WebAsyst Files at a glance

Here is your WebAsyst Files main window:

1. Toolbar: Click a button (e.g. Folder, File, View, Tools, Reports) to open a pull down menu and access main functional buttons to add/copy/move folders/files, customize view options and run reports.
2. Folders pane: Lets you organize your files in folders. Click a folder to open a list of files contained in this folder. Double click folder name to change it. Drag and drop folder to copy/move it in the folder hierarchy. Click Folder button in the toolbar to add new folder or customize access rights to existing folder.
3. File list: Shows a list of files contained in selected folder. You can expressly customize visible columns in the file list. Click a filename to open/download this file. Click column title to sort file list by this column, click again to reverse sorting order. "Lock" icons in the leftmost column indicate that these files are "checked out", e.g. locked by you or other users for editing. Checked out files can not be edited or deleted.
4. Upload files button: Click to upload files to the currently opened folder.
5. Create a Link button: Click to create a link to selected files or an entire folder.
6. Create a Widget button: Click to create a widget for selected files or an entire folder.
7. Search box: Enter keyword or a phrase (e.g. "fin report") and click Go to see the list of files where the search word is found in file name or description.

Uploading files

Click Upload files button or click File -> Add File(s) from the toolbar.

In Upload files dialog click select files link to select multiple files on your local disk, put them in a queue, and then click Start Upload button to initiate uploading.

This bulk uploader allows you to easily add hundred of files to your online folder with just a couple of clicks. You can also track the upload process for every file on the progress bar, manage the queue of pending files, or cancel uploading at any time.

Alternatively, you can upload files through the standard Add File form. For each file you can provide optional description (annotation):

NOTE: Users with only R (Read) access level to this folder will not see Upload Files button on the files pane; neither will they be able to click File -> Add File(s)

The total number of files that can be uploaded to WebAsyst Files is limited by your WebAsyst Files account plan and user quota set by a user with administrative privileges in “Users and Groups” service (“Edit User” page, "Quota" tab).

To check your storage space, click Repots -> Storage space usage and quotas from WebAsyst Files toolbar.

Uploading ZIP archives and extracting files

ZIP archive upload allows you to add files from a ZIP-archive to your WebAsyst Files folder. Click File -> Upload Archive from WebAsyst Files toolbar, indicate your local ZIP-file, your file overwrite option and click Upload. All files contained in the uploaded archive will be automatically uncompressed and placed in the current folder.

NOTE: Only archives of ZIP format can be uploaded to WebAsyst Files.

Creating and sharing file links

WebAsyst Files allows you to quickly create a webpage with a list of selected files or entire folder. You can customize view of this page and share link to this page with your friends and colleagues, or publish it in your blog or website.

Creating file links

1. Select files that you want to be listed on the webpage. You can select certain files in a folder, entire folder, or perform a search by a keyword and select files in the search results.
2. Click Create a Link located on the files panel and specify your choice: entire folder or selected files.
3. Give a name to your link. Folder or the first file name is the default link name. Your link name will be listed in “My Links” section in the Folders pane.

By default every new link address ends with a meaningless sequence of characters, e.g. a9fm7pXo. Click Change Link Address to give a friendly look to your link, a meaningful word in place of the default link address ending (e.g. "animals" in the following sample: http://demo.webasyst.net/files/animals).

Sharing file links

Your file link address can be copied and sent to other people using your favorite instant messaging program. You can paste it in your blog post, on a web page, etc.

WebAsyst also lets you email the link directly from My Links section. Click Email this Link button and in Send Email dialog select recipients, add optional subject and message, and click Send button.

Customizing link view

You can customize your file link view; i.e. your file list layout as it appears when the link is opened.

To select your link view, use “Preview” drop down list. You can select one of the following views:

Grid: Tabular format displaying filename, type and size in separate columns.

List: A convenient option to display large icon along with file name and description at the same time.

Thumbnail List: Displays thumbnail (small image) and file description. Great option for photos list where each picture is supplied with annotation.

Thumbnail Tile: Thumbnails only are displayed one by one. Perfect to browse large image collections.

Sending files as an email attachments

WebAsyst Files lets you send one or more files as an Email attachment. Select your files and click File -> Send Email from the toolbar. Indicate email priority, select recipients and optional subject and message. Enable “Compress attached files” if you want attached files to be compressed and sent as one ZIP-file. Click Send button.

