Emby Server/Web app - Feature/plugin for a user to upload files

[Cheeseburger 8]

Hi!

I would love the ability to upload a file in a similar way to how you can download media from the web GUI. It would be great to have the ability to add media to my library when I'm not in front of my actual Emby server. This would extend Emby's core usability as a media server but also make it possible for all the users of it to contribute more than just editing meta data (and deleting content). It would also make the server double as a web based file server, and I personally would not need to keep my FTP-server running anymore.

 

The way I and many others have already set up and invested time in making a universally accessible and secure web based system based on Emby (i.e. router/FW setup, DDNS, maybe buying a domain name and setting up a proper certificate, NGINX reverse proxy and so on, not to mention the added complexity of either running another parallel web server for this purpose or keeping a VPN-service up and running to be able to access the home network) would make it do a lot of sense for such a "simple" operation. The server and the web connection is already there as are the user accounts. 

 

I'm thinking of this as a feature for the web app mostly, and maybe also later for the mobile devices (that already have the photo-sync option). 

 

• The ability to upload should be a check box in the main administration page for each user
• To start of with: The actual upload feature could just be another item on the right-click menu for i.e. a TV-show/Episode
• Maybe this link should only exist in the Folder View?
• Later maybe: Provide a more refined dialogue where one can create sub folders and upload multiple files at once
• An alternative would be to give this to the administrators only, and perhaps integrate and build upon the library management features (selection of folder paths for the libraries) but this would defeat the purpose of having "ordinary" users be able to just contribute media

This could be both a core feature as well as a plugin, maybe a Premiere feature.

[darkassassin07 424]

Personally I manage my server entirely remotely using a combo of TeamViewer, es file explorer (for lan file Manipulation), and bittorrent remote (bt downloads to my movie folder by default so emby finds it without any further config).

 

I also host an ftp server that has access to the root media folders for WAN file Manipulation though I rarely need it.

 

 

I do agree however it would be handy to have a simple way other users could add media to a separate library 'user uploads' where an admin can move them to the main media folders pending review

[mastrmind11 717]

How is this different from just setting up external access to another folder via *whatever protocol* and point Emby at the folder for auto-organize scraping?  I have a feeling that if this were a core component of Emby, the misuse of this ability would put Emby on radar.

Edited August 9, 2017 by mastrmind11

[Cheeseburger 8]

Well, its simplicity and integration, otherwise that is what I also do. The feature is for the average user (not an IT-pro/nerd) and myself when I'm on the go and might not want to or don't have the ability to remote in to my system.

 

Limiting the different protocols and software that I run and have to expose to the Internet is a plus I think, especially from a security standpoint. And today, some users struggle with just typing the correct address in a web browser or app. (If they succeed they often forget after a few weeks.) They Google things or click on an app. Giving them instructions on how to use a specific protocol or a separate app that needs configuration/installation or at best another web interface (and again user management and known addresses) might not always be worth the effort and is not a fluid user experience. Yes, I could give them a VPN-client, but performance and security-wise there are a lot of things to consider then for your own network (my full duplex gigabit connection for one is hard to take advantage of through VPN). 

 

Personally I'd be happy to shut down my FTPS-server and be able to avoid the VPN-slowdown (using SMB) whilst giving my friends a simple way to upload and share files. I guess the key here is putting it in an already user friendly platform whilst not creating more work and possible security issues that the average Emby server admin will have to deal with.

[pir8radio 1292]

I would just create an html5 page on your own web server (or use nginx as a reverse proxy and add a link via nginx to emby)  use something like this https://www.devbridge.com/sourcery/components/drag-and-drop-uploader/  on the html page and set it up to a drop folder or something...    

 

In my opinion adding the feature in emby would be messy and involved....   For example you probably wouldn't want your buddies throwing files wherever they want... (i wouldn't)  a movie in the music folder, or crappy versions that you didn't approve, overwriting your good copy, and many other scenarios that the emby team would have to deal with, permissions, file checks, naming convention, it would turn into a nightmare on the programming end to make it meet everyone's needs, or just dealing with all of the possible scenarios that could wreak your library.   You could just do the above to a drop folder, and add the drop folder to your library (so the media is instantly added) then sort that drop folder when you have time, renaming, checking for quality, and putting it where you really want it to go. 

