F*EX Frequently Asked Questions: User

Sections: [Meta] User [Admin] [Misc] [All]

User Q1:What is the "auth-ID"?
User Q2:Does my recipient need a F*EX account too, to receive files?
User Q3:Sending as a F*EX user is easy, but how to receive files from others, external users?
User Q4:What is the difference between all these user types (full, sub, group, external, ...)?
User Q5:I have uploaded a HUGE file but misspelled my recipient's address. Now I have got an error bounce email. Must I re-upload the HUGE file?
User Q6:I have uploaded a HUGE file but forgot another recipient. Must I re-upload the HUGE file?
User Q7:Can I use an HTTP proxy?
User Q8:My recipient has lost the notification email with the download-URL. What can I do?
User Q9:Why should I use a special F*EX client?
User Q10:What are all those UNIX clients for?
User Q11:How do I install the UNIX clients?
User Q12:How can I use the UNIX clients with Windows?
User Q13:How can I upload several files at once?
User Q14:What is ZIP and how do I use it?
User Q15:I cannot upload files > 2 GB with my web browser!?
User Q16:My BIG zip archive seems damaged?
User Q17:I need to send a file bigger than my quota allows. What can I do?
User Q18:Why is the upload status window empty and I cannot see the progress bar?
User Q19:My download was aborted before it was finished. Can I resume the download?
User Q20:My upload was aborted before it was finished. Can I resume the upload?
User Q21:Can I download a file while the upload is still in progress?
User Q22:How often can I download a file?
User Q23:Can I integrate F*EX in my mail program (thunderbird, outlook, etc)?
User Q24:Can I use a download manager/accelerator?
User Q25:I have uploaded a file to a list of recipients. Will the file be deleted after the first recipient has downloaded it?
User Q26:Can I fex to a mailing list?
User Q27:I have fexed a file to myself using the "." address. Can I rename it afterwards?
User Q28:What is a F*EX group?
User Q29:What is a F*EX share?
User Q30:I am not a user of your site. How can I send a file to a registered user?
User Q31:Sometimes I can download a file more than once, especially when I repeat it quickly. Is the autodelete feature buggy?
User Q32:The default keep time is too short for me (sender), I need more. How can I set it?
User Q33:The default keep time is too short for me (recipient), I need more. How can I set it?
User Q34:I forgot to download a file. Now it is expired. How can I obtain it nevertheless?
User Q35:Why is there an error "FILE has already been downloaded"?
User Q36:When I try to download a file again, I get the error message: "file has been autodeleted after download". Can you restore it?
User Q37:I have sent a second file with the same name, but the recipient has not received a second notification email. Why?
User Q38:How can I add a longer (multi-line) comment to the notification email?
User Q39:How can I sent a more compact notification email?
User Q40:How can I suppress the automatic notification email?
User Q41:Can I delete a file without downloading?
User Q42:How do I know I have downloaded the file correctly?
User Q43:Can I get a copy of the notification email?
User Q44:Can I protect the download with a password?
User Q45:Can I get a notification email on download?
User Q46:Can I have encrypted emails?
User Q47:How can I prevent file expiration? I need file sharing!
User Q48:I need ACLs for group access, versioning, a file browser and integration in my local file system.
User Q49:I cannot download files with Internet Explorer, it tells me "Cannot open Internet site". What shall I do?
User Q50:I cannot login with Internet Explorer, it tells me "This page can't be displayed". What shall I do?
User Q51:I cannot connect with Microsoft Edge, it tells me "Can't connect securely to this page". What shall I do?
User Q52:I have received a "file.7z". How can I extract it on my Mac?
User Q53:How can I prevent the fexsend error SSL3_GET_SERVER_CERTIFICATE:certificate verify failed ?
User Q54:How can I prevent the fexsend error SSL connect attempt failed error:0A0C0103:SSL routines::internal error ?
User Q55:How can I prevent the fexsend error tlsv1 alert protocol version ?

