Novell Filr 1.2 Readme

3.1 Error When Configuring Secondary Hard Disk (/vastorage) on Xen

When installing the Filr, search index, or database appliances on Xen, configuring hard disks (/vastorage or /var) during the Filr installation program can result in the following error:

PCI: Fatal: No config space access function found.
Unable to read sysrq code in control/sysrq
i8042: No controller found
end_request:I/O error, dev xvda 18576

This issue can cause a small delay; however, the server will operate normally.

Verify that the disks are added as expected by running the following command from the appliance console:

df -h

/dev/xvda1       20G  5.5G   14G  30% /
/dev/xvdc1       12G  2.0G  9.4G  18% /vastorage
/dev/xvdd1      2.0G  257M  1.7G  14% /var

3.2 Changing Second SCSI Controller to Paravirtual Can Result in Appliance Not Rebooting

When installing or upgrading an appliance, changing a SCSI controller to VMware Paravirtual can result in an out of order condition, and the appliance cannot be rebooted successfully.

To change a SCSI controller to VMware Paravirtual in a way that is compatible with the Filr appliance:

4.1 Rolling Upgrades Are Not Supported in a Clustered Environment

Rolling upgrades (upgrading one Filr or search index server while another continues to serve clients) are not supported when upgrading from Filr 1.1 to Filr 1.2 in a clustered environment.

You must shut down all Filr and search index appliances before you begin the upgrade process. Then re-start the appliances after the upgrade is complete.

This issue does not affect small or non-clustered large installations.

For information about how to upgrade Filr, see Upgrading Filr in the Novell Filr 1.2 Installation and Configuration Guide.

4.2 Missing Files Due to an Accent Character Need to Be Re-Synchronized after Upgrade

In the initial Filr release, Filr did not distinguish accent characters in file names. As a result, if one file was synchronized from the file system to a Net Folder and then another file with the same name (except for the presence of an accent character) attempted to synchronize, the synchronization would fail.

This issue was fixed in Filr 1.0.1. Now, separate files or directories with names that are identical other than an accent character can be synchronized to Filr from the file system.

To enable these types of files to synchronize after upgrading from Filr 1.0 to later versions, do one of the following:

4.3 OES 11 SP1 Servers Must Be Updated before Upgrading to Filr 1.1 and later

Scalability and performance improvements provided in Filr 1.1 and later require that Filr-targeted servers be able to handle increased file service and other requests.

The NCP server that shipped with OES 11 SP1 cannot handle the increased requests.

If you have any OES 11 SP1 servers that match the following criteria, you must update the OES 11 SP1 server before upgrading to Filr 1.1 and later:

To prepare the OES 11 SP1 servers to handle Filr 1.1 and later:

4.4 Settings Are Not Preserved on Upgrade

When upgrading the Filr system, some settings might not be preserved. The following settings are not always preserved after upgrading to Filr 1.2:

After upgrading to Filr 1.2, verify that all settings are as desired.

5.1 VMware Snapshots and Appliance Backup

Do not use VMware snapshots as a backup method for Filr. Doing so inhibits your ability to upgrade Filr in the future.

If you do use snapshots, you must remove them before upgrading to a new version of Filr.

For more detailed information about how to back up various Filr components, see Backing Up Filr Data in the Novell Filr 1.2 Administration Guide.

5.2 Cannot Expand Storage for /var Partition on Xen

When running Filr in Xen environment, storage for the /var partition cannot be expanded after Filr installation.

The process for expanding storage for the /var and /vastorage partitions after installation is described in Managing Storage in the Novell Filr 1.2 Administration Guide.

6.1 User Name Character Restrictions for LDAP Synchronization and Login

LDAP user names must contain only valid alphanumeric characters 0 - 9 and upper-case and lower-case letters (A-Z). User names that contain ASCII characters and special characters (for example, / \ * ? " < > : | ) cannot be used as Novell Filr user names. If your LDAP directory includes user names with these characters, they synchronize to the Filr site, but the associated users cannot log in.

