WesFiles Info

Inheritance Permissions

When you set permissions on a folder, you really have to pay attention to three sets of permissions:

1. The permissions on the folder itself
2. The permissions on the current contents of the folder
3. The permissions on contents you will add later

By default these three things are identical so that normally, when you add content to a folder, the content will adopt the same permissions as the folder itself. You can change that behavior by setting different inheritance permissions.

Why would I want different inheritance permissions?

Imagine you regularly work with a couple colleagues. You set up a folder where everyone in the group can read, add, or remove content, but you do not want anyone to delete the main folder. You might withhold delete permission from your colleagues (or even yourself) on the main folder but add it to the inheritance permissions.

How do I set inheritance permissions?

In version 7, when you go to a permissions management screen, you will need to select the “Advanced Permissions” tab. You will see the current and inheritance permissions for each user or group connected with the folder. Check the boxes to set or remove custom inheritance permissions.

Note: You cannot set distinct inheritance permissions during the folder creation process. You will need to create the folder first and then manage the permissions.

Dropboxes

Dropboxes make use of inheritance permissions, but they also involve some special processing by the system.

The basic idea is that you grant read and write access on a folder to a group of individuals. Everyone in the group can add content to the folder, but you do not want them to see each other’s submissions, so you set the inheritance to take read and write permissions away from the group. As a result, people in the group can see the folder and add to it, but they will not see anything in it, not even the things the put there themselves.

These permissions will have this effect on any folder, and if that is what you are looking for, then you are ready to go. On the other hand, you may prefer to allow the members of the group to see their own and only their own submissions. To do this, you will need use the word dropbox in the title of your folder. You set up the permissions in exactly the same way, but the system handles the submissions slightly differently. Your inheritance permissions withhold access of any kind from the group, but the system will restore access only to the individual who submitted the content.

Note: Dropboxes will work for predefined as well as ad hoc groups or even lists of individuals
Note: Instructors, graders, reviewers should have inherit read permissions in order to see all the content
Note: If a file already exists in the dropbox with an identical name, submission will be blocked. To avoid conflicts, it’s a good idea to ask those who submit to the dropbox to incorporate their username into the file name.
Note: Content can only be uploaded or copied into a dropbox, not moved. (Uploaded and copied submissions respect the inheritance permissions. Moved submissions, if they were allowed, would retain their original permissions.)

Subscriptions

When you subscribe to a file or folder, you will receive email notification whenever certain things happen. You can choose to be notified when someone reads your resource, when someone changes your resource, and/or when someone comments on your resource. You can choose to be notified as events occur or by a daily report.

You might subscribe to changes on a dropbox folder. When someone submits a file, you’ll get an email telling you who added it when. Subscriptions are a great way to keep tabs on shared spaces. Control or right-click on a file or folder and choose “Subscribe” from the context menu. Set your options. That’s all there is to it.

To review and manage all of your subscriptions, look in “Reports & Tools > Subscriptions.”

Workflows

Workflows provide a way for you to coordinate collaborative efforts. When you set up a workflow you choose who will be part of the process, what their instructions are, whether their participation has to proceed in a particular order, and whether their participation is required or optional. When you launch the workflow, the system grants the required permissions to the content, sends an email with instructions and a link to the participants, and walks them through the process of reviewing or approving the content in question. The system will also send emails to the initiator to keep her apprised of the workflow progress.

In addition to receiving an email, participants in the workflow will find a list of pending jobs by clicking the “Tasks” tab in the document manager. Completed tasks will show up under “Reports & Tools > Workflow History.” Workflow initiators will find both active and inactive workflows under the same “Reports & Tools” tab.

Workflows are a great way to handle situations when several people have to sign off on a document.

Quick Search:

The search box in the top right hand side of the WesFiles screen allows you to run a quick search for a file based on its name. Simply enter the filename and and press Enter or Return on your keyboard.

Search:

To do a more extensive search, click the downward facing triangle next to the magnifying glass and enter your search criteria. You can also click on the downward facing triangle next to Add More Search Criteria for further options. Clicking the magnifying glass starts your search.

Save Search:

Once you have conducted a search and are looking at the results, there will be a Save Search button on the right hand side of the window. When you click this, you will be asked to enter a name to remember this search. You can then recall searches and run them again by clicking on the yellow star in the top left hand side of the WesFiles window, and selecting the search you want to run again.

Save Results:

The results of a search can also be saved. Once you’ve conducted a search and are looking at the results, there will be a Save Search Results button on the right hand side of the window

Tags:

In WesFiles you can add tags (searchable keywords) to files if you have Read and Write access to the file. You can also use tags to sort your files when using Document Manager. You will have to add Tags to the list of columns that Document Manager displays, however. To tag a file, put a check in the box to the left of the file name and click the button Tag. Each word, separated by a space, is a unique tag. You can also tag multiple files at a time by checking the boxes to the left of the files you wish to tag with a common set of words. You cannot modify tags, you have to delete them, and reenter a new tag.

