F*EX Frequently Asked Questions: Admin

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Admin Q1:I cannot install a web server like fexsrv, because I have no root permissions. Is there a pure-CGI-version of F*EX which runs with an apache web server?
Admin Q2:I have already a webserver (apache) running. How can I install F*EX in parallel?
Admin Q3:Ok, I have installed F*EX. What now?
Admin Q4:What is /var/lib/fex/bin/fac and /var/lib/fex/cgi-bin/fac ?
Admin Q5:F*EX is not working at all! I cannot connect to it with my web browser!
Admin Q6:What is the difference between all these user types (full, sub, group, external, ...)?
Admin Q7:How can I integrate F*EX in the existing user management at my site?
Admin Q8:Can I make an alias address for an user?
Admin Q9:I want that all my local users can use F*EX. How?
Admin Q10:I want that external users can fex to my local users. How?
Admin Q11:How can I change user settings like quota, restrictions or keep time?
Admin Q12:How can I delete or temporarly disable a user?
Admin Q13:I have BIG files already on the fexserver host. Can I upload just a link instead of the whole file?
Admin Q14:I want the Bcc mails to fex (admin user) to be sent to another address.
Admin Q15:My users want to fex to mailing lists, but after first download the file is no more available!?
Admin Q16:I need more security! How can I enable (https) encryption?
Admin Q17:I need a corporate identity look. How can I configure F*EX in this way?
Admin Q18:F*EX is too complicated for my tie users. I need a simplified upload form.
Admin Q19:F*EX is still too complicated! I need something more simplified.
Admin Q20:Can I integrate F*EX in my users MUAs (thunderbird, outlook, etc)?
Admin Q21:Can I get a localized version in my native languange?
Admin Q22:I need ACLs for group access, versioning, a file browser and integration in my local file system.
Admin Q23:Feature/design XY is missing.
Admin Q24:How can I get fup as start page?
Admin Q25:How can I use my own local FAQ?

Admin Q1:I cannot install a web server like fexsrv, because I have no root permissions. Is there a pure-CGI-version of F*EX which runs with an apache web server?
Admin A1: F*EX is hard bound to fexsrv for several reasons (performance, file size limit, session concept, etc) and cannot be run as CGI under apache. But you might have a look at

which implement a file exchange as pure CGIs, but with a 2 GB file size limit, which F*EX does not have.

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Admin Q2:I have already a webserver (apache) running. How can I install F*EX in parallel?
Admin A2: You have to use a different port or ip for F*EX, because you cannot run two services on the same ip:port combination.
For example port 88, use "./install -p 88"
For another ip you can create a new virtual interface or use a virtual machine.
See the documentation of your UNIX.
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Admin Q3:Ok, I have installed F*EX. What now?
Admin A3: Become user fex and create some users with fac, example:
     /var/lib/fex/bin/fac -u [email protected] secret-auth-id
Then log in using the web interface: http://YOURFEXSERVER/

... and join the F*EX mailing list! ☺
[https://listserv.uni-stuttgart.de/mailman/listinfo/fex]

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Admin Q4:What is /var/lib/fex/bin/fac and /var/lib/fex/cgi-bin/fac ?
Admin A4: fac stands for F*EX Admin Control

/var/lib/fex/bin/fac is the (full) CLI version

/var/lib/fex/cgi-bin/fac is the (restricted) web version. You have to call it with your webbrowser:
http://YOURFEXSERVER/fac

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Admin Q5:F*EX is not working at all! I cannot connect to it with my web browser!
Admin A5: Check your routing, ipfilters and firewall setup.
Also check if xinetd is running. If it is linked with tcp-wrapper, configure it correctly (hosts.allow).
/etc/xinetd.d/fex should not contain a line "only_from"
F*EX needs port 80/tcp for HTTP and optionally port 443/tcp for HTTPS.
Test the connection with: telnet YOURFEXSERVER 80
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Admin Q6:What is the difference between all these user types (full, sub, group, external, ...)?
Admin A6: See [http://fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/users.html]
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Admin Q7:How can I integrate F*EX in the existing user management at my site?
Admin A7: F*EX has several authentification modules: local, RADIUS, LDAP, mailman and POP.
For the last 4 please contact <[email protected]>
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Admin Q8:Can I make an alias address for an user?
Admin A8: F*EX users are defined by a directory in the spool. Therefore execute:

cd /var/lib/fex/spool
 ln -s [email protected] [email protected]