When sending your files as an email attachment you have an option to customize sender’s name and email address. These name and email address will appear in From section of the message received by your recipients. To change sender properties, click Tools -> Customize Email Sender from the toolbar. Make changes and click Save button.

NOTE: By default all outgoing from WebAsyst Files messages are signed by currently logged-in user.

Giving other users access to your files

You can work with your files in collaboration with other users. For every folder in your WebAsyst Files repository you can customize following access rights for certain users or user groups:

• Read (R) — a user (user group) can list and read entries in this folder
• Write (W) — a user (user group) can add/modify entries in this folder
• Folder (F) — a user (user group) can add/modify entries, folders & permissions

To customize access rights, select a folder and click Folder -> Customize Access Rights in the toolbar. You can customize access rights individually for every user on the Users tab, or you can use Groups tab to give access to user groups (you must have access to Users and Groups section to create and handle user groups).

When setting access level to a folder, the combination of personal and group access rights will be applied as shown in the sample table below:

Personal Permission	Group Permission	Effective Permission
-	R	R
RW	RW	RW
R	RWF	RWF

NOTE: Customizing access rights is the prerogative of the user who has F(Folder) access rights to this folder.

Online editing

You can edit files of certain types directly from your WebAsyst Files account using Zoho online services. Following types of files can be edited:

• TXT - plain text file
• DOC - MS Word document
• XLS - MS Excel spreadsheet
• ODT - OpenOffice text document
• ODS - OpenOffice spreadsheet

How it works

Select View -> List (or Thumbnail List) in the toolbar. Point your mouse over the file you want to edit and click Edit online link that appears beneath the file name and description. Selected file will be transferred to the Zoho server and opened in the online editor window related to the file type. Once you complete making changes, click Save button in Zoho editor and updated file will be sent back to your WebAsyst Files account.

NOTE: Online editing function uses third-party service. If you need to disable online editing feature, click Tools -> Online Editing from the toolbar and turn off the flag "Allow online editing using Zoho services".

Working with folders and files

Files are organized in folders and subfolders. Click "Available Folders" in the Folders pane to display a list of all accessible folders. For every folder you can see your access rights, number of files contained in this folder, and “Shared” flag indicating whether this folder is shared with other users.

Click a folder name to navigate to this folder. Depending on your access rights you can upload new files, copy/move/delete files, or create new subfolders, copy/move/delete this folder, or customize access rights for other users to this folder and its subfolders.

Most common operations with folders and files are outlined below.

Adding new folder

Click Folder -> Add Folder in the toolbar and enter new folder name. New folder will be created as a subfolder to your current folder. 

If you want to create a new root folder, navigate first to "Available Folders" section and then click Folder -> Add Folder from the toolbar.

Copying/Moving folders

Navigate to the folder you want to copy or move and simply drag and drop it to new location, or click Folder -> Copy Folder / Move Folder from the toolbar.

NOTE: You must have F(Folder) access rights in the destination folder, and in the source folder from which you want to move current folder.

Copying/Moving files

Files can be copied or moved to another folder. Select files you want to copy/move, then click File -> Copy File(s) or File -> Move File(s) and select destination folder.

NOTE: You must have Write or Full access rights in the destination folder, and in the source folder from which you want to move files.

Changing file description

Select View -> List (or Thumbnail List) from the toolbar. In the file list simply click in the area of file description to switch to edit mode. Make changes and click Save button below.

Compressing and downloading files

WebAsyst Files lets you create a ZIP archive, which can be downloaded on your local computer or saved to a WebAsyst Files folder. The ZIP-archive can include individual files or a folder with optional subfolders.

Select files or a folder and click File -> Compress and Download from WebAsyst Files toolbar. Indicate what you would like to add to an archive: selected files or entire folder with or without subfolders. Click Compress to create an archive. Once an archive is created you can download it to your local computer or save it as a file in any available folder in your WebAsyst Files account.

Deleting files and folders

Point your mouse over the file you want to delete and click Delete link that appears beneath the file name and description. To delete multiple files, select files and click File -> Delete File(s) in the toolbar.

To delete an entire folder, navigate to this folder and click Folder -> Delete Folder in the toolbar.

Files and folders you delete are not being deleted physically. In fact, they are "marked as deleted" and can be restored. Recycle Bin is a specially designated folder that stores all deleted files. Click Tools -> Recycle Bin to access deleted stuff.

Files and folders in Recycle Bin can be restored back to any available folder. Select files and/or folders you want to restore and click Restore button. You can then indicate destination folder where you wish to restore you files. To remove your files permanently from the Recycle Bin, select files and click Delete.