User Q1:What is the "auth-ID"?
User A1: The auth-ID is an internal identification which authenticates the user.
It will be first generated by the admin or the automatic registration process and can later be modified by you, the user, via
"user config & operation control" in the web interface (after login).
Think of some kind of a low security password.
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User Q2:Does my recipient need a F*EX account too, to receive files?
User A2: No.
F*EX operates similar to email:
You, the sender, need an account on your server, the recipient not.
Receiving is "free".
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User Q3:Sending as a F*EX user is easy, but how to receive files from others, external users?
User A3: Register them as your subusers, create a F*EX group or an upload key with "user config & operation control"
See also [https://fex.belwue.de/usecases/foreign.html]
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User Q4:What is the difference between all these user types (full, sub, group, external, ...)?
User A4: See [http://fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/users.html]
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User Q5:I have uploaded a HUGE file but misspelled my recipient's address. Now I have got an error bounce email. Must I re-upload the HUGE file?
User A5: No, it is not necessary. You can redirect the file with "user config & operation control"
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User Q6:I have uploaded a HUGE file but forgot another recipient. Must I re-upload the HUGE file?
User A6: No, it is not necessary. You can forward-copy the file with "user config & operation control"
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User Q7:Can I use an HTTP proxy?
User A7: Yes, but pay attention:
Some HTTP proxies like privoxy delay the upload progress bar!
You may want to disable proxying fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de if you run into this problem.
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User Q8:My recipient has lost the notification email with the download-URL. What can I do?
User A8: You can resend the notification email via "user config & operation control"
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User Q9:Why should I use a special F*EX client?
User A9: When you are using F*EX with your webbrowser, you are limited to its restrictions.
With a special F*EX client [http://fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/tools.html] you can

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User Q10:What are all those UNIX clients for?
User A10:
fexsend: send file(s) to others or yourself
fexget: download file(s)
fexpush: share archives with other users (upload)
fexpull: share archives with other users (download)
fexpack: upload file(s) into a fex package and retrieve download commands and URLs
fexzip: upload file(s) into a zip archive and retrieve download URL
fex7z: upload file(s) into a 7zip archive and retrieve download URL
fexsync: rsync-alike file synchronization via fexserver
fexdox: document exchange and file synchronization
fexdoxgal: public web gallery creation
autofex: fex all new files which will be created or modified
autodox: dox all new files which will be created or modified
xx: internet clipboard for files or STDIN/STDOUT
xxx: extended internet clipboard with versioning and export to foreign users (1 day expiration)
fexstore: fexpush based internet clipboard with versioning and export to foreign users (no expiration)

(fexpush, fexpull and fexstore need server sharing support enabled by the fexmaster)

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User Q11:How do I install the UNIX clients?
User A11: wget fex.belwue.de/download/fex.pl && perl fex.pl
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User Q12:How can I use the UNIX clients with Windows?
User A12: See [https://fex.belwue.de/usecases/cygwin.html]
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User Q13:How can I upload several files at once?
User A13: Put your files in an archive file (TAR or ZIP). Your web browser cannot do that.
Or you can use a F*EX client, see [http://fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/tools.html]
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User Q14:What is ZIP and how do I use it?
User A14: ZIP is a container file (archive) for files and directories with optional compression.
See also
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZIP_%28file_format%29]
[https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/zip-and-unzip-files-8d28fa72-f2f9-712f-67df-f80cf89fd4e5]
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User Q15:I cannot upload files > 2 GB with my web browser!?
User A15: Many web browsers have bugs in their HTML-FORM implementation. The limit mostly is 2 GB, sometimes 4 GB.
Firefox and Google Chrome on Linux have no limitation.
But remember: No web browser is able to resume an interrupted upload.
You need a special F*EX client like fexsend or fextasy for resuming, see [http://fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/tools.html]
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User Q16:My BIG zip archive seems damaged?
User A16: The zip format is only specified for archives < 2 GB.
7z and tar have no size limit. Use them instead for BIG archives.
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User Q17:I need to send a file bigger than my quota allows. What can I do?
User A17: Simply ask fexmaster@rus.uni-stuttgart.de to raise your quota.
If you want to send a REALLY big file, you also have to tell the recipient's address because his quota also has to be raised.
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User Q18:Why is the upload status window empty and I cannot see the progress bar?
User A18: Most probably you are using a (enforced) web proxy, which cannot handle dynamic HTML pages.
A workaround is using Google Chrome, which shows the upload status by itself.
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User Q19:My download was aborted before it was finished. Can I resume the download?
User A19: F*EX supports resuming at download, but your client also has to support it!
Firefox e.g. is missing this HTTP feature, you need an other client like google chrome, opera, wget or fexget.
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User Q20:My upload was aborted before it was finished. Can I resume the upload?
User A20: F*EX supports resuming at upload, but your client also has to support it.
No web browser has this feature, you need a special F*EX client like fexsend or fextasy,
see [http://fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/tools.html]
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User Q21:Can I download a file while the upload is still in progress?
User A21: Use the F*EX client fexsend with the pseudo-recipient "+"
You will see a download URL when the upload starts.
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User Q22:How often can I download a file?
User A22: This depends on the server settings (by the administrator) and the parameters the sender was using.
The possibilities are:

