I wonder if this is possible at all because as far as I can tell the scanning function is provided by php directory listing function, which only works for local directories. Most server disable directory listing through http for security reason and therefore there's an extra wall to climb.

The best way around is probably mounting the directory to your local server. After that create a symbolic link under your webroot that points to the mount point. MC's scanning function should perform as usual afterwards.

Correct me if I'm wrong developers

This option has been requested quite a few times. Germi typical response is that they are working on implementing the feature for 2.1 I am in the same situation as well. I am working on the design aspects of my website, but can not really add any music until the ability to allow me to point to files on my file server, that are not within my web directory.

I chose not to do a symbolic link or alias as I don't want the directories to be out on the web. I am hoping he goes the route that stores the locations within the database and then calls on the files via a url that accesses the database. That way one could even implement some additional authentication if they so desire. It seems to be one of the better and more common ways that a lot of the streaming audio projects do it.

??

I didnt say that!!!!

scannig folders on external server is NOT COMING on 2.1, or 2.2, or 5.0

you CANNOT DO THIS!!! PHP (well, apache, if you will) has no access to other srever's strcture!!

that would be the biggest lack of security of all time!

IT CANNOT BE DONE

NO SCANNING ON EXTERNAL SERVER; AT ALL!!!

is a local server facility, of course!!!!

Sorry I must have missed understood your replies:

http://www.joomlamusicsolutions.com/en/forum/suggestions/file-protection.html#4398

http://www.joomlamusicsolutions.com/en/forum/general/how-to-add-music-3.html#4063


Being able to scan ones music outside of the webroot is a must and a common staple amongst almost all full blown streaming solutions. At the very least being able to link to music that is not hosted on the webserver. That is just a law suite waiting to happen from the RIAA.

examples: ampache, jinzora, subsonic stream, etc. These are all fully web based apps and all have extremely powerful abilities to read the mp3 files and stream files that reside outside of the webroot and grab information directly from the mp3s. Ampache probably the best example of how to do this effectively.

The one thing that none of them have is the built in CMS features that make muscol so wonderful and user friendly for ones website's vistors. If only I could have muscols wonderful GUI, CMS features, and customizations and ampache's scanning and streaming engine. /sigh

It is not much of a security issue if you have the web service only have read access of those directories. Write access and execute access should not be needed for this to happen. Apache has access to any server or folder that the admin sets it up to have. It is all controlled via permissions on the web server on any OS.

there's been a misunderstanding:

songs OUTSIDE THE WEBROOT is coming on 2.1, YES
that means that songs cannot be directly accesed by URL, never.

but tha'ts not FOLDER AUTOSCANNING ON EXTERNAL SERVER!!!
that means that an script on server A (located in L.A. for instance) scans the folders of a server B, located in Tokyo.

THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE, it cannot be done, it's forbidden, there are no functions for that, ever.

it has nothing to do!!

Thanks for the clarification. I see what you mean.


By external servers, I was not referring to servers or computers outside the same local network as the webserver is on. I was referring to computers which are on the same network. For example, a local webserver sitting right next to a local file server both on the same local network. That is very possible to do as apache's service inherits what ever permissions the admin sets for that local network. I totally agree, having a computer try to access a system from outside the same network via php or http would indeed be a BIG security issue.

I guess that really is besides the point though. If muscol can support files that are not on the webroot, then hopefully it will allow scanning of those files that are on the same computer as well to be added. If that is the case, its more of a local network setup for any function outside of that and not a programming issue. ie drive mapping or setting up shares for the network administrator.

I'm so confused, It might be a solution to that issue.
I have more 2000 title and I have been working on the migration since December
I used to work with xml's but copy/past each song is just a big headache.
Any genius idea?

@ayyoub
My belief is that there's absolutely no way to scan folder residing on another server (local network or not) unless you have mounted a sharepoint to your local server. This really a security feature - if anyone can scan folder on your remote server, it wouldn't be very secure would it. For those of you not familiar with mounting, you can easily use sshfs to mount if you have shell access to remote server (either on local network or accross internet). After that, the mount point behaves as if it's a local directory and MC scanning would work.

If you don't want to go down that route, you can write a script in your favorite language to list directories and output mysql command to merge with MC database. However, this must be run on your remote server so again you'd have to have some sort of shell access.

@greengeek
If you disable directory listing, using alias and careful .htaccess can function as a stop-gap solution before 2.1 arrives simply because user will have to know the exact path to the song to steal it. The current MC is smart enough that it doesn't present complete path of songs to users so normal visitors won't be able to find them just by browsing. Your .htaccess will have to block web spider from combing that directory so your songs won't show up on search engines and such.