PT Commons

h1. Introduction to ownCloud

Your organization is now using ownCloud for file sharing.  ownCloud is software similar to Dropbox, Google Drive, or SkyDrive, but instead of running on a third party's server, it runs on a server belonging to NDWA.  This allows NDWA greater control and security.

h2. Accessing ownCloud

To access ownCloud, open a web browser and go to the site listed below. Your username is your first name; a password reset link should have been sent to you by email.

NDWA: https://cloud.domesticworkers.org/owncloud

h2. Navigating ownCloud

Once you're logged in, you should see the contents of your shared folders.  To navigate between folders, click on the name of a folder (not the icon of the folder) to enter the folder.  Along the top of the screen, you'll see the "path" of your subfolders - you can go back up by pressing the "Home" icon, or any other folder in the path.

h2. Downloading, renaming, deleting files

To download a file, click the ellipses icon ("...") next to the folder.  The menu that appears will allow you to download, rename or delete a file.  It's also possible to download folders this way; they will be zipped up before download, so you should be comfortable with unzipping if you choose to do this.  Note that downloading a large file will take a long time, and a folder that's too large cannot be downloaded at once.

h2. Uploading files

To upload a file, press the plus button ("+") at the top of the window and select "Upload".  You can send files from your computer to the server.  You can also drag a file or folder from your computer onto the web browser window to upload it.

h2. Sharing files

If you click the sharing icon !https://camo.githubusercontent.com/6ce0447ba76b118c1d9ebea6f7a0a5f8c21f5124/687474703a2f2f7777772e676f6f676c652e636f6d2f68656c702f68632f696d616765732f616e64726f69642f616e64726f69645f75675f34302f69635f6d656e755f73686172655f686f6c6f5f6c696768742e706e67! next to a file, you'll bring up a "sharing" panel on the right.  From here, you can click "Share Link" and receive a link you can e-mail to colleagues outside the organization allowing them to download the file.  This is preferable to e-mail because the files can be of unlimited size, and if you update the file on the shared drive, they'll get a copy of the latest version.  You can also password-protect the link and/or set it to expire after a set number of days. 

h2. Cheatsheet

Below please find an annotated screenshot of all the options you may want to use in ownCloud.

!https://hq.palantetech.coop/attachments/download/4973/Selection_089.jpg!