Differences
This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
Both sides previous revisionPrevious revisionNext revision | Previous revision | ||
maccloudtools [2019_08_07 21:00] – [Mac Tools Cloud Apps] steven | maccloudtools [2023_07_24 23:04] (current) – removed steven | ||
---|---|---|---|
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
- | |||
- | # Mac Tools Cloud Apps | ||
- | |||
- | See also [[: | ||
- | |||
- | Supported Operating Systems: High Sierra (10.13) and Mojave (10.14) | ||
- | |||
- | ## 1-2 Overview and Installation | ||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | The File Fabric Cloud Apps provide a suite of tools that can be used as a means of interacting with one or more cloud storage providers directly from Mac OSX. User can choose to use the entire suite or choose which of the tools fit their working patter. The Apps include: | ||
- | |||
- | - A 'Cloud Drive' directly accessible from Finder which provide a ' | ||
- | - A local-to-remote folder mapping App to sync files off-line. | ||
- | - An OSX menu bar ' | ||
- | - An OSX Mail plug-in that enables secure file links to be added to Mac Mail. (a similar toolbar option is provided for those who use Outlook or other Mac email providers). | ||
- | - Finder integration for file sharing and other actions. | ||
- | The virtual drive feature makes use of a technology known as OSXFuse which is installed as part of the setup. This is seamless unless you have MacFuse already installed. If this is the case then may be prompted to upgrade MacFuse before installing the Mac Cloud Apps. If you are using an existing App with MacFuse then be sure to choose to use the compatibility layer and remove the existing MacFuse installation. You can also check for later versions from the SME advanced tab accessible using System Preferences. | ||
- | |||
- | What is OSXFuse ? | ||
- | |||
- | OSXFuse is an open source library to enable the development of Mac OSX file systems. You can find out more about OSXFuse [[http:// | ||
- | |||
- | Installation: | ||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | The setup is available from download after web login from the Cloud Apps link on the right sidebar (for paid customers). | ||
- | |||
- | As part of the setup we install a technology know as OSXFuse for the virtual drive element. You will be prompted to install this when you install the SME preferences pane, after double clicking to open the package file.. If you have a prior version of Fuse, you may be prompted to upgrade to the latest version. | ||
- | |||
- | You can uninstall the tools from the uninstaller in the same DMG. Note this will remove the preference panel and all settings. | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 3 Setup ===== | ||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | Once installed you will see a new System Preferences option called SME. The pane will auto-launch on first install. | ||
- | |||
- | ===== 4 Preferences Configurations Screen ===== | ||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | A [[http:// | ||
- | |||
- | The default provider lets users set the Primary (default) cloud provider for the cloud drive. Synchronization can be enabled if offline folders are required. | ||
- | |||
- | For further details on the Primary Cloud provider please review [[top5things|]]. | ||
- | |||
- | In the next few sections we'll cover what each of these options do. | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 5 Advanced Options ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | The Advanced option tab enables you to:\\ \\ 1. if files are encrypted on remote Cloud(s) a decryption password can be entered to automatically decrypt on download.\\ 2. For a secure connection to the SME Cloud Platform please ensure "run over https" is checked.\\ 3. The API endpoint should never be changed unless instructed by SME Support.\\ 4. Decide how want to handle file deletions on sync. There are three choices.\\ 5. Decide which hidden files or extensions you wish to ignore on Sync\\ 6. The 'clear virtual drive cache' resets the virtual drive cache. This can be useful if there are any ' | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 6 Cloud to Desktop Sync Option ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | Cloud to Desktop Sync enables files and folder from the Mac desktop to be automatically synchronised with remote Cloud(s), and vice-versa. If new files are added to local sync folders then these are sync'd up to the cloud when the next sync occurs. Similarily if files are added to the remote clouds, these are sync'd down.\\ \\ To enable Cloud/ | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 7 Adding desktop sync folders part 1 ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | There are two modes for working with the Cloud Apps. One is to work with local files and have them sync'd back to the Cloud. The second is to work with files that are stored on the Cloud. \\ \\ Sync Folders represent the former in which users can map local folders to Cloud Folders and files that are stored on the desktop are regularly sync'd back to the Cloud.\\ \\ Clicking the " | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 8 Adding desktop sync folder part 2 ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | When adding a cloud folder to be synchronised with the desktop users should select the folders that they want to pair up. Ideally one of the folders will be empty (either on the cloud or the desktop), if they are not then users can choose to merge files. \\ \\ Users may think that they have selected an empty folder on the desktop or the cloud and still be asked merge files. Why ? There are often hidden files that users cannot see, which is why this message occurs.\\ \\ \\ | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 9 Adding desktop sync folder part 3 ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | Once a folder pair has been added then all files from the cloud will be sync'd down and any files added later to this folder will be sync'd up to the cloud. This can be done with as many folder combinations are required.