Downloads Setup

Enable and configure downloadable file attachments for your channel.

Overview

The downloads feature allows users to attach files to discussions, including:

• 3D model files (STL, OBJ, BLEND, GLB)
• Archives (ZIP, RAR)
• Images (PNG, JPG, GIF)
• Other file types you allow

Enabling Downloads

Channel-Level Toggle

1. Go to Channel Settings → Downloads
2. Toggle Downloads Enabled on
3. Save changes

Server-Level Requirement

Downloads must also be enabled at the server level. If your server admin has disabled downloads, you cannot enable them for your channel.

Allowed File Types

Inheriting Server Defaults

By default, channels use the server's allowed file types. To see the current server defaults, contact your server admin.

Customizing File Types

To set channel-specific file types:

1. Go to Channel Settings → Downloads
2. Find Allowed File Types
3. Add or remove extensions (e.g., .stl, .zip)
4. Save changes

Note: You can restrict file types further than the server default, but you cannot allow types that the server prohibits.

Common File Types

Extension	Use Case
.stl	3D printing models
.obj	3D models with materials
.blend	Blender project files
.glb	Web-ready 3D models
.zip	Compressed archives
.rar	Compressed archives
.png	Images with transparency
.jpg	Compressed images

Download Filters

Create custom filter categories to help users find downloads.

Creating Filter Groups

1. Go to Channel Settings → Downloads
2. Click Add Filter Group
3. Configure the filter:

Field	Description
Key	Internal identifier (e.g., print_size)
Display Name	User-visible label (e.g., "Print Size")
Mode	INCLUDE or EXCLUDE

Adding Filter Options

For each filter group, add options:

1. Click Add Option
2. Set:
   • Value: Internal value (e.g., small)
   • Display Name: User-visible label (e.g., "Small (< 50mm)")
3. Set the display order
4. Repeat for additional options

Example: 3D Printing Channel

Filter groups for a 3D printing community:

Print Size:

• Small (< 50mm)
• Medium (50-150mm)
• Large (150-300mm)
• Extra Large (> 300mm)

Print Type:

• Figurine
• Functional Part
• Decoration
• Prop/Cosplay

Support Required:

• Supportless
• Minimal Supports
• Heavy Supports

Using Filters

Once configured, users can:

1. Click the filter icon on the downloads tab
2. Select filter options
3. View filtered results
4. Clear filters to see all downloads

File Features

Attachments on Discussions

Users create downloads by:

1. Creating or editing a discussion
2. Clicking Add Download
3. Uploading a file
4. Setting file details (optional)

File Properties

Property	Description
File Name	Original filename
Kind	File type (ZIP, STL, etc.)
Size	File size in bytes
URL	Download link

Download Tracking

The system tracks:

• Total download count
• Unique downloaders
• Download history

Version Control

Files support versioning:

Uploading New Versions

1. Edit the discussion with the download
2. Click Add Version on the file
3. Upload the new file
4. Add a changelog entry (optional)
5. Save changes

Version Properties

Property	Description
Version Number	Sequential version
Changelog	Description of changes
Created At	Upload timestamp
Size	File size

Accessing Previous Versions

Users can view and download previous versions from the discussion page.

File Scanning

When the server or your channel has an explicit security pipeline, uploaded files are scanned for malware. Merely enabling the scanner plugin does not schedule it.

Status	Description
PENDING	Awaiting or running a scan; download is blocked
CLEAN	No issues detected
INFECTED	Malware found; download is blocked
SUSPICIOUS	Flagged for manual review; download is blocked
FAILED	Scan could not complete; download is blocked

All non-clean states are logical quarantine states. Channel owners cannot disable a server-required scan. If scanning is not required at server scope, you can add security-attachment-scan to the channel's discussionChannel.created pipeline.

Channel pipeline configuration is under Channel Settings → Pipelines. Only plugins installed and enabled by a server administrator are available. If both the server upload pipeline and the channel submission pipeline select the scanner, the server requirement takes precedence and Multiforum does not scan the same bytes twice merely because the discussion joins the channel.

The channel's plugin settings can require a README or LICENSE at the root of a ZIP file. The scan service URL, shared API key, threat threshold, and fail-open or fail-closed behavior remain server-controlled.

See Download pipelines for the uploader-facing workflow, Channel plugins for channel configuration, and Security attachment scanning for the server-side scanner architecture.

Moderation

Removing Downloads

As a channel owner, you can:

1. Navigate to the discussion with the download
2. Click the action menu
3. Select Archive or Edit to remove the file

Reporting Downloads

Users can report problematic downloads:

1. Click the report icon on the download
2. Select a reason
3. Submit the report
4. A moderation issue is created

Best Practices

File Type Selection

Consider your community's needs:

• Only allow relevant file types
• Be cautious with executable formats
• Consider archive formats for multi-file projects

Filter Organization

Design filters that:

• Match how users think about content
• Have clear, mutually exclusive options
• Cover the most common categorizations

Quality Guidelines

Communicate expectations:

• File naming conventions
• Required metadata
• Quality standards
• Attribution requirements

Troubleshooting

Upload Failures

If uploads fail:

1. Check file type is allowed
2. Verify file size is within limits
3. Ensure user has upload permission
4. Check server storage is configured

Missing Filter Options

If filters don't appear:

1. Verify filter groups are saved
2. Check filter mode (INCLUDE/EXCLUDE)
3. Ensure options have display names

Download Errors

If downloads fail:

1. Check file scan status
2. Open the download's Pipelines tab for public diagnostics
3. Retry an incomplete scan if the action is available
4. Verify storage is accessible
5. Check user permissions