These characters cannot be used in a Filr user name because a Filr user name becomes the user’s workspace title, and the workspace title becomes an element of the hierarchical path that leads to the workspace. These characters are not legal characters in Linux and Windows pathnames.

6.2 User Names That Are Synchronized from LDAP Are Not Case Sensitive for Filr Login

User names that are synchronized from an LDAP directory are not case sensitive when users log in to the Filr system.

Local user accounts (user accounts that are created in Filr and not synchronized from an LDAP directory) are case sensitive. Login credentials for local user accounts are stored in the MySQL database.

6.3 Access Based Enumeration Is Not Supported When Using DFS for Windows Namespace

When using Distributed File System (DFS) for Windows namespace, Microsoft’s Access Based Enumeration (ABE) is not supported.

6.4 Reverse Proxy Configuration Must Be Updated

Ensure that the following advanced settings have been updated in your reverse proxy provider (such as NetIQ Access Manager or Apache). (These settings were not required prior to Filr 1.1 Security Update 1.)

For systems fronted by Apache:

For systems fronted by NetIQ Access Manager:

6.5 NFS Support

NFS file system mounts are supported for placing the Filr file repository on a remote server from where Filr is running.

6.6 Access Manager Issues

7.1 SharePoint 2013 Issues

Error response body: The length of the URL for this request exceeds the configured maxUrlLength value.

7.2 Internal or System Errors on OES Server Can Result in Incorrect Information in Net Folders

If the OES file server is online and Filr can communicate to that server through NCP or CIFS, Filr might retrieve incorrect information from that server if it has internal or system errors (such as NDSD being down). If Net Folders do not appear to have the correct contents in Filr, check the health of the file server and ensure that it is configured and running as expected.

7.3 Moving or Renaming a File from the File Server Removes Shares

If a user moves or renames a file directly from the file server (instead of using a Filr client to do the move or rename), any shares that are associated with that file in Filr are removed. This means that users who gained access to a file via a share in Filr no longer have access to the file if the file was moved or renamed from the file server. Additionally, the file is not displayed in users’ Shared by Me and Shared with Me views.

If this situation occurs, files must be re-shared in Filr.

7.4 Folder Path in Filr Cannot Exceed 48 Levels

When folders on the file system are synchronized to a Net Folder, the folder path in Filr cannot exceed 48 levels deep (nested sub-folders). The file synchronization code will reject any sub-folder whose depth will cause the corresponding Filr folder path to exceed the sub-folder limit of 48.

When the Filr system encounters the limit of 48 folder levels, the sync code returns the following message and the folder is not created:

The folder xxx has reached the allowed path maximum depth. Its sub-folders will not be added in the system.

7.5 Net Folder Server Path Cannot Contain a Trailing Backslash

When specifying the server path for a Net Folder Server, the server path cannot contain a backslash at the end of the path in the Server path field.

For example, \\server_DNS\volume is supported, and \\server_DNS\volume\ is not.

7.6 Users Cannot Access Files on Non-English Windows Server When Access Comes through Certain Groups

When using some non-English versions of Windows Server (such as French and Italian), users cannot access files when rights have been granted via the Everyone or Domain Users groups (for example, in French, these are the Tout le Monde or Utilisateurs du Domaine groups).

7.7 Must Restart the FAMT Service after Running “Test Connection” during Net Folder Configuration

After testing the connection of a Net Folder that is referencing an OES Volume, and when Microsoft Windows is selected in the Server type drop-down list, you must restart the FAMT service.

After the FAMT service is restarted, ensure that Novell Open Enterprise Server is selected in the Server type drop-down list before re-testing the connection to the OES Volume.

For information about how to restart the FAMT service, see Changing System Services Configuration in the Novell Filr 1.2 Administration Guide.

8.1 OpenID Authentication via Google and Yahoo Is Being Deprecated

Prior to Filr 1.1, users could log in to the Filr site with their Google or Yahoo account. This functionality is no longer available to new Filr users in Filr 1.1 and later.

