On this page:
Purpose and use-example of the FilePool
The FilePool offers an interface to conveniently share large audio files with other wikiloops users.
It is part of the tools offered within wikiloops private bands, which require either an invitation by the band's founder, or an upgraded membership to be able to set up band projects.
Audio files quickly exceed the attachment-size-limits offered by email providers, so it has become a common thing to share such larger files by using dedicated services, such as the well-known Dropbox or WeTransfer to name just two.
The wikiloops FilePool offers similar functionality to offer this kind of service within the wikiloops collaboration environment, where requests for audio files happen on a frequent basis.
Whenever someone is interested in producing a more sophisticated mix than possible by adding to an already-mixed and .mp3-converted track, there is demand to get a hold on the high quality single tracks of the collaboration.
Depending on the involved instruments, that may be quite a lot of files:
Just think of a fully mic-ed drumset which can easily result in 8 single channels by itself, and (assuming the track is five minutes long, and the tracks come as 24bit .wav) may have a total filesize above 1GB, just for the drums of one song.
Such amounts of data can not be attached to the standard wikiloops remix uploads, but can easily be shared by using the FilePool.
Sharing files via the FilePool
To add a file to the FilePool of a band, log in and visit the band's page, which you may access from the "bands"-tab on your user profile.
By choosing the band, you are at the same time choosing who will be able to access your files, as the band's invited-guest-list serves as the access control for the FilePool.
On the band's page, open the "FilePool"-tab.
Now, either drag and drop the file(s) to share to the FilePool-tab, or click on the offered button to open your browser's file-explorer, with which you may select the files to upload from your local hard-drive.
The file(s) start uploading immediately after being selected, and you will see upload progress bars for each file.
Leave the browser window open until all uploads have finished. You may continue browsing wikiloops in a second browser tab or window if you like, but leaving the band's page during a file-upload will cancel the upload.
Once your upload has finished, you may optionally inform the other band participants about the files being available by sending a group-internal message through the "messaging"-tab in the "Communications"-panel on the right side of the band's page.
Downloading files from the FilePool
To download a file shared through the FilePool,
log in, visit the band page and switch to the "FilePool"-Tab in the "Collaborations"-panel.
A list of available files and the sharing users' avatar images is displayed below the upload-area. Newly added files are displayed at the top of the list.
To start a file-download, simply click on the hyperlinked filename displayed in the list.
Deleting files in a FilePool
To be able to delete a file from a FilePool, you either need to be the person who uploaded the file, or you need to be the founder of the band who is in control of the provided storage space utilized by the FilePool.
The band's founder may also set an automated file-deletion rule in the storage assigning procedure, which will automatically delete files after 90 days.
If this is enabled, a message in the head area of the FilePool will inform all people with access about the automatic expiry being enabled.
To manually delete a file in the FilePool, navigate to the "FilePool"-tab on the band's page and click on the "Delete"-button offered in the bottom-right corner of each listed file you would like to delete.
help article was written by Richard Kaiser on and last edited on
If someone had told me that one day I played with musicians from all over the world I would have taken for a madman. Today this is real! Thanks Dick