[slidelljohn]

Not really sure why my url is not excepted when submitting a new patch.
In Additional Help File submissions it says "URLs to files must be a
direct link, meaning when that URL is entered into a browser, a download
should start."

My url entered into a browser starts a download but I get this error when
I try to submit my file:

1. URL 'http://download2269.mediafire.com/va8p8v3d8eag/k303kv192zm9i3d/start%2Bat%2Bany%2Blevel%2Bgradius%2B3%2Bv0.2.zip' is not valid! File URL's from domain 'mediafire.com' are not allowed because they are not direct links to the files which are required for automated processing. See the following url for our recommendations: http://www.romhacking.net/?&page=help&action=additionalhelp

I have used mediafire.com before to upload a doc but I'm not sure whats
going on with uploading this new patch. Can I no longer use mediafire.com,
is my link not a direct link, or am I doing something wrong?

[filler]

Your link is not a direct link. If you have to click something else after clicking your link, it's not direct. A direct link is a path directly to the file on a server. It should end in the file name like

Code: [Select]

http://my_site/my_patch.zip

[slidelljohn]

So if this screen is the 1st thing that shows up its not a direct link?



Can you post any working direct link so I can see how a direct link
is supposed to work? Is this something new? I used the same site for
uploading a doc a few months ago.

[mz]

So if this screen is the 1st thing that shows up its not a direct link?

That's because they're serving it like that only to you, for who knows what reason...

Why don't you just use one of the recommendations, as that error message says? Ze Bucket and/or this server's The Scratchpad work great...

[slidelljohn]

"That's because they're serving it like that only to you"

So everyone that clicks the link I posted in the error doesn't
go directly to the download screen I posted? That's odd. What
screen is showing when you all click that link?

Maybe I used the scratch pad last time. I'll try that. Thanks!

[Gideon Zhi]

The link takes *me* to a webpage saying that it's generating a new download key. Mediafire (and sites like it) hide their actual downloads behind layers of obfuscation and redirection to force users to look at ads and wait for download timers before they can actually get to the file. Any actual paths like the one you pasted are temporary and are tied to your browser session.

[slidelljohn]

Well that explains it. Mediafire tricked me!

I guess I should probably stop using Mediafire. Is Ze Bucket the recommended hosting site to use for my files? What free hosting
site do you all like to use for direct links?

I was able to use the scratch pad for submitting my patch and it worked.
Scratch pad must have been what I used the last time. Thanks mz!