4
Task 1: Set Up the Folder Hierarchy

This chapter covers planning and setting up your folder hierarchy. The following topics are included:

• What Is a Folder Hierarchy?

• Guidelines for Structuring the Folder Hierarchy

• Planning Your Folder Hierarchy and Access Requirements

• Setting Up the Folder Hierarchy: The Steps to Follow

• Creating and Deleting Folders Using Oracle iFS Manager

• Creating Folders Using the Command Line Utilities

• Creating Multiple Folders Using XML

• Creating and Modifying Mount Points

• Deleting Mount Points

What Is a Folder Hierarchy?

A folder hierarchy is an organizational structure of one or more folders in Oracle iFS. Folder hierarchies organize the repository so that users can browse through it easily. You can create multiple folder hierarchies to organize information in different ways to make browsing convenient for different types of users. For example, the sales, development, marketing, and consulting departments of a company may use different hierarchies.

What Is a Folder in Oracle iFS?

A folder in Oracle iFS is similar to a physical file folder or a computer file folder, and is used to group and organize files or other objects. The organization of the folders is conceptual, not physical. The files and objects are not physically located in the folder; rather, they are in the repository and a folder references the objects that it contains.

Because folders do not physically contain their objects:

• A single object can be referenced by more than one folder at a time.

• Through searches, a file can be accessed independently of the folder(s) in which it is referenced.

• File security is enforced independently of folder security.

What Is Installed?

When Oracle iFS is installed, basic objects are created to get you started. Some of these objects include a folder hierarchy, commonly used ACLs and several users. The Web interface is ready for you to add users and files. XML configuration files are provided to create users, groups, and additional ACLs.

The following diagram shows the folder hierarchy as it looks out-of-the-box. A corresponding table describes the specific folders in the hierarchy.

 ifs/
   system/
     security/
        users/
        groups/
        acls/
   webui/
   winui/
   apps/
   outbox/
   jsp-bin/
home/
public/

where:

Folder	Description
/ifs	Oracle iFS root folder that contains application-specific data and Oracle iFS system administrators' folders.
/ifs/system	Administrators' folders.
/ifs/webui	Required files for the Web interface.
/ifs/winui	Required files for the Windows interface.
/ifs/apps	Recommended directory for storing application files.
/ifs/outbox	System-wide applications outbox; used by any custom agents to send e-mail.
/ifs/jsp-bin	Java Server Pages (JSPs) that have been approved by the administrator for use. The JSPs will not execute unless they reside in this folder.
/home	By default, all users' home folders are created under this folder.
/public	A folder that all users can access; used to store files that are intended to be shared throughout the system.

Guidelines for Structuring the Folder Hierarchy

Follow these guidelines when planning your folder hierarchy.

• The top-level folder is called root, which represents the highest level where documents and folders can be stored.

• Folders and files can also be placed in multiple folders. By using multiple folders, the same files and folders can be organized differently, but only one copy exists in the repository. This optimizes the time it takes to create a folder hierarchy and provides a more flexible way for users to navigate the folders.

• You can create mount points for your folder hierarchy. Mount points in Oracle iFS are named sub-directories that can be accessed in the Windows and the Web interfaces as if they were top-level folders.

Planning Your Folder Hierarchy and Access Requirements

To plan effectively, you should consult subject matter experts and managers in your organization to determine how they conceptually organize their work. Managers can provide information on how files are used and who should have access to what.

Access Control Lists (ACLs) are associated with each object in the hierarchy. An ACL contains a list of users and groups who can perform certain actions on the folder, such as browsing its contents, or adding or deleting items from that folder.

When designing the access permissions for the folder hierarchy, note the following features:

• If a user does not have access to a folder, but the folder contains a file which the user does have access to, the user will not be able to find the file via browsing, but the user will be able to find the file via searching.

• If a file does not have an ACL specified, the file is specified as PUBLIC; therefore, that file can be accessed by all users. It is strongly recommended that default ACLs are specified in the Primary User Profile when users are created. Creating users using Oracle iFS Manager or through the Web interface sets the default ACLs to the ACLs you specify.

