Enterprise File Fabric App for iOS

The Storage Made Easy Enterprise File Fabric App for iOS, available from the Apple App Store, is an iPhone and iPad application for the File Fabric platform. Use the app to upload or access all your files in the cloud online, or synchronize folders locally for use offline.

The app can be used with our SaaS, IaaS (managed hosting) and Enterprise (self-hosted) solutions.

You will need a username and password to login, as well as the endpoint for your instance of the Enterprise File Fabric. If your system is set up for single sign on, you may be asked to use your corporate credentials. The endpoint is typically the same as the URL you use for the Cloud File Manager Web App.

The following instructions are for the Storage Made Easy App for iOS. If you are using a version of the app that has been customized or branded for an organization there may be minor differences.

Enterprise File Fabric account?

Set the Endpoint by clicking Go offline, then Settings, and scrolling to Advanced Settings. The Endpoint is the same as the Web App URL, including https://. Then return to the login page.

SME SaaS account?

If you are using our US service you'll be using the default endpoint of https://storagemadeeasy.com. If you are using our EU service at https://eu.storagemadeeasy.com then enable Use EU server.

If you need an account, sign up for a SaaS account or Enterprise trial at sign up.

Enable Log me in automatically. (You'll need this if you use iOS Share feature outside the app.) For additional security, click the lock icon to add biometric authentication (Face ID or Touch ID).

Select Log in, then enter your Username and Password. Follow the two-factor authentication prompts if configured.

The first screen you see after logging in is the main menu.

To jump in, take note of the first three menu options:

• Cloud Files - browse and search for files and folders. Select a file for actions including previewing, sharing and downloading. Folder actions (icons at the bottom) include local syncing, sharing and slideshow previews. Swipe to delete (files moved to trash unless disabled).
• Local Files - files you have downloaded, synced, or opened from other apps.
• Folder Sync - Synchronize cloud folders to your iOS device. Sync new folders from the Cloud Files view using a Sync Folder action (bottom right).

We'll drill into more detail below.

When you click on 'Cloud Files' from the Main Menu, you are taken to the Cloud Files browser.

Navigate into folders by selecting them as you would a normal file explorer. You can use the back button, too.

• Click on a thumbnail for an image Preview.
• Click on a filename for “File Actions”.
• Click icon at the bottom of a folder for “Folder Actions”.

Legend:

• A Speaker bubble means there are comments. Click to view and add.
• A Lock means the file is locked for editing.
• A Key means a file is password protected. You will need to enter the password that you created when you uploaded the file before you can access it.
• A Heart signifies a favorite file or folder for the logged in user.

The search box at the top of the Cloud Files performs a server-side substring search across all the files that you have mapped to your account. Add tags to the search by clicking the open book icon within the search box.

Image files can be previewed by clicking the thumbnail in the folder view. This downloads a lower resolution file to show the image quickly and without using much bandwidth.

Most other documents can be previewed using “Cloud View File” from the File Actions menu. It uses a web-based (Google) viewer to render many files types quickly and efficiently.

Swipe left on a file or folder to delete it. The files will be moved to trash (unless trash has been disabled for the account or cloud provider).

Files can be recovered (or discarded) from within the trash if the user has permission. The Trash can be found under Cloud Files at the bottom of the first page (the root folder).

The File Actions menu is accessed by clicking on the name of the file.

The three most recent actions are shown. Select “More…” to see all of them:

• Open…“ - Downloads and opens the file using the iOS file viewer. Files will also be available under Local Files / downloaded. (To open a file in a specific application, or change the download folder, use View file information, choose View and “Open with…”)
• Sharing - Create a share link or make file available to File Fabric Business Group
• Download - Downloads file to Local Files. Choose the destination folder.
• Lock/Unlock file - Files can be locked, preventing edits by other users.
• Preview/Cloud Preview - Preview an image or document.
• Comments - Show comments for file, allow comments to be added.
• Cloud cut/copy - Step 1 of a server-side move or copy of a file. Step 2 - Navigate to the target cloud folder and choose the folder action Paste from Clipboard. NOT SURE WE SHOULD SAY “SERVER-SIDE”.
• Rename - Change the filename.
• View file information - Provides additional file metadata and additional options for downloading, viewing, opening and sharing files (must be enabled via Settings > View file information).

Folder Action buttons provide access to common folder functions:

• Folder Refresh - Fetch latest folder contents and file metadata from the File Fabric index. If Real-time Refresh is enabled the File Fabric will first its update metadata from the storage provider.
• Sort - Options to sort by date or name.
• Set Media Folder - Change destination for media uploads.
• Add Folder Sync - Synchronize cloud folders with local folders.

