Novell Filr 1.0.x Mobile App Quick Start

February 2014

Novell Filr allows you to easily access all your files and folders from your desktop, browser, or a mobile device. In addition, you can promote collaboration by sharing files and folders with others. For more general information about Novell Filr, see About Novell Filr in the Filr Web Application User Guide.

This Quick Start focuses on how to use Filr from your mobile device.

In addition to accessing Filr from a mobile device, you can also access Filr in the following ways:

You can access Novell Filr from your iOS or Android mobile device. Be aware that access to the Filr site through the app can be deactivated by your Filr administrator. If you are unable to access Filr through the app, consult your Filr administrator.

1.0 Supported Mobile Devices

The Novell Filr app is supported on the following mobile devices:

  • iOS phones and tablets for iOS 5.x or later (the native app is available as a free download in the Apple App Store)

  • Android phones and tablets for Android 2.3 or later (the native app is available as a free download in the Google Play App Store, the Amazon Appstore for Android, and the Samsung Knox Apps store)

  • The BlackBerry PlayBook and Z10 (the native application is available in the BlackBerry World app store)

    In this document, the BlackBerry steps are the same as for Android devices

2.0 File Viewing Support

The Filr mobile app allows you to view most files within the app. Depending on the size and type of file, the app might need to be opened in a third-party app, or a warning might be displayed before you can view it in the Filr app.

2.1 Files That Cannot Be Viewed in the Filr App

The Filr app cannot display files of the following type that are larger than 20 MB on iOS devices and 2 MB on Android devices:

  • Text files (such as .txt, .odt, .pdf, and so forth)

  • HTML files

To view these files, you need to open the file in a third-party app, as described in Editing or Viewing a File in an External Application.

2.2 Files That Give a Warning Before They Are Displayed

Because viewing a file within Filr consumes data (when using a mobile service provider), a warning is shown if you attempt to view a file over 5 MB in size.

When connected to Wi-Fi, a warning is shown if you attempt to view a file over 50 MB in size on iOS devices, because the process can be time-consuming.

3.0 Getting Started

3.1 Installing the App

Download the Filr mobile app from either the Apple App Store, from the Google Play App Store (formerly known as the Android Market), or from the Amazon Appstore. To locate the app, search for Filr.

After downloading the Android app, you need to manually install it.

3.2 Connecting to the Filr Site

When you first set up the app, you need to specify information for just one Filr site. After you have performed the initial setup as described in this section, launching the Filr app automatically connects you and authenticates you to your Filr server (if your Filr administrator has enabled you to save your password).

  1. Launch the Filr mobile app on your iOS or Android device.

  2. Accept the Filr license agreement. (Android devices only.)

  3. On the Login page, specify the following information:

    User ID: Specify the login name that you use to log in to the Filr site.

    Password: Specify the password that you use to log in to the Filr site.

    Server: Specify the URL for the Filr site. For example, Filrsite.com.

    Your server must be configured with a secure HTTP (HTTPS) connection in order to connect to it from a mobile device.

    Save Password: Select this option if you want your password to be securely stored on your device so that you can automatically be signed in to the Filr site when you launch the app.

    This option can be disabled by the Filr administrator.

  4. Tap Sign In.

    The home page is displayed.

3.3 Modifying the Configuration Settings for the Filr Site

To modify the configuration settings for the Filr site after you have already configured it in the Filr app, sign out of the app and sign back in using different configuration settings. For example, you can modify your username, password, and server URL.

For information about how to sign out, see Signing Out.

4.0 Navigating to the Home Page of the App

Regardless of where you are in the Filr app, you can easily navigate to the home page.

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

    The home page is displayed.

5.0 Searching the App

When you perform a search in Novell Filr, Filr searches the following content:

  • Folder names.

  • File names and file content.

  • Comments on files.

  • Net Folders. (Searches file names by default. Depending on configuration settings set by the Filr administrator, file content might or might not be searched.)

