Using MFile To Access Your IFS Home Directory Over the Web

This document provides instructions for using MFile on the web to access your IFS home directory. This allows you to use your IFS home directory to manage and store your files from any computer with an Internet connection and web browser.

Note that your web browser must have JavaScript enabled for MFile to work properly. Also note that the screen shots in this document were made using Mozilla Firefox on a Macintosh. If you are using a different web browser with a different operating system, some of the screens may look slightly different.

Getting to MFile

1. Use your web browser to go to this web address, then click the log in button:
   http://mfile.umich.edu/

2. Log in with your uniqname and UMICH Kerberos password.

   IMPORTANT! Remember to log out when you are finished. Logging out when you are done protects your privacy and the security of your online information.

Getting Around in MFile

Basic Navigation

To open a folder: Click the folder icon next to the folder name or click the folder name.

Using the Location Line

You can connect to other parts of IFS by using the Location line at the top of the window. Click any folder name in the path to go to that folder.

Entering a Pathname

You can also enter a specific pathname if you know one. Here's how:

1. To the far right of the Location line, click the Change button.

   

2. In the box that appears, type the pathname, then click the Go button.

   

Returning to Your Home Directory

You can get back to your home directory at any time by clicking the Home button.

Uploading Files to Your Home Directory

1. Open the folder in which you want to put the file.

2. In the Actions list, click Upload File(s).

   

3. In the Upload Files to AFS pane, click the Browse button.

   

4. Find the file you want to upload, and click Open. The path to the file on your computer will appear in the box next to the Browse button.

5. Click the Upload File(s) button.

   

   TIP: If the file you are uploading has the same name as a file that is already in IFS, and you want the new copy to replace the older copy, check the Overwrite files during upload? checkbox before you click the Upload File(s) button.

6. A copy of the file will be uploaded to your IFS home directory.

Reading/Viewing Files in Your Home Directory

Only the following file types can be displayed in your web browser:

Here's how to view these files:

1. Navigate to the file in your home directory that you want to look at or read.

2. To view the file in your web browser, click the File Type icon (to the left of the file name) or the file name.

   

3. The file will be displayed. (In this example, the file is a gif image.) You cannot make changes to the file while you are viewing it, but you can copy and paste from it.

   

   NOTE: If you try to display a file that your web browser does not know how to display, such as a Microsoft Word file, you will see this error message:

   

4. If you then wish to download a copy of the file to your computer, click the Download button. Your web browser will then open a dialog box giving you several options. Select the option that saves the file to your computer.

   

Downloading Files From Your Home Directory

1. Navigate to the file in your home directory that you want to download to your computer.

2. Click the download icon to the right of the file name. (Note that clicking the file name will display rather than download the file—if the file is a displayable file type.)

   

3. Your web browser will open a dialog box giving you several options. Select the option that saves the file to your computer.

Moving Files and Folders Within Your Home Directory

You cannot move files and folders within your home directory the way you can on your computer—by dragging and dropping them. Instead, you must copy (or cut) and paste them. You can copy (or cut) and paste individual files as well as folders that contain other folders and/or files.

1. Navigate to the file(s) and/or folder(s) that you want to move. You can move multiple files and folders at the same time.

2. Indicate the items you want to move by checking the checkboxes next to them, then click either the Copy Selected Item(s) or Cut Selected Item(s) link.

   

   The checkmark next to the item you selected will disappear after you click the link.

3. Navigate to the folder where you want to move the item, that is, to the folder where you will paste it.

4. With that folder open, click the Paste to This Folder link.

   

5. The item will appear in the list of items for the folder you have open.

   

Deleting a File From Your Home Directory

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

2. Check the checkbox next to the file or folder that you want to delete.

   

3. In the Actions list, click the Delete Item(s) link.

   

4. You will be asked if you are sure you want to delete the item. Click OK.

5. The file or folder will be deleted. Note that if you delete a folder, everything inside the folder will also be deleted.

Renaming a File in Your Home Directory

1. Navigate to the file in your IFS home directory that you want to rename.

2. Check the checkbox next to the file or folder that you want to rename, and then click the Rename Selected Item link.

   

3. In the text box that appears, type the new file or folder name, then click the Rename link.

   

4. The file or folder will be renamed.

Publishing Your Web Site Using Your Home Directory

You can publish a web site by putting your web site files inside a folder named html inside your Public folder. Your web site can then be viewed at this URL:

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~youruniqname/

where you have substituted your own uniqname for "youruniqname" above.

