4.7 Exploring Filr Functionality for End Users

After you have completed the setup and administrations instructions in this guide that pertain to the Path you are following, the Filr and OES 11 VMs are ready for the exercises in the following sections:

4.7.1 My Files—Home Directories and Personal Storage

Table 4-1 lists the different storage locations assigned to users for their personal storage needs and accessed through Filr’s My Files functionality.

The files and folders that users see when they access My Files are illustrated in Figure 4-2 and demonstrated in the steps that follow.

Figure 4-2 What Filr Users See in My Files Depends on What Is Set Up for Them

In the following steps, take the role and do the steps of the users that are indicated.

  1. User black is a fan of the Hubble telescope and especially likes this image.

    Click the 1280X1024 link and save the displayed image to the desktop.

  2. Copy the image to black’s home folder on the OES server.

    For example, on Windows 7:

    1. Open Windows Explorer and enter the following URL in the Address Bar:

      \\192.168.1.100\HOME

    2. Log in as User Name: black with Password: filrrocks.

      Notice that although users red, blue, and yellow each have home directories, black only sees the black directory.

    3. Open the black folder.

    4. Copy the downloaded image to the folder.

  3. Access the Filr Web site, sign out as user admin, then sign in as User ID: black with Password: filrrocks.

    Notice that My Files includes a sub-folder named Home. This is black’s home directory on the OES server.

    Refer to Table 4-1 and notice that user black has a home directory and is also assigned personal storage. In other words, user black is an example of the section labeled Both in Figure 4-2.

  4. Open the Home folder. The Hubble image file is there as you would expect it to be.

  5. Sign out as user black, then sign in as User ID: admin with Password: novellfilr.

  6. Access the Administration Console (upper-right corner), then under Management click User Accounts.

  7. Select M Black, then click More and select Purge User Workspaces > Yes.

  8. Select M Black again, then click More and select Disable Personal Storage.

  9. Sign out as user admin, then sign in as user black.

  10. Notice that the Home folder has disappeared from user black’s My Files folder and the Hubble image file is now directly listed as a child.

    Because you purged and removed the Personal Storage that was assigned to user black, user black now fits the definition in the section of Figure 4-2 that is labeled Only Home Folder. (Purging black’s personal storage had no effect on the OES server’s file structure.)

  11. Click the down-arrow next to the image, then select Share.

  12. In the Share with field, type a, then select All Internal Users.

  13. Click OK > OK.

  14. Feel free to explore further if you want to get more experience with Filr’s My Files functionality and the role that traditional home folders play in that context. Then continue with About the Folders and Files That Are on the OES Server and Are Accessible through Filr.

4.7.2 About the Folders and Files That Are on the OES Server and Are Accessible through Filr

Unless you are following Path 3, and you personally prepared the OES and Filr VMs, you haven’t yet been introduced to the folders and files as they are stored on the OES 11 server. Figure 4-3 shows a visual summary.

Figure 4-3 Files and Folders on the Hands-on OES 11 Server

If you are following Path 1, then in Section 3.7, Setting Up Net Folders, you created Net Folder servers for the volumes shown and Net Folders for the folders marked with a single asterisk (*) in the graphic. If you are following Path 2, these were created for you in the VMs that you downloaded.

The remaining end user exercises deal primarily with these files and folders.

4.7.3 Internal Sharing

The exercises in this section demonstrate how Novell Filr users can share files with users who are internal to your organization.

User red Initiates User pink’s Annual Review

User red needs to complete the annual review for user pink, but pink doesn’t have file system access to the review file (mpink_2013.odt). Rather than sending the file in email or assigning pink the required file system trustee rights on the OES server, red simply shares the review file with pink and includes Editor privileges. First, however, red optionally ensures that email notifications will be sent when the file changes.

  1. Sign in to the Web application as user red. (This requires that you sign out as user admin first.)

  2. Click Shared with Me and notice that the image that black shared is listed.

    IMPORTANT:If you are not experimenting with email notifications, skip to Step 4 and skip all subsequent steps that are marked (Email only).

  3. (Email only) Click M Red in the upper-right corner, then select View Profile.