Users whose Filr accounts were created by logging in to Filr with their Google or Yahoo accounts prior to Filr 1.1 are able to continue accessing Filr via their Google or Yahoo accounts in Filr 1.1 and later. However, because the OpenID authentication service that this functionality is based on is being deprecated by Google, Filr will be moving to other, more relevant authentication mechanisms in the future. Filr versions later than 1.1 will not support any OpenID authentication for new or existing users.

8.2 Reporting Issues

8.3 My Files Storage Directory Is Displayed in Search

When Personal Storage is disabled and Home folders have not been configured, users can find a directory called My Files Storage when clicking in the global Search field and pressing the Spacebar. This is normally a hidden directory, but can it be displayed under these special circumstances.

When you click My Files Storage, it can take you to either your My Files area or to the profile of another user (depending on where you are when you do the search).

8.4 Sharing Issues

8.5 Editing an .rtf File Results in an Editing Conflict Error

After editing an .rtf file from Filr in a text editor (such as Microsoft Word), saving the file results in a message indicating that the file has been changed by another author. In this case, select the option to combine your changes with the other author’s changes, then click OK.

Changes that you make to the file are saved to Filr as expected.

For more information about editing files in Filr using Edit-in-Place functionality, see Editing Files with Edit-in-Place in the Novell Filr 1.2 Web Application User Guide.

8.6 LDAP Synchronization Issues

8.7 Password-Protected Files Cannot Be Viewed

Files that have been password-protected in the application where they were created cannot be viewed on the Novell Filr site. This is working as designed.

8.8 Folder Nesting Issue

Because of database restrictions, the maximum number of nested folders that Filr allows is 45. For example, you can create a folder within a folder, and then create a folder within that folder, and so forth, until the folder structure is 45 levels deep. You cannot exceed 45 levels in the folder structure.

8.9 Email Issues

8.10 Cannot Upload Documents Created with Apple iWork (Pages, Keynote, etc.) or .app Documents to the Filr Web Client

When uploading a document that was created with one of the following types of files, you get an error indicating that the file or folder cannot be uploaded when attempting to upload to the Filr web client:

The Filr web client is not able to upload these types of documents because the document architecture for these documents more closely resembles a folder, and you cannot upload folders using the Filr web client.

You can upload these types of documents to the Filr site by using the Filr desktop application or the Filr mobile app.

For information about how to upload documents using the desktop application or mobile app, see the Novell Filr Desktop Application for Windows Quick Start, the Novell Filr Desktop Application for Mac Quick Start, and the Novell Filr Mobile App Quick Start.

8.11 Cannot Extract ZIP File after Downloading on Mac

After downloading a single file or multiple files as a .zip file (as described in Downloading Files in the Novell Filr 1.2 Web Application User Guide), the file can be extracted only when using third-party tools such as iZip Unarchiver.

This issue is due to the fact that OS X does not currently handle ZIP64, the technology that is used to create the .zip file.

8.12 Issues When Downloading Multiple Files with Safari on Mac

If you are experiencing issues when downloading multiple files (as described in Downloading Multiple Files and Folders in the Novell Filr 1.2 Web Application User Guide) when using Safari on Mac, ensure that the option Open “safe” files after downloading is not selected.

8.13 File Name Should Not Be More Than about 200 Characters

The exact maximum file name length depends on the configuration of the Filr server, but generally it is about 200 characters. If file names are too long, files cannot be added to Filr.

8.14 WebDAV Issues

8.15 Cannot Log in to Web Client with Long User ID or Password

Users cannot log in to the Filr web client if the user ID exceeds 128 characters or the password exceeds 64 characters.

8.16 Display Issues Due to Third-Party Software

8.17 Cannot View ODP and ODG Files That Contain Charts, Graphs, and Tables When Viewing in HTML Format

ODP and ODG files that contain charts, graphs, or tables are not displayed when viewing files by using the HTML view, as described in the following situations:

8.18 User Home Directories Are Not Synchronized until Trustee Cache Information is Updated

When you add a user to your LDAP directory, the user’s Home directory in Filr is not displayed immediately after running the LDAP synchronization.