[Cheeseburger 8]

I agree that I probably would not trust some of my users to be able to keep the order and maintain quality properly. Limiting which users can upload and then also their access to a drop folder/library would sort that though, as you suggest when there is time and if one thinks the quality is worth it then move it in to the main library. Maybe its just a file they want to stream to their own Chromecast at home without setting up a whole system. I'm thinking this would have the potential to create a more user focused system (if that is what you want). Let them have their own material, I mean - we already have Camera Upload from our Android-devices, where every graphical file on the devie is pulled (in a right mess to be frank) automatically, adding a manual upload to that would not do more harm I think.

 

I guess it depends a lot on how you operate your server. A personal Netflix or Youtube?

 

 

Well well, I'm still not convinced it is such a bad idea, but I accept that there seem to be very little interest in this feature 

 

 

Meanwhile I'll have to learn to do what pir8radio suggest! That will be a challenge as the Nginx Reverse Proxy was not set up thanks to my own skills, rather just being able to follow Pir8radios excellent guide at https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/48236-setting-up-emby-behind-a-reverse-proxy-nginx/?p=457670 made it possible with reasonable effort. If anyone wonders, it works well!

 

The HTML5 file upload suggestion, would you suggest to somehow link from within Emby to the upload page (sweet!), or to have a landing page (choosing between them two) or just an alternative address? What about authorisation? .htaccess in Nginx? Thanks! (Feeling a bit out of my depth here!)

[Jdiesel 1114]

Its not a bad idea, not sure if I'd use it personally but I could see the value in it for sharing photos/home movies with your family. 

 

Honestly the ftp server you are currently using seems like the simplest solution. There are many options for a lightweight ftp server to run along side Emby and there is no need for software on the client side as I believe all modern OS can connect via ftp natively.

 

Other option might be to use a cloud solution. Mount the cloud folder on your sever and share the cloud folder/folders with your users. They can then use the cloud providers tools to upload and Emby will scrap the folder and add the media to the library.

 

I do see the benefit and simplicity of built in support though, not trying to say its not a good idea by any means.

[pir8radio 1292]

I agree that I probably would not trust some of my users to be able to keep the order and maintain quality properly. Limiting which users can upload and then also their access to a drop folder/library would sort that though, as you suggest when there is time and if one thinks the quality is worth it then move it in to the main library. Maybe its just a file they want to stream to their own Chromecast at home without setting up a whole system. I'm thinking this would have the potential to create a more user focused system (if that is what you want). Let them have their own material, I mean - we already have Camera Upload from our Android-devices, where every graphical file on the devie is pulled (in a right mess to be frank) automatically, adding a manual upload to that would not do more harm I think.

 

I guess it depends a lot on how you operate your server. A personal Netflix or Youtube?

 

 

Well well, I'm still not convinced it is such a bad idea, but I accept that there seem to be very little interest in this feature 

 

 

Meanwhile I'll have to learn to do what pir8radio suggest! That will be a challenge as the Nginx Reverse Proxy was not set up thanks to my own skills, rather just being able to follow Pir8radios excellent guide at https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/48236-setting-up-emby-behind-a-reverse-proxy-nginx/?p=457670 made it possible with reasonable effort. If anyone wonders, it works well!

 

The HTML5 file upload suggestion, would you suggest to somehow link from within Emby to the upload page (sweet!), or to have a landing page (choosing between them two) or just an alternative address? What about authorisation? .htaccess in Nginx? Thanks! (Feeling a bit out of my depth here!)

 

Oh I missed that you currently run an ftp server.. there are some cool jquery ftp client examples online like that html5 one I linked to..  

 

Yes with nginx you can rewrite html on the fly, so you can add a button within emby somewhere (will work for web users but not app users) to an upload page.  You could have your upload page check for the emby auth token and check for the user hash of the users you want to upload then you don't have to deal with authorization on that page.   If you really want to go that route Ill mess around with a basic config you can copy paste as a starting point,  if you are not comfortable figuring it out on your own.   

 

If they add the feature yay, if not you will at least have a solution. 

