottom: 1px;

}
-->
</style>
</head>

<body>

<?php

// where the ulploaded file will be saved. For windows system write "C:/some/directory/" etc.
// make sure there is a trailing slash.

$target_path = "/Users/rolf/Desktop/Received/HTTP/";

$target_path = $target_path . basename( $_FILES['uploadedfile']['name']); 

if(move_uploaded_file($_FILES['uploadedfile']['tmp_name'], $target_path)) {
    echo "<img src='checkmark.jpg'/> <br/> <br /> The file <<span style='background-color:yellow;'> ".  basename( $_FILES['uploadedfile']['name']). 
    " </span>> has been uploaded.
	<br/>
	You can go back and upload more.
	";
} else{
    echo "There was an <span style='background-color:red; color:white;'> ERROR </span> uploading the file!
	<br />
	You can press refresh to try again, or go back and try another file.";
}

?>

</body>
</html>
This will display a simple, basic file upload form, the likes of which you see on some sites, including this one (for changing your avatar).

I use this on my computer for when windows sharing doesnt work well (which happens quite often). It is reliable.
What you need to do is have apache and PHP on your computer (just download some sort of LAMP server, like for windows WAMP is easy and good, and there is XAMP too), then drop them in a web folder.
You need to drop a jpg file showing a big checkmark image (or anything else indicating success) in the same folder and call it "checkmark.jpg", and change $target_path in uploader.php (use c:/xxxx ... syntax if you are in windows) to where you want the file to be saved. Make sure it ends with a slash.
Then you must also edit php.ini for the maximum execution time (which can also be set runtime in the script) and the maximum POST request size (i think by default it is 8 mb, I set it to 180 megs here).
This is my php.ini that I use with this script:
max_execution_time = 60
max_input_time = 600
memory_limit = 256M
post_max_size = 200M
upload_max_filesize = 190M
magic_quotes_gpc = Off
(that is all it contains!)

Apparently no modifications are needed to httpd.conf to support large uploads.

Also make sure that the target directory (where the uploaded file will be saved) is writeable by the webserver user (usually www). If in doubt you can chmod it to 777, that should fix it.

Keep in mind there is no upload resume... so maybe it will not be useful, but anyway here it is if anyone wants it.

BTW if you have such a good connection, you can also open a VPS between you two, and then you will work as if you were on the same network. You really need a good latency for that though.

Sendspace looks good though.
Thank you so much for the code rolf! I was planning on doing it myself as a PHP exercise. But lately with internships, school and exams I don't feel like coding in my free time. Anyway I'm trying it ASAP.

I already use xamp. Apache works well under Linux. Haven't tried it with Windows...
Am getting permission error (I'm on Linux). Here it is:
Warning: move_uploaded_file(.n6814261563_310495_9885.jpg) [function.move-uploaded-file]: failed to open stream: Permission denied in /var/www/uploader.php on line 38

Warning: move_uploaded_file() [function.move-uploaded-file]: Unable to move '/tmp/phpHZlhQL' to '.n6814261563_310495_9885.jpg' in /var/www/uploader.php on line 38
edit

It worked, I had to change permissions of /var/www to chmod 777.
20 days later
Updated my initial post with my php.ini and a reminder to chmod the target directory if needed.
Apparently no modifications are needed in httpd.conf
25 days later
6 days later
By the way, you can setup a subversion repository if you have an apache server running there. It will cut the bandwidth a hell a lot since it only sends diffs around. I use a subversion repository to work with my partner on some bigger files (in the lower MB spectrum: 2-15MB) with respect to our connection speeds 256Kbps.
arithma wroteBy the way, you can setup a subversion repository if you have an apache server running there. It will cut the bandwidth a hell a lot since it only sends diffs around. I use a subversion repository to work with my partner on some bigger files (in the lower MB spectrum: 2-15MB) with respect to our connection speeds 256Kbps.
Good luck explaining version control to non-IT non-Dev non-Geek people >.<
But rahmu is technical.
Not both people should be technical to understand SVN, one will just use it, the other will set it up.
subversion, rsync, http, pick your choice,
the simplest i have come across is to have an apache running at home, then i would create unique directories
with authentication requirement, place the file there and then just give away the url, something like:

https://cvbg:kqm79b5j@foobar.shu/outgoing/hjb/mysharedfile.zip

the user has only to open that link, accept ssl/authentication and pronto it automatically downloads...

i created a quick and dirt script that creates the directory and configures the .passwd file, the only thing i have to do after that is drop the file in that directory and give away the link
I didn't think of svn. Good idea. How hard would it be to commit/checkout? Speaking of which, anyone tried Git?