Configuring a File Store

From the Architect Panel → File Stores, click New. The configuration depends on the storage mode you pick.

Common fields

• Name — internal name shown in dropdowns where File Stores are referenced.
• Description — optional. Useful for documenting what this File Store is intended for.
• Storage Mode — Local or S3.
• Public / Private — whether files are directly URL-accessible:
  • Public: files have a guessable URL and can be accessed without authentication.
  • Private: files are only accessible via fetchfile.php which enforces permissions.
• Allowed File Types — restrict uploads to specific MIME types or extensions.
• Max File Size — reject uploads above this size.

Local-mode settings

When Storage Mode = Local:

• Path — directory where files are stored. Relative to the platform's root for public stores; outside the web root for private stores.
• URL Prefix — the URL path that the platform serves files from (for public stores).

S3-mode settings

When Storage Mode = S3:

• Bucket Name — the S3 bucket.
• Region — AWS region the bucket lives in.
• Access Key / Secret — AWS credentials. Or, if running on EC2, leave blank to use the instance's IAM role.
• Path prefix — optional sub-path inside the bucket (useful for sharing one bucket between multiple File Stores).
• Optional CloudFront distribution for CDN delivery — set the CloudFront URL here and the platform serves files via the CDN.

Testing

Upload a test file via a File Upload field pointing at the new store. Verify:

1. The upload completes without errors.
2. The file appears in the configured location (local path or S3 bucket).
3. The file is retrievable via the platform's UI (downloads or displays correctly).
4. For public stores: the file URL works in an incognito browser without authentication.
5. For private stores: the file URL via fetchfile.php works for authorised users but returns 403 for unauthorised.

Three real-world configurations

Example 1: Public marketing assets

Name: "Marketing Assets". Storage Mode: S3. Public: yes. Bucket: acme-marketing-assets. CloudFront distribution configured for fast global delivery. Used for product images, hero photos, logos referenced from public pages.

Example 2: Private customer documents

Name: "Customer Documents". Storage Mode: S3. Public: no. Bucket: acme-customer-private with bucket policy blocking public access. Files only served via fetchfile.php with permission checks. Used for contracts, ID uploads, signed documents.

Example 3: Local development store

Name: "Dev Uploads". Storage Mode: Local. Public: no. Path: /var/data/dev-uploads (outside the web root). Used during development for everything; production uses S3 instead.