Configuring file tracking

File tracking streamlines the process of checking documents out of and in to the repository. It also enables you to manage how documents are stored on users’ machines.

About this task

Versions 3.0.3 and earlier only.

File tracking uses an applet to checkout and download documents to a specific directory on users’ machines. The applet also enables IBM Content Navigator to find documents on users’ machines when users check in documents. File tracking makes it easier for users to check documents out and in because they do not need to:

Decide where to store the file when they check it out
Find the file on their local file system when they check it in

In addition, when file tracking is enabled, documents can be tracked between IBM Content Navigator components, such as the web client and IBM Content Navigator for Microsoft Office. For example, if a user checks out and opens a document through IBM Content Navigator for Microsoft Office, and then access the IBM Content Navigator web client, the user can check the document in through the web client. The web client can detect the file for the user on the user's local file system.

You can enable file tracking for each desktop in your environment, which enables you to specify:

The directory in which a document is stored on the user's local file system when it is checked out or downloaded
Whether the file is automatically deleted from the user's machine when it is checked in to the repository
Whether to open the file automatically when it is checked out of the repository

Restriction: Keep the following restrictions in mind when you configure file tracking:

File tracking does not support multi-content documents. If a user checks out or downloads a multi-content document, only the primary content element is tracked.
If you configure file tracking and sync services, you should ensure that users do not configure the IBM Content Navigator Sync client to use the same directory that you configure for file tracking. If the features use a common folder, documents might be added to the repository more than once.

Procedure

To configure file tracking for a desktop:

Open the desktop that you want to configure in the IBM Content Navigator administration tool.
On the General, expand the File tracking configuration section and select Enable.

Specify the directory where documents should be stored when they are checked out or downloaded.

If the directory that you specify does not exist on the client machine, the file tracking applet creates the directory.

Option	Description
Environment variable	You can use an environment variable to specify a directory that might vary depending on how a user's local file system is configured or which user is logged into the system, such as a user's home directory. You can use a predefined environment variable or a custom environment variable: User Home Directory This option stores documents in the following directory: Windows: C:/Users/`User_name` Macintosh: /Users/`User_name` User Document Directory This option stores documents in the following directory: Windows: C:/Users/`User_name`/Documents Macintosh: /Users/`User_name`/Documents Custom Environment Variable Use the appropriate environment variables for a Windows or Macintosh operating system to specify the directory or network directory in which you want to store documents. You can also append a directory to the end of the environment variable if you want documents to be saved to a specific subdirectory. For example, you can specify that documents are downloaded to an EnterpriseDocuments directory within the user home directory.
Fully qualified path	You can use a fully qualified file path to specify a directory that doesn't change, such as a shared network directory. Use the appropriate directory structure for a Windows or Macintosh operating system to specify the directory or network directory in which you want to store documents: For Windows, include a drive letter in the path, such as C:/Enterprise Documents. For a shared network directory, enter the path with the format \\servername\directory Unless you are specifying a shared network directory, this option is not recommended for most Macintosh users. You can also append an environment variable if you want documents to be saved in a dynamically specified directory, such as a user directory. For example, you can specify that documents are stored in a `user_name` subdirectory on a shared network directory.

Option

Description

Environment variable

You can use an environment variable to specify a directory that might vary depending on how a user's local file system is configured or which user is logged into the system, such as a user's home directory.

You can use a predefined environment variable or a custom environment variable:

User Home Directory

This option stores documents in the following directory:

Windows: C:/Users/User_name
Macintosh: /Users/User_name

User Document Directory

This option stores documents in the following directory:

Windows: C:/Users/User_name/Documents
Macintosh: /Users/User_name/Documents

Custom Environment Variable

Use the appropriate environment variables for a Windows or Macintosh operating system to specify the directory or network directory in which you want to store documents.

You can also append a directory to the end of the environment variable if you want documents to be saved to a specific subdirectory. For example, you can specify that documents are downloaded to an EnterpriseDocuments directory within the user home directory.

Fully qualified path

You can use a fully qualified file path to specify a directory that doesn't change, such as a shared network directory.

Use the appropriate directory structure for a Windows or Macintosh operating system to specify the directory or network directory in which you want to store documents:

For Windows, include a drive letter in the path, such as C:/Enterprise Documents.
For a shared network directory, enter the path with the format \\servername\directory

Unless you are specifying a shared network directory, this option is not recommended for most Macintosh users.

You can also append an environment variable if you want documents to be saved in a dynamically specified directory, such as a user directory. For example, you can specify that documents are stored in a user_name subdirectory on a shared network directory.

Specify whether the local copy of a document is deleted when users check documents in to the repository.
Deleting the local copy enables you to:
- Enforce compliance with IT policies.
- Ensure that users are working with the latest versions of documents.
Alternatively, you can configure the default behavior and allow users to override that setting when they check in documents.
Restriction: This setting is not used by IBM Content Navigator for Microsoft Office. If you want the local copy of a document to be deleted when users check documents in to the repository from IBM Content Navigator for Microsoft Office, select Delete local files when users add or check in a document or cancel a check out in the Office configuration section of the desktop configuration.
Specify whether to overwrite the local copy of a document when users download or check documents out of the repository.
Overwriting the local copy enables you to:
- Ensure that users are working with the latest versions of documents.
- Prevent users from seeing a prompt when a local copy exists.
Alternatively, you can configure the default behavior and allow users to override that setting when they check out documents.
Restriction: This setting is not used by IBM Content Navigator for Microsoft Office if you select Allow users to override this setting.
Specify whether to open the file automatically when users download or check documents out of the repository.
This setting overrides any document handling preferences that are configured in users’ web browsers. However, a document will not be opened automatically if there is an existing local copy of the document and the user chooses not to overwrite the local copy.
Restriction: This setting is not used by IBM Content Navigator for Microsoft Office.