Local, WebDAV, and SFTP

These providers write to your directory or server. Check where the file is stored and how a browser can access it separately. Entering a domain does not turn a directory into a website.

Local: complete a practice upload

Provider ID: local. You need a writable directory, with no account.

1. Create a directory in your file manager, such as D:\Pictures\PicList on Windows.
2. Choose PicBed → Local → Add New Configuration.
3. Name it Practice and enter the full directory in Set Path.
4. Leave Set Custom URL and Set Web Path empty, then Confirm.
5. Select the card, make Local the default provider, upload a PNG, and check the file in that directory.

A name and Set Path are enough for this practice exercise. Replace the demo R: path with your own directory. View full size ↗

UI / JSON field	Purpose	Example
Set Path / path	Actual write directory	D:\Pictures\PicList or /srv/www/images
Set Custom URL / customUrl	Optional HTTP(S) prefix	https://images.example.com
Set Web Path / webPath	Directory in the public URL	gallery/

Without customUrl, the result is a local path. It is useful for testing or saving files locally; other people cannot access your image through that path.

Map an existing static website

Suppose your web server already serves /srv/www/images as the root of https://images.example.com. Set path to /srv/www/images, customUrl to https://images.example.com, and leave webPath empty. photo.png is written to /srv/www/images/photo.png and linked as https://images.example.com/photo.png.

Your existing web server supplies this mapping. Public URLs should not contain server directories such as /srv/www.

If that directory is served under /gallery/, set webPath to gallery/. Test one image in a browser before using the links in articles.

WebDAV: connect a writable remote directory

Provider ID: webdavplist. Obtain the service's WebDAV address and account, and verify write access with its own client first.

1. Open PicBed → WebDAV and add a configuration.
2. Set host to the server and interface path, for example dav.example.com/remote.php/dav/files/USER.
3. Enable sslEnabled for HTTPS. This switch selects the protocol; writing https:// into host alone is insufficient.
4. Enter username and password locally and choose Basic or Digest as required.
5. Set path to the WebDAV upload directory, for example pictures/. Save, select, and test an image.

Field	Purpose
host / sslEnabled	WebDAV interface address and HTTPS switch
username / password	Credentials entered locally
path	Write directory in the service
authType	basic or digest
customUrl	Optional public prefix
webpath	Directory mapping on the public site; JSON uses a lowercase p
options	Optional link suffix

Without customUrl, the result commonly uses the WebDAV address and may require login. If you have a separate public file domain, enter customUrl and its webpath. An empty webpath follows the upload directory.

A WebDAV share page is not necessarily a direct file URL. Check that the response is an image rather than an HTML login or share page.

SFTP: transfer with SSH, serve with HTTP

Provider ID: sftpplist. Prepare an SSH host, port, user, writable directory, and an HTTP(S) address that serves those files.

1. Open PicBed → SFTP and add a configuration.
2. Set host to the SSH hostname or IP and port to 22 unless yours differs. Do not enter a full sftp:// URL.
3. Enter username and either password or privateKey. privateKey is the local path to a private key file, not the key contents. Use passphrase if the key needs one.
4. Set uploadPath to the actual server directory, such as /srv/www/images.
5. Set customUrl to https://images.example.com. If it maps to that directory's root, set webPath to /.
6. Leave permission fields at their defaults unless needed and authorized by the server. Save and test.

Field	Example or purpose
host / port / username	SSH connection
password	Password authentication
privateKey / passphrase	Local key file path and optional passphrase
uploadPath	/srv/www/images
customUrl	https://images.example.com
webPath	/ or a website directory such as gallery/
fileMode / dirMode / fileUser	Optional permissions and ownership; server authorization required

Without webPath, SFTP can use uploadPath in generated URLs, including /srv/www/images. Set webPath according to your web server mapping. Without customUrl, PicList derives an HTTPS prefix from the SSH host; that host must still provide a working web service.

customUrl must be an HTTP(S) address without credentials, query parameters, or a fragment. The SFTP port is usually different from the website's port.

Verify and troubleshoot

Symptom	Check
Local file is missing	Active path, final filename, another named directory configuration
WebDAV 401	Account, HTTPS switch, Basic / Digest, interface path
SFTP connection fails	Host, port, user, authentication, readable key file
Permission denied	Directory write access and authorization for optional chmod/chown
Upload succeeds, URL is 404	customUrl and webPath match the actual website
Preview works only inside PicList	Localhost cache or authenticated access

These providers can use a local preview cache. localhost:36699 addresses are for in-app previews on this machine. Publish a reader-accessible URL. Removing a gallery record, clearing a cache, and deleting a destination file are separate operations; see Gallery and links.