Comments:

You or one of your collaborators can comment on a file or folder without changing the file or altering the contents of the folder. Select the file/folder you wish to comment on and right click on it and choose Manage > Comments. Enter your comments and then save the changes. You can also delete the comments on a file by selecting the file/folder, right clicking and choose Manage > Comments and clicking the “X” next to the comment you wish to delete, or click the Delete All Comments if you wish to delete all of the comments currently listed.

Bookmarks:

Bookmarks allow you to quickly get to frequently accessed files/folders in WesFiles. You can also create bookmarks to files/folders that other users have given you permission to access. to create a bookmark select the file/folder you wish to bookmark and click the Create a Bookmark button. The bookmark icon is a yellow star in the top left corner of the window. Here you will find the bookmarks you have created, and you can add new ones, and edit or delete bookmarks.

Context Menus:

WesFiles 7 allows you to right click (CTRL click if you are a Mac user) to get to additional tools. In Document Manager, right click any of the files or folders to get to this new set of options.

This session on WesFiles will cover the Web Interface:  Basics on both a Mac and a PC.

Logging into WesFiles via E-Portfolio and directly through the Web will be covered.

Direct WesFiles address:  https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/xythoswfs/webui?x=y&stk=

The WesFiles blog location will be provided.

WesFiles blog location:  http://wesfiles.blogs.wesleyan.edu/

There will be an overview of the Wesfiles Toolbar.

All of the basics will be covered like:

• Uploading files
• Downloading files
• Creating new directories
• Deleting files and directories
• Purging the trash
• File navigation

Follow this link to see a directory of video tutorials from Xythos, the company that supplies the software behind WesFiles:

http://www.xythos.com/promotions/EDMS70LAND.HTML#Videos

On Thursday, May 8, 2008 Wesleyan’s Information Technology Services hosts a WesFiles Expo featuring hands-on demonstrations of our Xythos deployment including abundant examples of practical applications. The Expo runs from 11:30 to 3:30 in Usdan 108 on the Wesleyan campus. All Wesleyan faculty and staff are welcome to attend, as are IT and library professionals from other institutions. During the open session from 1:00 to 3:30 attendees are free to move from demonstration to demonstration as interest dictates. Attendance is free.

Links to supporting documents and files:
Event Handout (pdf)
8.5 x 11 Event Poster (pdf)
11 x 17 Event Poster (pdf)
Movie Introduction to Xythos 7 (Flash: opens new window)
Student Perspective Movie (mov)

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.

EndNote and Access

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.

The Problem

When using the WesFiles Web interface, the DragNDrop button (for quick file and folder uploads) opens a web page from java.com rather than launching the DragNDrop application. Alternatively, clicking the DragNDrop button does nothing at all.

Affected Machines/Browsers

We have seen the problem on Macs and PCs, in FireFox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. PC users can get similar performance by other means, however (using the Xythos Drive or Web Folders), so the problem has a greater impact on Mac users.

The Cause

The DragNDrop feature uses Java to pave the path between your desktop and your WesFiles. Unfortunately, the failure does not seem to have a single cause. In some cases, even if your browser has Java enabled (as it usually does by default), the feature will not launch because it does not know how to associate a file from the server with the Java Web Start application on your machine. In some cases you may have too recent a version of the Java Web Start app.

The Solution

The first thing you should do is try the feature in another browser. Very often it will work in one of them, even if it does not work in another one on the same machine. If you see a box like the one below, your dragNDrop is working:

Just drag files or folders into the box and they will upload to your current web directory on WesFiles.

In some cases, you may be able to download a .jnlp file that will not open automatically, but you can still use the dragNDrop by opening that file by hand in order to launch the Java applet.

If none of your browsers supports the DragNDrop, you can try following the procedure below which has worked in some (but not all) cases. Faculty and staff are encouraged to call their desktop support specialist for assistance.

Testing Java

The odds are good that Java is enabled in your browser, but to make sure you can go to:
http://www.javatester.org/version.html

Merely by going to this site, you can test whether your browser has Java enabled. The site will show you in a pink box which version of Java you are running in that browser. Different browsers on the same machine may be running different versions of Java, so it’s a good idea to make a note of which version a particular browser is using. If you do not see a pink box, then you may not have Java running.

Enabling Java

Firefox

To enable Java in FireFox on the Mac, go to the FireFox menu and choose Preferences… In the dialog box, choose the Content tab and click the check-box to Enable Java.

Safari

Go to the Safari Menu and choose Preferences… In the dialog box select the Security tab and click the check-box to Enable Java.

Testing Java Web Start

Now you also need to make sure that Java Web Start is enabled. To do this, browse to:
http://mindprod.com/jgloss/installingjaws.html
If your browser is not enabled for Java Web Start, you will see a large alert box stating that “Your browser is not configured properly for Java Web Start *.jnlp and application/x-java-jnlp-file MIME types! Here is how to repair the damage.” If your browser is configured correctly, the alert box will simply not appear, even though the repair instructions will still be visible.

