EDV:Nextcloud

Nextcloud is the follower of Owncloud and offers the sharing of files on a webserver. The server address is:

https://nextcloud.kip.uni-heidelberg.de

To use it for sharing files you have to login with your KIP-account. For users from outside it is not possible to login but you can share files with them by sending them a special link that allows the download for everybody for a special time and - if necessary - secured by a password.

An online manual of Nextcloud can be found here.

Accessing files & Synchronization

Using Nextcloud Clients

Use the desktop clients to keep your files synchronized between your Nextcloud server and your desktop. Select one or more directories on your local machine and always have access to your latest files wherever you are. The desktop clients can be downloaded from the URL https://nextcloud.com/install/

Using WebDAV

You can mount your Nextcloud-directory by WebDAV, here is how.

Linux

Look for the link by clicking on "Settings" on the left bottom off the Web-Frontend. Then a WebDAV-link is shown and you can copy it to your explorer/terminal and replace https:// by davs://. Now you have to login to mount your nextcloud-folders.

On the terminal you can mount your WebDAV-folder after installing davfs2 and creating a directory with

sudo mkdir /media/nextcloud

and mount it with

sudo mount -t davfs https://nextcloud.kip.uni-heidelberg.de/nextcloud/remote.php/webdav /media/nextcloud

macOS

To mount the cloud to a Mac you have to open the "Go"/"Gehe zu" menu and select "Connect to a server"/"Mit Server verbinden".

https://nextcloud.kip.uni-heidelberg.de/nextcloud/remote.php/webdav

and login with your account.

Windows

On Windows you can mount it on the command line with

net use Z: https://nextcloud.kip.uni-heidelberg.de/nextcloud/remote.php/webdav

After that you'll be asked for your username and password.

some basics

upload and download files

To upload a file just select the directory you like to save it in and click the plus-symbol on the top. After that click on upload file and select the file from your local disk. To download a file/directory you have to click on the three dots in the same row as the name on the right side an choose "download".

While uploading a file which already exists (or another file with the same name) nextcloud offers you the possibility to safe the file with a different name. The same is offered by copy

create a folder

If you like to create a directory/folder for some files - for example of a project - you just have to do almost the same as on a PC: You have to click on the plus symbol at the top and select "New Folder". Then you have to give the directory/folder a name by entering it to the textbox and confirm it by pressing enter.

create a text-file

The cloud-system also allows you to create a text-file directly with the webpage. To do that click on the plus-symbol and select "New text file". After entering a file name for the new file a text box is shown in what you can type in a text and save it.

delete files or directories

To do changes to files/directories you have to click on the three dots on the right side of the line and chose it. It's possible (similar as with the file-explorer on your local pc) to

• show some details
• rename it
• move it
• download it
• delete it

Sharing files and folders

To share files or folders, click the share icon on any file or folder opens the Details view on the right, where the Share tab has focus.

Here type the name of the user or email id that you want to share with or an external mail address. After selecting the user you have the options below & you can check them as you want

• "can edit" allows the user to change the file
• "can reshare" allows the user to share the shared file with other users
• "set expiration date" sets up the till what date the sharing will last
• if the sharing still is enabled - you can disable the sharing with "unshare"

Any folder that has been shared is marked with the Shared overlay icon. Public link shares are marked with a chain link. Un-shared folders are blank.

By selecting "Share link" on the bottom, a link is created with which the file can be downloaded by everybody who knows the link. You can prevent this by setting a password, and for the link you can also set expiration date.

Note : If you want to share a file or folder with a group, make sure you mention the email id of the group in full, eg, "s3@kip.uni-heidelberg.de" instead of selecting just "s3" alone from the list which doesn't work.

Group folders

This enables to have a folder shared between one or more groups. Unlike with normal shares,they will not be able to unshare these folders. Users don't have the privileges to create a group folder on their own and assign it to one or more groups, only EDV can create it upon request. After a folder is created, EDV can give access to the folder to one or more groups, control their write/sharing permissions and assign a quota for the folder.