6 Using Folders and WebDAV

Oracle WebCenter Content Server includes components that provide a hierarchical folder interface, similar to a conventional file system, for organizing and managing some or all of the content in the repository.

This chapter provides information about administering folders and WebDAV interfaces. It covers the following topics:

6.1 Using Folders

The Folders component (also called Framework Folders) provides a hierarchical folder interface, similar to a conventional file system, for organizing and locating some or all of the content in the repository. The Folders functionality is installed but disabled by default. This is a scalable, enterprise solution and is meant to be a replacement for Contribution Folders.

Note:

Unless you are migrating content from Contribution Folders to the Folders interface, you should not enable both Contribution Folders and Folders. For more information about migrating Contribution Folder content, see the Oracle WebCenter Content System Administrator's Guide for Content Server.

This section covers the following topics:

6.1.1 The Folders Interface

The Folders hierarchy is accessible through both the standard content management Web interface and through the WebDAV interface. With the standard interface, you access folders and content items (files) with a browser and specially designed Web pages. With the WebDAV interface, you create a network connection to Content Server and then access folders and files through Windows Explorer as you would a shared folder.

The familiar folder and file model provides a framework for organizing and accessing content stored in the repository. Functionally, folders and files are very similar to those in a conventional file system. You can copy, move, rename, and delete folders and files. You can also create shortcuts to folders or files so you can access a content item from multiple locations in the hierarchy.

You can think of the files in the Folders interface as symbolic links or pointers to content items in the repository. The operations you perform in the Folders interface, such as searching or propagating metadata, effectively operate on the associated content items.

6.1.2 Folders and Files

As with a conventional file system, Folders offers a convenient way to organize content. Users can easily view the relationship between folders and subfolders and can browse to a group of content items.

Using Folders, users can perform the following actions with the privileges defined by Content Server's standard security model:

  • Browse to locate content items for check-in, check-out, and to view and change folder and item information.

  • Create new folders and subfolders.

  • Create new content items in a folder or add existing repository content to a folder.

  • Add shortcuts to folders or content items in one or more locations. Shortcuts act as placeholders for the referenced content item.

  • Move or copy folders or files to other locations.

  • Rename a folder or file.

  • Remove a file from the folders hierarchy. This does not affect the associated content item.

  • Delete a folder or file. When you delete a folder or file, the folder or file and any shortcuts to it are removed from the folders hierarchy. Any content items associated with the files are set to expired in the repository.

  • Create a query folder that contains content items returned by the query associated with the folder. For more information about query folders, see Section 6.1.4, "Query Folders and Folder Search."

  • Create a retention query folder and assign retention rules for the content items returned by the query. For more information about query folders and retention scheduling, see Section 6.1.5, "Folders Retention."

  • Assign folder security and default metadata values for content items created in the folder. You can also propagate specified metadata values to the contents of a folder or block propagation for a given folder. For more information, see Section 6.1.9, "Folder and Content Item Metadata."

The Folders interface follows several conventions familiar to users of file systems:

  • Use standard Windows naming conventions when creating folders. Do not use special characters such as the forward or backward slash characters or the double quote character.

  • Content Server can store multiple files of the same name as separate content items. However, in the Folders interface, file names in a given folder must be unique (in the same way that a folder in Windows cannot contain two files with the same name).

6.1.3 Shortcuts and Links

With Folders, you can reference the same folder or content item in multiple locations using shortcuts that act as placeholders for the referenced folder or file. You can create shortcuts to folders or files to help you locate and manage the target content items within the folder hierarchy.

6.1.3.1 Folders and Shortcuts

Folders and folder shortcuts are identified with different icons:

Icon Description
Folder icon described in the description column

Folder: Folders can contain other folders, content items, and shortcuts to other folders and content items. Folders are identified by a standard folder icon.
Folder link icon described in the description column

Folder Shortcut: A folder shortcut includes the contents of the associated folder in the hierarchy at the point where the shortcut is stored. Folder shortcuts are identified by a folder icon with an arrow and can reference either a folder or a query folder. Folder shortcuts are excluded from metadata propagation actions.
Query Folder icon described in the description column

Query Folder: The contents of a query folder are the repository content items returned by the query associated with the folder. Query folders are identified by a folder icon with a magnifying glass.
Retention Query Folder icon described in description column

Retention Query Folder: Similar to a query folder, the contents of a retention query folder are the repository content items returned by the query associated with the folder. You can additionally specify retention rules for the content items returned by the query. Retention query folders are identified by a folder icon with a magnifying glass and a clock.

6.1.3.2 Content Item Links

You can think of content items in the Folders interface as links to items in the repository. There are two types of links for content items:

Icon Description
Primary Link icon described in the description column

File (primary link): There can be only one primary link to a content item in the Folders interface. The primary link represents the content item in the repository and is identified by a standard document icon. In most respects, working with a file (or primary link) is the same as working directly with the content item in the repository. For example, if you delete a file, the status of the associated content item in the repository is set to "expired."
Secondary Link icon described in the description column

Shortcut (secondary link): There can be any number of file shortcuts in the Folders interface to an associated content item. A file shortcut is identified by a document icon with an arrow indicating that it is a reference to the actual content item. Shortcuts are excluded from metadata propagation actions. Changes you make by means of the shortcut (such as metadata changes) are made to the underlying content item. Changes you make to the shortcut itself (such as deleting the shortcut) do not affect the underlying content item.
Secondary Link icon described in the description column

Query result: The contents of a query folder are the repository content items returned by the query associated with the folder. Query content items are identified by a document icon with a magnifying glass.

6.1.4 Query Folders and Folder Search

A query folder functions much like a saved search; each time you access the folder, you initiate the query associated with the folder. The contents of a query folder are the content items returned by the query. The contents of query folders can change dynamically as the contents of the repository change.

Query folders contain the actual repository content items returned by the query. That is, folders and shortcuts are not included in the contents of query folders.

With the contents of a query folder, you can copy the associated content items, view and update metadata information for individual items, or propagate metadata changes through all items in the query folder.

Folders also expands the standard search results options to include the Create Query Folder option to save a search query as a query folder.

To search for folders or files from within a folder, use the options in the Search menu in a given folder. You can search any or all folder metadata fields.

6.1.5 Folders Retention

With Folders, you can perform basic content retention scheduling by creating a retention query folder, assigning retention attributes to the folder, and then configuring the retention schedule. You can assign retention rules based on the age of the content item or on the number of revisions. If you have a license for Oracle WebCenter Content: Records, you can also define retention rules based on categories defined in Records.

You must be an administrator to specify retention rules or schedules. For information about specifying retention scheduling, see Section 6.2.2.1, "Specify Retention Rules". For information about specifying retention scheduling, see Section 6.2.2.2, "Configure Retention Schedule".

Considerations

The following considerations apply to retention query folders:

  • Retention rules are associated with the retention query folder but are stored separately from the standard folder metadata. For this reason, you cannot search for a query folder based on the folder's retention attributes.

  • Unlike standard query folders, retention query folders search only database values and cannot perform full-text searches even if full-text search is supported on your system.

  • If you specify multiple retention rules for a particular retention query folder, all the rules must be satisfied for the disposition to occur. For example, if you specify the age as 1 calendar year and the number of revisions to keep as 3, only those items that are more than 1 year old and that are older than the last three revisions are deleted.

  • Different queries can include the same content item in their results. In this case, the retention rules for each retention query folder are applied independently from one another. For example, if one query folder specifies the number of revisions to keep as 2 and another specifies the revisions to keep as 3, only two revisions of the item are retained.