Unfortunately, the instructions for FireFox and Safari on this otherwise useful page are inadequate or absent.

If you believe that you have too recent a version of the Java Web Start.app you can try using the version stored in the /XthosDrive folder on WesFiles

Enabling Java Web Start

FireFox

Before you can fix the problem, you will need to install a small add-on for FireFox. Browse to:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4498
and click Install Now. When the Install button in the dialog box lights up, select it. Then restart FireFox.

When FireFox opens again:

1. Go to the Tools menu and select MIME Edit…
2. Click on the Edit tab
3. Scroll down the list of file types. application/x-java-jnlp-file should NOT be there, but if it is, select it and click Edit…, then skip the next step.
4. Click New Type…
5. The MIME Type should be application/x-java-jnlp-file
6. Description: Java Web Start file
7. Extension: jnlp
8. Select Open it with:
9. Click Choose and browse to the Java Web Start application on your hard drive, typically under Applications > Utilities > Java > Java Web Start.app on a Mac.
   On a PC you will probably find the file you need at C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\javaws.exe, where the jre version should match the version of Java running in the browser.
10. Click OK

Now when you browse to or refresh the Java Web Start testing page:
http://mindprod.com/jgloss/installingjaws.html
you should find that the warning box no longer appears.

When you go to WesFiles you may find that the DragNDrop button will work. If not, please try at least one more FireFox restar, and then try the following:

1. Re-edit the MIME type, and this time check the box to “Always ask me before handling files of this type.”
2. On a Mac, go to Firefox > Preferences > Content. If you are blocking pop-ups, click on the “Exceptions” button and “wesfiles.wesleyan.edu” to your list of allowed sites.
3. On a PC, if your FireFox browser is using version 1.6.* of Java (as determined above), then you may get good results by reverting to version 1.5.* Try using the latest version of 1.5 on your machine. For directions on how to use a different version of Java go to:
   http://kb.mozillazine.org/Java#Switching_Java_versions_-_Advanced
   This is an advanced operation, and you may want to call on your desktop support person if you have not done so already. You will also want to undo this operation after we upgrade to Xythos 7 so that you can return to using the most current version of Java.

If you get to the point where you are downloading a file called “xythosupload.jsp” then you can get the DragNDrop to run by opening the file manually even if it does not open automatically. Any given xythosupload.jsp is good only for a given session and a given directory. You’ll need to download a new one each time you want to upload files to a different directory, and each time you log in to a new session.

Safari

The fix for Safari is currently untested. There is some chance that the free RCDefaultApp from:
http://www.rubicode.com/Software/RCDefaultApp
will allow you to make the necessary adjustment to the MIME type association for Safari, approximately as above, but we have not had the opportunity to test this, partly because we have seen fewer cases of the problem in Safari.

As indicated in the instructions on connecting to WesFiles, the Xythos Drive will generally map automatically to your H: drive when you install it on your PC and restart. In case it does not, you can follow these instructions:

1. Click the Xythos Drive icon in the tray on the lower right. (Two computer screens—the words “Xythos Drive” will pop up when you mouse over it.)
2. Now choose Service > New…
3. The Service Name can be whatever you like. “WesFiles” would be a good choice, of course.
4. The Server URL should be “https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/”
5. You can leave the Username and Password blank. These will be picked up when you log onto the computer.
6. Now click Advanced>>
7. Choose Online for the Startup Mode
8. If you set the Sharing Level to Heavy the drive will synchronize with the server more frequently.
9. After you click OK you will be able to select the letter of the Drive: to use for the mapping. By convention, we are assigning WesFiles to the H: drive
10. To start using the Xythos Drive, click Work Online
11. WesFiles should now appear as one of the “Network Drives” under My Computer

To change the settings for an existing mapping, choose the mapping and then Service > Edit…. You will need to disconnect the drive before you can apply any changes.

Note: It is possible to map multiple drives to different areas of WesFiles. You can follow the process above, substituting fuller paths for the “Server URL.” For example, you might map a second drive right to your home directory by using the URL: “https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/home/username.” In fact, however, it is probably more effective to use Shortcuts (click here for instructions). Shortcuts have the following advantages over multiple mappings:

• If you are working in a drive that is mapped to a specific subdirectory of WesFiles, you cannot move above that directory within that drive. If you are in a drive mapped to your home directory, you cannot get to the system-wide course or departmental folders, for example. By contrast, if you open a Shortcut to a specific subdirectory of a drive mapped to the WesFiles Root, you will be where you want to be and you will be able to go wherever else you might want to go.
• It is easier to create Shortcuts than to map drives. If you have a number of places you want to keep track of, it will be impractical to map all of them, so using Shortcuts offers a unified, efficient solution.
• You can put Shortcuts pretty much wherever you like, including right on your Desktop; mapped drives show up only in “My Computer.”
• Shortcuts do not burden your local machine with additional processing. Informally, I have found that mapping multiple drives slows things down, especially at startup and shutdown.
• Shortcuts can go directly to files as well as to folders.