You must wait for the trustee cache information to be refreshed on the file system before Home directory information is displayed in Filr. (The default rights cache refresh interval is every 5 minutes. You can modify this interval as described in Setting Global Net Folder Configuration Options in the Novell Filr 1.2 Administration Guide.)

8.19 Filr Does Not Support Aliases That Have Been Configured in the LDAP Directory

If your users have aliases associated with their user account in the LDAP directory, the alias is not synchronized to Filr during the LDAP synchronization. This means that users are not able to log in to the Filr site with their alias.

8.20 Cannot Use Text Editors Such as Notepad or Wordpad as a Document Editor

Filr allows you to change the default application that is used for editing files (as described in Changing the Default Editor Settings for a Single File Type in the Novell Filr 1.2 Web Application User Guide). However, you cannot use text editors such as Notepad or Wordpad as the default document editor for editing files because these applications do not support WebDAV.

8.21 Edit-in-Place and Other Applets No Longer Work on Chrome

The ability to edit documents in place (as described in Editing Files with Edit-in-Place in the Novell Filr 1.2 Web Application User Guide) and other Filr applets no longer works on Chrome version 35 and later.

Other Filr applets include the dragging and dropping of files in the following circumstances:

8.22 Must Restart Filr System after Network Failure with Microsoft SQL

If your Filr system is leveraging a Microsoft SQL database and you experience a network failure, you must restart all appliances in the Filr system in order for Net Folders to become fully operational.

8.23 XML File Rendering Is Inconsistent

XML is not included as a default supported format for HTML viewing, but it can be added (see Configuring Which File Formats Can Be Viewed As HTML in the Novell Filr 1.2 Administration Guide).

If you choose to add XML as a supported HTML-viewing format, be aware that some XML files do not open and will not be displayed in the web client.

8.24 Additional Administrators Cannot Administer Local Users

Only the default Filr administrator can create, modify, and delete local Filr users. Additional administrators can administer only LDAP-imported users.

Novell plans to address this issue in a future release.

9.1 Do Not Adjust Database Logs Setting

Do not adjust the Audit Trail entry indicated in the screen shot below. Doing so causes much more to be deleted than intended due to a logic flaw in the Filr 1.2 code.

If you have any concerns regarding this issue, contact Novell Support for assistance.

9.2 Filr Installation Program Cannot Create the Filr Database in Microsoft SQL When the Database Name Begins with a Number

In the configuration wizard when configuring a large deployment (as described in Configuring a Large Deployment for the First Time in the Novell Filr 1.2 Installation and Configuration Guide), the database name that you specify in the Database Name field cannot begin with a number when using a Microsoft SQL database. If the name does begin with a number, the configuration wizard does not allow the database to be created. For example, 1Filr is not accepted, but Filr1 is.

11.1 Logging in to the Filr Desktop Application Fails after User Name Changes in LDAP

If a user’s user name changes in the LDAP directory, the login to the Filr desktop application fails until the next time the LDAP sync runs or until the user logs in to the Filr web client.

11.2 Filr 1.1 Desktop Client Does Not Detect Access Control Changes on a Filr 1.2 Net Folder Server

When using a Filr 1.1 desktop client against a Filr 1.2 server, access control changes that are made on a Net Folder Server are not detected by the desktop client, and changes made to the Net Folder are not synchronized to the desktop client.

To ensure that the client is updated with the latest changes to the Net Folder Server:

11.3 Client Issues

For a list of issues related to the Filr desktop application (for Windows and Mac clients), see the Filr Desktop Application Readme.

11.4 Folder Renaming Causes Loss of Shares and Comments

Renaming a folder that points to an OES server results in the deletion of comments and shares associated with that folder.

12.1 Files in Downloads Area Are Not Synchronized with Just-in-Time Synchronization

Accessing a file from the Downloads area from the mobile app does not trigger Just-in-Time synchronization.

