Before I discovered x-sendfile, I used to handle file uploads with PHP -- talking to the same database as my main Rails app. PHP doesn't bloat when dumping files across the wire like Ruby does.
Remember: you don't need to use Rails / Mongrel for everything -- sometimes switching to another platform to solve a particular problem can be the easiest, most robust solution. But in this case: x-sendfile FTW. Deny from all in your files directory, and apache will send via x-sendfile but won't allow clients to download them directly. -n On Dec 11, 2007, at 8:52 PM, Matte Edens wrote: > I use X_SendFile with Apache 2.2 just fine. FYI. > > And wouldn't it be possible to intercept all download requests and > force > use of a cookie/session authorization requirement? I do it on one > of my > websites. The X_SendFile feature doesn't actually send the server > location of the file and if you used a url such as ... > > http://website/download/[filename] > > /download/ is an action in one of my controllers and it requires a > valid > login session. I do a query on the filename and if you're not > authorized for the file you don't get to download. All downloads are > stored outside the website directory so no direct linking is > available. > Then I use the x_send_file feature to have apache serve up the file > without going through mongrel. > > There's also a nice x_send_file plugin that replaces "send_file" > with an > "x_send_file" call, so code updates should be at a minimum. > > matte > > Andy Koch wrote: >> forgive me if this has been resolved already... >> >> I have an app that is using sendfile to return large files to >> customers. >> We can't use regular Apache to handle this static content since the >> files are what the customers are paying for - so it wouldn't be >> cool for >> anyone else to get access to them. >> >> The issue is that the mongrel mem footprint gets bloated when the >> files >> are transferred and this mem does not get returned to the system. >> >> I've looked into x-sendfile, but it doesn't appear to be >> compatible with >> Apache 2.2. >> >> Now the question, does the current mongrel 1.1.1 have this same issue >> with sendfile and memory bloating? (I'm currently running 1.0.1) >> >> Are there any other recommendations for handling this situation? >> >> thanks >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mongrel-users mailing list >> Mongrel-users@rubyforge.org >> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/mongrel-users >> > > _______________________________________________ > Mongrel-users mailing list > Mongrel-users@rubyforge.org > http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/mongrel-users > _______________________________________________ Mongrel-users mailing list Mongrel-users@rubyforge.org http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/mongrel-users