• What is the difference between a “full URL” and an “intellilink”?
• Are there any restrictions on file names in WesFiles?
• Why does my Trash fill up so quickly? How long before data is removed from the Trash?
• I know I have read permission on a shared space, but when I click to open a file in the Web View I get an error: “Xythos Intellilink File Not Found: Access Denied”
• Why do I see folders for courses, labs, groups, etc. that I am not a part of?
• Why, when I try to connect via the Finder, do I get the error message: “The Finder cannot complete this action because some data at https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu cannot be read”?
• How can I edit documents on the server?
• What are my command-line options?
• Why do I see “.DS_Store” files and files that start with “._”?

What is the difference between a “full URL” and an “intellilink”?

Every file and folder on WesFiles can be accessed via a unique URL. In fact, every file and folder has at least two URLs associated with it: a “full URL” and an “intellilink.” To find these URLs click on the “manage” icon to the right of the file or folder name in the directory listing of the WesFiles Web interface. Expand the “properties” box to view the URLs and other information about the resource. You will notice that the full URL corresponds to a “path” through your directory structure—each folder is listed separated by a “/” with the filename at the end. The intellilink, by contrast, does not reveal anything about your file structure. More than that, however, the intellilink is designed to work in tandem with the Xythos Drive. If you click on a full URL that points to a Word document, you will be able to download the document and open it locally. Intellilinks work the same way, unless you have the Xythos Drive, in which case, clicking the intellilink will open the document for remote editing. Intellilinks do not create trouble for those without the Xythos Drive. If the drive is absent, the intellilink will work like the full URL. Intellilinks offer convenience to users who have the Xythos Drive, except when the user does not have a clear path to the resource you are sharing. That case is explained elsewhere.

Are there any restrictions on file names in WesFiles?

Yes. File names can be up to 255 characters long and may not include any of the characters:
\ / : * ? ” < > |

Why does my Trash fill up so quickly? How long before data is removed from the Trash?

The Trash in your home directory on a Mac fills up quickly because every time you save a file, the old file is first deleted and put into the Trash. Items in the Trash remain there until you remove them. This can be handy if you are looking for an older version of a document, but Trash does count against your quota, so you will need to clean it out from time to time.

I know I have read permission on a shared space, but when I click to open a file in the Web View I get an error: “Xythos Intellilink File Not Found”

You are probably on a PC, with a Xythos drive, looking at a space that someone else has shared to you. The links in the web view are called ‘intellilinks’ because they will try to make a match from the web view to your mapped drive. In general, this is a great convenience, because it will allow you to edit the file in question right on the server. Here’s the catch: You can see some spaces in the web view that are not available to you on the mapped drive. The mapped drive can only show you spaces when you have read access at every level. Using the web interface, by contrast, you can look at folders even when they are embedded in folders to which you do not have permission. If someone sends you an intellilink that you cannot open, you can 1) temporarily turn off your Xythos Drive or 2) if you know the path to the resource, you can go to it in the web interface. Once you can see the resource in the web interface, you can click on the “Web Folder” button (in Internet Explorer only) to work remotely. Otherwise, you can click on the “Manage” icon to the right of the file or folder. Look at the properties and click on the full URL instead of the intellilink.

Why do I see folders for courses, labs, groups, etc. that I am not a part of?

Within a given directory, WesFiles will show you anything that you have permission to see. If someone has made a directory available to you or any group that includes you, you will see that directory, though you will not necessarily see all or even any of the contents. Many course pages and lab spaces are open “at the top” to the public (by the owner’s choice). In that case, everyone will see them.

While it can be useful to make content open to all, having to look through long lists of folders to find your own data can be tedious. One way to manage the abundance is to bookmark the directories or files you access often. Click here for some guidance on how to create bookmarks, shortcuts, and aliases.

Why, when I try to connect via the Finder, do I get the error message: “The Finder cannot complete this action because some data at https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu cannot be read”?

Check your Mac OS X version (Apple Menu > About This Mac). You are probably running 10.3 (Panther) or earlier. You will not be able to connect to WesFiles via the Finder until you upgrade to 10.4 (Tiger) or 10.5 (Leopard). You can, however, connect via a browser.

How can I edit documents on the server?

There are a number of ways that you can edit documents remotely (as opposed to downloading, editing, uploading).

• If you are using the Xythos drive, you can navigate to files as if they were on your own machine, open them, and edit them in place. This method will not work unless you have read permissions all the way from the root down to the files in question.
• If you are using the Xythos drive, but do not have permissions “all the way down” then you can navigate to the files in question using the web interface. When you click on the link to the file, it should open the document for remote editing.
• Whether or not you are using the Xythos drive, users of Internet Explorer can click on the “Web Folders” button at the top of the web interface to open an Explorer window that behaves largely as if it were displaying the contents of a local folder.
• On a Mac, you can mount the WesFiles drive by using the Go > Connect to Server… > https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu option through the Finder.
• On a linux box you could use a third-party WebDAV client like Cadaver to work remotely.