  • Folders retention is treated differently than that in Oracle WebCenter Content: Records. When using Records, if multiple delete actions are called, the retention with the longest interval is used. In Folders, the shortest interval always runs first.

  • Folders retention processes items based on the values in the dCreateDate row in the Revisions table in the database.

Considerations with Oracle WebCenter Content: Records

If you use both Folders and Oracle WebCenter Content: Records on the same system, the following additional considerations apply:

  • If you have Records installed, it is possible to have two retention schedules (as well as multiple rules) for the same item. If a content item has retention rules defined in both Content Server and in Oracle WebCenter Content: Records, only the retention and schedule defined by the Records system are used.

  • If you have Records installed with a level of DoD Baseline or higher, retention query folder options are not available in the Content Server interface. Any existing retention query folders retain their icon and (inactive) retention attributes, but function as a standard query folder.

    If the level is then set to Standard or lower, then retention query folder options are enabled in Content Server and the rules for any existing retention query folders become active.

6.1.6 Personal Folder

In the root folder of the Folders hierarchy is a Users folder that contains a folder defined for you as an authenticated user. You can create subfolders and content items in the same way you do with other folders in the hierarchy. Your personal folder, however, is visible only to you. Every authenticated user can have a personal folder.

Folders provides menu options to quickly add folders, files, and shortcuts to your personal folder, referred to in menus as Add to My Folder.

To access your personal folder, click My Content Server in the tray area and then click My Folders.

6.1.7 Security and User Access

Users can create and edit folders, shortcuts to folders, and links to documents as allowed by Content Server's standard security model. Folders are assigned security attributes in the same way they are assigned to content items, including security group, account, and Access Control List attributes, if enabled.

By default, folders inherit the security settings and other default metadata defined for the parent folder. You can, however, explicitly set security and metadata values for a given folder and propagate those values to folders and content items within the folder.

6.1.8 Content Item Versioning

You can check out content items and check in new versions of those content items through the Folders interface in much the same way you do through the standard content management pages. When you view or edit the metadata information for a particular content item, you can choose menu options to check out the item and then check in a new version of that item.

Folders provides two modes for viewing content item versions:

  • Published Items (consumption mode): The latest released revisions of documents are displayed. These are the same revisions that are returned in search result listings.

  • All Items (contribution mode): The latest revision of each document is displayed. These can include the revisions of documents that are still in workflow or have otherwise not finished with the search indexing process.

As a user, you can switch between the two modes to see released content items only or to see content items that require work before being released. The selection you make remains in effect until you explicitly change it.

6.1.9 Folder and Content Item Metadata

Every folder has a set of metadata values that can be applied to content items added to the folder. You can configure folders to enforce metadata rules on their content items or allow any or all values to be modified. For example, a folder could be configured to enforce 'Secure' as the value for the Security Group metadata field. Then, when a content item is added to that folder, the Security Group value automatically updates to Secure.

Folders inherit the default metadata assigned to their parent folders unless the folder is explicitly configured otherwise. Subsequent changes to a parent folder's metadata do not affect the metadata for existing subfolders unless explicitly propagated down through the hierarchy.

Folder metadata inheritance and propagation make it easy to apply metadata to content items. Whether you are an administrator managing all folders and files or a user managing your own folders and files, it is a good idea to plan your metadata strategy before you start creating folders and adding content items. Your strategy should include the following basic steps:

  1. Determine whether specific folders or branches in the hierarchy have unique metadata requirements and how best to identify and manage those requirements.

  2. Determine which metadata fields (if any) a user should specify when adding or checking in a content item through a particular folder.

  3. Determine which metadata fields (if any) should have a default value or an enforced value for a particular folder.

  4. Determine which subfolders (if any) are eligible to be changed when propagating metadata through a folder.

  5. Determine whether to use profiles to manage metadata requirements. An administrator can create one or more profiles to organize, selectively display, and control access to metadata fields based on rules associated with the profile.

6.1.9.1 Default Metadata

Default metadata values are automatically applied to new content items created in or checked in to a folder. To modify the default metadata values for a folder, you must have Delete permission to the folder or be the Author and have Write permission.

If default values are not provided for all required fields, you are prompted to provide them when you create or check in the content item.

Default metadata values are also used as the default values when propagating metadata.

If you are using Oracle WebCenter Content: Desktop and the folder has the Prompt for Metadata option selected, you are prompted to provide metadata values for the item rather than relying on the folder's default metadata settings. For more information about Desktop, see Oracle WebCenter User's Guide for Desktop.

6.1.9.2 Metadata Propagation

With proper permissions, you can propagate metadata values from a folder to its subfolders and content items. To propagate metadata to the content items in a particular folder, you must have Write permission for the folder and the content items themselves. To propagate to any folders below the folder in the hierarchy, you must have Delete permission to the folders.

Content items in a folder do not necessarily have the same security settings. To propagate metadata to content items, you must also have Write permission for the content item. To restrict changes to folders only, you can optionally select the Propagate To Folders Only option.

When you propagate metadata, you select the metadata fields and can specify the values to propagate from the metadata available for the current folder. You can propagate any metadata value that you can change. For example, you can propagate the Security Group or Owner values, but you cannot propagate the Content ID. You can also propagate a blank field, such as the Comment or Expiration Date fields, to clear the associated values from content items.

You can configure folders to prevent propagation by selecting Inhibit Propagation in the folder information for that folder. You can optionally override a folder's inhibit setting using the Force Propagation setting on the Propagate window.

6.1.9.3 Metadata Profiles

An administrator can create sets of metadata as one or more profiles that the administrator or other users can easily apply to folders when specifying folder defaults or when propagating metadata. For more information about using profiles, see the Section 3.1, "Using Schemas to Customize Metadata."

6.2 Managing Folders

Folders (FrameworkFolders component) provides a hierarchical folder interface, similar to a conventional file system, for organizing and locating some or all of the content in the repository.

This section covers the following topics:

6.2.1 Setting Configuration Variables

You can set configuration variables in Content Server's config.cfg file to modify the behavior of Folders. This section covers the following topics:

6.2.1.1 Folder Variables

These variables configure optional settings in the Folders interface.

Variable Description

AuthorDelete

If set to true, the owner/author of an item can delete the item as long a they have Write privileges, otherwise, they require Delete permission. The default value is true.

DisablePersonalFolderFormat

Set to true to disable personal folder naming specified by FldPersonalFolderFormat. The default is false.

If you change or disable the name format for personal folders after personal folders are created, you must manually rename existing folders, or recreate them. For example, if the personal folder for user abc.def@oracle.com is formatted with the name abc.def and then DisablePersonalFolderFormat is set, the database retains the existing folder name, but the user interface expects it to be named abc.def@oracle.com. You must rename the folder to match the disabled formatting or delete the row from the database and recreate the folder when the user logs in.

FldDefaultFilesLoadCount

Number of files to display in the folder explorer. The default is 50.

FldDefaultFoldersLoadCount

Number of folders to display in the folder explorer. The default is 50.

FldEnableInProcessIndicator

If set to true, enables the Process Indicator shown during copy, move, delete, and propagate operations. The default value is false.

FldPersonalFolderFormat

Specify the regular expression used to construct the name of the personal folder from the user's name. By default, the regular expression is (.+)@(.+):$1 (two groups of one or more characters separated by "@" and using the first group as the folder name. For example, the user name abc.def@oracle.com results in a personal folder is named abc.def. Refer to https://download.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/util/regex/Pattern.html for information about regular expressions.

