Why is it not OK to upload sketchup files ?

[sickasapike]

Hi, just wondering why .skp files are prohibited in the upload facility (and .txt ones for that matter) ?

 

[CHJ]

Presumably because the person Paying for the server space can't justify the extra expense for the storage room they would take up.

There may also technical reasons relating to associated rendering and display software availability or costs relating to adding them to the forum PHP software, only Admin has a handle on that.

 

[sickasapike]

Presumably because the person Paying for the server space can't justify the extra expense for the storage room they would take up.

There may also technical reasons relating to associated rendering and display software availability or costs relating to adding them to the forum PHP software, only Admin has a handle on that.

Ta, I did think about the size but an skp file will generally be smaller than an exported image unless you really drop the dimensions, skp will encode it in terms of 'draw a line from here to here' once for each line etc, the image is stored as 'make this dot black, the next one white' for every pixel in the image so even with image compression (eg 'the next 37 pixels are white', rather than 'the next pixel is white' repeated 37 times) it'll be larger, and the site has a blanket maximum file upload size anyway so I don't think that's it.

It'd just render it as a generic icon I guess, no drama for the phpBB code (I've run a couple of phpBBs and had .doc and .exe uploads, much riskier file types but it's perfectly possible), there's a page in the control panel where you can specify what extensions are allowed - I tried to get round it by adding a .txt extension intending to say 'rename the file to remove the .txt' in the message but it didn't allow that file type either

I'm thinking it might just be that way by default, but would have thought somebody would have tried to upload a sketchup file before and asked, I can't find a thread about it so thougth I'd ask, could be a handy thing to be able to do and presents no technical risk at all (I'm an IT guy by trade so pretty confident of that).

 

[CHJ]

You need to talk to admin. I'm afraid as moderators have very limited access to the php forum settings.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I imagine that it is restricted to file types that the typical web browser has a native way of displaying ? I assume that's why PDF is not welcome either.

I'd much prefer some rendered views to a CAD file my browser can't display.

Nothing stops you putting a link to a file hosted in your own webspace elsewhere though I think.

 

[CHJ]

post1191733.html#p1191733

You can also display text from a file.
I could have copied the whole OpenScad file for the component.

Any downloadable files I host on my own server space with a forum link to them.

 

[sickasapike]

Interesting, that open encoding stuff !

As you say I could upload and link to somewhere off-site, I've emailed an admin to see if there's a reason not to allow .skp files as direct uploads, ta for the replies.

 

[Brentingby]

You could upload the SKP to the 3D Warehouse and share the link.

 

[Eric The Viking]

There is also a security issue too.

I've never heard of SU files harbouring malicious code, but at work we're pretty anal about what we allow people to upload to our own servers (we do a lot with web technology for clients). "Better safe than sued" is a good maxim, perhaps.

3D Warehouse is probably a good alternative.

That said, there are times when a file area would be a welcome addition. For example there have been a few handy spreadsheets, for things like simple cutting lists, and I did one a while back for calculating the mitre angles for sloping roofs (for hexagonal/octagonal bird tables, etc., and I had another one that calculated the kinetic energy in a circular saw blade (for making an electronic brake) - that gave frightening results!

But then we're back where we came in: this whole site runs on goodwill and a lot of unpaid hard work by the mods. You really wouldn't want to let just anyone post non-image files, so that means some sort of checking process - more effort involved.

So we do have alternatives, including even things like DropBox and Google Docs I guess. Not quite as easy as storing things in one place. but safer, and easier for the Mods, for certain.

 

[RogerS]

I imagine that it is restricted to file types that the typical web browser has a native way of displaying ? I assume that's why PDF is not welcome either.

.....

I think all browsers display PDF files just fine. Well, Safari on a Mac does.

 

[sickasapike]

It seems to be images only, and it interprets the image on upload and rejects if it can't determine the dimensions, say if someone uploads a file renamed from .skp to .jpg to try to sneak round the restriction, fair enough.

Aye, upload elsewhere and link seems easier, I emailed an admin so should get the official line on it out of interest.