\\ \\ Users can also set how often the sync should be ran. Choosing " | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 10 Sync toolbar menu options ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | The sync toolbar menu options let you:\\ \\ - Open the desktop cloud folders to view files\\ - Force a desktop / cloud sync\\ - Open the Sync console\\ - View the Sync console to monitor the sync | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 11 Sync Console ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | The Sync Console is available as a menu option so that users can see in more details what files are being synchronized. It also displays other logging information and can be useful to get a more detailed view of what is occurring in real-time. | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 12 Sync Quick Upload ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | Other than using the Sync Tools and the virtual drive there is another mechanism to quickly ' | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 13 Mac Cloud Drive ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | The Cloud Drive is a drive mount to files on different clouds. It is available directly from Finder and the command line and it presents a " | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 14 Cloud Drive Mounting ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | When the preferences panel is " | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 15 SME Drive toolbar options ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | There are a number of options that you can access from the toolbar for the Cloud Drive. You can choose to:\\ \\ - **//Hide Progress Dialog: //** Hides the dialog you see on uploads etc\\ - **//Open SME Drive in Finder://** Takes the user to the drive within Finder\\ //-// **Refresh drive view:** Refreshes the meta data on SME with the underlying primary Cloud. You should not really need to use this as SME will automatically do this every 10 minutes.\\ - **//View Console:// | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 16 Uploading / Copying files with the Drive ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | When files are uploaded or copied to the drive what actually happens is that they are added to a cache and then background uploaded to the remote cloud. This kicks in after around 20 seconds. Y\\ \\ User will see a status in the top right hand side of the screen as to the current status of the files being uploaded and also how many files remain. If users quit the OS session before all files are uploaded or have a crash next time users mount the drive the files will continue to be uploaded.\\ \\ If the network drops or the mac is closed again the drive will auto-mount and resume the upload once the network re-connects or the mac is opened with a network available. \\ \\ Users will sometimes see the Cloud Drive refreshing the local cache it keeps of any files downloaded to ensure the latest versions of the files are either uploaded or downloaded from the local cache.\\ \\ \\ \\ | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 17 Search Integration ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | Menu Bar Search can be added by choosing to enable it from the SME system preferences.\\ \\ Once enabled all data can easily be search and subsequently shared or downloaded from the Mac Menu Bar.\\ | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 18 Enabling Finder integration ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | Once the virtual drive is enabled and mounted enable special Finder services are available on right click for Cloud Files. | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 19 Mail Plugin ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | The Mail Plugin can be turned on from system preference-> | ||
- | |||
- | ===== 20 Sending links ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | Once the SME icon is clicked users can choose to pick an existing file and generate a link or upload a new file which after completion inserts a link.\\ \\ There are icons to refresh the view, take the user to the root folder (home) and also to create a new folder.\\ \\ By default the last view the user opened will be the view shown when the SME file sharing icon is clicked. | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 21 Creating Secure file share links ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | Secure file share links can be created by specifying the additional options for each files share:\\ \\ 1. **//Set a link expiry//**: \\ 2. **//Add a password// | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 22 Editing files in realtime ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | Many users want to treat the Cloud Drive as they would any other drive. That means choosing to preview files, and double click to edit files for example. This is fine, you can do this and, for example, when you preview a file the file will be downloaded and cached locally.\\ \\ Editing documents should also work in most cases. Applications like MS Office on Mac, for example, have to be explicitly coded for as they implement locks and temporary files that don't naturally fit well with offline Cloud Storage. If you do come across an App that you have issues with, please [[mailto: | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 23 Finder View ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | Due to the way in which OS X handles thumbnailing, | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 24 Uninstalling ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | You can uninstall the tools from the uninstaller in the same PKG. Note this will remove the preference panel and all settings. | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | ===== 25 Note! ===== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | |||
- | {{:/ | ||
- | |||
- | For certain providers we are unable to get the file size after the first cloud sync. This is because they either do not provide file sizes, such as OneDrive, or they store files in internal formats so the file size is unknown, such as Google. The Mac OS cannot handle zero file sizes so for files such as this they are given a special file type which is that of a web location or .webloc. These files, when you try and download or copy will launch a web browser and download the file. This will only happen once. On the first download the file size is known so the next time \\ \\ Many Clouds have policies around character support in filenames. If your files contain any of the following characters: \\ \\ ? [ ] / \ = + < > : ; " , * | \\ \\ Then the files may not be uploaded. Many Clouds actually don't give a rejection response in their API for such files so although they may appear to upload they will not be uploaded. Please ensure you don't use such characters in filenames that you wish to store on the Cloud.\\ \\ **Warning: | ||