Please be advised that not all applications are good candidates for remote editing. EndNote and Access are notable examples where it is best to bring the files down, edit them, and put them back up.

What are my command-line options?

If you are using the Xythos drive client on a PC, then you can cd to your mapped drive and work on your files there. On a Mac, you can mount WesFiles and use the Terminal to navigate to /Volumes/wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/. On a unix/linux machine (including a Mac) you can use Cadaver. Please note, however, that none of these environments will allow you to set WesFiles permissions. To set permissions, you will need to use the web interface or the Xythos drive WebDAV client.

Why do I see “.DS_Store” files and files that start with “._”?

The “._” files (and the “.DS_Store” files) are system files created and saved by the Mac operating system when you or someone else edits a file. Normally these files are hidden so that you are unaware of their existence, but WesFiles does not know to hide them. It is save to delete them. If you are willing to work in the Terminal, you might also be able to prevent your own Mac from creating these files on remote servers by following the istructions at:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301711

There are a number of ways you can make it easy for yourself to get to your own data: WesFiles Bookmarks, Browser Bookmarks, PC Shortcuts, or Mac Aliases.

WesFiles Bookmarks
If you are using the web interface, you will see a “bookmarks” pane on the left. Bookmarks to your home directory and to the root are built in. You can add custom bookmarks by clicking on the “bookmark” icon to the right of a file or folder in the main contents listing. This is a handy way to be able to jump right to your own course folders, for example. Please note that you can edit your bookmarks after the fact by clicking on the “edit” link at the top of the bookmarks pane. It can be helpful to rename bookmarks, for example, so that instead of a course number, you could see a course name as your bookmark.

Browser Bookmarks
Since all files and folders in WesFiles have their own distinctive URLs, you can also create bookmarks either in your browser or with a web-based bookmarking tool like del.icio.us. In one sense it might be helpful to keep your WesFiles bookmarks together with other bookmarks. On the other hand, you will often have to reauthenticate when using bookmarks external to WesFiles.

Windows Shortcuts
If you are running the Xythos Drive, you can put shortcuts on your desktop (or elsewhere) that will jump right to your own content. One way to do this is to right-click on the desktop and then choose New > Shortcut, then browse to the appropriate file or folder.

Mac Aliases
If you have mounted WesFiles in your Mac Finder, then you can make an Alias on your desktop by holding down the “command” and “option” keys while dragging and dropping the material you want from the finder window to the desktop, the dock, or wherever else you like.

Creating a dropbox (via the Web Interface)

1. Create a new folder with the word “dropbox” in the name (e.g., homeworkdropbox). Currently you must make sure to use all lowercase letters in the word “dropbox”.
2. Click the share icon for the folder and add the group (e.g., a course group) that should have access to the dropbox. (Dropbox permissions use groups only, not individuals. The group can be a personal group or one from the server, such as a course group.)
3. Give the group read and write permissions to the folder
4. While in the sharing window, click the “Set Inheritance” button.
5. Uncheck all permissions for the group to turn off the ability of the files to inherit permissions from the parent folder.
6. If you have TAs or graders who need to be able to see all the contents, add them to the sharing list, but do not remove their Inheritable permissions.

Your students can now upload files and folders into this dropbox. Each student will see only their own items. The instructor will see everything, regardless of original owner.

How It Works

• Files and folders put into a dropbox are readable, writable, and deletable by the users who upload them.
• The class’s group permission is turned off so that students cannot see one another’s work.
• Files and folders also take on other inheritable permissions so that the instructor(s) can also read, write, and delete them.

!! Cautions !!

1. The system will not allow a user to upload a file if there is already a file with the same name in the dropbox. This can be confusing because they may not see the pre-existing file there.

Workaround: Have students either add their name to the filename, or have them first create a self-named folder in the dropbox, then have them deposit their materials in that folder.

1. The system will not allow you to MOVE a file from another directory into the dropbox.

Workaround: You must COPY the file instead. This is because a MOVED file normally retains its original permissions in the new location, while a COPIED file inherits the permissins of the new parent directory.

As of this semester (Spring 2008), ITS will not be creating course web spaces on condor (in the wescourses directory). Instead, we are creating course space, on request, on the new WesFiles system (http://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu).

We have been moving students to the new system over Winter Break, a process they were notified of before break. There was considerable interest from the students about it and so we strongly encourage you to use WesFiles for your course webspace from here on out. However, you may continue to use your condor public_html directory for serving course web sites, if that is a necessity. For most users, the WesFiles system provides the easiest environment for maintaining websites.