AUTODELETE=YES : the file will be deleted immediately after download
AUTODELETE=DELAY : the file will be still available the whole day after download
AUTODELETE=NO : the file will be available until expiration date

Another restriction: You cannot download a file multiple times from different IPs!
==> downloading a file from different computers is not possible (if not using NAT)!

For a possible workaround see [http://fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/FAQ/user.html#Can_I_fex_to_a_mailing_list]
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User Q23:Can I integrate F*EX in my mail program (thunderbird, outlook, etc)?
User A23: Yes, if your mail admin has set up a "fexmail" smtp relay.
[https://fex.belwue.de/usecases/BIGMAIL.html]
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User Q24:Can I use a download manager/accelerator?
User A24: Generally, no, because they suck: they are not RFC compliant and produce a LOT of unnecessary server load.
But there is one exception: "axel" [[http://axel.alioth.debian.org/]]
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User Q25:I have uploaded a file to a list of recipients. Will the file be deleted after the first recipient has downloaded it?
User A25: No. Every recipient gets his own copy of the file which is independent from the others.
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User Q26:Can I fex to a mailing list?
User A26: Generally: no, because the first download makes the file no more available for others.
Contact fexmaster@rus.uni-stuttgart.de, he can allow multiple downloads for specific addresses.
Or use "." as the recipents address: this means "fex yourself with multi-download".
The download-URL will be shown immediately.
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User Q27:I have fexed a file to myself using the "." address. Can I rename it afterwards?
User A27: It is not necessary to rename it!
The file name in the download URL just has informational character.
You can always use ANY other filename!
The file is identified by its download key.
So, http://FEXSERVER/fop/MYDKEY/SOME.THING and http://FEXSERVER/fop/MYDKEY/WHAT.EVER
point to the same file!
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User Q28:What is a F*EX group?
User A28: F*EX group is similar to a mailing list, but for files:
When a member fexes a file to this list, then all other members will receive it.
Any full user can create a F*EX group and add or delete members.
See "user config & operation control" → "Manage your subusers and groups"
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User Q29:What is a F*EX share?
User A29: Archives and users are bundled in a so called share: a common storage place with specific access rights.
A share archive is a tar or zip container which contains files and has a date+time version string.
A F*EX share is created and controlled by his owner, who gives other users access rights.
Your fexmaster has to allow F*EX sharing, before you can use it.
See "user config & operation control" → "Manage your share archives and users"
See [https://fex.belwue.de/sharing/] for more information.
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User Q30:I am not a user of your site. How can I send a file to a registered user?
User A30: You must ask a regular user to register you as his subuser.
You will then get a specific upload URL from him.
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User Q31:Sometimes I can download a file more than once, especially when I repeat it quickly. Is the autodelete feature buggy?
User A31: The F*EX server has a grace time of 1 minute after first successfully download in which the file is still available.
This is necessary because of some stupid "download managers" which request the file several times at once.
Otherwise they would report an error to the user.

Your fexmaster has set AUTODELETE=DELAY as default, which means that the autodelete cleanup process is called once a day.

Power users (use the source, Luke!) can set a "do not delete after download" flag.

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User Q32:The default keep time is too short for me (sender), I need more. How can I set it?
User A32: Use fexsend, ask fexmaster@rus.uni-stuttgart.de or read the source code :-)
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User Q33:The default keep time is too short for me (recipient), I need more. How can I set it?
User A33: Ask fexmaster@rus.uni-stuttgart.de to raise your default KEEP value.
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User Q34:I forgot to download a file. Now it is expired. How can I obtain it nevertheless?
User A34: An expired file is definitively deleted. Even the admin cannot restore it.
You must re-request it from the sender.
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User Q35:Why is there an error "FILE has already been downloaded"?
User A35: Either you or someone else have already downloaded this file. Now it is gone.
Downloads are limited to a specific recipient. One cannot share it.
Perhaps the sender has fexed it to a mailing list (which is a bad idea!)?
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User Q36:When I try to download a file again, I get the error message: "file has been autodeleted after download". Can you restore it?
User A36: No. You must re-request it from the sender.
[↑ Questions]