FldShowAutoPropagateOption

By default, moved items retain the metadata defined for the item and do not inherit metadata values in the new location. If you set this variable to true, the Auto propagate destination's metadata to folder option is added to the Choose a Destination window for mover operations. If the user selects this option, moved items inherit the metadata defined by the enclosing folder in the same way that copied items do. The default value is false.

FoldersDefaultDocType

Specify a document type to use if the document type cannot be determined when creating a content item. The default document type is Document.

FoldersIndexParentFolderValues

If set to true and Oracle Text Search is in use, sub-folder searching is enabled. The default is false.

When enabled, the system adds all paths to all documents to the search index. Documents are reindexed whenever they are added to or removed from a folder. In addition, the document is reindexed if its full path changes in any way (for example, when the parent folder is moved).

6.2.1.2 Folders Migration Variables

These variables configure optional settings in the Folders Migration utility. The Folders Migration utility migrates folder content and structure from Contribution Folders (Folders_g component) to Folders (FrameworkFolders component). The utility is available the tables associated with Contribution Folders are present in the database schema. For more information about migrating content, see the Oracle WebCenter Content System Administrator's Guide for Content Server.

Variable Description

FldMigrateDefaultSecurityGroup

Specify the default Security Group to assign to migrated folders if one is not already associated with the folder. If not set explicitly, the default value is Public.

Contribution Folders do not need and may not have a Security Group setting. Migrated folders require a security setting.

FldMigrateRootBaseName

Specify the base name for the root folder created during migration.

The folder name has the form:
<$FldMigrateRootBaseName$>_<$date$>_#<$run_index$>

If not set, the base value defaults to "Migrate".

FolderMigrateExcludeList

Specify the list of folders to exclude from the migration. The list may include folder IDs and folder marks.

If not set explicitly, only the TRASH folder is excluded.

ShowFolderMigrationMenu.

Set to 0 (zero) to prevent the Folder Migration option from showing in the Administration menu. If set to 1 or if not set explicitly, and migration is possible, the option is displayed.

6.2.1.3 Folders WebDAV Variables

These variables configure optional settings in the Folders WebDAV interface.

Variable Description

OVERWRITE

Set to false to prevent a WebDAV copy from writing over items with the same name. The default value is true

6.2.2 Working with Retention Scheduling

You can specify how to dispose of content item revisions based on the age of the content item or on the number of revisions. If you have a license for Oracle WebCenter Content: Records, you can also define retention rules based on categories defined in that product. For additional retention query folder considerations, see Section 6.1.5, "Folders Retention."

To define retention scheduling for the contents of a retention query folder, you must first specify the retention rules associated with the folder and then specify the retention schedule for each of the rules used with one or more retention query folder.

This section covers the following topics:

6.2.2.1 Specify Retention Rules

You can specify retention rules when you create a retention query folder and modify them at a later time. You can specify retention rules for retention query folders only, and only if you are an administrator. Retention query folders that do not include retention rules act like standard query folders.

Note:

If you have Oracle WebCenter Content: Records installed with a level of DoD Baseline or higher, retention query folder options are not available in the Content Server interface. Any existing retention query folders retain their icon and (inactive) retention attributes, but function as a standard query folder.

The following procedure shows how to specify retention rules. For more information about creating folders and specifying queries, see the Oracle WebCenter Content User's Guide for Content Server.

Query folders with retention rules apply the rules on a schedule you specify. For more information about how to create a retention schedule, see Section 6.2.2.2, "Configure Retention Schedule."

  1. Navigate to the folder where the retention query folder resides.

  2. To change metadata values, including the retention rules, choose Update Folder Information from the Actions menu for the associated folder.

    To change metadata values for the folder when you are viewing the contents of the folder, choose Folder Information from the Edit menu on the page.

  3. Click show advanced retention options.

  4. Choose one or more retention options. For example, to keep only the most recent 3 revisions of a content item, choose Revisions and specify 3. Older revisions are expired on the retention schedule specified for Revisions.

    1. Revisions: Specify how many revisions of the content items in the query folder to keep and click Update.

    2. Age: Specify how long to keep the content items in the query folder and click Update.

      If you have the full Oracle WebCenter Content: Records product, the units list includes fiscal units as well as calendar units.

    3. Category: Assign a category to the query folder and use the retention defined for the category to determine how to dispose of the content items.

      This option is available only with the full Oracle WebCenter Content: Records product.

  5. Make any additional changes to the folder metadata or query and click Save.

6.2.2.2 Configure Retention Schedule

Query folders with assigned retention rules apply the rules on a schedule you specify. You can specify a different schedule for each type of retention rule. Content items that are included in multiple query folders can have multiple retention rules, and therefor multiple schedules, applied to them.

Note:

Folders retention rules are treated differently than those in Oracle WebCenter Content: Records. When using Records, if multiple delete actions are called, the retention with the longest interval is used. In Folders, the shortest interval always runs first.

Note:

If a content item has retention rules defined in both Content Server and in Oracle WebCenter Content: Records, only the retention and schedule defined by the Records system is used.

For additional retention query folder considerations, see Section 6.1.5, "Folders Retention."

  1. From the Administration menu, choose Folders Retention Administration and then choose Configure Scheduled Jobs.

    The Folder Retention Scheduled Jobs page opens.

  2. Specify schedules for retention rules governed by age or revision.

    Age-based rules process items based on the values in the dCreateDate row in the Revisions table in the database.

    1. Weeks/Days: Select a Start Time and an End Time. This schedules the retention for query folders with Weekly retention rules. To run the scheduled disposition immediately, click Run Now.

    2. Calendar Months: Select a day of the month, a Start Time and an End Time. This schedules the retention for query folders with Monthly or Quarterly retention rules. To run the scheduled disposition immediately, click Run Now.

    3. Calendar Years: Select a month, a day of the month, a Start Time and an End Time. This schedules the retention for query folders with Yearly retention rules. To run the scheduled disposition immediately, click Run Now.

    4. Fiscal Months/Fiscal Years: If you have the Oracle WebCenter Content: Records product, you can schedule the retention for query folders with Fiscal Month and Fiscal Year retention rules. To run the scheduled disposition immediately, click Run Now.

    5. Retention Revisions: Select a day of the month, a Start Time and an End Time. This schedules the retention for query folders with Revisions retention rules. To run the scheduled disposition immediately, click Run Now.

    Note:

    If you have the Oracle WebCenter Content: Records product and use category retention rules, the categories are scheduled by their associated age or revision rules. For example, a category with a retention specified in months is governed by the value you specify here for Calendar Months. Likewise, to immediately apply the retention rules for all items with retention rules or categories specified in months, click the Run Now button associated with Calendar Months on this page.

  3. Click Update.

6.2.3 Migrating to the Folders Structure

If you have content in an existing Contribution Folders hierarchy (folders_g component) and want to migrate the folders and files to the Folders interface, you can use the Folders Migration utility to replicate the folder hierarchy and selectively migrate folder content. For more information about the Folders Migration Utility, see the Oracle WebCenter Content System Administrator's Guide for Content Server.

6.3 Using Contribution Folders

Contribution Folders is an optional component that. when enabled, provides a hierarchical folder interface in the form of contribution folders (also called hierarchical folders), enabling the creation of a multilevel folder structure.

Note:

The newer, Folders component is a scalable, enterprise solution and is meant to be a replacement for Contribution Folders.

This section covers the following topics:

6.3.1 Usage and Structure

There are several advantages when using folders:

  • Browsing: Users can browse through folders to find sub-folders and content items using a simple mechanism to retrieve additional information about a folder, and to traverse the tree structure. In a folder with a large number of sub-folders, the user can easily view and browse through content items in that folder.