The benefits of using course space on WesFiles are:

1. you can share read or read/write access with your students
2. you can share editing responsibilities with students or others without needing to use Frontpage as your editor (use any editor you like)
3. you can make a course space world-readable, or you can easily keep it (or parts of it) closed to just the enrolled students, or to just the Wesleyan campus
4. there will be a dropbox functionality available on wesfiles (to be released early next week)
5. you can reuse these course spaces from semester to semester
6. we have created course groups on the system so that you can choose to share your space with the enrolled students as a group

To request course space on WesFiles, please contact your Academic Computing Manager. Provide them with:

• the courseid
• a list of non-enrolled individuals that need access to the space (e.g., course assistants, TAs)
• state whether you want the space visible on the web initially or not (you can make the space “public” at any time)

Your ACM or Desktop Support Specialist can assist you in using the new system
To access WesFiles, no account setup is necessary. You can access it by logging in (using your email username and password) at http://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu. More information about WesFiles can be found here (http://wesfiles.blogs.wesleyan.edu).

All Platforms | Macs Only | Windows Only

All Platforms

Versioning and Logging

Neither versioning nor logging will work correctly when you edit or upload files through the Mac Finder. Versioning will work correctly on a Mac only if you edit files locally and then upload new versions through the web interface. To the extent that Windows users may collaborate with Mac users, they also need to be aware of this problem. Editing a shared file through the Mac Finder will remove versioning and logging information. The problem occurs whether versioning or logging was set at the file or folder level. The documents themselves are not affected, but version histories and access logs will be lost. On the other hand, Mac users can look in the trash to find older, automatically deleted versions of files they have edited remotely.

Link from Portfolio

We are working to create a link in the Wesleyan Portfolio that will land you directly in your personal home directory without requiring additional authentication. Until it is working, please remember that you can always get to WesFiles on the web by typing https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/ into your address bar. You will need to sign in, but otherwise the result is no different from getting there via the portfolio.

Macs Only

Browser Compatibility

Mac users moving more than 15 files at a time should use the advanced upload option via a web-browser connection to WesFiles to avoid a slow transfer issue seen through the Finder.

Slow Saves

Working in the Finder, you may note that saving is slow. This is due to the Macintosh implementation of the WebDAV protocol used in WesFiles.

OS Compatibility

Versions 10.3 (Panther) and earlier of OS X do not include secured WebDAV. You will not be able to connect to WesFiles via the Finder with these operating systems. Please use the browser and consider upgrading your OS.

Windows Only

Vista Hotfix Needed to Use Web Folders

In order to use Web Folders with IE on Windows Vista, you may need to download a service pack as described here.

Xythos Drive on Vista

One of the default settings on Vista can interfere with the operation of the Xythos Drive. If you are having difficulty try this fix:

1. Click Start > Run
2. Type “secpol.msc.” in the Run field to go to Vista’s security policy system
3. Click Go to: Local Policies > Security Options
4. Find “Network Security: LAN Manager” authentication level
5. Change the Setting from “Send NTLMv2 response only” to “Send LM & NTLM — use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated.”
6. Close and run gpupdate /force
7. Xythos Drive connects successfully.

In XP, you can access WesFiles using Web Folders.

When you’re logged in via Internet Explorer (this won’t work with Firefox), just click on the “Web Folder” button to open that location in Windows Explorer window. Now you can work in the space as though it’s a local drive.

You can bookmark folders in your WesFiles space, even when using WesFiles through a mapped drive (H:) and when using Web Folders.

Bookmark a particular folder using the Favorites–>Add to Favorites option in the Windows Explorer window.

To open a bookmarked location from within an application (as when you’re opening a file from within Microsoft Word), use the Network Places icon to the left of the Open window. You’ll see your bookmarked folder listed there.

There’s a Firefox add-on that let’s you easily switch between Firefox and IE.

Firefox users can install the Internet-Explorer add-on , IE Tab, to easily switch between Firefox and IE, for those times you really need to use IE. You can set a filter so that every time you’re in WesFiles, Firefox behaves like IE (allowing you to use Web Folders, for instance). See https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419 .

Below is a suggested protocol for converting a faculty or staff user to WesFiles. You can proceed in whichever order you like, this is just a suggestion. I prefer meeting with the user before migrating their files over from Dragon and condor, but you could do that first, before meeting with them.

The migration of files from DeptHome/username and condor/home/username/public_html to WesFiles is handled by a script that can be run by any ITS employee. The “Migrate Directories to WesFiles” script is in the “ITS (For ITS User Only) bucket in the employee portfolio. The script creates the user’s WesFile account (if it does not already exist). Content from the Dragon home directory is copied into the user’s home directory on WesFiles. Condor public_html contents are copied into the user’s WesFiles “web” folder. This folder is not publicly readable by default (it must be made so in WesFiles).

