Clarification: File Transfer

[T-Bird]

I'm going to be transferring some files, most will be .zip but some may be .psd.  To make sure (as best I can) that the files are saved and not opened I'm using the old octet-stream header trick.

 

header('Content-type: application/octet-stream');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="<filename>"');
readfile("<Filename>");

 

From my very limited testing on my local servers it seems that readfile allows you to transfer files that are hosted on other servers - however I have been unable to do extensive testing on this due to limited resources.  Is it the case that readfile is allowed to take files from external sources?  Is this a dependable solution?

 

In my case I'm building a site that will be hosted with a hosting service, but I would like to have a local machine at the office be a file server (also running PHP) where it's easy to upload all the files.  Is there any reason I may not be aware of that would prevent the above code from working on the production site.  Are there settings that I need to set to allow/disallow this kind of transfer.

 

I'm still getting my feet wet with the file manipulation part of php.  Thanks for the patience and the replies.

[T-Bird]

I think I read in the rules that bumps were legal after 24 hours of inactivity.  I hope so, cause I'm going to try one.

 

Anyways, if I was unclear before (I have a knack for writing my messages late when I can't put my thoughts together clearly). I'll restate the question.

 

I am trying to transfer a file from a local server, through the page on my public server run by Network Solutions, to the user.  I did an (extremely) limited test which seemed to indicate that I could pull files from a remote server through an intermediary server to my browser via readfile().  This seems like it would be a security risk however and I wondered if there were any settings I would need to be aware of to allow such a transfer.  Also, is there a PHP function better suited for such a transfer than readfile().

 

(in hind sight, this topic may fit in the server forum better than here in the PHP help forum.  Sorry if I flubbed this one.)

[exally]

how big are the files? becuase i have just thought of a real shitty way to do it.

 

Basically using CURL, request a php file on the local server to open it and print the file as the response.

Then instead of read file, print or echo the CURL response.

 

Shitty method i know, also look at FTP'ing to the new server on request. using the PHP FTP functions.

[T-Bird]

1-2 gig....  They are entire zipped psd plan files for large public buildings.  I may talk them into breaking it into 5-6 smaller packets if downloads are too unbearable, but they would object.

 

If I have to I have PHP installed on the office fileserver and I can point an A-name from a subdomain to that.  But I'd like to isolate that server from the net so I can have an intranet page there without too much trouble validating users.