You can use the web sites button to set up your webspace and then to get to your html folder quickly.

To Set Up Space for Your Web Site

1. Click the web sites button.

   

2. If you do not yet have an html folder for your web pages, or there are problems with the permissions for your web pages, you will be prompted to create the space and fix any problems before proceeding.

   Check the checkbox(es) next to the names of web sites you want to set up, then click the prepare selected webspaces button.

   

3. Your web space will be set up for you.

   

   PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE: Your public web site is published on the web for anyone who wants to look at it. Your private web site is set up so that only members of the U-M community can view it. They will be prompted to log in with their uniqname and UMICH Kerberos password (or Friend ID and password) before they can see it.

To Get to Your Web Site Folder

1. Click the web sites button.

   

2. Click the name of your web space to go to the folder in your IFS space where your web site is published. Put the files for your web pages in that folder to publish them.

   

Creating a New Folder

1. In the Actions list, click Create a New Folder.

   

2. In the Create a New Folder box that opens, type a name for your new folder, and then click the Create button.

   

Setting Folder Permissions

You can set permissions for the folders inside your home directory. For example, you might create a folder in your IFS home directory that you want to use for a group project. You could then set permissions for that folder to allow only your group members to see what is inside it and make changes.

1. Put a checkmark in the checkbox next to the name of the folder for which you want to set permissions, and then, in the Actions list, click the Set Permissions for Folder link.

   

2. In the Permissions Manager pane that opens, you will see the existing permissions for the folder. In this example, the owner of the folder (jtestusr) has all permissions.

   

   Here is what the various permissions mean:

   lookup. If you have lookup access to a folder, you can see the names of documents and folders inside it, but you cannot open and read them. A user must have lookup access rights in order to use any other rights. If, for example, you assigned read rights on a folder to a friend but did not assign lookup rights, your friend would not be able to see the documents in the folder and would therefore not be able to select any to open and read.

   read. If you have read access to a folder, you can open and read any document inside that folder (assuming, of course, that you have the right application, such as Word or Excel, to open it).

   write. If you have write access to a folder, you can make and save changes to any document inside it.

   insert. If you have insert access to a folder, you can add new documents and folders to it.

   delete. If you have delete access to a folder, you can delete documents and folders from it.

   lock. If you have lock access to a folder, you can place read or write limitations on it. This permission is rarely used. It allows you to lock a folder while you are updating a document inside it so that no other user can alter the document until you release the lock.

   admin. If you have admin access to a folder, you can change the permissions for it and the folders inside it. You have admin rights for all folders inside your IFS home directory, but you cannot change the access privileges for your home directory itself.

3. To add someone and set permissions, type the uniqname of the person you want to add in the box at the bottom of the list, set the permissions you want, then click Save Permissions.

   

4. The new permissions will be added to the list. You can add more people, one at a time. When you are finished setting permissions, close the Permissions Manager pane by clicking the [X] in the upper right corner.

   

To remove permissions, uncheck the check boxes as appropriate. To remove someone entirely from the list of users with permissions for a particular folder, uncheck all the permission boxes next to that person's uniqname, the click the Save Permissions button.

Group permissions. You can give permissions to groups by using pts group names. For details about creating pts groups, see Creating and Using Protection (pts) Groups for IFS (S4033).

About negative rights. At the bottom of the Permissions Manager, you will see a section for negative rights. This can be used in conjunction with pts groups. If, for example, you have give access permissions to a pts group, but you want to deny that access to one member of the group, you can use negative rights to do this. When you give someone negative rights to a folder, you are denying them access.

Log Out When You're Done

Logging out when you are done protects your privacy and the security of your online information. Be sure to click the Logout button when you are finished using MFile.

Additional Resources

Visit ITS's Information System to obtain ITS computer documentation and other resources. A list of relevant documents follows:

• IFS Overview (R1070)

• Creating and Using Protection (pts) Groups for IFS (S4033)

The ITS Service Center provides a variety of computing help resources.

For further help with this or any other topic, call 734-764-HELP [4357] or submit an online service request.