What are "Private File Areas?"

Private File Areas is an exclusive Wildcat! technology.  The simplest way to understand Private Files is to use the Private Message analogy.

In general, all files stored in a file area is accessible by all users having access to the file area.  Once a user has access to JOIN,   LIST and DOWNLOAD a particular file area, the user has access to all files. All files are treated the same.  The exception is password protected files.

So just like you may have a private message stored with public messages in a public mail conference, a private file area allows you to assign a target user for uploaded files where only the target user can list and download.

To enable Private File Areas,  edit the File Area in WCCONFG | File Areas and set the option:

     [X] Allow Private Files

Why Private File Areas?

One of the largest usages of Wildcat! is as an File Exchange system between a company and many her users where each user is provided his own file area for uploading and downloading.  For large companies having thousands of users, this can be a tedious configuration.

By using a private file area, only 1 file area is required versus having thousands of file areas and file directories.

Uploaded Files which are posted by the backend server for user downloads are assigned for the specific user.  When a user joins a private file area,  the user will only be able to list and download files assigned to him in the same way the user can only read his own  private messages.  He can't read private files belonging to others.

Wildcat! is already designed to support the additional upload prompt to obtain the private user name when uploading a file.  Uploading a file via Telnet/ANSI or WEB will offer Private File Area support. FTP  supports private files using extended QUOTE commands.