12
What Your Users Need to Know

This chapter gives a general overview of the concepts your users will need to know in order to use Oracle iFS:

• What Your Users Need to Know About Working with the Windows Interface

• What Your Users Need to Know About Working with the Web Interface

What Your Users Need to Know About Working with the Windows Interface

Your users can work with Oracle iFS through Microsoft Windows. Often, this is the primary tool they use to access Oracle iFS. To use the extended functions of Oracle iFS, such as versioning and check in/check out of files requires users to install the Oracle Oracle iFS Utilities.

Installing the Oracle Oracle iFS Utilities

To install the Oracle iFS Utilities, users need to run the Setup.exe program. This file is located in the following directory:

Platform	Directory
UNIX	Root/ifs<version>/winui/install
Windows NT	Root\ifs<version>\winui\install

You need to decide if users should install the Oracle iFS Utilities in the default directory, or in an alternate directory. If you choose an alternate directory, you need to provide the name of that alternate directory to users.

Installing the Oracle iFS Utilities is a standard installation task, so tell your users to plan to do installation when they aren't in the middle of several other tasks. Also, make sure your users shut down all other applications when they begin the installation process.

Instruct your users to do the following to install the Oracle iFS Utilities:

1. Close down all Windows programs before beginning. You must de-install the previous version before continuing. After de-installing, map a network drive to Oracle iFS using SMB before continuing.

2. Locate the Setup.exe file and run the Setup.exe program.

3. Follow all instructions and accept the defaults unless you are told otherwise by the system administrator.

   By default, the Oracle iFS Utilities are installed in the following directory:

   c:\Program Files\Oracle\iFS<version>

   The installation process includes installing several items. For Oracle iFS to be installed correctly, instruct your users to install all recommended items.

4. Reboot your machine after installing the Oracle iFS Utilities.

Right-Click an Oracle iFS Folder or File to Access Oracle iFS Functions

When users use Windows Explorer, their Oracle iFS drives look just like any other drive, or mount points. Users can drag and drop files into Oracle iFS, cut and paste, copy and paste, or perform any of the other operations they normally perform in a file management system. In addition, if a user right-clicks an Oracle iFS folder or file, additional commands appear on the pop-up menu. For example:

The following table describes the commands and a description of their function:

Command	Description
Make File Versioned	Specify that each time the file is saved, the previous version of the file is archived.
Oracle iFS Check In...	Release a versioned file so that others can use it.
Oracle iFS Check Out	Reserve a versioned file so that others cannot update it.
Oracle iFS Lock	Lock an unversioned file so that others can use it.
Oracle iFS Unlock	Unlock an unversioned file so that others can use it.
List Parents	List the folders in which the file appears. A file may appear in multiple folders. Only one copy of the file exists. That copy is linked to the folders.
Properties	View file attributes, security information, and version history.

Connecting to Mount Points

To connect to mount points using Windows, users can either browse the network or map a drive.

To Connect to a Mount Point By Browsing:

1. The user finds the server using Network Neighborhood.

2. The user selects the server by clicking. A list of mount points and their descriptions displays.

3. The user drills down through those descriptions. By drilling down, the user is automatically connected through the mount point to the appropriate folder path.

To Connect to a Mount Point By Mapping a Drive:

1. In Windows Explorer, the user selects Map Network Drive from the Tools menu.

2. In the field provided, the user types the server name and the desired mount point using the following syntax:

   \\<servername>\<virtualpathname>

   The default mount point "MyHome" displays in the browse list (in Windows, but not the Web interface). This maps automatically to the user's home directory. This mount point cannot be administered through the typical administration operations, it is embedded in the SMB server.

   The following list describes the possible mount points:

   • \\<servername>\root--The top level of the Oracle iFS hierarchy.

   • \\<servername>\MyHome--The user's home folder.

   • \\<servername>\public--The public area.

See AlsoFor information on mapping an Oracle iFS drive, see the Oracle Internet File System User's Guide.

What Your Users Need to Know About Working with the Web Interface

The Oracle iFS Web interface provides your users a way of accessing and using Oracle iFS using a Web browser. Users can:

• Navigate the Folder Hierarchy--Users can navigate up or down the hierarchy by clicking one of the parent directories or the name or title of the folder.

• Open a File--Users can open a file by clicking the name or title of the file. The file opens with the appropriate application for users to view or edit on their local operating systems.

• Save or Upload a File--Users can save or upload files through FTP and HTTP.

• Delete a File or Folder--Users can delete a file or folder by clicking the Delete icon for the file or folder they want to delete.

• Rename a File or Folder--Users can rename a file or folder by selecting the item and selecting Rename from the Edit menu.

• Use the Content Management functions--Users can make files versioned, check them in and out, search the contents, and lock and unlock files.

Supply Your Users with the URL for the Web Interface

Your users access the Oracle iFS server through a URL. However, to log into Oracle iFS, users will need to point their browser to the Login page. You can change the URL for the Login page. The URL for this page is usually:

http://<server_name>/

The <server_name> is either the name you assigned to Oracle iFS server or the server's IP address.

Accessing Oracle iFS with a Web browser requires no special plug-ins or other browser features. All standard browsers, such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer, can access Oracle iFS.

To Connect to a Mount Point Using the Web Interface:

When users log into the Web interface, they are connected to all mount points for which they have discovery permission.

Typically, it is not important for users to understand what directory in the overall Oracle iFS folder hierarchy they are in when they log into a particular mount point, and there is no way through Windows for them to determine this. As far as users are concerned, these are isolated islands of information. There may be overlap in the mount points; for example, a user could have two mount points mapped, one of which is inside another.