Use the Folder Actions icon (bottom right) to access more features:

• Download from URL - Cloud download of a file or webpage via URL into a folder (Server-side).
• Slideshow - Cycles through images in folder. Swipe to change.
• Upload files - Upload multiple files from Local Files storage into current folder.
• Upload media - Upload photos and videos from iOS media albums (e.g. Camera roll and My Photo Stream) to the media folder.
• Paste from Clipboard - Use with the file Action Cloud copy or Cloud cut for a cloud copy or move between folders.
• Create text file - Quick way to create note in cloud folder
• Make favorite - Mark folder as a favorite.
• New folder - Create subfolder.
• Edit folder permissions - Available for team share folders.

MOST OF MY CONCERNS ABOUT SERVER-SIDE BOIL DOWN TO THE SAME POINT: A PRIMARY PURPOSE OF SME SOFTWARE IS TO PROMOTE THE ILLUSION THAT YOUR CLOUD STORAGE IS LOCAL STORAGE. GIVEN THAT, WHY DO WE WANT TO KEEP SAYING “SERVER-SIDE”? @DAN NEED DISTINCTION BETWEEN THREE LAYERS CLIENT / FABRIC SERVER / STORAGE, I DON”T THINK I CAN USE CLOUD EVERYWHERE. @STEVEN, I think I understand now. You are explaining that these actions are performed by the File Fabric and the results are echoed to the mobile client. Is that correct?

Work off the grid by taking copies of any folders you need on your local device. Synchronise changes you make offline when you are back on the network.

Click on 'Folder Sync' from the Main Menu to list folders that have been synchronized, or are ready to be synchronized, between the cloud and your iOS device. Add a folder to the list via the Cloud Files folder action 'Add to sync folders'. Remove a folder from the list by swiping to delete. This also removes the local copy of the previously synchronized folder.

Select Synchronise now with server to synchronize new, deleted and updated files and folders both up and down between the cloud and your device.

Add a new a synchronized folder from the Main Menu:

1. Select Cloud Files
2. Click into to the desired folder.
3. Select the Sync Folder icon and confirm.

A file actions menu is also available for the locally synced files. Navigate to the file's folder within the Folder Sync view and select the filename to bring up the menu.

The three most recent actions are shown. Select “More…” to see all of them:

• Open…“ - Opens the file using the iOS file viewer.
• Rename - Change the name of the file.
• Cloud copy - Step 1 of a cloud move or copy of a file. Step 2 - Navigate to the target cloud folder and choose the folder action Paste from Clipboard.
• Archive - Compress the file using zip, bzip2 or tar.gz.
• Unarchive - Extract the contents of an archive into the current folder. (The archive is not removed)
• Send by email - Opens up a draft email with file as an attachment.
• Cut - Initiate moving a file to another local folder, or if online, to a cloud folder. Final step is to paste the file from within Folder Sync or Cloud Files.

A Folder Actions menu is also available for the locally synced folders and subfolders. Navigate to the folder within the Folder Sync view and select the filename to bring up the menu.

The most recently used actions are listed. Select More… to see all.

The offline folder actions are:

• Archive - Compress folder using zip, bzip2 or tar.gz. (The source files are not removed.)
• New folder - Creates a subfolder.
• Slideshow - Cycles through images in the folder. Swipe to change.
• Show Sort options - Options to list files in date or name order.
• Paste file - Use with File action Cut.
• Cut folder & Paste folder - Initiate and then complete move of local folder.
• Set as import Location - not currently used
• Download from URL - Download a file into the current folder.

When you click on 'Local Files' from the Main Menu, you are taken to the My Local Files browser. Here you can manage files stored on your device that are not being synchronized.

You can use the same folder actions and file actions available through the Folder Sync view.

Memos, Voice Memos, and files within Folder Sync are also accessible through this view.

Any file that is marked as a favorite in the File Menu is available for easy viewing From the Favorites menu. This is a handy way to get quick access to frequently used files.

You can also mark folders as favorites by using a Folder action. This is a great way to quickly access long file paths.

The App includes FTP and HTTP services that run on the iOS device, allowing the ad-hoc transfer of files to and from the mobile device via an FTP client or web browser. Designed for offline use on private networks, these services allow access only to the Local Files on the App. Once files have been transferred to Local Files you can use in other applications on the iOS device. When online, you can use Cloud copy, or Folder Sync to copy files to the cloud.

From the Local Files or Cloud Files home pages first enable the HTTP / FTP Server. You'll then be able to directly access the services from your desktop mobile device using an FTP client or web browser using the corresponding endpoints shown. Note that the network protocol is not encrypted and no password is required.

Enable additional collaboration features by disabling the Simplified menu under Settings.