  • Creating folders: Users can create new folders in any folders easily, by naming the folders. Additional information such as folder metadata and default metadata is accessible only if needed.

  • Assigning folder metadata: Users can assign metadata to folders when creating a folder or to existing folders using the same process.

  • Assigning default metadata for items: Users can specify metadata to be assigned to content created in or added to a folder. You can set the metadata at folder creation time or later. The steps and process are the same.

  • Assigning a Content Profile to a folder: You can assign content profiles to a folder when you create the folder or later to determine what metadata fields are available to be set as defaults for content items added to that folder.

  • Creating new content in a folder: Users can browse through a folder and check in a new item. If the folder specifies default metadata for new content, or a content profile, then the content check-in form reflects that.

  • Adding existing content to a folder: Users can browse into a folder and add a link to an existing content item. If the destination folder contains items with the same name, the user is asked to rename the new link.

  • Moving or copying items: Users can browse to a folder, select one or more sub-folders and content items, and move them or copy them into another folder.

  • Deleting an item/folder: A user can browse to a folder, select one or more sub-folders and content items, and delete them. The user is prompted for confirmation of delete action. For items with multiple revisions, the user is asked whether all revisions are deleted or only the latest revision. The user should have an option to apply their answer to all selected files.

  • Renaming an item/folder: A user selects a link/shortcut or sub-folder within a folder and renames it. The rename action is allowed only on single items. If the new name is same as that of an existing item or folder, the user is warned and required to change the name to be unique.

The following structure is used for Contribution Folders:

  • Each Oracle WebCenter Content Server instance has a common set of contribution folders. Any change to the folders is applied systemwide.

  • There is one default system-level folder, called Contribution Folders. The Trash Bin function is enabled during installation with a system-level folder called Trash created.

  • The system administrator can change the name of a system-level folder, but cannot delete it or add a custom system-level folder except through changes to the database. Deleting a system-level folder disables it, but does not remove it from the system.

  • Each folder in the hierarchy contains content items that have the same numeric Folder value, which is assigned automatically upon creation of the folder. Changing the value of the Folder field for a content item places it in a different folder.

  • You can limit the maximum number of folders and content items in each folder so that browsing through contribution folders does not affect system performance.

The Contribution Folders component mimics the Windows file system. The use of double quotes in the name is not allowed (for example, "doublequotedfolder"). Use the standard naming conventions for Windows when creating folders.

6.3.2 Contribution Folders Component Security

The Contribution Folders component applies security at two levels:

  • Content item security: The user logins and security controls in Oracle WebCenter Content Server also apply to content that is managed through contribution folders. For example, if you have Read permission for a content item, you can view the file, but you cannot check in a revision to the file.

    To allow users with Read permission to access content through a contribution folder, the GetCopyAccess environment variable must be set. To set this variable:

    1. From the Administration tray, select Admin Server.

    2. Click Content Security.

    3. Select Allow get copy for user with read privilege.

  • Folder security: Security is also applied at the folder level:

    • Each contribution folder has an owner, a user who has permission to manage the folder. The owner can change a folder's metadata and delete the folder, even if they do not have Write or Delete permission to the folder's security group. However, the owner does not have additional permissions to content items in the folder.

    • Users can see only the contribution folders assigned no security group or a security group for which they have at least Read permission.

    • To delete a folder, a user must have Delete permission to the folder or be the owner of the folder. The user must also have permission to delete all of the content items and subfolders in that folder.

    • To change a folder's default metadata, a user must have Read and Write permissions. If the environment variable FoldersModifyWithRW=false, a user must also have Delete permission to the folder or be the owner of the folder.

Caution:

Be careful when changing the security group of a folder. If a folder is changed to a more restrictive security group, authors may no longer have permission to manage their own content items.

When creating a new folder, the metadata from the parent folder populates the fields for the new folder. The folder initially "inherits" the metadata, but can change its values without affecting the parent folder. Later changes to a parent folder's metadata do not affect the metadata for existing subfolders. To apply a parent folder's metadata to subfolders and content items, use the Metadata Propagation and Default Values feature.

6.3.3 Trash Bin

The Trash Bin is an optional feature that sends deleted items to a Trash folder, rather than permanently deleting the items. Items in the Trash Bin can then be permanently deleted or restored to their original location in the folder hierarchy.

Note the following considerations for the Trash Bin feature:

  • Deleting a revision from the Repository Manager bypasses the Trash Bin and permanently deletes the revision.

  • You can enable or disable the Trash Bin function using System Folder Configuration after installation.

  • If using folders to contribute content to a Site Studio Web site, it consider disabling the Trash Bin feature. Otherwise, any deleted content items, such as those moved to Trash Bin, still appear in the tables of content (dynamic lists) on the Web site. To get rid of the content items, go into the Trash Bin in WebDAV and explicitly delete the documents from there, too.

6.3.4 Metadata Propagation and Default Values

The metadata propagation function enables contributors to copy specified metadata values from a folder to its subfolders and content items. Propagation is useful when moving a large number of content items to a new folder structure, or after revising the default metadata for a folder. This feature allows the application of metadata to all items in the structure.

Note the following considerations regarding metadata propagation:

  • The propagation function applies each folder's metadata to all uninhibited subfolders and content items within those folders. Each uninhibited subfolder and content item inherits the metadata of the launched folder.

  • When inhibiting a folder, it is not affected by metadata propagation from a higher-level folder. However, metadata propagation can still be launched from an inhibited folder.

  • The system administrator selects which metadata fields are included in propagation. This setting applies systemwide. By default, no metadata fields are included until they are selected.

  • If a folder metadata field does not have a value defined, subfolders and content items within that folder cannot inherit the blank value during propagation and any existing metadata values can remain intact for these items. The CollectionPropagateEmptyValues configuration variable controls if empty field values are propagated.

  • When metadata propagation is launched, only folders and content items for which you have Write permission to the security group are affected.

When a file is checked in through a contribution folder, default metadata values are entered on the content check-in form. The default values are evaluated in the following order:

  1. Contribution folder default values: When checking in a new content item from an Exploring page, default metadata values for that contribution folder are entered on the content check-in form.

  2. User default metadata values: If any metadata defaults are not defined for the contribution folder, the user's default metadata values are applied. User default metadata values are only applicable when creating new content items using WebDAV. They are not applicable when using the Web interface.

  3. System default metadata values: The system default values are applied to any fields not defined by the contribution folder or the user's default metadata. These values are defined by the system administrator. System default metadata values are only applicable when creating new content items using WebDAV. They are not applicable when using the Oracle WebCenter Content Server Web interface.

  4. None: You can leave a metadata field blank if it is not a required field. If a required field is blank, an error occurs and the content item is not checked in.

6.3.5 Latest Version versus Latest Released Version

When documents are edited and checked in, the revised document is processed, indexed, then released. Before the process is complete, the revised document is considered the latest version. After the process is complete, the revised document is considered the latest released version.

Depending on the setting of the CollectionReleasedOnly configuration variable, users with read access to the content item see either the latest version or nothing if the item is not released. Authors, however, always see the latest version. By default, this variable is enabled and displays the latest version to all users with read access.

See the Oracle WebCenter Content Idoc Script Reference Guide for details about the CollectionReleasedOnly configuration variable.

6.3.6 Local Contribution Folders

The local folders function enables the mapping of a contribution folder structure to a local file system on the host system (not the user's system). Changes to the folder, its subfolders, and content items are reflected in the local directory. To allow users to access and modify files in the local directory, you can map the local folder to a shared drive and allow access using standard folder permissions.

