Hosting PDFs (and linking to IF Archive)

inventor200 · June 5, 2023, 9:22am

Hi!

So, I uploaded the Spring Thing beta of I Am Prey to the IFArchive.

Someone mentioned that there was a special way of linking to stuff in the IFArchive on an IFDB listing, but I’m not sure what they meant by this, and I can’t seem to locate the thread right now. From what I gathered from context, the IFArchive lets you upload a .zip file, and then link to contents within that file from the IFDB?

If I can figure out how to do this, I could link to the updated how-to-play guide in the .zip file.

Failing this, where would I host a PDF for free, and add a download link to it on the IFDB?

Thanks!

inventor200 · June 5, 2023, 9:27am

Okay, so poking around a bit…

I see that the IFArchive now has my beta in the “unprocessed” directory, and I can view the contents of the zip file.

Does this link provide everyone with access to the PDF?

If I used this link, and the IFArchive moves my game to another directory, would this link become invalid, or is 09tuh88b6t the permanent signature for my .zip file?

nephar · June 5, 2023, 9:28am

Is this the thread you are lookin for?

inventor200 · June 5, 2023, 9:29am

Yes!! Thank you!! I couldn’t remember where I put that!

nephar · June 5, 2023, 9:43am

github.com

iftechfoundation/ifarchive-unbox/blob/main/doc/spec.md

## What Unbox does

The front page ([https://unbox.ifarchive.org/][Unbox]) requests an Archive URL or path. This must be the URL of a `zip`, `tar.gz`, `tgz`, or `tar.Z` on the IF Archive. (`http:` and `https:` URLs are both accepted, since they give the same result. You may also omit the domain and enter an absolute path URI, beginning with a slash.)

[ifarch]: https://ifarchive.org/
[iplayif]: https://iplayif.com/
[Unbox]: https://unbox.ifarchive.org/

The URL or path accepted as a `?url=` parameter (with the usual query encoding). For example:

```
https://unbox.ifarchive.org/?url=%2Fif-archive%2Fgames%2Ftwine%2FAbsent_Heroes.zip
```

This returns a page listing [the package contents][exlist]:

- [anigif_excited-ron-6869-1311881136-43.gif][exron]
- [cara.css][excara]
- [index.html][exindex]
- [kirk-ag-article.jpg][exkirk]

This file has been truncated. show original

This link documents how to link to specific files in archive. I don’t know if the hash remains the same when the file is moved to its final place from unprocessed.

inventor200 · June 5, 2023, 9:46am

It looks like from this that it probably will change, so I’ll try to keep an eye out for that. Thank you for posting the specs!

zarf · June 5, 2023, 12:11pm

It will change. Sorry about that – unprocessed is strictly temporary.

inventor200 · June 5, 2023, 12:16pm

That’s perfectly valid! I’ll just keep tabs on its listing on the IF Archive for a while!