Edited August 10, 2017 by pir8radio

[Cheeseburger 8]

Cool, great! Well the rewrite seems really neat, maybe I would get it to work myself, but since I'm fairly eager to keep my server secure & stable and knowing that I really don't know how to keep it that way... I would not feel too comfortable messing with it on my own. Your assistance would be very appreciated but only when you have time and feel like it, this is just a nerdy wish on my part and my Emby server (and life) will go on without it!

 

Running the Windows version according to your posted configuration suggestion, proper SSL-cert. Nginx, Emby and file storage on the same machine, with nothing else that is public or passed through Nginx. (Win 8.1 pro, 32GB, i7-4790K lightly OC'ed, dual NIC, normally only real load on server is Emby and the occasional Hyper-V guest.) I guess there is room for large file transfer speed optimisations as I have 930+ Mbps each way with 2ms ping to closest speedtest service but usually not that many concurrent users over the Internet). I did see you had made a edit to your configuration post after I used it, have not yet compared it to my current conf. though. 

 

Great thanks in advance if you can be bothered and if not, still thanks for great input.

[notla49285 46]

Can I bring this request back, but suggest that this is a permission assigned to each user? To be honest, I don't want any of my users uploading anything, but I want to be able to, I quite often have something on my phone that I need putting on Emby and at the moment it's a pain in the arse unless I happen to be near my server and I can plug it in.

 

I also have no idea how nginx works, I started following a guide on here but it didn't match with the actual installation process so got completely lost and gave up. I also know nothing about setting up FTP on my machine and would rather not anyway, I've already had attempts to get into my server before so don't want to open something up that I don't understand.

[mastrmind11 717]

Can I bring this request back, but suggest that this is a permission assigned to each user? To be honest, I don't want any of my users uploading anything, but I want to be able to, I quite often have something on my phone that I need putting on Emby and at the moment it's a pain in the arse unless I happen to be near my server and I can plug it in.

 

I also have no idea how nginx works, I started following a guide on here but it didn't match with the actual installation process so got completely lost and gave up. I also know nothing about setting up FTP on my machine and would rather not anyway, I've already had attempts to get into my server before so don't want to open something up that I don't understand.

I know you said you don't want to open up something up that you don't understand, but it's no more likely to get hacked than your emby server.  It truly is the simplest approach for what you're trying to do.  Just set up the server, forward the port, and point emby's auto-organize to the folder you're exposing via ftp.  THen just get an FTP client for whatever mobile device you use, and you're done.

[notla49285 46]

I know you said you don't want to open up something up that you don't understand, but it's no more likely to get hacked than your emby server.  It truly is the simplest approach for what you're trying to do.  Just set up the server, forward the port, and point emby's auto-organize to the folder you're exposing via ftp.  THen just get an FTP client for whatever mobile device you use, and you're done.

 

I'll look into it, but if possible adding this to Emby itself would be a cleaner solution.

[Carlo 4330]

I'd use a secured FTP as well (I do).  It's still probably the best/robust protocol for point to point file transfer.  It can support compression and can easily restart aborted transfers.  Most FTP servers have lots of configuration you can do to control bandwidth as a whole as well as to specific users. You can limit number of transfers, etc  Heck you can even set them up to use username/passwords from your domain or LDAP.  Using LDAP with Emby would then allow one set of credentials used by both systems.

 

The advantages to FTP are numerous.  Besides just upload, you could grant them read only access to your libs as well so if someone was going on a trip and wanted to take 10 to 15 movies with them they could download them easily.

 

If you use any kind of pooling software such as Stablebit's Drivepool you could setup dedicated areas on one drive that are part of your pool.  Then you could run a script via task manager every half hour or so that renames files with FileBot, does conversion to your favorite format, etc and copies them to this special drivepool spot so they become part of your collection.

 

You could then manually check those files for quality and move them or remove them at will.  Since they're already part of the pool Emby won't even know they got moved.  This way you can still control quality.

 

Think outside the box and you can easily build a better solution custom to your own environment for upload that Emby would likely never be able to match.

 

BTW, keep in mind with an FTP server your users can upload or download from a web browser so they don't need special software, but could still run a dedicated ftp client depending on how much they will be uploading.

 

Carlo