Configuring Sideload directory

Hi all,
I’m really new to Omeka and you’ve been a great help to me so far. I’m currently trying to configure my sideload directory. I’ve already transferred my images using an FTP, but I am constantly getting a ‘The provided sideload directory is not a directory or does not have sufficient permissions’ error message. I’ve been using the recommended format from the FileSideload user manual: /home/yourusername/yourwebsite.org/omeka-s/sideload-files
If I do not have the correct permissions, what exactly does that mean? And how can I get it?
The ‘delete sideloaded file’ box is also NOT checked.
Thanks

Hi @CCBC ,

When you say you’re constantly getting the error message, does that mean it’s not working at all, or does it work for some files and not others?

Are you doing a Bulk CSV import or just attaching them through the admin interface?

Also, can you share some screenshots of your Side load module settings and where you are seeing the error?

If it is just a permissions error, then you just need to make sure the directory where your images are located has permissions set to 755.


The first screenshot is of the configuring info I put in first, and the second is of the page it automatically loads to when I ‘submit’. The directory info is different once I get that error, and I’ve also tried configuring with that new directory format, but it gives me the same error.

I should mention that this has been done successfully by someone before me (I assume the user that automatically appears with the error message), but I’ve been unable to contact them about it.

I thought that I had to upload the images using a FTP, which I’ve done, and then map each image from Omeka to a CSV. Then, I would upload the CSV and the images would be grabbed from the sideload when it was uploaded. Like I said, I’m very new to this.

This configuration page is the only one I think I have access to. Is there a module settings page besides the ‘modules’ tab where I can deactivate modules? Haven’t seen one. Thanks for your patience.

It is really weird that those directories are totally different. Is the one with the error already there, and are you trying to change it?

My initial thought is that you need to verify that the path you’re putting is the correct path. The examples in the manual are just examples. You should be able to get the full path to where you uploaded the images from your FTP program.

Yes, this is the directory that comes up when I first open the module configuring screen. Submitting this one gives me the error message, and submitting it after only changing the user code also gives the error message. I’m sure I am formatting it incorrectly, I just don’t know how. I will look into my FileZilla and see if it provides any pathway info. If you are familiar with that FTP platform, would you know where I could find it? Thank you for your help!!

In FileZilla is would just be this path when you have navigated into the directly where the images are uploaded:

I will do some troubleshooting overnight and will probably be back on the forum soon with questions. Thank you so much for all your knowledge and help!!

Hi,
I’ve tried to troubleshoot over the weekend, but my FileZilla isn’t even configured to have a ‘home’ root. The best I can do is something like:
/files/original/Dossier 4

When I try to configure it and it always gives me an error message, it reverts back to: /home/u964189741/domains/ccbcstaging.tech/public_html/archive/image_sideload

Any info would be appreciated, thank you.

Hi @CCBC ,

I’m not sure I follow what you tried to do.

You mentioned previously that you uploaded the images via FTP to your Omeka site. You should just connect FileZilla to the server, navigate to the directory you uploaded the files to, and then copy that path from the “Remote site” box in FileZilla to your File Sideload module settings.

It’s possible that if you didn’t upload the files to a directory within your Omeka site, they are not accessible because of a permissions issue.

Hello, it looks like CCBC does not have access to the root of the web server via FTP. What type of path is expected by Sideload to access the files, absolute, relative?

Could you tell me little bit about how I could go about getting that? Do I have to make a new login in the Site Manager? When I attempt to change the protocol to ‘SSH File Transfer Protocol’, it disconnects me from my server. The necessary sideload path, I think, is absolute? Forgive me, I’m not knowledgable

Sorry CCBC, I am also a newbie in the world of Omeka so my questions may not always be relevant.
When creating an FTP user, you can specify its home directory, which is the entry point (the “starting directory”) for that user when he/she logs in. If no home directory is specified, then the user will log in the root directory of the server.
When logged in your FTP server using Filezilla, are you able to navigate through the directory tree of your web server?

I do have some kind of directory tree in my ‘remote site’ box, but the ‘home’ directory is automatically showing as a ‘/’. I can change my local directory in the ‘advanced’ settings tab in Site Manager, but I’m not sure what to change the remote directory to…

Screenshot (22)

@CCBC ,

I’m not sure how much more we can help. It depends on your host what that full path is going to be. You might be able to find it by talking to your IT department or your hosting provider. If you use something like CPanel, you might be able to get it from there.

The one thing I can add is that in your original post, it looked like you were pointed the module to a “sideload-files” directory within the root of your Omeka installation, but I’m not seeing that folder in you screenshot. Whatever the full server path is to your Omeka installation, you’ll need to append the actual path to the directory where you uploaded the files as well.

That’s okay. Thank you both so much for all your help anyway. I will do some testing with the directories.