Avoid File Level Permissions
Files edited via the Mac Finder, when saved, lose their original permissions and inherit the permissions of the parent directory. Because the system is often used for collaboration among users of all platforms, we suggest that all users avoid applying permissions at the file level. When you wish to collaborate on writing or managing files in a shared space, we recommend you set the sharing permissions at the folder level only.
Creating New Shared Directories within Department Directories
By default the Department directories are set up to grant the Department group full access to all subdirectories. When you create a new subdirectory or wish to change an existing subdirectory so that it can be shared by only a subset of the whole group, you must first add yourself to the permissions and give yourself full access (i.e., read, write, delete, and administer permissions). After you’ve added yourself, you can remove the permissions for the department group. If you do not add your own account first, when you remove the department group from the permissions, you won’t be able to access the folder any more.
The database driven applications EndNote and Access are not good candidates for remotely editing files stored on a network drive. While it can be convenient to keep a copy of your EndNote library on WesFiles, the recommendation from EndNote support is to “copy the .enl file and the .Data folder onto the computer. Then open the local copy. After you have made the changes, you would close the library in EndNote and then copy back.” If you do run into a problem with an EndNote library, you can try the following. First, close and reopen EndNote to see if the error recurs. Second, you can run the recovery tool included with EndNote. (The program will automatically offer you this option when there is a problem with your data.) Third, if you are using a Mac, look for an older version of your library in the trash. Fourth, you can contact EndNote (http://endnote.com/). If the recovery tool does not work, they will look at your database to see what they can do for you.
Ambiguous Icons
The icons that appear in the “Share” column of the web interface can be misleading. In particular, the hand with the globe is ambiguous between “shared with the world” and “shared with all other Wesleyan users.” It is a good idea to click on the icon to view the full details of the sharing.