Default Folder ACLs

Folder security is defined by the ACL applied to it. The ACL applied to any newly created folder on the default ACL specified in the Primary User Profile of the user who created the folder. The ACL for a folder can be changed at any time by its owner once the folder has been created.

See Also

For more information on security, see Chapter 7, "Task 4: Set Up Security".

For more information on specifying defaults for creating users, see Chapter 5, "Task 2: Add Users and Groups".

Setting Up the Folder Hierarchy: The Steps to Follow

Follow these five steps to set up the folder hierarchy.

1. Define the Structure

The first step in setting up the folder hierarchy is deciding the hierarchy for the folder or directory tree. A folder can reside in multiple folders (have multiple parents), although this type of folder tree can be confusing to users as they browse through the tree. It is recommended to start with each folder descending from a single parent folder.

2. Name and Describe the Folders

Examine your folder hierarchy and decide on a name and description for each folder. It is important to use meaningful names and enter complete descriptions as users will use these keywords for searching.

3. Define Folder Security

The initial ACL for folders is the default ACL in the Primary User Profile of the user creating the folder tree. If security needs to be more finely grained, create new ACLs specific to users' requirements. Users can change a folder's ACL after creating it. The Web and Windows interfaces do not support files without an associated ACL.

4. Create the Hierarchy

Create the hierarchy by starting at the root of the tree, adding the folders, then creating each folder's child folders, working downward. You can create folders using Oracle iFS Manager, the Web or Windows interfaces, or through the Command Line Utilities.

5. Set the Mount Points

Mount points in Oracle iFS are named directories that can be accessed as if they were top-level folders through the Windows and Web interfaces. The important attributes of mount points, especially for your users, are:

• Their names, which will show up in Windows Explorer and the Directory Tree in the Web interface.

• The description, which is an optional free-form description of the mount point.

• The folder path, which is the location in the folder hierarchy where users will end up if they connect to that mount point.

As the administrator, you should limit the number of mount points you create because having more than a few dozen makes it very difficult for users to find what they need.

The following mount points are set up by default:

• Root

• Home

• Public

Creating and Deleting Folders Using Oracle iFS Manager

Using Oracle iFS Manager, you can only create folders one at a time and only from a single level.

The owner of the folders created is the user who is logged into Oracle iFS Manager.

To create folders:

1. Access the Browser by selecting the Browse option from the File menu.

2. Navigate to the directory where you want to place the new folder and select that directory.

3. Click the New Directory button on the toolbar and type a name for the folder in the dialog.

4. Click OK. The new folder displays in the Navigator.

Deleting a Folder Using Oracle iFS Manager

To delete a folder using the Browser:

1. Access the Browser by selecting the Browse option from the File menu.

2. Navigate to and select the folder you want to delete.

3. Click the Delete button on the toolbar.

Creating Folders Using the Command Line Utilities

To create several folders at a time, it is recommended that you use the Command Line Utilities and a batch file. Using the batch file, you create the folders and assign different ACLs.

To create folders:

1. Write a batch file using a text editor. For example:

        login system/<password>
        cd /public
        mkdir specifications
        mkdir specifications/development
        mkdir specifications/qa
        setattr /public/specifications ACL -avsystemacl public
        setattr /public/specifications/development ACL -avsystemacl public
        setattr /public/specifications/qa ACL -avsystemacl public
   
   

2. Run the batch file using the following command:

   $ORACLE_HOME/ifs<version>/bin/ifsshell -i batchfile.txt

3. To acknowledge that the folders were created, use any interface and browse to the /public directory. Drill down to see all folders.

Tips

To see if any errors occurred during the execution of your batch file, check the CupServer.log found in the following directory:

Platform	Directory
UNIX	$ORACLE_HOME/ifs<version>/log
Windows NT	%ORACLE_HOME%\ifs<version>\log

Creating Multiple Folders Using XML

Using XML, you can create multiple folders. When creating multiple objects, you must use the <ObjectList> tag. The following code creates multiple folders. This can be used when creating the folder hierarchy.