In offline mode, file content is not searched for downloaded files in the Downloads section. File names, comments, and author are searched.

The Novell Filr app enables you to search for items either in a specific folder or across the entire site.

5.1 Searching in a Folder

  1. Navigate to the folder that you want to search.

  2. Tap the Search icon.

    iOS devices:

    Android devices:

  3. Choose from the following search options:

    • Current Folder: Searches files only in the current folder. Subfolders are not included.

    • Include Subfolders: Searches files in the current folder and in any subfolders.

  4. Begin typing the words or phrases that you want to search for.

    Search results are displayed as you type.

    Filr supports numerous wildcards and operators that you can use to refine your search. For more information, see Supported Operators and Wildcards for Search in the Novell Filr 1.0.1 Web Application User Guide.

    When you search in the Downloads section, only wildcards with the * operator and the ? operator are functional.

5.2 Searching Globally

Global search searches everything on the Filr site for which you have access.

To perform a global search on your mobile device:

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. Tap Search .

  3. In the Search field, begin typing the words or phrases that you want to search for.

    Search results are displayed as you type.

    Filr supports numerous wildcards and operators that you can use to refine your search. For more information, see Supported Operators and Wildcards for Search in the Novell Filr 1.0.1 Web Application User Guide.

For information about how to search from within the Filr Web application, see Searching for Information in the Novell Filr 1.0.1 Web Application User Guide.

6.0 Accessing Your Personal Files (My Files)

All your personal files are stored in one convenient location.

Personal files (My Files) include files that you upload to the Filr site and other personal files that are associated with your Home directory on a corporate server.

To access My Files from your mobile device:

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. Tap My Files.

  3. Tap an individual file to view it in HTML.

    If the file is not displayed, it might be too large to view within the Filr app. For more information, see File Viewing Support.

    For information about how to open the file in another application, see Editing or Viewing a File in an External Application.

For information about how to access My Files from within the Filr Web application, see Accessing Your Personal Files (My Files) in the Novell Filr 1.0.1 Web Application User Guide.

7.0 Accessing Shared Files and Folders

Files and folders that you have shared with others are stored in one convenient location. Files and Folders that others have shared with you are stored in another location.

To view files and folders that have been shared with you:

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. Tap Shared With Me.

    Items that have been shared with you are displayed in the order that they were shared, with the most recent displayed first.

    Information specific to the share, such as who shared the item, when it was shared, and any notes associated with the share, is displayed beneath the shared item.

  3. Tap an individual file to view it in HTML.

    If the file is not displayed, it might be too large to view within the Filr app. For more information, see File Viewing Support.

    For information about how to open the file in another application, see Editing or Viewing a File in an External Application.

To view files and folders that you have shared:

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. Tap Shared by Me .

  3. Tap an individual file to view it in HTML.

    For information about how to open the file in another application, see Editing or Viewing a File in an External Application.

For information about how to access your shared files and folders from within the Filr Web application, see Accessing Shared Files and Folders in the Novell Filr 1.0.1 Web Application User Guide.

8.0 Accessing Files and Folders in the Corporate File System (Net Folders)

Net Folders are folders and files on your corporate file system. Filr gives you seamless access to these files, regardless of their location. Your corporate file system includes:

  • A mapped drive

  • A remote server

The corporate files that you have access to are defined by your Filr administrator.

Files in Net Folders might or might not be fully indexed and searchable in the Filr site, depending on configuration settings made by the Filr administrator.

Your Filr administrator can disallow access to Net Folders from the Filr mobile app. If you do not have access to files in Net Folders that you normally have access to, your administrator has disabled this functionality.

To access Net Folders on your mobile device:

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. Tap Net Folders.

For information about how to access Net Folders from within the Filr Web application, see Accessing Files and Folders in the Corporate File System (Net Folders) in the Novell Filr 1.0.1 Web Application User Guide.

9.0 Sharing Files and Folders

NOTE:This functionality requires a Filr 1.0.1 server and the mobile app version 1.0.2 or later. If you are unable to share files and folders from the Filr mobile app, consult with your Filr administrator.

