Local Directory Server

A threaded HTTP/HTTPS server that exposes local Google Drive content as a JSON API for fast LAN-based file access in classrooms.

Why This Exists

The Problem

Classrooms need to access large presentation files (PPSX, PPTX, videos) from Google Drive. Downloading these files over the internet every time is slow and unreliable, especially with 30+ students accessing content simultaneously.

The Solution

1. Local caching: Google Drive syncs files to a local Windows machine at the school
2. LAN server: This Python server exposes those files over the local network
3. Fast access: Classroom tablets/laptops fetch files from the LAN server instead of the internet

Why a Subdomain Pointing to a LAN IP?

Modern browsers enforce strict security policies. The main application runs on https://erp.walnutedu.in, and browsers block requests from HTTPS pages to:

• Plain HTTP servers (http://192.168.1.100:8050) - blocked (mixed content)
• IP addresses with self-signed certs - blocked (certificate errors)

The Solution: Subdomain + Real SSL Certificate

1. Create a subdomain in GoDaddy DNS: shivanelocal.walnutedu.in
2. Point it to the LAN IP: 192.168.x.x (the local server's IP on the school network)
3. Get a real SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt for the subdomain
4. Run the server with HTTPS using that certificate

This way:

• Browser sees a valid domain with a trusted SSL cert
• No mixed content warnings
• No certificate errors
• Works seamlessly from https://erp.walnutedu.in

Setup Instructions

1. Install Python Dependencies

The server uses only Python standard library - no pip packages needed.

2. DNS Setup (GoDaddy)

1. Log into GoDaddy DNS management for walnutedu.in
2. Add an A record:
   • Name: shivanelocal (or wakadlocal, fursungilocal for other schools)
   • Type: A
   • Value: The LAN IP of the server (e.g., 192.168.1.100)
   • TTL: 1 hour

Note: This DNS record points to a private/LAN IP address. It will only resolve correctly when accessed from within the school network.

3. SSL Certificate Setup (Certbot)

Since the server is on a LAN IP (not publicly accessible), you must use DNS-01 challenge to verify domain ownership.

Install Certbot on Windows

# Download and install Certbot from https://certbot.eff.org/
# Or use winget:
winget install EFF.Certbot

Obtain Certificate with DNS Challenge

certbot certonly --manual --preferred-challenges dns -d shivanelocal.walnutedu.in

Certbot will ask you to create a TXT record:

1. Go to GoDaddy DNS
2. Add a TXT record:
   • Name: _acme-challenge.shivanelocal
   • Type: TXT
   • Value: (the value certbot provides)
3. Wait 1-2 minutes for DNS propagation
4. Press Enter in certbot to continue

Certificates will be saved to:

C:\Certbot\live\shivanelocal.walnutedu.in\fullchain.pem
C:\Certbot\live\shivanelocal.walnutedu.in\privkey.pem

4. Running the Server

# Basic HTTP (not recommended for production)
python directory_server.py -p 8050 -d "G:\My Drive\Content"

# With HTTPS (recommended)
python directory_server.py -p 8050 -d "G:\My Drive\Content" --cert "C:\Certbot\live\shivanelocal.walnutedu.in\fullchain.pem" --key "C:\Certbot\live\shivanelocal.walnutedu.in\privkey.pem"

5. Run as Windows Service (Optional)

To run the server automatically on startup, create a Windows Task Scheduler task or use NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager).

API Endpoints

List Directory

GET https://shivanelocal.walnutedu.in:8050/path/to/directory/

Returns JSON:

{
  "directory": "/path/to/directory/",
  "total_items": 5,
  "generated_at": "2025-01-30T10:00:00",
  "files": [
    {
      "name": "presentation.ppsx",
      "extension": "ppsx",
      "type": "file",
      "size_bytes": 2299529,
      "modified_timestamp": 1749023167.513,
      "modified_iso": "2025-06-04T13:16:07",
      "path": "/path/to/directory/presentation.ppsx"
    }
  ]
}

Download File

GET https://shivanelocal.walnutedu.in:8050/path/to/file.ppsx

Returns the file with appropriate MIME type and Content-Disposition headers.

Certificate Renewal

Let's Encrypt certificates expire every 90 days. To renew:

certbot renew

For automatic renewal, add a Windows Task Scheduler task to run certbot renew daily.

Concurrency

The server uses ThreadingMixIn to handle multiple concurrent requests. Each incoming request spawns a new thread, allowing 100+ simultaneous connections.

Troubleshooting

"Connection refused" from browser

• Ensure the server is running
• Check Windows Firewall allows the port (8050)
• Verify the DNS record points to the correct LAN IP

"Certificate error" in browser

• Ensure you're using --cert and --key flags
• Verify certificate files exist and are readable
• Check certificate hasn't expired: certbot certificates

"CORS error" in browser console

• The server includes CORS headers by default
• If issues persist, check browser dev tools for specific error

Google Drive files not showing

• Ensure Google Drive is running and synced
• Check the -d directory path is correct
• Server waits for Google Drive process on startup (can skip with --skip-drive-check)

License

MIT