Working with Your Files via Filr
Filr is only recommended in Windows, mobile phones and tablets.
Quick links:
- Get started with Filr on my computer
- Get started with Filr on my mobile phone or tablet
- Work outside of the university network
- Work offline
- Share files and folders with others
- Work with multiple computers
- Change settings in the Filr app
Get started with Filr on my computer
On computers managed by University IT Services, you can find the Filr app in the Software Center (Windows) and install it from there. Search for "Install desktop access to your personal folder" to find the app. If you have a private computer or handle admin on your work computer yourself, you will find a link to install the Filr app once you have logged in via myfiles.uu.se.
- Installing and launching the Filr app
- Log in with your university ID (AKKA ID) as username and password A. Enter “myfiles.uu.se” as the address of the storage server.
With the Filr app on your computer, you can navigate as usual in your file manager to find your files. On Windows computers, the Filr icon can be found under “Quick access” or via the Filr icon near the clock.
Get started with Filr on my mobile phone or tablet
To access your personal folder in a tablet or phone, you need to install the Filr client on your device. You can find it by searching for “Micro Focus Filr” in the Apple App Store or the Google Play store. After installing and launching the app, you can log in with your university ID (AKKA ID) as username and password A. Enter “myfiles.uu.se” as the address of the server. You can then navigate among your own files or files shared with you (“Shared With Me”) directly in the app.
Work outside of the university network
When the device you want to use is not connected to the internet via the university network or VPN service, you can still access your personal folder by using the Filr app or the web interface of myfiles.uu.se.
Work offline
In order to access and work with your files when your computer is offline, you first need to make sure that the files you need to work with are available on your device.
If you have the Files app installed, you need to make sure that the files you will need are synced to your device. You can do this by opening them on your computer or by making them available offline by right-clicking on them in the file manager and selecting the “Make Available Offline” option. (NOTE: You have to verify that the files have been copied to your device before disconnecting or shutting down your computer.) Then work as usual with the local files. The files will sync again the next time your device connects to the internet.
If you use myfiles.uu.se, you have to download the files you need via the web interface to a suitable folder on your computer. Then work as usual with the local files and upload them again via the web interface when your computer is connected to the internet again.
Share files and folders with others
Single shares – share a file or folder
- Right-click on the item you want to share.
- Select “Share...”
- Start typing the name of the person you want to share with in the “Add user/group/email” field and select the person you want to share the item with.
- Select/fill in the other fields – “Permissions”, “Expires”, “Allow sharing again with” and, if relevant, “Note”.
- Click “Save” to execute.
Share via file link – share a file by having Filr create a link to it and then emailing the link
- Right-click on the item you want to share and select “More Filr options” followed by “Get file link”.
- Then select/enter when you want the link to expire at “Expires”.
- Select whether you want to:
a. “Copy” the link
b. Send it via “Filr email”.
Paste/enter the email addresses you want to share to and any message.
- Click “Send” to execute.
Work with multiple computers
Make sure your files are on your computer when you are online. You can then work with them locally without having your computer connected to the internet. If you are logged into Filr in Windows and the device has an internet connection, the files will be synced immediately each time you save them. Otherwise, all changed files will be synced the next time the device is connected to the internet.
If you use the Filr app, you also have access to files that someone else has shared with you (“Shared With Me”).
Change settings in the Filr app
When the Filr client is installed via a client management system, it has a basic configuration suitable for most users. You can change some of the settings to suit the way you work. Other settings should not be changed.
You can view and change settings by opening “Filr Console” via the Filr app icon.
Account settings
The first tab, “Account”, shows the basic settings of the Filr app and your account. Here you can choose whether you want Filr to log you in automatically when your computer starts up and has an internet connection. You can control this by ticking the “Remember password” box. If you tick it, the client will then attempt to log in as soon as the computer starts.
General
Here you specify whether the Filr app should be launched when the computer is started. We recommend that you have this option selected.
Storage
The Storage tab has a couple of settings that are important to know about in terms of what they control and affect.
We recommend that you do not change the location of the Filr app folder in the “Filr folder” field because:
- doing so will result in the client no longer storing the files you already have local copies of.
- the folder is in a location where no one else who logs into the computer can see your files.
- it is the same storage location for all users, making it easier for the IT Service Desk to help you if you have problems.
In the “Remove cached files after XXX day(s)” box, you can enter a value (number of days) for how long the files you are working with on your computer should be cached before these copies are automatically deleted by the Filr app.
Filr automatically syncs files, so that files you have opened and read or worked with are saved as a copy on the local computer. They will remain on your computer for as many days as specified in this field. You can specify the number of days that feels safest and/or best for your way of working – there is no “right value”. You determine what works best for the way you work with your files.
A good rule of thumb is that a lower value is better if your computer frequently has internet access and has limited disk space, while a higher value is better if you want to keep the files you have opened for a longer time. This value does not affect the files and folders you actively choose to keep offline. This is a setting you can make for files you consider important to always have the latest version of on your local computer, e.g. files you collaborate on with other users.
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If you have any questions, please contact IT Support.