HFS: Main menu

From rejetto wiki
Jump to: navigation, search

You can access the Main menu by either:

  • Clicking the Menu button on the Main menu.
  • Right-clicking the tray icon.

A list of all available commands is shown below. You may not always see them all. This is because you are in Easy mode, or because that command is not relevant to the current operation.

Menu items

This is a list of features directly accessible from the Main menu. Submenus are shown below.

Edit HTML template
This is only available in "Expert mode". It allows you to customize the appearance of the pages that HFS furnishes to browsers. See HTML Template Editor for more information.
Show bandwidth graph
If the graph is hidden (default), click this to make it visible. Graph display is displayed (by default) in "Expert mode".
Self Test
A test is made to verify the visibility of your HFS file server from the Internet. It also tries to automatically solve some problems.
Add files
Dialog to add files to the VFS.
Add folder from disk
Dialog to add a folder to the VFS from a disk.
Load file system
You can retrieve the VFS from files. You are prompted to find the correct directory.
Load recent files
Quick access to the last VFS-files you loaded.
Save file system
You can also store the VFS in files. Remember to save before quitting. If you haven't saved, this is indicated in the bottom right-hand corner of the status bar.
Clear file system
Empty the VFS and restores the initial state.
Uninstall HFS
Remove the software and related configurations (files and registry settings).
Information about the software.
Switch ON/OFF
When the server is ON, it accept new connections. Switching it OFF prompts you to break all current HFS connections.
When HFS is minimized, this brings the window to the top and makes it visible.
Quits HFS.

Other Options

Shell context menu
Toggles shell integration. When inegration is active, all .vfs files are associated with HFS, and all file menus include an Add to HFS item.
Auto-copy URL on addition
Every time you add a file, the URL is automatically copied to the clipboard.
Always on top
Displays the HFS window on top of all other windows.
Send HFS identifier
There is a standard way for HTTP servers to be recognized by clients. HFS does it automatically, but you can turn this off.
Persistent connections
Browsers normally open multiple connections when they download a page with icons. If you turn off this option, there will be a connection for every icon downloaded. This is slow. The less connections you open, the faster you go.
This does not speed up a single file download, but it can drastically speed up browsing through folders. You can turn this option off if you need to.
Specific HTML for download managers
Some download managers have an internal browser to browse through the links of a webpage. This feature makes them fetch an optimised HTML, and provides a better browsing experience. At the moment, this options works with the following download managers: Getright, FDM, FlasGet.
Graph refresh rate
This is the time by which the Bandwidth graph moves forward. The smaller the value, the faster it moves.
MIME types
This is for techies. Here you can associate files (by file masks) to MIME types.
You can read additional info about MIME types.
Open directly in-browser
This is not a command. It is a suggestion. It suggests to a browser what it should be open directly, and what instead should prompt a save dialog.
A user is often also called an account. To be recognized as a specific user, people have to log in. You can define privileges for users (and also limits in future versions).
Use comment as realm
If a realm is not specified, the comment will be used as realm.
See for information about realms.
Login realm
Specify a realm for the LOGIN button.
Hints for newcomers
Displays some extra hints.
Compressed browsing
Pages generated by HFS are sent compressed. This means you browse faster.
Modal dialog for options
When options dialog is modal, you can't access other windows until you close the options.
Enable ~nodefault
the ~nodefault is an URL the user can type to avoid the default file mask feature. Some administrators may do not want this, so it is an option.
Show customized options
It is a fast and easy way to have a look at what options are not in their default state. It is a good information to furnish when asking for help.


Delete partial uploads
When an upload is interrupted, the partial file is just deleted.
Rename partial uploads
This option is for those who want to keep partial uploads, and renames them for easy identification.
Number files on upload instead of overwriting
When someone uploads a file, another file with the same name may already exist. In this case, the new file gets another name (with numbers appended) to avoid overwriting.


Here you can find features about starting and quitting HFS.

Auto-copy URL on start
Copy the home URL to the clipboard as HFS starts.
Start minimized
When HFS starts, the window is minimized.
Reload on startup VFS file previously open
If you had a VFS file open the last time you quit, it is automatically reloaded.
Save in/out totals
When you restart HFS, the totals are reset. Using this options preserves their value.
Auto-save VFS on exit
If you have a VFS open, and it is modified, it is automatically saved on quitting.
Only 1 instance
When this option is off, you can run HFS as many times as you want.
When it is on, only one master runs. Any action directed to a new instance is simply forwarded to the existing one.
Confirm exit
Prompts for user confirmation before quitting.
Find external address at startup
When HFS starts, execute Menu →IP address →Find external address.


Here you can specify when HFS should automatically quit.

No downloads timeout
Quit when nothing is sent for a while.

Virtual File System

Folders before
Folders are always shown on top of other items.
Use system icons
You should care about this option. It makes specific file icons appears instead of the generic icon.
This can be very pretty, but can also slow down HFS drastically in at least three ways:
  • When you add a folder from the disc as a virtual one. At that time, HFS will load icons for every file, and if you have thousands of files, this could be a lengthy operation.
  • When you have a real folder and someone browses it. At that time, HFS will load all icons.
  • When people browse a page, HFS has to download every icon which can take much time and bandwidth.
  • Load single comment files
    Enables the loading of .comment files. Read more about it
    List files with hidden/system attribute
    Files have attributes. This option determines if files with any specific attribute are shown.
    List protected items only for allowed users
    You can hide protected items (by password or account) from being listed to unauthorized browsers.
    Flag files added recently
    You set a time range, and if a file is fresh enough, it gets a tag.
    Auto-save every
    The VFS is autosaved at a regular time interval.
    Reset downloads
    Reset the counter for all files and folders.


