School File Server

A web-based file server application designed for school intranet use, enabling teachers to upload and share educational materials with students via touch screen digital class boards.

Features

• 🎯 Touch-Optimized Interface: Designed for touch screen digital class boards
• 📱 Responsive Design: Works on various screen sizes and devices
• 🔒 Offline Capability: No internet connection required
• 📁 File Management: Support for PDF, images, videos, audio, and documents
• 🎨 Full-Screen Viewing: Immersive viewing experience for all media types
• 📄 PDF Presentation Mode: Navigate through PDF pages with forward/backward buttons
• 👥 User Management: Admin and teacher accounts with role-based permissions
• 🏫 Class Organization: Files organized by class and subject structure

Technology Stack

• Backend: .NET 9 (ASP.NET Core MVC)
• Database: SQLite (portable, no server required)
• Frontend: Razor Views with Tailwind CSS
• Authentication: Cookie-based authentication
• File Storage: Local file system with virtual directory structure

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• .NET 9 SDK
• Windows Server with IIS (for production deployment)

Development Setup

1. Clone and Navigate

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd SchoolFileServer

2. Restore Dependencies

   dotnet restore

3. Run the Application

   dotnet run

4. Access the Application

   • Open browser to: http://localhost:5272
   • Default admin login:
     • Username: admin
     • Password: admin123

Production Deployment on Windows Server IIS

Step 1: Prepare the Server

1. Install IIS with ASP.NET Core Module

   # Enable IIS
   Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WebServerRole, IIS-WebServer, IIS-CommonHttpFeatures, IIS-HttpErrors, IIS-HttpRedirect, IIS-ApplicationDevelopment, IIS-NetFxExtensibility45, IIS-HealthAndDiagnostics, IIS-HttpLogging, IIS-Security, IIS-RequestFiltering, IIS-Performance, IIS-WebServerManagementTools, IIS-ManagementConsole, IIS-IIS6ManagementCompatibility, IIS-Metabase, IIS-ASPNET45
   
   # Download and install ASP.NET Core Hosting Bundle
   # https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/9.0

Step 2: Publish the Application

1. Publish for Production

   dotnet publish -c Release -o "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SchoolFileServer"

Step 3: Configure IIS

1. Create Application Pool

   # In IIS Manager:
   # - Create new Application Pool named "SchoolFileServer"
   # - Set .NET CLR Version to "No Managed Code"
   # - Set Process Model Identity to "ApplicationPoolIdentity"

2. Create Virtual Directory Structure

   Default Web Site
   └── SchoolFileServer (Application)
       ├── Physical Path: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SchoolFileServer
       └── Application Pool: SchoolFileServer
   

3. Set Permissions

   # Grant IIS_IUSRS permissions to application directory
   icacls "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SchoolFileServer" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)F" /T
   
   # Create uploads directory
   mkdir "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SchoolFileServer\wwwroot\uploads"
   icacls "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SchoolFileServer\wwwroot\uploads" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)F" /T

Step 4: Configure the Application

1. Update Connection String (if needed)

   // appsettings.json
   {
     "ConnectionStrings": {
       "DefaultConnection": "Data Source=C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\SchoolFileServer\\SchoolFileServer.db"
     }
   }

2. Ensure Database Permissions

   # Grant IIS_IUSRS permissions to database file (after first run)
   icacls "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SchoolFileServer\SchoolFileServer.db" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:F"

Step 5: Test the Deployment

1. Browse to: http://localhost/SchoolFileServer
2. Login with default credentials:
   • Username: admin
   • Password: admin123

File Organization Structure

The application organizes files in the following structure:

wwwroot/uploads/
├── Class VI/
│   ├── Mathematics/
│   ├── Science/
│   ├── English/
│   └── [Other Subjects]/
├── Class VII/
├── Class VIII/
├── Class IX/
├── Class X/
├── Class XI/
└── Class XII/

User Roles and Permissions

Anonymous Users (Students)

• Browse and view all files
• Access full-screen viewing mode
• Use PDF presentation mode
• No upload or administrative capabilities

Teachers

• All anonymous user capabilities
• Upload files to assigned classes/subjects
• Create new subject folders
• Delete their own uploaded files

Administrators

• All teacher capabilities
• Create and manage teacher accounts
• Access admin dashboard
• Delete any files
• Full system administration

Security Features

• File Type Validation: Only allowed file types can be uploaded
• File Size Limits: Maximum 100MB per file
• Path Traversal Protection: Secure file path handling
• Content Type Validation: File content verification
• Role-Based Access Control: Different permissions for different user types
• Secure File Storage: Files stored outside web root when possible

Supported File Types

• Documents: PDF, Word (.doc, .docx), PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx), Excel (.xls, .xlsx), Text (.txt)
• Images: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, WebP
• Videos: MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, WebM
• Audio: MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OGG

Configuration

Default Admin Credentials

// appsettings.json
{
  "DefaultCredentials": {
    "AdminUsername": "admin",
    "AdminPassword": "admin123"
  }
}

File Upload Settings

// appsettings.json
{
  "FileUpload": {
    "MaxFileSize": 104857600, // 100MB in bytes
    "AllowedExtensions": [".pdf", ".jpg", ".jpeg", "..."]
  }
}

Database Configuration

The application uses SQLite for easy deployment and portability. The database is automatically created on first run with:

• Default admin user (admin/admin123)
• Standard class structure (VI through XII)
• Required database schema

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Database Permission Errors

   # Ensure IIS_IUSRS has write access to the database file
   icacls "path\to\SchoolFileServer.db" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:F"

2. File Upload Errors

   # Check uploads directory permissions
   icacls "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SchoolFileServer\wwwroot\uploads" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)F" /T

3. Application Won't Start

   • Verify ASP.NET Core Hosting Bundle is installed
   • Check Application Pool settings (.NET CLR Version = "No Managed Code")
   • Review IIS logs in logs\stdout directory

Log Locations

• Application Logs: logs\stdout directory
• IIS Logs: C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles\W3SVC1\
• Windows Event Logs: Application and System logs

Backup and Maintenance

Database Backup

# Copy SQLite database file
copy "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SchoolFileServer\SchoolFileServer.db" "C:\Backups\SchoolFileServer_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd').db"

File Backup

# Backup uploads directory
robocopy "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SchoolFileServer\wwwroot\uploads" "C:\Backups\uploads_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd')" /E

Updating the Application

1. Stop the application pool
2. Backup current application and database
3. Deploy new version using dotnet publish
4. Start the application pool

Performance Optimization

• Static File Caching: Configured in web.config for 7 days
• Compression: Enabled for static content
• Database Indexing: Optimized indexes on frequently queried columns
• File Streaming: Large files are streamed rather than loaded into memory

Support and Customization

The application is designed to be easily customizable for different school environments:

• Class Names: Modify the SchoolClass seed data in SchoolFileContext.cs
• File Types: Update allowed extensions in FileService.cs and appsettings.json
• UI Styling: Tailwind CSS classes can be modified in views
• Upload Limits: Adjust in both appsettings.json and web.config

License

This project is designed for educational use in school environments.