Features and Benefits System Requirements Installation and Getting Started New in Version 2 Release Notes Setting up Sample Code Signing Applets

SoftArtisans JFile http://www.softartisans.com Secure Java Applet for Bi-directional File Transfer Version 2.0 November 2001 Thank you for using SoftArtisans JFile!

Features and Benefits

SoftArtisans JFile™ is a signed Java Applet that gives web site developers the ability to distribute multiple files to a user's local system through a browser. It also allows users to upload multiple files with form data to an HTTP server from a browser. All the data sent follows the uploading standards described in RFC1867.

Key Features:

• Allows browser to upload or download multiple files
• The files to be downloaded or uploaded can be preset by the server
• Accurate progress indicator while uploading
• Applet is fully scriptable through client-side JavaScript
• Allows you to filter the files to upload by type
• A maximum allowable file size for the transfer can be set
• Additional HTTP headers can be sent, including cookies to preserve server-side session state
• JFile UploadClient is Unicode compliant (safely uploads non-English file names and form elements)
• Supports TwoFish encryption
• Applet can be displayed in a separate window, or embedded in the browser
• UploadClient's manual input field supports file, directory, recursive directory, and wild card uploads
• Non-native selection dialog enables selection of multiple files and directories for upload

* New Features in Version 2:

• Unlimited size SSL-encrypted transfers from Windows/IE clients
• Significantly improved support for Macintosh file transfers
• Ability to compress uploads and decompress downloads in zip format
• Displays estimated remaining time for uploads
• Supports WinInet transfers for Windows with Internet Explorer
• Supports response redirection with all transfer methods (URLConnection, sockets, and WinInet)
• New attractive custom file selector, with customizable icons and text for labels and buttons
• Significantly improved internationalization support, with samples provided in French and Chinese
• Multiple file extension filters can be added to the custom file selector
• Uploads can now include an MD5 hash to ensure veracity of the transfer

Pricing:

• Please see the SoftArtisans web site for the latest pricing information.
• Source code and site licensing are available. Please contact SoftArtisans, Inc. directly for further information.

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System Requirements

Client Requirements

• SoftArtisans JFile runs on Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 and above, and Netscape 4.7x  on a Windows, Unix or Linux system.  In Internet Explorer 6 the Java Virtual Machine which is necessary to run JFile is not present by default, but can be downloaded.
  
• JFile will run with certain limitations in IE5.0 or higher on a Macintosh, and on Netscape 6.x on Windows/Unix/Linux .  In Netscape 6 the Java Virtual Machine which is necessary to run JFile is not present by default, but can be downloaded.  In Netscape 6, the connection method must be set to sockets in order to display a response to the user.  Signed applets are not supported by any current version of Netscape Navigator for Macintosh.
  
• Within Netscape Navigator, when the applet is first invoked, JFile will display a security warning. This is by design. The applet is signed with a certificate to allow it to read and write to the user's local file system. When the user is prompted to grant rights for this applet the user should check the "Remember" box to enable it and then click on the grant rights button. This warning will not be displayed again because the user has now trusted the applet.
  
• Within Microsoft Internet Explorer, the user will see the same security warning as an ActiveX control or other Authenticode-signed applet.
  
• SoftArtisans JFile will work on all Microsoft and UNIX platforms that support Java V1.1 or later.

Server Requirements

• JFile sends data to the HTTP server using the upload standard documented in RFC1867. The HTTP server should provide RFC1867 compliant upload software such as SoftArtisans FileUp™.

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Installation and Getting Started

1. To install SoftArtisans JFile, unzip JFilexxx.Zip (xxx represents the version number). Extract the file to C:\Program Files\SoftArtisans\JFile (or any stable location on your server).
   
   
2. To access the JFile documentation, open sajfile.chm, a compiled html help file containing all of the documentation. This file is located at in the Docs directory which was included with the JFile installation files.
   
   
3. Optional. To open the JFile documentation in a browser (rather than using the sajfile.chm version of the documentation), create a virtual directory called JFileDocs and map it to JFile's physical Docs directory:
   
   
   1. Open the Internet Information Services (IIS) explorer.
   2. Right-click Default Web Site.
   3. Select New -> Virtual Directory.
   4. For Alias, enter JFileDocs.
   5. Browse to JFile's Docs directory.
   6. Check "Read" and "Run scripts."
   7. Click "Finish."
      
