File Manager - Administration Guide : Intro

21 March 2016

1. TVC File Manager

The TVC File Manager provides users with a streamlined way of working with Microsoft Office documents, or any other document that can be opened for edit with a locally installed application (for example AutoCAD drawings), in a web application. Transfer of meta-data from ENOVIA to the document, for later display in for example header or footer is provided, as well as support for open-for-edit directly from the web page.

The main features of the File Manager are:

  • Full support for the architecture (File Collaboration Server).

  • Supports Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Mozilla based browsers.

  • Manages multiple files checked out concurrently.

  • Allows checking out and checking in a document across separate sessions.

  • Allows custom triggers to transfer any kind of ENOVIA information (e.g. type, name, revision, current state) to MS Office document files for later usage in the document header, footer or within the document itself

  • Custom triggers can update ENOVIA™ information from properties specified inside a MS Office document upon check-in.

  • Open-for-edit from the web page with automatic checkout, lock, application start-up and check-in upon application exit. This feature is not specific to MS Office document files

  • Full ENOVIA™ Value Chain Portfolio compatibility

  • Common Document Model (CDM) Compatible

  • Easy to install, configure and use

  • Support for downloading multiple files in so called file packages (FPD)

1.1. Usage Scenario

From a user’s perspective, the TVC File Manager is almost invisible. The integration can be used to download a document, view a document, checkout a document (i.e. open for edit) or update and check-in new files into a document.

For example, when a document is checked out for editing, the integration will besides downloading the actual file and lock the document object also transfer the document properties (controlled via triggers).

Once the file has been downloaded, the integration will transfer the document properties to the document (if any) and launch the application associated with the file. The user can now start modifying the document. Once the application is closed, the user is able to check in the document by simply clicking the "done" button within the integration UI (or if desired, do this at a later time). The integration will then up-load the file; unlock the document object and transfer back the document properties in order to make it possible for custom triggers to update meta data in ENOVIA (optional behavior).

The TVC File Manager is able to keep track of multiple files checked out.

1.2. Architecture

Depending on browser and if the File Manager client and have been installed as a native application on the clients computer, the File Manager will run in different modes.

As of 2016.3.0, the File Manager can be installed manually on the clients computer. Especially if the user is using Mozilla Firefox, since this browser has removed support for running Java Applets. The TVC file manager is no longer using Applets, except in one situation mentioned below. Please visit https://products.technia.com for information how to download the installers.

Currently we have support for installing the File Manager natively on Windows and Mac OSX.

  1. Is the File Manager native application installed and the user runs on one of the supported browser (Firefox 50+, latest Chrome, latest Microsoft Edge) on Windows / Mac ?

    • Then use the native File Manager application

  2. Is the user on Internet Explorer 11, or a legacy browser that can run applets?

    • Then run the File Manager as a Java Applet. (This support will be removed in the future)

  3. If none of the above works, fallback to a HTML5 implementation

    • NOTE: This implementation will not support things like property transfer, file package download etc. Only basic checkout / checkin of files.

The File Manager specific triggers that is registered (dont mix with ENOVIA triggers), are executed on the application server – and will only send instructions to the Client. I.e. the actual document property transfer to the file takes place on the client.

1.3. System Requirements

The following is a list of the minimum requirements for the use of the File Manager.

Server side
Client side

  • If using Applets (requires a client side JRE (Java Runtime Environment) installed, version 7 or higher)

    • Internet Explorer 11

    • Mozilla Firefox version supporting NPAPI / Java (minimum version = 27)

  • If using native installed application

    • Windows and Mac, Mozilla Firefox 50+ or latest Google Chrome or latest Microsoft Edge

    • JRE 7 or higher