You can share files and folders directly from the Filr mobile app.

  1. Navigate to the file or folder that you want to share.

  2. Tap the details arrow next to the file or folder name (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  3. Tap Share.

    The Share dialog box is displayed.

  4. Tap inside the Add a user, group, or email field.

  5. Begin typing the name of the user or group that you want to share with, then tap the name when it appears in the drop-down list

    or

    Type the complete email address of the external user that you want to share with, then tap the address when it appears in the drop-down list.

    HINT:If you plan to share with multiple users and you want to grant all users the same access rights, set the access rights of the first user that you share with (as described in Step 7), then share with additional users (as described in Step 4 and Step 5).

    Each additional user that you share with inherits the access rights of the user who was most recently added to the Shared with list.

  6. (Optional) Repeat Step 4 and Step 5 to share with additional users.

  7. (Conditional) To modify access settings for an individual user:

    1. In the Shared with section, tap the user whose access settings you want to modify.

    2. Choose from the following access settings to modify:

      Access: Grant Viewer, Editor, or Contributor access rights. (Contributor applies only to folders.)

      Expires: Specify when the share will expire.

      You can configure the share to expire either after a given number of days (each day is counted as a 24-hour period from the time that you set the expiration), or on a specific day (rights expire at the beginning of the day that you select.).

      Internal users: Allow share recipients to re-share the item with internal users.

      External users: Allow share recipients to re-share the item with external users.

      Public: Allow share recipients to re-share the item with the public.

      Note: Include a personal note to share recipients. Only share recipients can read the note.

    3. (Phone devices only) Tap Share to return to the Shared with section.

  8. (Conditional) To modify access settings for multiple users simultaneously:

    1. iOS devices: Tap Edit (located above the Shared with section), then select the users whose access settings you want to modify. On phone devices, tap Define Share.

      Android devices: Long press (tap and hold) each user that you want to select. On phone devices, tap Edit.

    2. Choose from the following access settings to modify:

      NOTE:Access settings that you leave undefined retain any individual access settings that are present on a given user. Access settings that you define are modified for each user that is currently selected.

      Access: Grant Viewer, Editor, or Contributor access rights. (Contributor applies only to folders.)

      Expires: Set a date when the share will expire.

      Internal users: Allow share recipients to re-share the item with internal users.

      External users: Allow share recipients to re-share the item with external users.

      Public: Allow share recipients to re-share the item with the public.

      Note: Include a personal note to share recipients. Only share recipients can read the note.

    3. Tap Done to return to the Shared with section.

      or

      On Android phone devices, tap .

  9. (Optional) Tap the Make Public icon to make the item publicly available. Then in the Shared with section, tap the All users user that was just added, and set the access control settings for the public.

  10. (Optional) Tap Notify, then choose from the following notification options:

    None: Send no notifications.

    All recipients: All recipients in the share list are notified.

    Only newly added recipients: Only recipients that you add to the share list are notified.

    New and modified recipients: Only recipients whose share rights you are modifying, as well as new recipients, are notified.

  11. iOS devices: Tap Save to save the share settings.

    Android devices: Tap the Confirm icon to save the share settings.

10.0 Viewing What’s New

The Filr app enables you to see new files that have been added to the Filr site. (Files that have been most recently added, modified, or commented on are displayed.)

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. Tap What’s New .

    Files that have been most recently added, modified, or commented on that you have access to are displayed.

    You can filter the list by tapping a category, such as My Files, Shared With Me, Shared By Me, and Net Folders.

  3. Tap an individual file to view it in HTML.

    For information about how to open the file in another application, see Editing or Viewing a File in an External Application.

For information about how to view what’s new from within the Filr Web application, see Finding What’s New in the Novell Filr 1.0.1 Web Application User Guide.

11.0 Viewing Recent Files

The Home page displays the files that you have most recently viewed or modified, in chronological order.