    When the profile displays, notice that the email address you configured in eDirectory for user red is listed.

  4. Click Net Folders > reviews > mpink.

  5. Click the check box for mpink_2013.odt, then click the file drop-down arrow to the right of the file and select Share.

  6. In the Share with field, type p, then select M Pink.

  7. Select Editor, then click OK > OK.

  8. (Email only) Click the check box for mpink_2013.odt and the file drop-down arrow again, then click Subscribe.

  9. (Email only) Expand the Message Only option, then select the email address you entered for user red in Directory and click OK.

  10. Click the comment icon .

  11. Add a comment, such as

    Hi pink.

    Would you please edit this with your objectives and achievements and let me know when you have finished?

    Thanks.

    red

  12. Click Send and close the Comments dialog.

User pink Responds to the Annual Review Request

  1. On the desktop in the notifications area, right-click the Filr icon.

  2. Select Open Filr folder.

  3. Right-click mpink_2013.odt, then select Open.

  4. In the notifications area, right-click the Filr icon, then select Open Filr folder.

    The file opens in LibreOffice Writer.

  5. Make a few changes, then save and close the file.

    You can be as verbose or brief as you want.

  6. In the Shared with Me folder on the workstation, right-click the file you just edited and select Synchronize now.

  7. Sign in to the Web application as user pink, then click Shared with Me.

  8. Click the drop-down arrow for mpink_2013.odt, then click View HTML.

    Your changes are reflected in the view.

  9. Close the HTML view tab.

  10. Click the review file’s comment icon, type a comment indicating that the review is ready, then click Send and close the comment panel.

User red Approves pink’s Annual Review

  1. Log in to the email account that you assigned to user red.

  2. Open the message from filr-admin.

  3. Click the Visit Message link.

  4. Sign in to the Web application as user red.

    The revised Performance Review is displayed as HTML.

  5. Click the Comments down arrow to view pink’s comment.

  6. In the new comment box, type a comment indicating that the review is approved, then click Send.

  7. Close the view.

  8. Continue with (Email Only) External Sharing.

4.7.4 (Email Only) External Sharing

The exercises in this section demonstrate how Filr users can share files with users who are external to your organization.

IMPORTANT:Completing the instructions in Section 3.10, (Optional) Setting Up Email Communication with the Filr VM is required for the exercises in this section.

About External Users

External users are those who receive share invitations through email and subsequently provision themselves as system users. They can then log in to the system using the credentials they establish with Filr, or they can elect to be authenticated through a Google or Yahoo Open ID account.

For more information about the different kinds of users who can access Filr, see Users and Groups with Filr in the Novell Filr 1 “How Filr Works”–Overview Guide.

User red Gathers Input for the Next Release

User red managed the ABC product release and is responsible for gathering input for the upcoming XYZ product. User red also wants to invite input from a key partner named M Opaque. Inviting M Opaque to participate requires using the second email address mentioned in Section 2.0, System Requirements and further explained in Section 3.10, (Optional) Setting Up Email Communication with the Filr VM.

  1. If you aren’t already signed in to the Web application as user red, do so now.

  2. Click Net Folders > projects > current.

  3. Click the check box for abc_reqr.odt, then click the file drop-down arrow to the right of the file and select Share.

  4. In the Share with field, type your second email address, then click the plus sign (+) to add the external user.

    At this point user red could share the document with other internal users, but for brevity’s sake, we aren’t including steps for that.

  5. Click OK > OK.

  6. Click the check box for abc_reqr.odt and the file drop-down arrow again, then click Subscribe.

  7. Expand the Message Only option, then select the email address you entered for user red in Directory and click OK.

  8. Click the comment icon to the right of the down-arrow.

  9. Add a comment, such as

    It’s time to gather input for the next release.

    Please log comments to let us know which features we need to include this time.

  10. Then click Send and close the Comments dialog.

User opaque Self-Provisions and Responds to the Review Request

  1. Log in to the email account that you used to invite user opaque to participate in the review.

  2. Open the message from the email address you assigned to user red.

  3. Click the abc_reqr.odt link.

  4. The email address is the automatic User ID assigned to M Opaque and cannot be changed.

    We suggest you type First name: M, Last name: Opaque, Password: filrrocks, and Re-enter password: filrrocks, but you are free to customize these fields as you wish.

