Can I upload attachments from a URL or FTP?

[Damien99]

Hi,
I am setting up a new forum but I have all the attachments stored on a web server (the same server)

My problem is, the files are large in size and take forever to upload as attachments, even tho I already have them stored on that website in a folder.  I do not want to link directly to them with public URLs, so the only way you can access the link is to be logged into the forum.

Is there anyway I can add attachments without actually attaching them or is there a mod where the browse attachment option can be a URL?

I understand I can add multiple attachment folders, but they show up as empty when I add them, and I assume this is because the database has no index of those files.. is there anyway I can build a manual index? I cannot find the answer and everything seems to all point back to PM mods... but I do not want to add inline attacthments in posts or messages, because the additional attachment folders show empty anyway, so there is no ID I could assign even if I wanted to.

If anyone could help that would be great, this has been digging away at me for a couple of weeks, to the point Im asking for help.. I always try and find the solution first but this time i'm stumped.

[Arantor]

Nope, there is no in built function or mod for this that I know of - and it's historically been discouraged as 'enabling piracy'.