PHP Uploads: Difference between revisions

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PHP Uploads (view source)

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== What is it? ==
== What is it? ==


In February 2023 for version 3.24.0 a PHP upload was introduced.
In March 2023 for Cumulus MX version 3.24.0 a new PHP upload mechanism was introduced as an alternative to using FTP, FTPS, or SFTP (FTP over SSH).
 
The PHP upload mechanism has been introduced as an alternative to using FTP, FTPS, or SFTP (FTP over SSH).


It uses the HTTPS or HTTP protocol for transferring file data. It requires that you have a PHP enabled web server (most are), and that you upload a small PHP file to the root folder of your web site.
It uses the HTTPS or HTTP protocol for transferring file data. It requires that you have a PHP enabled web server (most are), and that you upload a small PHP file to the root folder of your web site.
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It can transfer both text and binary files.
It can transfer both text and binary files.


If the ''upload.php''file is installed for CMX and the protocol works for CMX then it will also work for CUtils and the file locations will be relative to the location of the ''upload.php'' file (which therefore will be the root location of your website).  
If the ''upload.php'' file is installed for CMX and the protocol works for CMX then it will also work for CUtils and the file locations will be relative to the location of the ''upload.php'' file (which therefore will be the root location of your website).
 
'''Note''': It is not a requirement to change to using the PHP Upload method. The previous FTP/FTPS/SFTP methods remain fully supported and operational.


== Is it secure? ==
== Is it secure? ==
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* It reduces bandwidth.
* It reduces bandwidth.
:* Unlike FTP which uploads the whole file each time, the PHP upload can send incremental data. For the default web site, most the data is the graph files and every update each entire file is sent over FTP every time just to add one new data point. Using the PHP upload, just that new data point is sent for each file, and the PHP script appends it to the existing file on your server.
:* Unlike FTP which uploads the whole file each time, the PHP upload can send incremental data. For the default web site, most the data is the graph files and every update each entire file is sent over FTP every time just to add one new data point. Using the PHP upload, just that new data point is sent for each file, and the PHP script appends it to the existing file on your server.
:* If any updates fail, then only the cumulative data since the last successful transfer is sent.
:* It uses data compression over the network
:* It uses data compression over the network
== Disadvantages? ==
* It requires PHP support from your web provider - though most do
:* Some web providers may not permit all the PHP methods that are required to implement this method
* You need to change your upload paths to use the new method - make a copy of your cumumulus.ini file so you can easily revert


== Configuration ==
== Configuration ==


In Cumulus MX Internet Settings just select PHP Upload instead of FTP etc.
#Run CMX and change the Upload protocol to PHP, set the URL to your web site + upload.php<br>for example: ''<nowiki>https://mysite.com/weather/upload.php</nowiki>''
#Copy the suggested unique "PHP Secret" from the Internet Settings (or make up your own)
#Edit the '''/webfiles/upload.php''' file, and change the default secret '''change_this_to_the_value_in_CMX''' to the value in CMX
#Copy the '''/webfiles/upload.php''' to your web server, place it in the root folder of the default web site along with the index.html files etc
#You will need to update the paths for the NOAA Reports (it probably needs to be just “Reports”)
#Amend the paths of any Extra Files you upload (it probably needs to be just the remote file name)
#The uploads should start working!
#You can now disable all the "Create local" options for files in Internet Settings|Interval Settings. Local copies of the files created in the /web folder are no longer required


<TODO> Add more detailed config here
It is important to understand the relative paths used by ''upload.php'' as this is quite different from FTP configurations where sometimes full paths are required (SFTP) or paths from the FTP root (which may differ when full ownership or shared hosting). All files will be transferred relative to that location. You can go deeper and sideways into the directory tree but not up. See below**


It is important to understand the relative paths used by ''upload.php'' as this is quite different from FTP configurations where sometimes full paths are required (SFTP) or paths from the FTP root (which may differ when full ownership or shared hosting). All files will be transferred relative to that location. You can go deeper and sideways into the directory tree but not up.