   
   
4. Optional. To run .asp sample scripts, create a virtual directory called JFileSamples and map it to JFile's physical Samples directory:
   
   
   1. Open the Internet Information Services (IIS) explorer.
   2. Right-click Default Web Site.
   3. Select New -> Virtual Directory.
   4. For Alias, enter JFileSamples.
   5. Browse to JFile's Samples directory.
   6. Check "Read" and "Run scripts."
   7. Click "Finish."
   
   

   Using JFile with Netscape Navigator

   The file filetransfer.jar contains the Java Applet for Netscape Navigator. To use the applet in an HTML page,

   1. Create an HTML script that uses JFile for uploading or downloading.
   2. Copy filetransfer.jar to the directory containing the HTML page.
   3. Reference the HTML page from Netscape 4.7 or higher.

   Using JFile with Microsoft Internet Explorer

   The file filetransfer.cab contains the Java Applet for Internet Explorer. To use the applet in an HTML page,

   1. Create an HTML script that uses JFile for uploading or downloading.
   2. Copy filetransfer.cab to the directory containing the HTML page.
   3. Reference this HTML page from Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher.

   Using JFile with Microsoft Internet Explorer and MacOS

   The file Mac_filetransfer.jar contains the Java Applet for Mac/Internet Explorer clients. You will find Mac_filetransfer.jar in the folder MAC_JAR, in JFile's installation directory.

   1. Create an HTML script that uses JFile for uploading or downloading. Set the APPLET tag's codebase attribute to "/MAC_JAR."
   2. Copy the directory MAC_JAR to the directory containing the HTML page. The MAC_JAR directory contains Mac_filetransfer.jar.
   3. Reference this HTML page from Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher.

   Click here to see how to set up the Samples which demonstrate the use of SoftArtisans JFile

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   New in Version 2

   * New Features in version 2:

   • Unlimited size SSL-encrypted transfers from Windows/IE clients
   • Significantly improved support for Macintosh file transfers
   • Ability to compress uploads and decompress downloads in zip format
   • Displays estimated remaining time for uploads
   • Supports WinInet transfers for Windows with Internet Explorer
   • Supports response redirection with all transfer methods (URLConnection, sockets, and WinInet)
   • New attractive custom file selector, with customizable icons and text for labels and buttons
   • Significantly improved internationalization support, with samples provided in French and Chinese
   • Multiple file extension filters can be added to the custom file selector
   • Uploads can now include an MD5 hash to ensure veracity of the transfer
   • Bug Fix: JFile no longer generates a Null Pointer Exception on Windows 95/98 when the user is transferring data using JFile's file/folder selection dialog (rather than the system's native selection box), and the default directory is set to "c:\". Note: This exception only occurred on Windows 95/98.
   • Bug Fix: JFile no longer generates 'Send Error" on IE when the user is transferring form data with empty values.

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   Release Notes

   Known Issues:

   • When using the Applet within the Netscape 4.5 browser under Windows 95 or Windows 98 a refresh problem of the final page may occur. When this happens it appears as though the page has not finished loading. By clicking on the page the browser refreshes the graphics on the page properly.
   • When editing the HTML page in Visual InterDev 6.0 the Applet tag may be transformed into a dot. To view this tag like other HTML tags right click on the dot and select "Always View as Text".
   • File transfers from Mac+IE and Win/Unix/Linux +Netscape 6.x have certain limitations.  Because these client systems do not support JSObject, form values cannot be submitted, and the response page needs to be constructed physically and redirected to, rather than the usual method of streaming the response to the browser.  
   • With MacOS or Netscape 6.x only sockets tranfer method is available, which does not support  SSL or NTCR authentication. 
   • On some Java virtual machine clients, JFile's file/folder selection dialog cannot display the file list if "c:\" is entered. To display the file list, use "c:" instead of "c:\".
    

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   Setting up Sample Code

   In order to run the samples, SoftArtisans FileUp or an equivalent component that can accept RFC1867 type uploads, must be installed on the machine where the HTTP server resides.