NOTE: Folders and subfolders in the Recycle Bin do not preserve an original folder structure. When restoring files from the Recycle Bin, you must select the right destination folders manually.

Version control

Version control feature allows multiple users to work with the same files simultaneously and keep track of changes. A user can make a local copy of a file, i.e. check file out, leaving the original version in the system for others to view and download. He/she can then modify the local copy and place it back in the system, i.e. check file in. Once the file is checked in, other users can check it out for their modifications.

You need Version Control if you want:

• To allow multiple users to work on the same files and avoid collisions
• Keep all previous versions of a file safely on your disk and track changes
• Avoid filename duplicates in the same folder

You don’t need Version Control if you intend to use WebAsyst Files as simple file storage and sharing system where multiple users rarely work with the same files.

Version control feature is enabled by default. To turn it off click Tools -> Version Control and then Disable Version Control. Click Change by the “Maximum number of old versions” if you would like to change the number of versions that can be stored for each file.

Checking files In and Out

If user A and user B have both accesses to edit the same file in a folder, they can use file check in/out mechanism. User A can check a file out (i.e. “lock” it from user B) to safely edit without the risk of collision with user B’s work. A small “lock” icon by a file name indicates that the file is checkout out:

When user A has completed file editing woork, he/she checks it in (i.e. “unlocks it”), returning it to its pre-checked out status, though with added modifications. User B can now edit the file.

NOTE: User with F (Folder) access rights or an administrator can access files checked out by other users.

To check a file out, select a file and click File -> Check Out.

To check a file in, select a file and click File -> Check In.

File history

File history displays current and previous file versions and information on added modifications (user, date, modification description):

Every version can be viewed by simply clicking on it.

The maximum number of versions kept for a file is indicated in “Version Control” window.

Note: If the newly uploaded file version exceeds the number of versions stored, WebAsyst will overwrite the oldest version to store the last one uploaded.

Customizing file list view

Your file list can appear in several ways. Depending on the type of files you can set the most convenient format (separately for each folder). Click View from WebAsyst Files toolbar and select one of the following options:

	Grid — tabular format where file attributes appear in different columns, e.g. file name, type, size etc… You can sort the list by any column by clicking its title.
	List — a convenient option to display large icon with file name and full content of document description at the same time. Sorting feature is also available in List format.
	Thumbnail List — displays thumbnail (small image) and file description. Great option for photo album where each picture is supplied with annotation.
	Thumbnail Tile — displays just thumbnails one by one. Perfect to browse large image collections.

Click View -> Customize View to customize File viewing pane and specify the following options:

• Select visible columns to be displayed in the Grid format
• Enable/disable icons display in Grid and List view options
• Number of files to be shown on one page
• Number of characters that are visible in file description for List and Grid view options. This restriction might be useful in case of long descriptions to avoid distortion of the file list appearance

Custom options can be applied to the current folder or to all WebAsyst Files folders.

Using widgets

Widget – is a piece of content or a tool that you can embed within a page on your website or blog. Generally, widgets allow you to post data from an external web page to your WebAsyst account or publish your WebAsyst content on an external web page.

With WebAsyst Files you can create two types of widgets:

File List: Displays a listing of selected files or entire folder in customizable format with optional Download button. A great way to publish file repository on your website. Learn more about File List widget.

Online Folder: An easy to use tool that allows you to upload files to your web-based storage and access them from anywhere. Online Folder widget is "self-sufficient", it means you can add, delete and access your files through this widget without using your main WebAsyst Files account.

Creating new widget

To create new widget, go to any available folder and use Create a Widget button.

File List widget can be created for selected files or entire folder. If you want your File List widget to display only certain files, select them and then click Create a Widget button.

Online Folder widget can be created only for entire folder.

Customizing widget

You can change multiple settings of your widget for the best fit with the website where you wish to embed it. For instance, for File List widget you can select Grid or List format, visible columns (e.g. Size, Date, Description), icon size (Small, Large, or Thumbnail), border, etc.

To customize widget, go to the Widgets section in the Folders pane. Select a widget and click Customize button. Make changes and click Save button, all you changes will be immediately applied and appear in preview area.

Embedding widget

There are two ways to embed your widget within a page on your website or blog:

1. Copy and paste HTML code that will run your widget in iframe area of your webpage.
2. Place a link to your webpage that will open your widget in new window.

To get HTML code or link address, go to the Widgets section in the Folders pane, select a widget and click Embed button.