If you have configured only Just-in-Time synchronization (scheduled synchronization is not enabled), files that are located in a Net Folder that have been added to the Downloads area on the mobile app are not automatically updated with changes made from the file system. The file is updated in the Downloads area only after a user uses one of the Filr clients to browse to the Net Folder that contains the file.

12.2 Files from the Home Folder in the Downloads Area Are Removed after Personal Storage Is Enabled

If users have added files from their Home folder to the Downloads area on the mobile app, and then the Filr administrator enables personal storage (as described in Setting Up Personal Storage in the in the Novell Filr 1.2 Administration Guide), files from the Home folder are removed from the Downloads area on the mobile app.

12.3 Files from Net Folders Are Removed from the Downloads Area after Being Renamed or Moved

If users have added files from a Net Folder to the Downloads area on the mobile app, and then the file is renamed or moved on the OES or Windows file system, the file is removed from the Downloads area on the mobile app.

12.4 Folders in Net Folders That Contain More Than 500 Folders Are Not Displayed

Folders in Net Folders are not displayed in the mobile app if the Net Folder contains more than 500 folders. Instead, a message is displayed indicating that users must use the search functionality to locate files and folders within the Net Folder.

12.5 Cannot Open Files in Another App with BlackBerry OS 10.0

You cannot open Filr files in another app when using BlackBerry OS 10.0.

To resolve the issue, update your device to BlackBerry OS 10.1, uninstall the Filr app, then re-install it.

12.6 Windows Phone Users See an Authentication Error When the Filr Site Has a Self-Signed Certificate

If the Filr site is configured with a self-signed certificate, Windows Phone users see an authentication error when attempting to access the Filr site by using the Windows Filr mobile app.

You can resolve this issue in either of the following ways:

12.7 Email Addresses in Share Dialog Cannot Contain Extended Characters

When specifying an email address in the Share dialog, if the email address contains extended characters (such as an apostrophe), an error message is displayed indicating that the item cannot be shared with the specified user.

12.8 Printing Not Available in iOS 8

The Filr print pop-over is hidden on devices running iOS 8 due to an iOS defect. Novell plans to expose the pop-over in the mobile app release following defect resolution in iOS 8.

13.1 Chinese Characters in Activity Logs

When a report.csv file for an activity report is opened in Microsoft Excel, Chinese characters do not display correctly, even though the report.csv file has been created correctly. This is because Excel always reads the file using the ISO Latin character set.

One workaround is to use the OpenOffice.org Calc spreadsheet program instead of Excel. It displays Chinese characters correctly.

Excel should now display the Chinese characters correctly.

14.1 The configuration file now needs a secret passphrase (blowfish_secret)

When you click the phpMyAdmin console, you might see the message A newer version of phpMyAdmin is available and you should consider upgrading. ...

You can upgrade if desired, but that will not cause the message to disappear.

To stop the message from appearing, create a passphrase using instructions that are freely available on the Web. For example here.

14.2 Users Are Able to View the Existence of Files and Folders via the Home Folder Interface if Multiple Users Have the Same Home Folder Path

If multiple users in your organization have the same Home folder path (for example, //server/share/data), with file system access rights distinguishing which files and folders users have access to, users have access within Filr to see the personal files and folders of other users. However, users do not have the ability to view the contents of the files and folders that they do not have access rights to.

14.3 Logout Does Not Happen When Filr Is Accessed Directly and Is Fronted by Access Manager

When Filr is fronted by NetIQ Access Manager, only the Filr administrator is able to access Filr directly. When Filr is accessed directly in this configuration, simultaneous logout for the Filr system is not successful.

After the Filr administrator logs in directly to Filr (and Filr is configured with Access Manager), all browser sessions should be immediately closed to ensure logout.

14.4 Digital Certificate Key Pair Export Not Available

In the Appliance Configuration utility (port 9443), Digital Certificates dialog, is an option to export the certificate key pair. However, after entering the required password and clicking OK, there is no option to save or download the file.

Novell plans to address this in a future release.