You can use local folders to manage content, such as the files on a Web site, which contain links to other files in the same folder hierarchy. In Content Server, individual content items are stored according to security groups and content types, not folder locations. Hyperlinks between Web pages do not work if accessed directly from Content Server. Local folders lets you place content items in a folder hierarchy to preserve the link relationships between content items.

The following outline describes how this function could be used for Web site management:

  1. A Web designer creates a Web site that contains several Web pages with internal hyperlinking in a multilevel directory structure.

  2. Through a WebDAV client, the designer copies the entire Web site structure to a contribution folder called WebSite.

  3. On the Local Folders Page, the WebSite folder is mapped to a directory on a shared drive, Z:\Intranet.

  4. The \Intranet directory is set up as a Web server virtual directory.

  5. Users can access the Web site from the Z:\Intranet directory without logging in to Oracle WebCenter Content Server. You can update Web pages in Oracle WebCenter Content Server, and they are replicated to the local directory automatically.

Consider the following information when using local folders:

  • Oracle WebCenter Content Server security does not apply to folders or content items in the local directory.

  • Only content items with a status of "Released" appear in the local directory. Items that fail conversion, are still being indexed, are in a workflow, or have a future release date are not available in the local directory.

  • Only the latest revision of a content item is available in the local directory.

  • Modifying directories or files directly in the local file system can cause problems with the local folder mapping. All changes must be made through the Oracle WebCenter Content Server Contribution Folders interface.

  • To restrict access for specific files to only users who belong to a specific security group, point local directories to /weblayout secured directories.

6.3.7 Contribution Folder Archiving and Searching

The steps you use to export the folder hierarchy structure are different from the steps you use to archive folder content. The following considerations apply to exporting and archiving folder information:. You can archive content in a separate step using Archiver.

  • You can export and import the folder hierarchy structure from the Contribution Folders administration interface.

  • You can import and export content items with Archiver.

  • When you export the folder hierarchy, the entire structure is exported. You cannot specify a particular folder.

  • The folder hierarchy is exported to a text file in HDA format, which Oracle WebCenter Content Server can import.

Caution:

When you import a folder archive file, all content items are removed from the repository and replaced by the imported folder hierarchy.

If the Contribution Folders CollectionSearchRecursiveContent configuration variable is set to true, when users click Search on the interface, a Browse button and field are displayed in the Results Options section of the Search page. Click Browse to find and select a folder, including its subfolders, to be searched.

6.3.8 Optimizing Performance

This section provides guidelines for improving performance with Contribution Folders and WebDAV enabled:

  • Limit the number of contribution folders, especially unused ones. The more folders used, the more RAM is required by the folder cache. If a large number of folders is needed, increase the memory available. To allocate more memory, set the -Xmx JAVA_OPTIONS parameter to a high enough value to accommodate the memory requirements and avoid getting errors.

  • Limit the number of folders and content items in contribution folders. If the number of folders, content items or both in a contribution folder is too high, it can affect performance. When browsing through folders, each item in a folder is processed by the server, the network, and the client browser. Each item takes time and resources at each of these steps. The amount of time is dependent on many factors. A rule of thumb is that each item adds a few milliseconds to browsing response time and a few kilobytes to the size of the page displayed in the browser. Note that the number of items in a folder only affects browsing, not searching.

    High numbers of folders, content items or both in a contribution folder can affect the user experience. Users can have a harder time finding things in folders that contain a large number of items.

    Therefore, limit the number of folders and content items per contribution folder. The recommended maximum number for both folders and content items per folder is 1,000. Specify these limits during the Contribution Folders/WebDAV software installation or modify the limits later. For more information, see Section 6.4.1.1, "Setting Folder and File Limits."

  • Perform regular database maintenance. When a system has a large number of content items and folders, Contribution Folders performance is affected by database performance. Perform periodic (for example, monthly) database maintenance to verify there is enough RAM, the indexes are optimized, and the database is not too fragmented.

  • Relax security to allow users without the appropriate access privileges to see (not access) secure content or folders. The CollectionContentSecurity and CollectionFolderSecurity variables control if users can see secure content or folders on Exploring pages if they have no access privileges to the content. If these variables are set to 'false' (not the default), users with no access privileges to secure content items or folders see them on Exploring pages. However, if they try to view the content, an access-denied error is displayed. This setting speeds up browsing performance because it simplifies the queries (less filtering), but it does allow users to see some information about secure content which they cannot access.

  • Limit the number of items and folders displayed on Exploring pages. Set the CollectionDisplayResultSetSize configuration variable to control the maximum number of items displayed on Exploring pages. If the number of items in the result set exceeds the specified number, the results are truncated and spread over multiple pages. Navigation links allow movement between pages. You can use this setting to prevent extremely large pages from being generated.

  • Remove selected options from the Actions popup menu for items on Exploring pages. The following configuration variables remove certain menu options from the Actions popup menu next to the Info icons on Exploring pages:

    • CollectionInfoEnabled: Folder Information and Content Information options

    • CollectionLinkEnabled: Create Shortcut option

    • CollectionMoveEnabled: Move option

    • CollectionDeleteEnabled: Delete option

6.3.9 Metadata Inheritance

When creating a new folder or checking in new content into a folder, the metadata from the parent folder automatically populates the fields for the new folder or the new content item. The folder initially inherits the metadata, but can change its values without affecting the parent folder. Later changes to a parent folder's metadata do not affect the metadata for existing subfolders or content checked in to a folder.

There are times when items checked in to a folder should not inherit the parent folder's metadata values. For example, you can create a folder with the metadata field of ReadOnly set to true to prevent renaming, moving, or deleting the folder but allow content to be checked in to the folder.

If content checked in to the folder inherits the folder's metadata value of true for the ReadOnly field, that content cannot be deleted, even by its author. You may want to have a folder set to ReadOnly, but you may want content checked in to the folder to not inherit the value of true for ReadOnly so deletions are allowed.

You can change the value of the ReadOnly field to false for content checked in to the folder on the check-in page through the browser interface, but if you check in content through WebDAV, there is no way to change the value of this field at check-in time.

Follow these steps to prevent inheriting value from the parent folder. This example uses the ReadOnly field, but you can use any metadata field.

  1. Locate the /custom/Folders/resources directory.

  2. Copy the existing folders_forcemeta_resource.hda file to another name as backup.

  3. Open the folders_forcemeta_resource.hda file in a text editor.

  4. Edit the file as follows. The ResultSet is similar to the following:

    @ResultSet METADATA_OVERRIDE
2
name
value
xReadOnly
0
@end

  5. Save the file.

  6. Restart Oracle WebCenter Content Server.

6.4 Managing Contribution Folders

This section discusses common tasks involved in managing contribution folders. It covers the following topics:

6.4.1 Configuring Contribution Folders

You can optimize the performance of folders in the following ways:

6.4.1.1 Setting Folder and File Limits

Follow these steps to modify the maximum number of folders and content items in a contribution folder:

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu.

    The Virtual Folder Administration Configuration Screen opens.

  2. Enter a number in the Maximum Folders Per Virtual Folder field. If a user attempts to define more than this number of contribution folders, an error message is displayed.

  3. Enter a number in the Maximum Content Per Virtual Folder field. If a user attempts to check in more than this number of content items, an error message is displayed.

  4. Click Update.

6.4.1.2 Enabling and Disabling System Folders

Follow these steps to enable a system-level hierarchical folder that was disabled:

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu. Choose System Folder Configuration.

    The System Folder Configuration Screen opens.