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

    The files are displayed

    In the My Files column, the files that you have most recently viewed or modified are displayed.

    In the Shared with Me column, the files that you have most recently viewed or modified are displayed.

    In the Net Folders column, the files that you have most recently viewed are displayed.

  2. On a phone device: Tap the words (not the icon) My Files, Shared with Me, or Net Folders, depending on the area where you want to view the recent files.

    Recent files for that area are displayed.

    On a tablet device: Recent files are displayed simultaneously in the My Files, Shared with Me, or Net Folders columns on the Home page.

    NOTE:If you view files via What’s New or from a global search and the files have not been cached, those files are not displayed in the list of recent files.

  3. Tap an individual file to view it in HTML.

    For information about how to open the file in another application, see Editing or Viewing a File in an External Application.

12.0 Viewing Comments for a File

  1. On your mobile device, navigate to and view the file for which you want to view comments.

  2. iPad and Android devices: When you view the file, tap the Comment icon .

    iPhone: When you view the file, tap the Actions icon , then tap Show Comments.

13.0 Commenting on a File

  1. On your mobile device, navigate to and view the file that you want to comment on.

  2. iPad and Android devices: When you view the file, tap the Comment icon .

    iPhone: When you view the file, tap the Actions icon , then tap Show Comments.

  3. Tap the Plus icon to add a new comment.

    or

    To reply to an existing comment, tap the Reply icon next to the comment that you want to reply to.

  4. Specify your comment, then tap Add / Send.

For information about how to comment on a file from within the Filr Web application, see Commenting on a File in the Novell Filr 1.0.1 Web Application User Guide.

14.0 Editing or Viewing a File in an External Application

You can open files in applications external to Filr. You might want to do this for either of the following reasons:

  • To edit the file.

    You can open a file in another application, edit it, then save it back to Filr.

    For example, on iOS devices, you can view a .doc document in Filr and open it in the Pages app. (All third-party apps must be downloaded separately.)

  • The type of file is not supported for viewing within the Filr app.

    Most types of files are supported in the Filr app. For those that aren’t, you can open them in another application.

If your Filr administrator has disallowed the downloading of files to mobile devices, you cannot edit or view a file in an external application as described in this section.

To open a file in an application external to Filr:

  1. Navigate to the file that you want to open in an external application.

  2. Tap the Actions icon , tap Open In (iOS only), then tap the name of the application that you want to use to open the file.

    Filr is registered with the Open In technology to import and export all file types. Other applications can also choose the types of files they support.

  3. (Optional) Edit the file, then save it to the Filr site, as described in Uploading a File.

    or

    On Android devices: Edit the file in the external application, save the file, then close the app or use the Back button to navigate back to the Filr app.

    Filr asks if you want to upload the changes that you made. Tap Upload and the changes are uploaded.

15.0 Saving a File to the Photos App (iOS Only)

You can save a file directly to the Photos app on your iOS device:

  1. On your mobile device, navigate to and view the file that you want to save to the Photos app.

    The file must be an image file, such as .jpg and .png.

  2. Tap the Actions icon , then tap Save to Photo Album.

  3. (Conditional) Click OK if you are prompted to allow Filr to access your photo album.

16.0 Downloading a File

You can download files onto your mobile device to make them available to you when you are offline. Comments already made on downloaded files are also available.

Your Filr administrator can disallow the downloading of files to mobile devices from the Filr mobile app. If you cannot download files to your mobile device as described in this section, or if files that you previously downloaded are no longer there, your administrator has disabled this functionality.

  1. Navigate to the file that you want to download.

  2. iPhone: When you view the file on the iPhone, tap the Actions icon , then tap Add To Downloads.

    To remove the file from your downloads, tap the Actions icon , then tap Remove From Downloads

    iPad and Android devices: When you view the file on the iPad and on Android devices, tap the Download icon .

    To remove the file from your downloads, tap the Remove icon .

The following icons indicate that a file has been downloaded:

  • The download icon overlays on the file icon, next to the file name.