=== Migrating your FTP settings ===


=== Migrating your FTP settings ===
When setting the Upload protocol to PHP you may need to make the following upload settings relative as well:
<TODO>
#NOAA Reports
#Extra Web Files
#The Moon image


- NOAA Reports
Other:
#Disable 'Create local' copy unless required (Windspeed and Wind direction are required local for CumulusUtils)
#Logging for PHP upload is found in the standard MXdiags logfile, FTP logging has no meaning when using PHP


- Extra Files
NOTE: When using the Wizard you will also encounter Upload configuration which obeys the same rules.
NOTE: The settings are valid not only when you use ''CMX'' but also for ''CumulusUtils'' which does not have any setting for ''upload.PHP'' of its own!


- Disable 'Create local' copy unless required
=== **Extending the upload path scope ===


- ????
By default, the upload script only allows you to upload files to the same directory as the ''upload.php'' script or deeper. However, it is possible to relax this restriction. In the ''upload.php'' script there is a variable...
<pre>$limitPath = true;</pre>
Changing this to ''false'' means the script will be allowed to create files anywhere in server file system that the PHP process has write permissions.


NOTE: When the PHP-URL is configured you will need to set the ''Extra Webfiles'' paths and the ''NOAA'' path as well. And yes, not only when you use ''CMX'' but also for ''CumulusUtils''!
This option should only be used if you are certain, you need it, and ideally you can restrict the PHP process file system permissions to the areas you want data written.


=== CumulusUtils ===
The CUtils inifile parameter ''UploadDir'' specifies a subdirectory for CUtils relative to the webroot (the location of ''upload.php'') without any specification of the URL (as that is implicit in the use of ''upload.PHP'' as specified in ''Cumulus.ini''). If you wish all files to be transferred into the same directory as specified by CMX, then leave ''UploadDir'' empty.


== Cumulus.ini ==
== Cumulus.ini ==
it is has its settings under CMX Cumulus.ini [FTP site] section.


The following settings in CMX Cumulus.ini [FTP site] section control the PHP upload configuration.
These entries would normally be set via the Internet Settings configuration screen.
The ''upload.php'' procedure file can be copied to any location you wish but the following ''CMX ini file parameters'' determine its operation and need to reflect its true location and CMX configuration (in case you are running more than one instance):
<pre>PHP-URL=<URL>
PHP-Secret=<key as configured in CMX></pre>
== Potential Issues - Technical! ==
=== File Permissions ===
On my Linux self-hosting server, I found I had not given the PHP process write permissions on the folders holding my web site. What I did is (and this may not be the best or only method)...
:1. Create a new user group - webwriters - and add my existing user 'pi' and 'www-data' (the user PHP and the web server run under) to that group:
<pre>
> sudo addgroup webwriters
> sudo usermod -a -G webwriters www-data
> sudo usermod -a -G webwriters pi
</pre>
:2. Restart the web server and PHP-FPM to pick up the new group membership
<pre>
> sudo service nginx restart
> sudo service phpN.N-fpm restart
</pre>
:3. Then changed the group associated with the web folder(s)
<pre> > sudo chown -R :webwriters /var/www/mywebsite</pre>
:4. Finally change the permissions for webwriters group on the folder
<pre>
> sudo chmod -R g+rwx /var/www/mywebsite
> sudo chmod -R o-wx,o+r /var/www/mywebsite
</pre>
You can check what user PHP is running under with a simple script...


<code><?php echo `whoami`; ?></code>


The ''Upload.php'' procedure file can be copied to any location you wish but the following ''CMX inifile parameters'' determine its operation and need to reflect its true location and CMX configuration (in case you are running more than one instance):
Or, you can use the "top" or "htop" command, and look for the service there - check your web server too!
  PHP-URL=<URL>
  PHP-Secret=<key as configured in CMX>




[[Category:CumulusUtils]] [[Category:Cumulus_MX]]
[[Category:CumulusUtils]] [[Category:Cumulus_MX]]
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