    Of course, the two password field values must match.

  5. Click Register.

  6. Open the confirmation email, then click Sign in and access shared items.

  7. Type the password you chose for user opaque, then click Sign in.

  8. Click Comments and read the comment from user red.

  9. Click Actions, then click Subscribe.

    Emails will now be sent to user opaque as others comment on the document, and so on.

  10. Read the HTML view of ABC Project displayed in the window, then log the following comment:

    Competing products have had morning coffee functionality for over 18 months now.

    If the next release doesn’t include this, we will be forced to switch.

  11. Click Send.

User red Responds to User opaque’s Input

User red receives notification of user opaque’s comment (you can check red’s email if you wish) and remembers that the requested feature has been discussed. It should already be in the next requirements document (xyz_reqr.odt), but red isn’t certain that it is.

  1. Log in to the Web application as user red.

  2. Click Net Folders > projects > future.

  3. Click the file drop-down arrow for xyz_reqr.odt and select View HTML.

    The file has not been updated.

  4. Click the file drop-down arrow again, then select View details.

  5. Click Edit this file, then continue past the security warning and other messages until you are prompted to log in.

  6. Log in as user red.

  7. Insert the following text before the period:

    , and it will make the morning coffee

  8. Save the file and close LibreOffice.

  9. Navigate to xyz_reqr.odt again and view its details to confirm that the change has been made.

  10. Log and send a comment indicating that the file has been updated.

  11. Share the file with user opaque.

4.7.5 Public Sharing

User yellow wants to get the word out about the abc version of the organization’s product and elicits user orange’s help with the effort.

  1. Log in to the Web application as User ID: yellow with Password: filrrocks.

  2. Click Net Folders > cool stuff.

  3. Click the file drop-down arrow for abc_flyer.pdf, then select Share.

  4. In the Share with field, type o, then select M Orange.

  5. Click Public > OK > OK.

  6. Log in as User ID: orange with Password: filrrocks.

  7. Click Shared with Me.

  8. Select the abc_flyer.pdf file, then click Share.

  9. Click Make Public.

  10. In the Type column, click Public to view and copy the URLs that can be shared in social media, and so on.

  11. Enter one of the URLs in a separate browser window or tab to see what Internet users who access the URL will see.

4.7.6 Re-sharing and Searching

User red hears about a training quick start but can’t find it.

  1. Log in to the Web application as User ID: blue with Password: filrrocks.

  2. In Net Folders, navigate to training > quick_starts > Novell-Filr.pdf, then share the file with green as a Viewer with rights to reshare the file with internal users.

  3. Log in as user green, then share the file, with rights to reshare, with users pink, yellow, orange, black, and gray.

    At this point, user pink comments on the quick start to user red in the hallway.

  4. Log in as user red, then in the search field type quick and press Enter.

    Because the file is not found, user red asks pink to share the file.

  5. Log in as user pink and share the file with red.

  6. Log in as user red and search for the file again.

    The file is listed in the search results window.

4.7.7 More Things You Can Try

There are a few additional files in the other Net Folders that you can experiment with as indicated below. You can also experiment with your own files.

Activity Type

Net Folder

File Location

Task Descriptions

Planning

comp planning

2014.ods

  1. User red opens the file in LibreOffice and plans a 5.5% increase for pink’s 2014 salary.

Planning

projections

fy_2014.ods

  1. User black shares the file with user gray as a viewer and asks whether the goals are realistic.

  2. User gray comments that the Q3 estimate is low and the Q4 estimate is high. gray asks that $10,000 be transferred from Q4 to Q3.

  3. User black adjusts Q3 and Q4 estimates, thanks gray, and acknowledges the change.

Reporting

quotas

fy_2013.ods

  1. User black shares this file with user gray as an Editor and requests that gray update it with Q4 actual results.

  2. User gray opens the file, enters $110,900, and saves the file.

  3. User gray comments that the file is now ready for review.