User Q37:I have sent a second file with the same name, but the recipient has not received a second notification email. Why?
User A37: A file with the same name to the same recpient overwrites the first one if it is still there (no download so far).
A second notification email of the same file(name) is not suggestive.
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User Q38:How can I add a longer (multi-line) comment to the notification email?
User A38: Fex the file to yourself, take the shown download-URL and write an email to your recipient with your explanations using your regular email program.
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User Q39:How can I sent a more compact notification email?
User A39: Let your comment start with "!.!", then the notification email will contain only download-URL, size and comment.
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User Q40:How can I suppress the automatic notification email?
User A40: Use "!#!" as comment, then no notification email will be sent.
Of course you then have to inform the recipient manually.
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User Q41:Can I delete a file without downloading?
User A41: Add "?DELETE" to your download URL.
This will not work for files which you have fexed to yourself.
You can delete it with:
   fexsend -d FILE.NAME .
Or you overwrite it with an empty file of the same name using your webrowser and "fex yourself".
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User Q42:How do I know I have downloaded the file correctly?
User A42: Add "?LIST" to your download URL and you will see the file metadata including the md5sum checksum.
You can also use:
   fexget -l DOWNLOADURL
Then use your local md5sum program to verify it, e.g.: 
   openssl md5 FILENAME
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User Q43:Can I get a copy of the notification email?
User A43: Add "!bcc!" to the comment field on upload.
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User Q44:Can I protect the download with a password?
User A44: Add "!dlpw=MYPASSWORD!" to the comment field on upload.
The recipient then must enter MYPASSWORD when he is asked for the password.
DO NOT USE YOUR AUTH-ID as download password!!
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User Q45:Can I get a notification email on download?
User A45: No.
Such a feature is in conflict with German and European privacy laws and will not be implemented.
With email you also have no acknowledgement of receipt.
[↑ Questions]

User Q46:Can I have encrypted emails?
User A46: See [https://fex.belwue.de/gpg.html]
[↑ Questions]

User Q47:How can I prevent file expiration? I need file sharing!
User A47: See [https://fex.belwue.de/DOX/]
[↑ Questions]

User Q48:I need ACLs for group access, versioning, a file browser and integration in my local file system.
User A48: This is beyond the scope of F*EX, which is designed for efficient file transfer only.
But have a look at
[https://fex.belwue.de/sharing/]
[https://fex.belwue.de/DOX/]
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User Q49:I cannot download files with Internet Explorer, it tells me "Cannot open Internet site". What shall I do?
User A49: Use Firefox or any other Internet-compatible web browser, that Internet Explorer is not.
This is one of the many bugs of Internet Explorer.
See also [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323308]
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User Q50:I cannot login with Internet Explorer, it tells me "This page can't be displayed". What shall I do?
User A50: Use Firefox or any other Internet-compatible web browser, that Internet Explorer is not.
This is one of the many bugs of Internet Explorer.
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User Q51:I cannot connect with Microsoft Edge, it tells me "Can't connect securely to this page". What shall I do?
User A51: Use Firefox or any other Internet-compatible web browser.
This is one of the many bugs of Microsoft Edge.
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User Q52:I have received a "file.7z". How can I extract it on my Mac?
User A52: For example with "Stuffit Expander": [https://www.stuffit.com/]
[↑ Questions]

User Q53:How can I prevent the fexsend error SSL3_GET_SERVER_CERTIFICATE:certificate verify failed ?
User A53: Set the environment variable SSLVERIFY=0

Rationale:
Your openssl library cannot resolve the SSL certification path.
With SSLVERIFY=0 you tell openssl to ignore certification verification.
Yes, this is a crude workaround :-}

[↑ Questions]

User Q54:How can I prevent the fexsend error SSL connect attempt failed error:0A0C0103:SSL routines::internal error ?
User A54: Your fexsend is too old. Upgrade it with:
wget fex.belwue.de/download/fex.pl && perl fex.pl
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User Q55:How can I prevent the fexsend error tlsv1 alert protocol version ?
User A55: Your fexsend is too old (incompatible).
Run an upgrade:
wget fex.belwue.de/download/fex.pl && perl fex.pl
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