1. Sitting with the user, have them log into https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/; this creates an account for them if they don’t already have one.
2. Discuss the interface, upload a file using the Upload button and/or the Drag N Drop button. The Drag N Drop option is a Java applet and can be blocked by pop-up blockers, so watch out for this.
3. Once there’s a file in the user’s space, I discuss sharing, showing them the sharing options, adding users and groups, and using tickets.
4. Point out the user’s Contacts and Groups options and show how they work with Sharing (local users and groups versus global AD users and groups).
5. Next I show the user the Manage option for a file and explain subscriptions, versioning, locking, and custom properties.
6. I tell the user about the Trash–what’s in the Trash counts toward quota usage. They need to empty the Trash occassionally.
7. Next I show the user the folders at the root, and discuss why tickets and links must be used when the path to the file or folder is not fully browsable to them. If you grant a user access to a file or folder that is inside a folder they cannot read, they cannot access it via Finder or Xythos Drive. They must use the web interface.
8. Demonstrate the help button.
9. Now we’re ready to either mount WesFiles via the Finder (Mac) or install Xythos Drive (Windows). If you have to install Xythos Drive, explain how the drive mapping will replace Dragon on H:
   • Instructions for installing Xythos Drive are on the page http://wesfiles.blogs.wesleyan.edu/how-to-connect-to-wesfiles/
   • After the reboot from installing Xythos Drive, I have them view WesFiles via My Computer and explain the right-click options.
10. Before I leave, I go to my portfolio and start their file migration jobs.
11. Discuss permissions on their web folder in WesFiles and how to make it public. Discuss whether or not they have subwebs on condor that have permissions that have been modified.
    • There is a tool in the ITS bucket in portfolio for checking on subweb permissions for a user. This tool lists the permission for every “web” folder in a user’s condor space. Please get permission from the user to run the tool and view the results.
    • Make an appointment to return and help them with these permissions, if necessary.
    • Show and explain the “Wesfiles Web URL Update” application in their employee portfolio (found in the “Maintenance & Testing” bucket).
12. Send Vince Spiars (vspiars@wesleyan.edu) an email asking him to put the user into the group that only maps G: on Dragon.

Moving Departmental Materials from Dragon to WesFiles

1. Xythos admin will set up dept dir with dept-group full access
2. ACM or DSS gets Dragon audit doc from Vince
3. Log in with chairperson or delegated admin assistant
4. Create dirs with special sharing, set sharing in Xythos, then copy over materials from Dragon on a folder-by-folder basis.

Note 1: Because we are not scripting the copying of files from department Dragon dirs to WesFiles, Mac users should use the Drag N Drop feature in Safari to move files from Dragon to WesFiles, or work with the ACM or DSS on a Windows machine with Xythos Drive installed.
Note 2: From looking at a few Dragon departmental dir audits, we know there are a lot of irrelevant permissions left over from the Novell systems, including references to users who are no longer here. If you run across files belonging to someone who is no longer at Wesleyan, please inquire as to whether the materials need to be moved, or can just be deleted.
Note 3: On Dragon, there may be files with unique permissions. This should not be recreated on WesFiles as Mac Finder write action resets file permission to its parent’s directory inheritance permissions. Thus, files moved from Dragon that have unqiue permissions when moved to WesFiles should be placed into folders with those same permissions.

Connecting to WesFiles

Below is detailed information on the various methods of accessing WesFiles.

Accessing WesFiles via Web Browser (all platforms)

Wesfiles can be accessed via any web browser by going to the URL https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu. The web interface iis called the WFS, or Web File System.

Installing and Using Xythos Drive (for Windows XP and Vista)

1. To download the installer, first log into WesFiles via a web browser by going to https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu.
2. Click on the Root/ item in your Bookmarks.
3. Next, click on the item XythosDrive in the list of directories in the main frame.
4. Click on the filename XythosDrive_4.5.7074_setup.new.exe and save it to your system
5. Run the installer, and after it finishes reboot your system,
6. When your system restarts, Xythos Drive will launch automatically and map WesFiles to drive letter H: (If this does not happen, please see our instructions on mapping the drive manually).
7. If your computer is set up to map the H: drive to dragon, you will be asked whether you want to disconnect H: from dragon. To use WesFiles you must click yes. Ask your DSS or ACM to have you added to the Xythos group so that you will not see the prompt every time you restart.
8. Now you can access WesFiles by going to My Computer, then on the H: drive (which will be labeled “wesfiles on ‘XythosDrive’ (H:))
9. You can find online documentation from Xythos at:
   http://public.xythos.com/home/xythos/xd_help/ver4.5/en-us/index.html

Using Web Folders with Internet Explorer in Windows XP and Vist

1. Start by navigating to the folder you want to work with via the web interface at https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/
2. Click on the “Launch Web Folder” button in the right-hand toolbar
3. You can work with the files and folders in the web folder in much the same way as if they were on your own computer
4. This option is especially useful if you are using a computer that does not have a Xythos Drive, or if the folder you are working with is nested within some other folder to which you do not have read access
5. This function is available only for Internet Explorer

Connecting via the Finder (Mac OS X, 10.4+)

1. Choose “Go” from the Finder menu and then “Connect to Server…”
2. In the Server Address box, type https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu, then click on the plus sign (+) to add this address to your list of favorites.
3. Click on “Connect”.
4. Type in your user name and password. Click “OK”.
5. To reconnect, you can either use the Connect to Server option again, or find WesFiles in your list of Recent Servers (Apple–>Recent Items–>Servers).

