File Sharing
Rostyman's File Sharing module lets you send files, folders, and chat messages directly to other devices on the same local network — no cloud, no internet, no account required. Transfer speeds are limited only by your network.
Getting Started
Open the File Sharing panel from the left sidebar. The panel has three sections:
| Tab | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Devices | All discovered devices on your LAN |
| Groups | Device groups you have created |
| History | All past transfers (sent and received) |
Enable File Sharing with the toggle at the top of the panel or in Settings → File Sharing. The status bar shows a sharing icon while active.
Device Discovery
Rostyman uses mDNS (Bonjour) to automatically find other Rostyman instances on the same Wi-Fi or wired network — no IP addresses needed.
- Auto-Discovery on — broadcast your presence and discover others automatically
- Auto-Discovery off — go hidden immediately; other devices see you go offline within seconds
- Manual add — if mDNS is blocked by your network, add a device by IP address
Stable Device Identity
Devices are identified by a permanent hardware ID (BIOS UUID on Windows, IOPlatformUUID on macOS, machine-id on Linux), not by IP address. Contacts and block lists stay intact even when a device changes IP, reconnects, or reinstalls Rostyman.
Sending Files
Click Send Files to open the dialog:
- Add files or folders (click Add File / Add Folder, or drag and drop)
- Select one or more recipient devices
- Optionally set a password to encrypt the transfer
- Click Send
Transfer progress appears in real time. The recipient sees an approval prompt before the transfer starts.
Chat
Open any device and switch to the Messages tab to chat over your local network (TLS-encrypted).
Messages & Emoji
- Press Enter to send
- Type
:shortcodes:like:thumbsup:and they convert to emoji automatically
Reactions
Hover over any message to reveal the quick-reaction bar. Click a quick pick or ➕ to open the full picker (700+ emojis, 7 categories, searchable). Click your reaction pill to remove it. Reactions sync to the other device in real time.
Delivery Status
Every sent message shows an indicator:
| Indicator | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ⏳ Pending | Device is offline — message queued, will deliver automatically |
| ✓ Sent | Left your device |
| ✓ Delivered | Confirmed received |
| ✗ Failed | Could not deliver after retries |
Offline Queuing
Messages sent to an offline device queue automatically and deliver when the recipient reconnects. Rostyman retries for up to 24 hours.
File Attachments in Chat
Files sent with a message appear as an attachment card in the bubble on both sides once the transfer completes. Click to open, or click the folder icon to reveal in your file manager.
Incoming Transfers
When a device sends you files, an approval dialog appears showing the sender, file names, sizes, and any attached message:
- Accept — receive the files
- Reject — decline
- Reject & Block Files — decline and block future transfers from that device
Approval Mode (in Settings):
- Strict — always ask (default)
- Auto — accept from all devices without asking
Groups
Groups let you view activity across multiple devices in one place.
Creating a Group
- Click New Group in the Groups tab
- Enter a name and select devices
- Click Create Group
Group Tabs
| Tab | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Members | Devices in the group with live online/offline status |
| Messages | Merged read-only timeline from all member devices, with date separators (Today / Yesterday / date) and emoji reactions |
| Sent Files | Files you have sent to any device in the group |
| Received Files | Files received from devices in the group |
Group messaging (sending a message to all group members at once) is coming in a future release. The Messages tab is currently view-only.
Trust, Aliases & Blocking
Right-click any device or use the device action menu:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Set Alias | Give the device a custom display name |
| Favorite | Pin to the top of the device list |
| Trusted | Mark as trusted |
| Block File Transfers | Reject all file transfers from this device |
| Block Messages | Reject all messages from this device |
Blocks apply by hardware ID — a blocked device cannot bypass it by changing IP or reinstalling.
Transfer History
The History tab shows all past transfers with file names, sizes, timestamps, and status. Click Show in Folder to open a received file's location in your file manager.
Settings
Settings → File Sharing
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable File Sharing | Turn the module on or off |
| Download Location | Where received files are saved (default: Downloads) |
| Approval Mode | Strict (always ask) or Auto (accept all) |
| Auto-Discovery | Broadcast presence and discover nearby devices |
| Discovery Interval | How often to scan (5 s – 1 min) |
Quick Share (Right Panel)
Quick Share is a fast-access panel in the right panel (Ctrl+J → Quick Share tab) for sending files and messages to trusted devices without opening the full File Sharing sidebar.
Opening Quick Share
Press Ctrl+J (or click the panel icon in the status bar) and select Quick Share from the vertical tab strip on the right edge.
Sending with Quick Share
- Add files — drag and drop files onto the panel, or click Add Files to browse
- Select a device — use the search box to filter; only trusted, non-blocked devices are shown. An online indicator shows which devices are reachable right now
- Optional message — type a message to attach (supports
:shortcode:emoji conversion) - Optional password — check Password protect and enter a passphrase to encrypt the transfer
- Click Send
Transfer Status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Waiting for approval | Recipient has been notified and can accept or reject |
| Sending (N%) | Transfer in progress |
| Delivered | Recipient received all files |
| Failed | Transfer could not complete |
If auto-discovery is disabled, a banner reminds you to enable it. If File Sharing itself is off, the panel shows a disabled state with a link to open Settings.
File Inbox (Right Panel)
File Inbox shows all incoming transfer requests in the right panel (Ctrl+J → File Inbox tab). A badge on the tab icon shows how many pending approvals are waiting.
Opening File Inbox
Press Ctrl+J and select File Inbox from the vertical tab strip.
Reviewing Incoming Transfers
Each entry shows:
- Sender name and device
- File names (up to 3 listed; "+N more" if there are additional files)
- Total file count and size
- Any message attached to the transfer
- A status indicator
Actions
| Action | When available | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Accept | Pending | Start receiving the files |
| Reject | Pending | Decline the transfer |
| Reject & Block | Pending | Decline and block all future transfers from this device |
| Dismiss ✕ | Completed / Timed out | Remove the entry from the inbox |
Password-Protected Transfers
If the sender used a password, a password field appears after you click Accept. Enter the correct passphrase to decrypt and receive the files.
Progress
A progress bar shows transfer progress while files are being received. Once complete, a Show in Folder link lets you open the download location immediately.
Clear Completed
Click Clear Completed (appears when there are finished or rejected entries) to dismiss all of them at once.
Logs
Each device has a Logs tab with a timestamped log of all activity — connections, transfers, messages, and errors. Filter by level/category, export, or copy to clipboard.