  • On the iPad and on Android devices, the Download icon is changed to the Remove icon .

You can access your downloaded files by tapping Downloads from the home screen.

To see how much memory your downloaded files are consuming on your device:

  1. Tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. iOS devices: Tap Settings > Usage.

    The Downloaded Files section displays the memory usage of your downloaded files.

    Android devices: Tap Settings , then in the Storage section, Current Downloads Size displays the memory usage of your downloaded files.

17.0 Synchronizing Downloaded Files

Filr synchronizes your downloaded files on your mobile device with the files on the server at a schedule set by your Filr administrator.

To modify your synchronization settings or to synchronize your files immediately:

  1. Tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ), then tap Settings .

  2. iOS devices: Tap General, then look at the options in the Synchronize Downloads section.

    Android devices: Look at the options in the Synchronize Downloads section.

    The following options are displayed:

    WiFi only: When this option is enabled, the synchronization process occurs only when your mobile device is connected to WiFi. When it is disabled, the synchronization process uses WiFi when available, and uses data through your mobile provider when WiFi is not available.

    Synchronize Now: Synchronizes your downloaded files immediately, regardless of the WiFi only setting.

18.0 Uploading a File

You can upload files to the Filr site from your mobile device.

Uploading a file from a native BlackBerry app is not supported.

  1. From another app on your mobile device, view the file that you want to upload to Filr.

  2. iOS devices: Tap the Open In icon , then tap the Filr icon.

    This option is not available from the Photos app on iOS devices. Instead, tap the Plus icon from the Home page within the Filr app, select the files that you want to upload, then tap Upload. (If Filr is unable to access photos from the Photos app, ensure that the privacy settings for the Photos app are configured to grant access to Filr. In iOS 6, go to Settings > Privacy > Photos, and then grant access to Novell Filr. In iOS 5, go to Settings > Location Services, and then grant access to Novell Filr.)

    NOTE:Filr is registered with the Open In technology to import and export all file types. Other applications can also choose the types of files they support.

    Android devices: Tap Share, then tap the Filr icon.

    The Filr app is launched and the Upload File dialog box is displayed.

  3. (Optional) In the File Name field, rename the file.

  4. To save the file to the default destination (My Files), tap Upload.

    or

    To save the file to another destination on the Filr site:

    iOS devices: In the Select a destination section, tap either My Files or Net Folders, navigate to the folder that you want to save the file to, then tap Select > Upload.

    Android devices: Tap Browse, tap the location drop-down list to choose either My Files or Net Folders, tap the folder where you want to save the file, then tap Select > Upload.

19.0 Creating a Folder

You can create a new folder from your mobile device.

  1. Navigate to the folder where you want to create a new folder.

  2. Tap the details arrow next to the folder name where you want to create a new folder (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  3. (Conditional) For iOS, tap Actions.

  4. Tap New Folder.

  5. Type the name for the new folder, then tap Save/OK.

20.0 Renaming a File or Folder

You can rename a file or folder from your mobile device.

  1. Navigate to the file or folder that you want to rename.

  2. Tap the details arrow next to the file or folder name that you want to rename (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  3. (Conditional) For iOS, tap Actions.

  4. Tap Rename.

  5. Type the new name, then tap Save > Rename.

21.0 Deleting a File or Folder

You can delete a file or folder from your mobile device.

  1. Navigate to the file or folder that you want to delete.

  2. Tap the details arrow next to the file or folder that you want to delete (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  3. (Conditional) For iOS, tap Actions.

  4. Tap Delete.

  5. Tap Yes to confirm the deletion.

22.0 Viewing File Details

You can view important details about files on your mobile device.

  1. Navigate to the file for which you want to view the details.

  2. Tap the details arrow (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ) next to the file name.

    The following details are displayed:

    File Name: The name of the file.

    File Path: The path to the file.

    Size: Size of the file.

    Created By: User who created the file.

    Created: Date that the file was created.

    Modified By: User who last modified the file.