  2. Click the gray icon next to the folder to enable it.

    The folder is enabled and the folder Exploring page for the folder opens. Users can see the enabled folder.

To disable a folder, follow the same procedure. Click the green icon next to a folder to disable it.

6.4.1.3 Disabling the Trash Bin

Follow these steps to disable the Trash Bin after the initial Contribution Folders setup:

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu. Choose System Folder Configuration.

    The System Folder Configuration Screen opens.

  2. Click the green dot next to Trash to disable the Trash Bin.

Any content deleted from folders is permanently deleted rather than being moved to the Trash Bin. Content, after it is deleted, can no longer be restored.

Note:

Disabling the Trash Bin can be particularly useful when using Site Studio. For more information, see Section 6.7.8, "Deleting Content From Contribution Folders for Site Studio Web Site".

6.4.1.4 Defining System Default Metadata

Follow these steps to define the system default metadata to be applied on initial check-in. These defaults are applied to any content checked in through a contribution folder only if a value is not defined for the folder or by the user.

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu. Choose Folder Configuration then System Default Information Field Configuration.

    The System Default Information Field Configuration Page opens.

  2. Specify the default values to be applied to content upon check-in. You can use Idoc Script in any information field.

  3. Click Update.

6.4.1.5 Configuring Metadata Propagation

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu. Choose Folder Configuration then Information Field Inherit Configuration.

    The Information Field Inherit Configuration Page opens.

  2. Select check boxes for the metadata fields to be propagated.

  3. Click Update.

    When a contributor clicks Propagate on a Hierarchical Folder Information page, only the selected metadata values are propagated.

    To propagate the inhibit setting itself, select the check box for the Inhibit Metadata Update field on the Information Field Inherit Configuration Page. However, the inhibit setting only propagates from false to true or false to blank, and not from true to false or blank to false. Any folders and content items set to true or blank are not included in the propagation process.

6.4.1.6 Hiding Metadata Fields Globally Except for Specific Folders

Use the following procedure to hide one or more metadata fields globally for all folders and for new check-ins, but allow those metadata fields to be visible for checking in content using specific WebDAV contribution folders. For more details about using rules, see Section 3.2, "Using Profiles to Customize Content Screens."

  1. Choose Administration then Admin Applets from the Main menu. Click Configuration Manager then the Rules tab.

    The Configuration Manager: Rules Tab Screen opens.

  2. Click Add to add a rule. Enter information for the rule name and description.

  3. In the General tab, select is Global rule with Priority and Use rule activation condition.

    1. Click Edit next to the User rule activation condition check box.

    2. Click Add to add a condition.

    3. Make sure the condition is highlighted and select the Clause tab.

    4. In the Field menu, select Folder.

    5. In the Operator menu, select Not Equals.

    6. In the Value menu, enter the xcollectionID of the folder where the metadata field appears. The xcollectionID is located in the database Collections table under dCollectionID.

    7. Click Add to add the clause to the Clause section.

    8. Click OK.

  4. Select the Fields tab from the Edit Rule window.

  5. Click Add and select the field to hide.

  6. Click OK.

    The Add/Edit Rule Field 'name' Screen opens.

  7. In the Type menu of the Add Rule Field window, select Hidden.

  8. Click OK.

  9. In the main Edit Rule window, click OK.

  10. Test the configuration by adding content to a non-specified folder. The field is hidden. Try adding content to the folder specified in the rule. The field is visible. If multiple folders are required to display the fields, more conditions are required within the clause of the same rule.

6.4.2 Managing Local Folders

This section discusses the following topics in the management of local folders:

6.4.2.1 Specifying Local Folders

Follow these steps to map a contribution folder structure to a local file system on the host system:

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu. Choose Folder Configuration then Local Folders.

    The Local Folders Page opens.

  2. Click Browse.

    The Browsing dialog opens.

  3. Click the folder to be mapped to the file system. Navigate to a higher-level folder to display its subfolders. The target folder is the open folder.

  4. Click OK.

    The target folder is entered in the Folder field.

  5. Enter a directory name in the Local Directory field.

    For example, c:/my_website.

  6. Click Add.

    If necessary, the directory is created on the file system and the specified folder structure is replicated to the specified directory.

6.4.2.2 Rebuilding Local Folders

Follow these steps to rebuild the directory structure for a folder that is mapped to a local file system:

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu. Choose Folder Configuration then Local Folders.

    The Local Folders Page opens.

  2. Click Rebuild for the folder/directory mapping to rebuild.

    The directory (and all subdirectories and files) is deleted from the local file system, and the folder structure is re-copied to the directory.

6.4.2.3 Removing Local Folders

Follow these steps to delete a local folder mapping:

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu. Choose Folder Configuration then Local Folders.

    The Local Folders Page opens.

  2. Click Remove for the folder/directory mapping to delete.

    The directory (and all subdirectories and files) is deleted from the local file system, and the mapping is removed from the Local Folders page. You cannot delete a mapped contribution folder until the local folder mapping is removed.

6.4.3 Archiving Contribution Folders

This section discusses the following topics regarding archiving folders:

6.4.3.1 Exporting an Archive

Note:

Depending on the size of the folder hierarchy that is being exported as an archive file, the default heap size value for the JVM may not be adequate. If memory errors are issued during the export procedure, increase the heap size.

Follow these steps to export the folder hierarchy as an archive file:

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu.

    The Virtual Folder Administration Configuration Screen opens.

  2. Click Export Archive.

    A dialog opens, prompting you to save the file.

  3. Click Save.

  4. Navigate to the directory to save the folder archive file.

  5. Specify a new file name to easily identify the archive file (for example, 101127_CollectionArchive).

    Note:

    In Windows, the file type is left as Text Document and a .txt extension is appended to the file name (for example, CollectionArchive.hda.txt). To save the file with just the .hda extension, select the All Files file type.

  6. Click Save.

    The folder hierarchy is exported to the specified file.

6.4.3.2 Importing an Archive

Use the following procedure to import an archived folder structure:

Caution:

This procedure removes all content items in the current folders and replaces them with the imported folder hierarchy. Typically, perform this procedure only on an Oracle WebCenter Content Server that has no content items in the repository.

  1. Choose Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu.

    The Virtual Folder Administration Configuration Screen opens.

  2. Click Browse and navigate to the archive file to import.

  3. Click Open.

    The path and file name appear in the field.

  4. Click Import Archive.

    A confirmation prompt opens.

  5. Click OK.

    The archived folder is imported and re-created.

6.4.4 URL-Mapped Folders

To map a URL to a folder, select Administration then Folder Configuration from the Main menu. Select the Web Url Mapped Folders option. Select a folder and URL for it from the provided list. For more details about mapping Web URLs, see "Mapping URLs with WebUrlMapPlugin" in the Oracle WebCenter Content System Administrator's Guide for Content Server.

6.5 WebDAV Interface

WebDAV (Web-Based Distributed Authoring and Versioning) is automatically installed and enabled with Oracle WebCenter Content Server and provides a way to remotely author and manage your Oracle content using clients that support the WebDAV protocol. For example, you can use Windows Explorer to manage folders and files or use Microsoft Office products to check in, check out, and modify content in the Oracle repository rather than using Oracle's Web browser interface. The WebDAV protocol is specified by RFC 2518.0. See the WebDAV Resources Page at http://www.webdav.org for more information.

WebDAV provides support for the following authoring and versioning functions:

  • Version management

  • Locking for overwrite protection

  • Web page properties

  • Collections of Web resources

  • Name space management (copy/move pages on a Web server)

  • Access control

When WebDAV is used with a content management system, the WebDAV client provides as an alternate user interface to the native files in the content repository. The same versioning and security controls apply, whether an author uses the Oracle Web browser interface or a WebDAV client.