    Speed limit
    Specify the maximum total bandwidth HFS will use when sending files.
    Pause streaming
    Stops file sending, but does not break connections. It just sets the "speed limit" to zero, temporarily.
    Max connections
    The maximum number of connections allowed.
    Max connections from single address
    The maximum number of connections allowed from the same IP address.
    Max simultaneous downloads
    You can set the maximum number of simultaneous downloads.
    Max simultaneous downloads from single address
    As above, but referring to a single address. This is a good way to share bandwidth better.
    Max simultaneous addresses
    Determine how many people browse simultaneously. Be aware that not always do different people have different addresses on the internet.
    Max simultaneous addresses downloading
    Determine how many people download simultaneously. Be aware that not always do different people have different addresses on the internet.
    Connections inactivity timeout
    If a connection is inactive for a while, it can be automatically broken.
    You can prevent clients from specified IP addresses.
    Minimum disk space
    Allows you to set (in megabytes) the minimum amount of free space that must be available before an upload starts. This is obviously useful when your hard disk is nearly full, or if you expect someone is going to send you a huge unwanted file.
    Allowed referer... 
    Allows you to set which sites are are allowed to hotlink to your files.
    Prevent leeching 
    by enabling this feature, you will prevent abusing by download accelerators. Consequence is having a limit of 1 connection on the same file by the same IP address.

    Flash task button

    The taskbar is that bar with the START button. The task button is on the taskbar (also called the notification area) and has HFS written on it. You can make it flash to alert you to events.

    On download
    Flash when a file is requested for download.
    On connection
    Flash when a connection is established.
    Disable the task button flashing option.
    Also beep
    Make a sound when the task button flashes.

    Tray icons

    Tray icons are the HFS icons in the bottom-right corner of your screen, near the clock (also called the "notification area").

    Minimize to tray
    When you minimize HFS, the taskbutton is hidden and only the tray icon remains.
    Show main tray icon
    If this option is on, the main tray icon is always displayed, even if HFS is not minimized.
    Main icon shows
    The main tray icon displays a number. You can choose whether this indicates the "Number of" "current connections", or "logged downloads", or "logged uploads", or "logged hits".
    Tray message
    When the mouse hovers over the main tray icon, it displays a message. You can customize the message here.
    Tray icon for each download
    You can have multiple tray icons. For every file download, an icon is created to show progress.

    IP address

    This menu doesn't actually change the way the network works. It is used by HFS to form URLs in the Address bar, for your convenience.

    Sometimes it is useful to type the address yourself. For example, if you have your own domain or you are NATted.
    Don't include port in URL
    This only affects URL building. Use with care.
    Find external address
    This is useful if you are in a LAN and HFS only detects your internal address, but you may want to be visible on the internet.
    In these cases, the external address is not actually your address, it is the address of your router. To make the address work, you have to correctly configure your router.
    Constantly search for better address
    Let's say you have a dialup connection (no router). You run HFS, it detects your local address and shows it. Then you connect and get a new internet address.
    If this option is on, HFS will automatically switch to the new address.

    Accept connections on

    Your computer may be on several networks. On every network, your computer has an address. On this menu you can specify the network where HFS should work, by selecting the related address.

    Selecting Any address, connections will be accepted from anywhere. Instead, if a numeric address is specified, only the related network will work.

    Please, notice that identifies the local loopback, also called localhost: this will bound HFS to work only inside your computer and not accept anything from the outside.

    Dynamic DNS updater

    If your IP address changes often (because of dial-up for example), you can still use a domain name if you use a Dynamic DNS service and update your address information with them. This can be tiresome if you often get a new ip address. HFS is able to automatically update your information. This means you can use a domain name instead of an ip address in your links, e.g http://your.domain.net/ instead of http://*.123.45.67/

    ****** wizard
    This is a wizard which helps you to setup HFS to update DNS on DynDNS[1], No-IP[2], or CJB[3]. Use the user information provided by your DNS service when creating your account with them.
    The update is made through an URL. Here you can input such a URL, for example, if your service has no wizard.
    See last server response
    When an update is attempted, it may fail. Sometimes, you may want to see the server response.

    URL encoding

    Encode spaces
    You can disable space encoding to avoid those %20. Please notice that your chat will probably not recognize the full URL.
    Encode non-ASCII characters
    ASCII characters are alphanumerics plus a few more. They are usually encoded in the %NN form.
    Non-ASCII characters are subject to incompatibilities. UNICODE systems solve this problem with an international standard for characters. Some systems do not support it, so it is your choice to use it or not.


    Check for news/updates
    Download information about new versions and security notifications.
    Auto check every day
    Check for updates once a day. To avoid annoyance, other notifications are not displayed by this feature.
    Keep old version updating
    Updating replaces the software. If this option is off, the old version will be lost. When is on, you see that the old hfs.exe file is renamed to hfs.old.exe.

    Save options

    You can decide where, how, and if, to save options.


    to file
    All options are written to a file (named hfs.ini).
    to registry (current user)
    All options are written to the registry. Only current user is affected (This apply to multi-user versions of Windows).
    to registry (all users)
    All options are written to the registry. All users are affected.
    Clear options and quit
    Auto-save options on exit
    Auto-save every