From the file action menu (click on file name under Folder Sync), choose Sharing.

You can share with a Business Group, or create a Secure Link.

Choosing Share with group prompts for a group to share the file with:

Choosing Secure Link brings up additional share options that are available as per organizational policies that have been configured.

Filebox allows users to add emails and attachments to the cloud just by forwarding them to a unique address.

Emails with attachments are stored in a FileBox folder. The Subject line of the email become the folder title. You can setup a unique name for your FileBox email from 'My Account' on the web sidebar after login, and choosing options.
The FileBox email address must come from your registered email address. Anything from other addresses will be ignored

If your Filebox is empty or you've never set it up, you will be told this when accessing the menu option.

Choosing comments from a file action opens up the commenting pane for a file. Once a comment is added an icon appears in the Cloud Files folder view. If file notifications are turned on the user will receive an email or an SMS with the file comment depending how the notification service has been configured.

Messages sent by other users, or system messages received, can be accessed from Messages from the main menu.

Collaboration using Business Groups enable users to create a shared workspace area (akin to an e-room or a data view) to share files with internal and external users.

Select Groups from the main menu to see a list of All groups. (Simplified menu must be disabled under Settings).

Options are:

• New - Select ”+“ in the top right to create a new business group.
• Files - Select a group name to see the folders and files shared with the group. Use File actions and Folder actions as for Cloud Files.
• Edit - Select the Info (i) button to view members and invite new ones by email.

Application settings are accessed from the main menu option Settings.

• Simplified interface - Uses a simpler, shorter, main menu. By default this is enabled.
• Enable Font autosizing - If there are long file or folder names, this options reduces the size of the font. This is set to “on” by default. Applicable only for the iPhone.
• Text Memos - Turns the Text Memos option on or off (off by default)
• Voice Memos - Turns the Voice Memos feature on or off.
• View file information - Turning this on enables access to this feature from folder actions and it provides an advanced view of file information where all file information is collated in one screen.

• Use Full Resolution - Setting this to 'on' forces the full size resolution of pictures taken on the iOS camera to be used when uploading photos to the chosen cloud.

• Quality - Indicate the size of exported videos based on desired image quality. (Small, Medium, High).

The settings for Real Time and Enable Trash can be changed by an Administrator through the web interface under the Dashboard and Policies pages respectively.

• Sync Password - If you have encrypted files in folders that you sync then this enables you to provide the password that will be used for decryption during the sync to your device (note if you are a Business Cloud or Enterprise SME user and Org Encryption is “on” this option does not need to be configured).

SO THIS REFERS TO PERSONAL ENCRYPTION? @Dan this says Org Encryption so I presume this is team encryption. @STEVEN, Can't be, I think. Users never know encryption phrases for org. encryption, and org. encrypted files are automagically decrypted by the FF on download.

• Endpoint - For appliance (Enterprise File Fabric) users the endpoint must be set before logging in. The endpoint is typically the URL for your Enterprise File Fabric Web App.
• Initial Login Provider -

The Cloud Providers screen, accessible from the main menu, lets you change your default storage provider. If you have a single cloud account you will only see one option here but if you have an account that has more than provider you will have a choice. Just click on the Provider that you wish to be the new default.

ORGS? INDIVIDUALS? DEMONIC CULTS? (I DON'T REMEMBER/NEVER KNEW HOW PERSONAL ACCOUNTS WORK.)

This provider will now be used as the upload location for photos and memos.

Note that if you have created and synced existing memos to one cloud they will continue to reside there. Any new memos created will reside on the new primary cloud. You will just see a view that shows you all memos.

You can also 'resync the view' of your cloud data from here. Cloud such as Google Drive, and DropBox etc. enable you to upload files from many different access points and tools. If you do this then the view you have from within the Cloud Files view could be out of date. You can refresh the provider here by clicking the refresh button to the right of the cloud. You don't have to stay in the App whilst this occurs although you will be updated as to status in real-time.

Deleting a Cloud Provider: You can delete a cloud provider by swiping the cloud provider and choosing delete. This removes the connection information from File Fabric. It does not remove any files on the provider.

If your account only has one cloud provider you will be able to choose from the providers we support to configure another.

See a list of completed and active background tasks by selecting Background Tasks at the bottom of the Cloud Providers screen. Background Tasks are asynchronous processes that the File Fabric runs to execute multi-step operations which can potentially take a long time. The list is refreshed every 15 seconds.

Background tasks include:

• Adding providers, syncing folders, indexing data
• Deleting files, emptying trash or recovering trash.
• Renaming, copying or moving folders

You can brand and configure the iOS app for your own organization. Contact us for more information.