In Oracle WebCenter Content Server, the WebDAV interface is based on the folder interface provided by either the Folders (FrameworkFolders) component or by the Contribution Folders (Folders_g) component. Except where noted, WebDAV functions similarly for both components.

Important:

WebDAV does not support the use of non-ASCII characters in user names.

This section covers the following topics:

For information about using the WebDAV interface, see the Oracle WebCenter Content User's Guide for Content Server.

6.5.1 WebDAV Clients

A WebDAV client is any application that can send requests and receive responses using the WebDAV protocol. Typically, a WebDAV client requires no additional setup.

Although there are many applications that support the WebDAV protocol to some degree, Content Server is tested with, and supports the following:

  • Microsoft Windows Explorer

  • Microsoft Word 2002 (XP) through 2010

  • Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 (XP) through 2010

  • Microsoft Excel 2002 (XP) through 2010

You can use Windows Explorer to manage files created in a non-WebDAV client, but you cannot use the native application to check content in to and out of the repository.

Note:

Do not confuse the term WebDAV client with Oracle WebDAV Client, which is a separate Oracle product that enhances the WebDAV interface.

Oracle also offers Oracle WebCenter Content: Desktop, which can enhance the WebDAV client environment by more closely integrating with Windows Explorer, Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, and other applications. For more information see the Oracle WebCenter User's Guide for Desktop.

6.5.2 WebDAV Architecture

WebDAV support is implemented through a component which handles WebDAV requests directly. A WebDAV request follows this process (as illustrated in Figure 6-1):

  1. The WebDAV client makes a request to Oracle WebCenter Content Server.

  2. The message is processed by the Web server through a custom filter.

  3. On the Oracle WebCenter Content Server, the WebDAV component performs the following functions:

    • It recognizes the client request as WebDAV.

    • It maps the client request to the appropriate WebDAV service call.

    • It converts the client request from a WebDAV request to the appropriate request.

    • It connects to the core Oracle WebCenter Content Server and executes the request.

  4. The WebDAV component converts the response into a WebDAV response and returns it to the WebDAV client.

Figure 6-1 WebDAV Process

Surrounding text describes Figure 6-1 .

Important:

WebDAV uses several nonstandard HTTP methods, including PROPFIND, PROPPATCH, MKCOL, DELETE, COPY, MOVE, LOCK, and UNLOCK. Many third-party applications-such as firewalls, proxy servers, load balancers, and single sign-on applications, do not allow these methods by default. If your network includes any of these applications, you may have to reconfigure them to allow the WebDAV methods.

6.5.3 WebDAV Folders

You connect to WebDAV folder as you would a networked location. The credentials you use are the same as those you use for the standard browser interface for Oracle WebCenter Content Server. You can work with folders and folder content as defined by your user permissions. For example, if you have Read permission for a content item, you can view the file, but you cannot check in a revision to the file.

The WebDAV interface provides a subset of the options available through the browser interface. In general, you can create, delete, move, and copy content items and folders and modify and check in content items. To check out content items through the WebDAV interface, you must use a WebDAV client that can open the file. To perform other management tasks, such as specifying or propagating metadata values, you must use the standard browser interface.

For more information about creating a connection to a WebDAV folder and using WebDAV folders to manage content, see the Oracle WebCenter Content User's Guide for Content Server.

6.5.4 Multiple Concurrent Language Support

To support multiple concurrent languages, certain WebDAV properties (metadata fields) must not contain non-ASCII characters. If non-ASCII characters are used, WebDAV clients may not be able to list folders containing these characters. For example, an English desktop would have trouble displaying Japanese characters.

The specific fields that must not use non-ASCII character sets vary by WebDAV client:

Microsoft Web Folders

The following fields must not contain non-ASCII characters:

  • the content name (dDocName)

  • the original content name (dOriginalName)

  • the content title (dDocTitle)

  • the folder names

Oracle WebCenter Content Desktop

The following fields must not contain non-ASCII characters:

  • the content name (dDocName)

  • the original content name (dOriginalName)

  • the content title (dDocTitle)

  • the content type (dDocType)

  • the content item author (dDocAuthor)

  • the security group (dSecurityGroup)

  • the folder names

6.6 Administering WebDAV

After installing WebDAV, you can perform most of the WebDAV system administration tasks from folders component Web pages. For more information about Contribution Folders, see Section 6.4, "Managing Contribution Folders." For more information about Folders, see Section 6.2, "Managing Folders."

This section covers the following topics:

6.6.1 WebDAV Connection Strings

When creating a content server connection, the user must provide the WebDAV URL for that server. Please note that each defined content server connection must have its own, unique WebDAV URL. You cannot have two server connections on your computer that use the exact same WebDAV URL. The WebDAV URL typically has the following form:

http[s]://host-name:[port]/web-root/idcplg/webdav

For example:

http://server:7044/idc/idcplg/webdav
http://server.example.com:16200/cs/idcplg/webdav
https://server/cs/idcplg/webdav

With the use of a form-based login, WebDAV connection strings now require the _dav root before the web root. For example:

http://host_name:16200/_dav/cs/idcplg/webdav/

6.6.2 Default Content Item Naming

When users check new content in through a WebDAV folder, they cannot explicitly set metadata values such as the title for the content item. As a general rule, content items inherit any metadata defaults specified for the folder.

In the case of the content item title (dDocTitle), it is always set to the original file name (dDocOriginalName) except as noted below.

Folders Default

For Folders (FrameworkFolders component), if the folder specifies a title as part of its default metadata, the title specified by the folder is used as the document's title.

Contribution Folders Default

For Contribution Folders (Folders_g component), if the folder specifies a title as part of its default metadata, and the variable CollectionDocTitleOverride is set to 1, the title specified by the folder is used as the document's title.

You can modify the variable setting in the IntradocDir/config/config.cfg file.

6.6.3 Security and WebDAV

The following security features are included in WebDAV:

  • Access: The user logins and security controls in the folders component and Oracle WebCenter Content Server also apply to content that is managed using WebDAV clients. For example, if you have Read permission for a content item, you can view the file, but you cannot check in a new revision to the file.

  • Login Cookie: When a user logs in to the Oracle WebCenter Content Server through a WebDAV application, the WebDAV component sets a cookie in the client. The cookie remains set if a WebDAV request is made within the time specified by the WebDAVMaxInactiveInterval configuration parameter. The default is 3600 seconds, or one hour. The cookie remains set even if the WebDAV client application closes. If the cookie expires, the user must log on to the Oracle WebCenter Content Server again to perform WebDAV transactions through Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

    The cookie includes a cryptographic key that prevents unauthorized users from generating counterfeit cookies. The WebDAVSecretKey parameter is used to generate the key. To prevent WebDAV login cookies from being used on other Oracle WebCenter Content Servers, change the WebDAVSecretKey setting to a new, unique value for each instance that is accessed through WebDAV.

  • Windows Explorer: If a user logs in to Oracle WebCenter Content Server through Windows Explorer, the client retains the user login authentication within the shell. Even if the login cookie expires, Windows Explorer sends the user name and password to the Oracle WebCenter Content Server automatically, so the user is not prompted to log on. The only way to clear this is for the user to log out of Windows.

  • Personal Folders: Content Server creates a personal folder for each user (/Users/<username>/). The Web interface prevents users from creating folders in the /Users directory. To prevent users from having write access to the /Users directory through the WebDAV interface, however, you must explicitly set permissions for the /Users folder. For example, you can give most users Read access to the folder, and allow only administrators to write to the folder.

