WebDAV: Accessing Workspaces and Projects from non-CS programs

In the Version Cue info PDF it is stated that non-CS programs can access Workspaces and Projects via WebDAV. Not all programs have WebDAV support so I wonder: is Mac OS X's WebDAV access through the Finder suitable for this purpose? If so, how does the directory structure appear to users? How cumbersome is it to include client-supplied Word files (for example) in a Project folder?

I know that within CS programs, Workspaces are discovered without any IP assignment or set up, so I assume that this is the mechanism by which it is done - is that the case? Can WebDAV server discovery be done via Rendezvous/ZeroConf - ie will I see a list of Workspaces in my 'Connect to Server' dialog in OS X?

Jonathan, your posting raises several questions. I will try to answer all of them.

1. Can Version Cue projects be mounted via Apple's built-in "Connect to WebDav server" capabilities?

Yes. If you have a Version Cue workspace whose Advanced Administration UI is contactable at, for example, <http://192.168.1.9:3703/>, then a project "test1" in that workspace can be Connected to via the URL <http://192.168.1.9:3703/webdav/test1/> . Keep in mind that your default Version Cue credentials on any project are your platform "short" login name (which is the same as your home directory name; e.g., mine is dbrotsky) and an empty password (no characters, not even a space): those are the credentials you should specify when prompted during the WebDAV Connect process.

2. How do Version Cue projects appear when mounted via Apple's built-in WebDAV Connect?

They appear as top-level volumes with the same folder and file layout you see when you browse the project using the built-in Version Cue Open/Save dialogs in the Adobe CS apps. However, because Apple's WebDAV saves "resource forks" for WebDAV files as separate files, each file saved to the connected WebDAV project (e.g., by saving in Microsoft Word) typically appears in the CS App Version Cue Open/Save dialogs as two files: one with the expected name, and one with that name prepended by "._" (period underscore). The latter file contains the resource fork, and can safely be ignored when using the Version Cue UI.

3. Can I use an Apple WebDAV-mounted disk to contribute and edit files in a Version Cue project from non-WebDAV applications (such as Microsoft Word®)?

Yes. For example, I just saved a Word X file to my WebDAV-connected Version Cue "test1" project, and I then placed that file into an InDesign document using ID's built-in Version Cue UI. Because the file is open in Word, the Version Cue UI warns me that the file I am about to place is "In Use by Me Elsewhere", but of course I can still place it (either directly or as a link, depending on the setting of my InDesign Text Preferences). Also, when I save a new copy of the file using File/Save in Word via WebDAV, my InDesign links palette tells me that there is a new version in the project that I should update from.

Keep in mind that not all features of Version Cue are accessible through the Finder's WebDAV-Connect. For example, I cannot see the version history of a file this way, nor can I specify a comment on new versions that I save. For this reason, users who have the Creative Suite (or any individual CS application) installed on the same machine on which they use non-VC-aware apps (such as Word) are probably better off connecting to projects using their built-in VC UI and then using the "Synchronize" features to contribute and update files authored using such applications. However, workgroup members who don't use the CS apps but do use other applications to work on content in VC projects should find the WebDAV Connect capabilities useful for this purpose.

4. How do I locate a Version Cue workspace for connection via WebDAV?

You can connect to any Version Cue workspace that you can reach the Advanced Administration web pages for, by modifying the Advanced Administration URL as described below. There are no built-in tools in the Apple Connect mechanisms for discovering these servers. However, you can use Version Cue's built-in discovery mechanisms to do so, as follows:

- from a machine with a CS app installed, go into the Version Cue UI and select (highlight) the workspace or project to which you wish to connect.

- Choose "Edit Properties..." from the tools menu, and then hit the "Advanced Administration" button that appears in that dialog. A web browser will appear.

- Copy down the host part of the URL that appears in the location bar of the web browser. This is everything starting with <http://> and continuing through the "/" (forward slash) that appears right after ":3703".

- On the machine you wish to connect from, in the Connect To dialog, enter the host part of the URL that you just copied down (including the <http://> and the final slash). Then add on the word "webdav" (all lowercase), another forward slash, the name of the project you wish to connect to, and a final forward slash. (See the answer to question #1, above, for an example of this.) Keep in mind that, if your project has any special characters such as as a space or an accented character in its name, that you will need to encode those special characters using Web "%-encoding" (e.g., %20 instead of space). Thus if you expect users to connect to projects via WebDAV, you will probably want to name them using only letters, numbers, and hyphens (or underscores).

Daniel Brotsky
Adobe Systems

Hi,

here's a little sidenote I'd like to mention regarding the WebDAV URL: it is specifically spelled out on the Advanced Administration homepage - last line on the content page, starts with WebDAV Client URL:

HTH.

Thanks,
Veronika

When I try to save a word document to my version cue project I receive "Word did not Save" The folder <http://192.168.1.12:3703/webdav/webdav> is no longer available.

I am saving from a windows operating system XP Home edition to another windows operating system XP professional, where version cue is on. I know I'm in the mac version cue forum but the windows one seems just about dead.

If anyone can help me I sure would appreciate it.

I found this happening due to my firewall. It was blocking Word from access Version Cue. Once re-configured, it was fine. So, if you're running a firewall, try stopping it temporarily and see if you can access the VC workspace with it down.

John

I don't have the firewall enabled, but in the authentication tab there is a check mark next to "Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network - EAP Type: Smart Card"

and "Authentication as computer when computer information is available."

Can one of these be causing the problem.

I wouldn't like to say. I guess the only thing you could do is try switching it off and seeing if it makes a difference.

John

I have tried to connect to a project using microsoft word 2003 and have had no luck, should i have a user id for teh project that is set to teh same as my network logon (since I'm a network) to get to it?

Rob, I have as of yet been unable to connect to a project using microsoft word 2003, but I keep trying. I keep thinking I'm missing something.

Becky,

Two ways of working with Word and Version Cue were suggested in the thread where you raised the question.

First question, does Word support digest authentication? That's what used by Version Cue, rather than sending passwords as clear text. It would also be useful to know whether it can check in and out documents?

John

I have searched the microsoft site and have been unable to answer this question, but then again I don't understand the question. What is digest authentication?

Its a way of making it more difficult to capture passwords by sending it as a hash. Never mind, I guess its something I can find out. Have you read my reply in the other thread where you raised this question? I did describe ways you could work with Word and Version Cue.

John

yes, I get an error "An error occurred copying some or all of the selected files." I still can't help thinking that this is user error.

I'm just trying to learn GoLive and am unsure how to proceed.

yes, I get an error "An error occurred copying some or all of the selected
files."




This is working from Web Folder and local copy folder open on the Desktop right? Trying to replace the Web Folder copy with the updated local copy?

Which probably means that the file(s) are still checked out from when you opened them directly from the Web Folder in Word. Go to Version Cue Advanced Administration, log in as an admin, go to the Advanced menu option and then reset the locks for whichever user you originally mounted the Web Folder as. Then see if you can copy from your local copy to the Web Folder.

John

John,

I am so unfamiliar with the web environment and may have incorrectly created the web folder, I am currently in the process of learning GoLive. But I went to Network Places and selected the add a network place and followed the instructions from Windows XP. Did I create it wrong? I'm sorry for my ignorance.