I want to use Rails to (1) Download an executable. (2) Interact with a client to select a directory on the client side (3) do directory browsing and selecting (4) create an xml file of parameters, and write the xml file somewhere or pass it to the executable. Basically, I''d like to use Rails to create a front-end for my user and, of course, interact with my Rails server. - - - Is this doable or am I better off having my client download a stand-alone Ruby application? If a standalone Ruby application is better, can someone recommend a GUI that you might suggest? -- Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en.
On Jul 7, 1:12 pm, Ralph Shnelvar <li...-fsXkhYbjdPsEEoCn2XhGlw@public.gmane.org> wrote:> I want to use Rails to > > (1) Download an executable. > (2) Interact with a client to select a directory on the client side > (3) do directory browsing and selecting > (4) create an xml file of parameters, and write the xml file somewhere > or pass it to the executable.A pure html/javascript web app has no access to the user''s file system (beyond the ability for a user to upload a file of their choosing) Fred> > Basically, I''d like to use Rails to create a front-end for my user and, > of course, interact with my Rails server. > > - - - > > Is this doable or am I better off having my client download a > stand-alone Ruby application? If a standalone Ruby application is > better, can someone recommend a GUI that you might suggest? > -- > Posted viahttp://www.ruby-forum.com/.-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en.
Frederick Cheung wrote:> A pure html/javascript web app has no access to the user''s file > system (beyond the ability for a user to upload a file of their > choosing) > > FredI know this is off topic ... but ... I have a C++ Windows command-lnie executable and I want to slap a nice front-end on it. So ... if ... "A pure html/javascript web app has no access to the user''s file system" is there something impure that is commonly available? -- Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en.
Ralph Shnelvar wrote:> I want to use Rails to > > (1) Download an executable.This part is trivial.> (2) Interact with a client to select a directory on the client sideThis happens automatically depending on what web browser the client uses.> (3) do directory browsing and selectingThank goodness this is not possible through standard web technologies.> (4) create an xml file of parameters, and write the xml file somewhere > or pass it to the executable.Much effort has been put into web browser security to prevent this exact process. That is unless you crack open the shell of security & privacy with something like ActiveX or Adobe Flash. This is also why both of those have been a "secret weapon" of malicious hackers for years.> Basically, I''d like to use Rails to create a front-end for my user and, > of course, interact with my Rails server. > <snip> > Is this doable or am I better off having my client download a > stand-alone Ruby application? If a standalone Ruby application is > better, can someone recommend a GUI that you might suggest?This is rather difficult to answer without knowing what that executable program actually needs to do. How complicated will the GUI need to be? What are the security & privacy concerns associated with what you''re trying to accomplish? I for one would be extremely reluctant to install your application on my system (I wouldn''t have any way to do so anyway given I don''t run Windows). If your site is intended to be used by known clients, that already trust you, then there are certainly some options. If your site is even remotely public, and you expect clients to "just trust you," then your approach is not plausible. You cannot expect, or force, people to trust you. Thankfully trust is in control of the client (unless, of course, if the client''s system security has been compromised). -- Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en.
Robert Walker wrote:> This is rather difficult to answer without knowing what that executable > program actually needs to do. How complicated will the GUI need to be? > What are the security & privacy concerns associated with what you''re > trying to accomplish?It''s a backup application. The client selects the files he/she wants to back up and we do our magic ... not on the server but on the client. -- Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en.
I agree with most of what Robert said; just wanted to amplify a few points. Robert Walker wrote:> Ralph Shnelvar wrote: >> I want to use Rails to >> >> (1) Download an executable. > > This part is trivial. > >> (2) Interact with a client to select a directory on the client side > > This happens automatically depending on what web browser the client > uses. > >> (3) do directory browsing and selecting > > Thank goodness this is not possible through standard web technologies.Sure it is, with a file input field.> >> (4) create an xml file of parameters, and write the xml file somewhere >> or pass it to the executable. > > Much effort has been put into web browser security to prevent this exact > process.Except that you *can* download a file that you expect the user to open in your application. You *may* even be able to write a browser plugin to make the file open in the browser (as Adobe has done with its PDF and -- yes -- Flash plugins). [...]>> Is this doable or am I better off having my client download a >> stand-alone Ruby application?It''s hard to tell, at least for me.>> If a standalone Ruby application is >> better, can someone recommend a GUI that you might suggest?[...] You might like to look at Monkeybars or Limelight. Best, -- Marnen Laibow-Koser http://www.marnen.org marnen-sbuyVjPbboAdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org -- Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFF+G/Ez6ZCGd0@public.gmane.org For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en.