Note: You can also interact with WesFiles via a terminal window on the Mac. This connection will allow you to move, copy, or rename files, but not to edit file permissions or use other special function of WesFiles (such as subscriptions, logging, etc.). To edit file permissions you will need to log in to the web interface (https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu).
Note: You will not be able to connect to WesFiles via the Finder if you are running OS 10.3 (Panther) or earlier.
Note: Working through the finder connection is slow, and it can interfere with permissions, versioning, logging, and other special WesFiles functions. Mac users are encouraged to use the improved web interface. Faculty whose needs are not met by the web interface should contact their ACM to discuss other options.

Other webDAV Clients

See http://www.webdav.org/projects/ for a listing of webDAV clients. Known issues with other clients include;

• some lack full support for file-locking
• none will allow you to edit permissions on WesFiles, for that you need to either log in via the web interface (https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu) or use the Xythos Drive client (Windows only)

With those caveats in mind, options include:

• Cyberduck, a free, graphic ftp/webdav client for Macs. Good for moving things around or up- and down-loading.
• Trasmit, an inexpensive graphic ftp/webdav client for Macs. Good for moving things around and up- or down-loading. When properly configured, it will also allow you to edit your files ‘on the server.’
• cadaver, a free command-line interface for unix/linux systems (including the Mac Terminal and CygWin)
• davfs, a free linux package that allows you to mount a webdav drive. Known to be slow.

General Issues
The following are some notes about files moved (via the automated process) from your Dragon home or Department Data directories to WesFiles.

Users
All material in all user home directories on Dragon is private, so the materials will be moved directly into the user’s private home directory on WesFiles.

Courses
Course space on Dragon currently in use will be moved between semesters and the original instructor will retain ownership.

Departments
The primary concern in moving files from Dragon to WesFiles is with department data, which may include sensitive information. An audit of the department space on Dragon will precede the moving of files to WesFiles. The WesFiles department data directory (e.g., BioData, EASTData) will first be made private (to the Chair) during the copying process until subfolder permissions are reset to reflect the conditions on Dragon.

Browser compatibility

Safari works consistently with the DragNDrop function, whereas Firefox has inconsistent results.

Mac users moving more than 15 files at a time should use the Drag N Drop option via a web-browser connection to WesFiles to avoid a slow transfer issue seen through the Finder.

There’s a Firefox add-on that let’s you specify when to open a site with Safari.

Firefox users can install the Firefox add-on , Safari View, to easily switch between Firefox and Safari, for those times you really need to use Safari, such as when you need the WesFiles Drag N Drop function. You can keep a list of URLs Firefox should always hand off to Safari (you don’t need to keep Safari open).
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4641

General Issues

1. All files transferred using the automated script will be put into a folder named “web” that is not publicly readable. You must turn on sharing to make the files visible on the web. Instructions for sharing files are found at
   https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/xythoswfs/static/en/file_sharing.jsp.
2. Permissions on web pages and folders that were set on condor are not retained when they are moved to WesFiles. These sharing permissions must be recreated at the folder level once the material has been moved to WesFiles. This is especially relevant if:
   • you have created folders that are not publicly readable (e.g., if you’ve used wes_only permissions on a condor folder),
   • you have shared authoring privileges with anyone else (e.g., another faculty member, an administrative assistant, a student helper).
3. Once you have finished your move to WesFiles, go to your portfolio (Employee portfolio, Maintenance & Testing bucket) and use the “WesFiles URL Update” item to update your web URL (so that http://username.web.wesleyan.edu points to WesFiles instead of condor). This process will also redirect any requests for http://condor.wesleyan.edu/username to your WesFiles web folder. However, you should still correct any links that explicitly name the server condor if they are pointing to any files now residing on WesFiles.
   • Mac users can use GoLive’s Find Content function to search and replace the string condor.wesleyan.edu with a relative path.
   • Windows users can use FrontPage to search and replace the string condor.wesleyan.edu with a relative path.

Dynamic Content

1. “Dynamic” content that was created in Frontpage and used on condor (e.g., forms, mouse-overs, page counters) will not currently work when the files are moved to WesFiles. ITS is working on a solution for supporting forms on the new system.
2. The use of HTT files is not currently supported on WesFiles.

Wescourses and Other Course Web Space

Course space on WesFiles will be drastically different that the wescourses space on condor. Courses directories under “wescourses” on condor will be moved to the WesFiles web folder of the instructor with the same directory structure as found on condor (i.e., the WesFiles space does not use symlinks). A new courses space is being implemented in WesFiles with a structure different from the old wescourses. Most of the following structure is already in place.

1. Course folders will exist in the folder “Courses” at the root of the system to help them be discoverable by users to whom you’ve given read privileges.
2. Course spaces will be set up upon request of the instructor via a faculty portfolio application. (still in development)
3. If desired, an instructor can reuse an old course space from semester to semester. The system will update the course roster for the space (upon request of the faculty via a portfolio application)
4. At the root of the Courses directory, you will see only current courses.