    Last Modified: Date the file was last modified.

    Note: Note associated with the share from the user who shared the file. (Displayed only for shared files in the Shared with Me area.)

    Downloaded: Indicates whether the file has been downloaded and is available to view offline.

23.0 Viewing Folder Details

You can view important details about folders on your mobile device:

  1. Navigate to the folder for which you want to view the details.

  2. Tap the details arrow (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ) next to the folder name.

    The following details are displayed:

    Folder Name: The name of the folder.

    Folder Path: The path to the folder.

    Created By: User who created the folder.

    Created: Date that the folder was created.

    Modified By: User who last modified the folder.

    Last Modified: Date the folder was last modified.

    Note: Note associated with the share from the user who shared the folder. (Displayed only for shared folders in the Shared with Me area.)

24.0 Managing Cached Files

If you cannot see updated content on the Filr app, or if you experience similar problems, you might need to clear the Filr cache. You can also view the amount of data your cached files are using. Furthermore, you can set a maximum size for cached files.

24.1 Clearing the Cache

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. iOS devices: Tap Settings > Usage > Clear Cache.

    Android devices: Tap Settings , then in the Storage section, tap Clear Cached Files.

    The amount of data that cached items are consuming is also displayed in the Cached Files section (iOS) and the Current Cached Files section (Android).

24.2 Setting a Maximum Size for Cached Files

You can set a maximum file size so that nothing over the maximum size is cached.

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. iOS devices: Tap Settings > Usage, then tap Maximum Cache Size.

    Android devices: Tap Settings , then in the Storage section, tap Maximum Cached Files.

  3. Tap the number that represents the maximum file size that you want to cache.

25.0 Signing Out

  1. If you are not already on the Home page, tap the Home button (for iOS, tap ; for Android, tap ).

  2. iPhone: Tap the User icon .

    iPad and Android devices: Tap your linked username in the upper right corner of the page

  3. Tap Sign Out.

26.0 Security Considerations

When you access Filr on your mobile device, it is important that your sensitive documents are secure. Filr provides secure access to files from your mobile device. However, if your Filr administrator has allowed you to download files to your mobile device, you need to make sure your device is set up to encrypt files.

26.1 Default Security Settings

When you access Novell Filr from your mobile device, you enjoy the same security as when you access Filr from your workstation. Security features include:

  • Secure access via SSL

  • All previously established access control settings

26.2 Encrypting Downloaded Files

Your Filr administrator can allow you to download files to your mobile device, and allow you to open files in third-party applications. If your Filr administrator has given you these abilities, ensure that your mobile device is set up to encrypt files:

Encrypting Downloaded Files on iOS Devices

NOTE:This functionality is available only on devices that offer hardware encryption, including iPhone 3GS and later, iPad (all models), and iPod Touch 3rd generation and later.

To set up your iOS device to encrypt files, you need to enable a passcode:

  1. Turn on passcode encryption by tapping Settings > General > Passcode Lock.

  2. Follow the prompts to create a passcode.

  3. After the passcode is set, scroll to the bottom of the screen and ensure that the Data protection is enabled text is visible.

Encrypting Downloaded Files on Android Devices

NOTE:This ability is available only on Android 4 and later. The steps might vary depending on your device.

To set up your Android device to encrypt files, you need to configure data encryption:

  1. Tap Settings > System Security.

  2. Tap Data encryption, then follow the on-screen prompts to set up data encryption for your device and for the SD card (the SD card is where downloaded files reside).

27.0 Features Not Available in the Mobile App

The Filr mobile app enables you to access your most important files wherever you are. However, not all Filr features are available in the mobile app. For example, you cannot copy or move files from within the mobile app. For a full set of features, access Filr from a Web browser on your workstation.

28.0 Legal Notices:

Copyright © 2013-2014 Novell, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, photocopied, stored on a retrieval system, or transmitted without the express written consent of the publisher. For Novell trademarks, see the Novell Trademark and Service Mark list. All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.