<ObjectList>
   <Folder>
       <Name> FY 2000 Budgets </Name>
       <FolderPath> /managers </FolderPath>
   </Folder>
   <Folder>
       <Name> Marketing </Name>
       <FolderPath> /managers/FY 2000 Budgets </FolderPath>
   </Folder>
   <Folder>
       <Name> Human Resources </Name>
       <FolderPath> /managers/FY 2000 Budgets </FolderPath>
   </Folder>
</ObjectList>

This XML example specifies that the folders are placed under the "managers" folder, therefore, this folder must already exist in Oracle iFS for the other folders to be created.

When using the Windows interface to load this XML file, you must drag and drop the XML file to any directory. In this example, the XML file must be placed in /managers. After this XML file has been loaded into Oracle iFS, the directory looks like:

All folders in this example are created in a single transaction, meaning, if there is an error, the complete transaction is rolled back, the folders are not created, and a log file is generated in the top directory. You can use this log file to troubleshoot errors.

Certain objects must be created in their own transaction. The following table lists the tasks that are required to be in their own XML file:

Task	Tag
Creating users	SimpleUser
Creating new types (subclassing)	ClassObject

See Also

For more information on loading files into Oracle iFS, see Chapter 6, "Task 3: Load Files into Oracle iFS".

Creating and Modifying Mount Points

You use mount points for two reasons:

• Convenience--If a user always accesses the Public/Docs/WIP folder, he or she can use a mount point to start there instead of browsing through the hierarchy.

• Security--You might instruct users to log onto a specific point in the hierarchy.

Creating Mount Points

To create mount points:

1. Click Create on the toolbar.

2. Select Mount Point from the Select Object Type dialog. You can also use the Create Like option.

3. Click Create. The Create Mount Point dialog displays:

4. Enter information in the following fields:
   • Name (required)--A meaningful name for the mount point.

   • Description--A description of the mount point.

   • Associated Folder (required)--The folder referred to by the mount point. For example, for the mount point "public," the associated folder is "/public."

5. Select the appropriate ACL for the mount point from the drop-down list.

6. Click Create.

   The new mount point displays in the Navigator.

Modifying Mount Points

The description and the ACL of the mount point may be modified.

1. In the Navigator pane, select the mount point by clicking its icon. The properties of the mount point display in the Detail View.

2. Enter a new description in the Description field. The mount point description is optional.

3. If you select a new ACL for this mount point, the ACL of the associated folder is also changed.

4. Click Apply.

Deleting Mount Points

Usually, you would delete a mount point if you do not want people to mount from Windows or navigate from the Web interface to a specific folder. If a mount point is deleted, a user will receive an error if they have the deleted mount point mapped which they access after it is deleted. To delete a mount point:

1. In the Navigator pane, select the mount point by clicking its icon.

2. Click Delete on the toolbar or select the Delete command from the Object menu.

3. Select OK to confirm the delete operation. Oracle iFS Manager refreshes the Navigator. The mount point no longer displays.

Tips

If there is no longer a need for a particular mount point because a folder in the associated folder path needs to be deleted, first delete the mount point.

Setting Up Folders for Users

If you create a user with Oracle iFS Manager, the Web interface, or XML, Oracle iFS automatically creates the user, home folder, e-mail folder, Primary User Profile, and e-mail profile.

Folder security is distinct from file security. Folder security defines who can browse the contents of the folder and add or delete folder items. File security defines who can access, modify, and delete attributes and contents of a file. If an ACL is not specified at the time the folder or file is created, then the ACL is determined by the user's default ACL. If a file is placed in a user's home folder, it does not mean the file is associated with the PRIVATE ACL, and if a file is placed in a public folder, it does not mean the file is associated with the PUBLIC ACL. The ACL associated with a folder or file can be modified at any time once it has been created to reflect appropriate access.