Now the user is known as [email protected] and [email protected]

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Admin Q9:I want that all my local users can use F*EX. How?
Admin A9: Let them register themselves with http://YOURFEXSERVER/fur

You have to edit /var/lib/fex/lib/fex.ph and set (example):

     @local_hosts = qw(127.0.0.1 10.10.100.0-10.10.255.255);
     @local_domains = qw(flupp.org ulm.sub.net);
Or you can allow anonymous upload for your LAN users with fex.ph variable @anonymous_upload
Example:
     @anonymous_upload = qw(10.10.100.0-10.10.200.255 129.69.1.11);
(Of course you have to use your real local hosts/networks!)
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Admin Q10:I want that external users can fex to my local users. How?
Admin A10: Let them register themselves with http://YOURFEXSERVER/fur

You have to edit /var/lib/fex/lib/fex.ph and set (example):

     # your local receiving domains
     @local_rdomains = qw(flupp.org *.flupp.org);


     # your local receiving hosts
     @local_rhosts = qw(127.0.0.1 129.69.0.0-129.69.255.255 176.9.84.26);

Or you can manually create a restricted external user with (example):

     /var/lib/fex/bin/fac -u [email protected] hoppla
     /var/lib/fex/bin/fac -R [email protected]
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Admin Q11:How can I change user settings like quota, restrictions or keep time?
Admin A11: Use /var/lib/fex/bin/fac
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Admin Q12:How can I delete or temporarly disable a user?
Admin A12: Use /var/lib/fex/bin/fac
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Admin Q13:I have BIG files already on the fexserver host. Can I upload just a link instead of the whole file?
Admin A13: Set in fex.ph:

@file_link_dirs = qw(/directory/with/big/files);

and use:

fexsend -/ /directory/with/big/files/BIG.file recipient@wherever

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Admin Q14:I want the Bcc mails to fex (admin user) to be sent to another address.
Admin A14: Set variable $bcc in /var/lib/fex/lib/fex.ph
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Admin Q15:My users want to fex to mailing lists, but after first download the file is no more available!?
Admin A15: Add the mailing list address to @mailing_list in /var/lib/fex/lib/fex.ph
 This allows multiple downloads.
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Admin Q16:I need more security! How can I enable (https) encryption?
Admin A16: Read doc/SSL and also look for "fop_auth" in doc/concept
(doc is a local directory in your installation or online [http://fex.belwue.de/doc/])
For email encryption see [http://fex.belwue.de/gpg.html]
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Admin Q17:I need a corporate identity look. How can I configure F*EX in this way?
Admin A17:
  • See variable @H1_extra in /var/lib/fex/lib/fex.ph and you can add HTML code to /var/lib/fex/htdocs/header.html
  • See /var/lib/fex/htdocs/fup_template.html, modify it to your needs and use it as your start-page.
  • Contact <[email protected]> [http://www.nepustil.net/] if you need more customization.
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Admin Q18:F*EX is too complicated for my tie users. I need a simplified upload form.
Admin A18: See /var/lib/fex/htdocs/fup_template.html and /var/lib/fex/htdocs/sup.html
 or use public upload, see [http://fex.belwue.de/usecases/foreign.html]
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Admin Q19:F*EX is still too complicated! I need something more simplified.
Admin A19: Try [http://fex.belwue.de/fstools/woos.html] or use F*EX mail (see next question).
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Admin Q20:Can I integrate F*EX in my users MUAs (thunderbird, outlook, etc)?
Admin A20: See [http://fex.belwue.de/usecases/BIGMAIL.html]
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Admin Q21:Can I get a localized version in my native languange?
Admin A21: With your help, yes. Please contact <[email protected]>
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Admin Q22:I need ACLs for group access, versioning, a file browser and integration in my local file system.
Admin A22: This is beyond the scope of F*EX, which is designed for efficient file transfer only.
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Admin Q23:Feature/design XY is missing.
Admin A23: Contact the author <[email protected]>
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Admin Q24:How can I get fup as start page?
Admin A24: Execute:

cd /var/lib/fex/cgi-bin
 ln -s fup login

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Admin Q25:How can I use my own local FAQ?
Admin A25: Put your FAQ into file /var/lib/fex/htdocs/FAQ/local.faq and execute:

cd /var/lib/fex/htdocs/FAQ
 ln -sf local.html index.html

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