Question

I have a web service which allows the users to upload and keep track of their files on the server.
What I want to do is create some sort of application which recreates my “online file system” on the local machine. Kind of like having a folder on my desktop which presents the files I have on the webserver, where I can move them, open, save, etc. If you know Dropbox you get the idea of what I want to accomplish.

My problem is that I have no clue on where to start to develop this. I guess I could go for some sort of Nautilus extension, but then I would be dependent of that file manager so I think it should be something implemented directly in the OS’ filesystem.

I have already figured out how to do this on Windows (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc188741.aspx) and it seems pretty straight forward.

So what I want to know is if anyone here has experience in doing this on Linux and whats the best way to do it.

Thanks.

Answer 1

You can use use fuse to make a virtual file system: wikipedia, sourceforge. Here’s a tutorial and another for python

It emulates a drive so it will work in the shell or nautilus or anything else.

There is also a Mac port so it could work there too.