bradjmsu's sandbox: Expiring Private File Link

Development of this module sponsored by Energy Web Design

This module was created when the need arose to offer a downloadable file to users of a site, without revealing the actual URL of the file itself. It also allows through the permissions system a method of allowing the file to only be available for download to registered users. If enabled, anonymous users will see the same dynamic link as registered users, but when they click on it they are presented with a login dialog informing them they must register to have access to the file.

What it does

Simply put, it provides a Expiring Private File Link field formatter for any file fields that you define in your content type(s).

How to use it?

After installing the module, there will now be "Expiring Private File Link" field formatter for any file fields you have.

For example, say you want to add the option for users to attach a private file download to a blog entry.

First add a file field to the blog content type. When you pick the formatter from the select box, select "Expiring Private File Link".

That's it! Now when the file is displayed in the page, the actual uri of the file isn't shown. Instead the uri that's show to the user looks something like http://yoursite.com/epflink/c501358361bb5ce479ee851945775cf9

Link Expiration

Expiring Private File Links will expire after a set number of minutes.

After they expire, a new link will automatically be generated the next time the page is requested for display.
If a user clicks an expried link, they are given a message that the link is expired, and a new link is generated for them.

Links can also be set to expire after use (one-time links). If set to expire after use, then a new link is created every time the file is served up.

The expiration settings can be controlled in the module's config page.

Controlling Access to Expiring Private File Link files

Expiring Private File Link access is controlled through Drupal's permissions system.

If you want to only offer Expiring Private File Link files for download to registered users, for example, just set the access setting so that anonymous users don't have access to Expiring Private File Links. The link will still be displayed for the anon user, but when they click on it they will be redirected to a login page that tells them they must register or login to access the content.

Example