Auto download files without user input

[AHarvey]

Hi,

I've been asked to look for the best way of completing the following:

Have a list of file URL's stored on a webserver.
Have a script on a windows PC that reads that script and downloads the files without the user having to do anything or be interrupted by the process.

It's to be used over a couple of locations for auto downloading training material and some awards/prize scheme they want to trial.

They don't want people to know the files have been downloaded as the don't want people reading things before the training and they want to be able to say "ok, stop work, open this folder on your computer!" which means I can't then have them download the files at that point.

Any ideas?

 

[skyripper]

The files are stored on Web Servers rather than file servers?
Use Curl, which is a way of programatically calling a URL.

It sounds like a solution thought up by someone that doesn't understand IT though.
Downloading files without user consent and making them go an open them... could only make that worse by using remote admin to kill their current programs and forcing the browser open to the content! Imagine the panic you could do with that

Why not have the training provider put up a welcome page that doesn't open until a certain time / admin task?

Or just email out the training / testing material in a passworded ZIP file.
Then send the password out with the "Go open the docs" email ?
At least that way there will be an air of mystery about it.
(This might not work depending on your email attachments and security policies!)

But yeah.. Curl

 

[AHarvey]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

I've been here 18 months, leaving at the end of the month after doing the work of 2 people. I can't be bothered explaining things to them anymore. They set their mind on what they want and that's it. Like delivering 2000 blogs in 90 days, managed 600 and 540 where complete ****, luckily I'd moved on to SEO and PPC by the end of it

 

[skyripper]

In which case, I bid you good luck at the next place, and they can keep their craziness without you worrying about it

 

[Dj_Jestar]

Can't the media be served as a website? I mean seriously: sending those people a link to something for them to read/watch is going to be a hell of a lot easier than this covert operation.

Anywho.. group policies can remotely install/download stuffs without informing the user. Though this doesn't mean it wouldn't be easy to spot by anyone savvy.

 

[AHarvey]

yeah it could, but they don't want it done that way.

Group policies work if you've a domain server in place.... which they don't.