File Sharing Setup

Set up basic file sharing with copyparty for downloads and uploads

Overview

copyparty makes it easy to share files with others, whether for simple downloads or collaborative uploads. This guide covers setting up basic file sharing with customizable permissions.

Quick Start

The simplest file sharing server shares your current directory with everyone:

python copyparty-sfx.py

This gives everyone read/write access to the current folder at http://your-ip:3923/.

Basic File Sharing Scenarios

Configuration File Approach

For complex setups, use a configuration file instead of command-line arguments:

sharing.conf

[accounts]
  bob: pass1
  carol: pass2

[/files]
  /mnt/files
  accs:
    r: *       # everyone can read
    rw: bob    # bob can read-write
    A: carol   # carol has admin access

[/drop]
  /mnt/uploads
  accs:
    w: *       # anyone can upload
    rw: carol  # carol can manage uploads

Enabling File Indexing

For better performance and features like duplicate detection:

python copyparty-sfx.py -e2dsa -v /mnt/share:/files:r

• -e2dsa - Scan and index all files on startup
• Enables search, prevents duplicate uploads
• Creates .hist/up2k.db database in each volume

Sharing Links with Passwords

You can include passwords directly in URLs:

http://your-server:3923/files?pw=secret123

If --usernames is enabled, use username:password:

http://your-server:3923/files?pw=alice:secret123

Creating Temporary Shares

Enable the shares feature to let users create temporary links:

python copyparty-sfx.py --shr /share -a alice:pass -v /mnt/files::rw,alice

Users can then:

1. Navigate to a file or folder
2. Click the “share” button (bottom-right)
3. Set expiration time and optional password
4. Share the generated link

Shares appear at http://your-server:3923/share/...

Making It Accessible Online

Cloudflare Tunnel

Quick way to make your server accessible over the internet:

# Install cloudflared, then:
cloudflared tunnel --url http://127.0.0.1:3923

Add to copyparty:

python copyparty-sfx.py --xff-hdr cf-connecting-ip -v /mnt/share:/files:r

Port Forwarding

Forward port 3923 on your router to your server’s local IP.

For better security, run with HTTPS:

python copyparty-sfx.py --https 3923 -v /mnt/share:/files:r

Permission Reference

Permission	Description
r	Read: browse folders, download files
w	Write: upload files
m	Move: move files FROM this folder
d	Delete: delete files/folders
g	Get: download files only (no browsing)
G	Upget: like g but uploaders see their filekeys
a	Admin: see upload times, IPs, reload config
A	All: shortcut for rwmda

Tips and Best Practices

Prevent accidental deletions

Don’t give d (delete) permission unless necessary. Use rw instead of A for regular users.

Monitor uploads

Add the admin permission to see who uploaded what:

python copyparty-sfx.py -a admin:secret -v /mnt/files::r:A,admin

Set upload size limits

Restrict file sizes and total volume:

[/uploads]
  /mnt/uploads
  accs:
    w: *
  flags:
    sz: 1k-100m    # files between 1KB and 100MB
    vmaxb: 10g     # total volume max 10GB
    df: 5g         # keep 5GB free disk space

Enable unpost feature

Let users delete their own uploads within a time window:

python copyparty-sfx.py -e2d --unpost 43200 -v /mnt/uploads::w

Users can undo uploads within 12 hours (43200 seconds).

Next Steps

• Set up a media server for audio/video streaming
• Configure write-only folders for anonymous uploads
• Enable deduplication to save disk space
• Set up authentication with SSO