  • Session timeout: If a WebDAV client does not specify a session timeout value, the default timeout specified by the WebDAVDefaultTimeout setting is used. If a file remains locked (checked out) for this amount of time with no activity in the session, an "Undo Checkout" is applied to any checked out content.

6.7 WebDAV Troubleshooting

This section describes problems that can occur when using WebDAV and it offers possible solutions.

Tip:

See the Oracle WebCenter Content Server logs for error messages and detailed information about the operation of the WebDAV component.

6.7.1 Zero-Byte Files

When using an Office 2000 application to open a document that resides on a WebDAV server, the application displays the content as empty (0 bytes).

6.7.1.1 Cause

This problem can be caused by a combination of the temporary Internet files settings in Microsoft Internet Explorer. The WebDAV file is still present in Oracle WebCenter Content Server, but does not open properly on certain client computers with particular settings.

6.7.1.2 Solution

  1. In Internet Explorer, select Tools then Internet Options.

  2. On the General tab, click Settings.

  3. Under "Check for newer versions of stored pages," select Every visit to the page.

  4. Under "Temporary Internet files folder," consider increasing the amount of disk space. (The lower the amount, the sooner the empty file problem seems to occur.)

  5. Click OK twice to save the settings and close the screen.

6.7.2 No Connection to WebDAV Folder

A client computer does not connect to WebDAV folders.

6.7.2.1 Cause

Internet Explorer is configured to use a proxy server.

6.7.2.2 Solution

Do one of the following:

  • Configure the client computer to not use the proxy server instance for your HTTP server/WebDAV server. To do this in Internet Explorer, select Tools then Internet Options. Select Connections then LAN Settings then Advanced then Exceptions. Specify the IP address/host name of the WebDAV server.

  • Modify the proxy server configuration to allow pass-through for WebDAV methods (WebDAV-specific HTTP/1.1 extensions) with standard GET, POST, and other HTTP/1.1 methods. See your proxy server documentation for more information.

  • Windows Vista requires Service Pack 2 for WebDAV to work properly.

6.7.3 Other Connection Issues

  • Some versions of Windows XP, Vista, and 7 do not connect to a WebDAV server running over HTTP and using HTTP Basic authentication. You must set a registry entry to fix this. See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841215 for details.

  • When mapping a network drive in Windows 7, Windows remembers all failed attempts in a login session and never retries a connection after a single connection to a host has failed, even if the browser cache is cleared in Internet Explorer and you modify the WebDav URL. To work around this issue, restart Windows 7 before trying to connect to that host again through WebDAV.

  • By default, Office 2010 will not open documents over WebDAV using basic authentication over a non-SSL connection. You must set a registry entry to fix this. See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2123563 for details.

6.7.4 Double-Byte Characters in File Name

A file with double-byte characters in the file name cannot be checked in.

6.7.4.1 Cause

If the Oracle WebCenter Content Server is running on a Western European operating system, the Microsoft WebDAV client may not be able to handle files with double-byte characters in the file name.

6.7.4.2 Solution

Either eliminate all double-byte characters from the file name, or check in the file through the Oracle WebCenter Content Server's Web browser interface.

6.7.5 Number Sign in Virtual Folder Name or File Name

Using the number sign (#) in a folder name generates errors and truncates the folder name before the number sign. Using the number sign (#) in file names generates errors.

6.7.5.1 Cause

The number sign (#) is not allowed in WebDAV folder or file names.

6.7.5.2 Solution

Eliminate the number sign (#) from the folder name. Either eliminate the number sign from the file name, or check in the file through the Oracle WebCenter Content Server's Web browser interface.

6.7.6 ExtranetLook Component Problem

The ExtranetLook component no longer works after installation of the Folder component.

6.7.6.1 Cause

The WebDAV component uses CookieLoginPlugin.dll for cookie-based login. The cookies eliminate additional login prompts when MS-Word opens a document using WebDAV. Typically, the component keeps the dll from doing forms-based logins on Web page because most users do not want this. However, users that do want forms-based logins can get them by following the instructions below.

6.7.6.2 Solution

An additional configuration change must be made to allow forms-based login with the WebDAV component. To use the WebDAV component with the ExtranetLook component, set WebDAVDisableOtherFilterCookies=false.

6.7.7 Content Item "Stuck" in Auto-Contribution Workflow Step

A content item was dragged and dropped into a folder, and the content item automatically entered a workflow (as expected). However, the content item seems "stuck" in the auto-contribution step of the workflow. The only way to approve the content item is to check it out and check it back in with the Revision Finished Editing option selected, so that the content item moves to the first step of the workflow.

6.7.7.1 Cause

A change was made to the default workflow behavior when content items are contributed through the WebDAV interface. In Folders revision 91 and higher, a content item enters a workflow in the contribution step when contributed to a folder rather than the first step in the workflow, which used to be the default. This change supports Site Studio's preview modes, so that a content item did not advance into the workflow proper and it could be approved using the Site Studio interface. However, if not using Site Studio, this may not be the anticipated behavior.

6.7.7.2 Solution

Two configuration entries are available to address this issue:

  • AutoContributorAdvancesOnUnlock: Enabling this configuration entry makes the content advance immediately to the first workflow step as it did in versions of the Folders component before revision 91.

  • AutoContributorAllowsReview: This configuration entry enables users to approve a content item in a contribution step of a workflow without having to perform a check-out/check-in sequence.

6.7.8 Deleting Content From Contribution Folders for Site Studio Web Site

When documents are deleted from folders used to contribute to a Site Studio Web site, those documents still appear in dynamic lists on the Web site.

6.7.8.1 Cause

If the Trash Bin feature is enabled during the Folders component installation, a Trash Bin is created to contain any content deleted from within folders. A side-effect in Site Studio is that documents deleted from WebDAV folders still appear in Site Studio dynamic lists (such as tables of content) and queries. Explicitly delete the documents from the Trash Bin to make them disappear from all dynamic lists and queries of the Site Studio Web site.

6.7.8.2 Solution

To avoid having to delete the documents twice, see Section 6.4.1.3, "Disabling the Trash Bin." Please note that after you disable the Trash Bin, deleted documents cannot be restored.

6.7.9 WebDAV Drag and Drop Does not Work With Windows 2000

Attempting to drag and drop using any WebDAV client produces no file, or a file containing 0 bytes. Although the action does not successfully complete, no error message is displayed. A copy and paste of the file using the WebDAV client does work.

6.7.9.1 Cause

The problem is a known issue on some versions of Windows 2000 with Office 2000 Service Release 1 or later which have been upgraded.

6.7.9.2 Solution

The following solutions work around or resolve the drag and drop issue:

6.7.10 Folder Shortcuts Do Not Show Latest Changes

If you create a shortcut to a Web folder and use it to open the folder, the folder does not show recent changes to the folder contents.

6.7.10.1 Cause

Folder shortcuts can show cached information that is no longer current. The problem is a known issue in Microsoft Windows.

6.7.10.2 Solution

Refresh the folder display by pressing F5 or selecting Refresh from the View menu.

6.7.11 Profile Rule for All WebDAV Requests

How do I create a profile rule that affects all WebDAV requests?

6.7.11.1 Solution

Check for the variable IsWebdavRequest in your profile rule. For example, you can use the following script for the dOutDate field to make sure it is set to 30 days in the future for all WebDAV check ins:

<$if IsWebdavRequest$> 
<$dprDerivedValue=dateCurrent(30)$> 
<$endif$>