   To run JFile's sample scripts, create a virtual directory called  JFileSamples and map it to JFile's physical Samples directory:
   
   

   1. Open the Internet Information Services (IIS) explorer.
   2. Right-click Default Web Site.
   3. Select New -> Virtual Directory.
   4. For Alias, enter JFileSamples.
   5. Browse to JFile's Samples directory.
   6. Check "Read" and "Run scripts."
   7. Click "Finish."
   
   

   Once setup is completed point the browser to:
   http://<machinename>/jfilesamples

   Check your JFile installation files or the SoftArtisans website for the latest documentation and samples.

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   Signing Applets

   The standard version of SoftArtisans JFile is signed by SoftArtisans, Inc. In the case of a hidden upload or download, it will display a confirmation dialog asking the user if he or she agrees to transfer the file.

   With the SoftArtisans signed version of JFile, you also received the unsigned Java classes, allowing you to create an applet with your company signature, that will not display a transfer confirmation dialog.

   SoftArtisans, Inc. disavows all responsibility for malicious use of the JFile applet to take files from a user's hard disk or to place files on a user's hard disk without their consent. By signing the applet with your signature, you assume full responsibility that the applet is used in an appropriate manner that respects the user's privacy and integrity.

   Step 1: Obtaining a Code Signing Certificate

   To sign the applet, you must obtain a Software Developer's Certificate from a Certificate Authority such as Versign. See http://www.verisign.com/developers/ for the latest information about obtaining a Developer's Certificate.

   To create a signed applet for use with Netscape Navigator, you must create a JAR file using a Digital ID for Netscape Object Signing.

   To create a signed applet for use with Microsoft Internet Explorer, you must create a CAB file using a Digital ID for Microsoft Authenticode.

   Step 2: Signing the applet for Netscape Navigator:

   If you already have a certificate you must import it into the Netscape browser for the following to work properly.
   
   

   If you would only like to test the applet you can create a test certificate for Netscape. For more information on how to do this, see http://developer.netscape.com/docs/manuals/signedobj/signtool/index.htm
   
   

   Creating and Signing a JAR

   • Download and install the signing tool from http://developer.netscape.com/docs/manuals/signedobj/signtool/index.htm.
   • Open up a command prompt window.
   • Go to the ./lib directory (contained in your JFile directory).
   • Open and edit the build.bat file, according to your environment.
   • At the command line run: build jar.
   • The created jar and signed applet will now be in the .\lib\jars directory.
   
   

   Step 3: Signing the applet for Microsoft Internet Explorer (on non-Mac platforms):

   If you already have certificates (.cer and .spc), place them in JFile's \lib\iecert directory.

   Creating a Test Certificate for IE

   • Download and install the Microsoft Java SDK 3.1 or later from http://www.microsoft.com/java.
   • Open up a command prompt window.
   • Go to a temporary directory.
   • Run: <Dir where java 3.1 is installed>\bin\packsign\makecert -sk TestKeyName -n "CN=Test Publisher Name" MyTestCert.cer
   • Then: <Dir where java 3.1 is installed>\bin\packsign\cert2spc MyTestCert.cer MyTestCert.spc
   • Copy these files to JFile's \lib\iecert directory.

   For more information about signing and cabs see Microsoft KB Article Q168941 at http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q168/9/41.asp

   Signing the CAB with a timestamp allows the signature on the CAB to stay valid after the certificate has expired. Our sample shows how to sign the CAB using the Verisign timestamp service. The machine you are using for signing must be able to access the Verisign site in order to obtain the timestamp. In our tests, the signcode utility from Microsoft could not access the Verisign site across a proxy server. It requires a direct connection to the Internet.

   Creating and Signing a CAB

   • Download and install the Microsoft Java SDK 3.1 from http://www.microsoft.com/java.
   • Open up a command prompt window.
   • Go to JFile's \lib\iecert directory (contained in your JFile directory).
   • Open and edit the build.bat file, according to your environment.
   • At the command prompt, run: build cab.
   • The created cab and signed applet will now be in the .\lib\cabs directory.

   Step 4: Signing the applet for Macintosh Internet Explorer:

   See the following article for instructions on signing the jar file for Mac IE:
   http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn1175.html

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   Copyright © 2001, SoftArtisans, Inc.