I’ve written a CMS for a client in PHP that allows them to (among other things) add member information to a database. They asked if I can create a folder on their local network, in their office, based on the member id. Specifically on the shared S: drive on their local server. Something like:
S:/members/948756
The website is not running on this server, but on a hosted solution somewhere else.
I understand PHP is server side and won’t create anything anywhere other than on the server which its installed.
I’m hoping there is a client side way of mkdir(), or some way of running a function that will create a directory on the user’s side.
You could explore using the new API offered by Dropbox. It allows you to reach into a user’s Dropbox folders and add files (with their authorization, of course).
If your PHP server used the API to drop data into the Dropbox folder, then each user could access the files right on their local machine.
That is an elegant solution, if it does work. I took Dropbox off the table when I realized I won’t be writing folders to the company server. But if I could use the API to get in, it just might work!
I won’t be posting the solution though. The customer wants it on the web. I can build an upload script and keep everything organized in a database and the resources online. Dropbox is a great solution, but hand coding it might be the best bet.
I have been a huge fan of Dropbox* and it was at the core of my inspiration on SimpleFreeWebsite.com
While struggling with complex systems to help users copy and open ZIP files they download from the site, et cetera, Dropbox released their API.
I [almost simply] dropped in the Ruby on Rails portion of the SDK they provided and it was like magic!
Best of luck. I know you will find it simple to implement.
*BTW: The other product I have been evangelizing since discovering it is Evernote