Desktop Access to Documents and Media

You can access the Document Library from your desktop file manager via WebDAV. WebDAV is a set of methods based on HTTP that let users create, edit, move, or delete files stored on web servers. WebDAV is supported by most major operating systems and desktop environments, including Linux, macOS, and Windows. Using your file manager via WebDAV doesn’t bypass the functionality of the web interface—Liferay DXP increments the version numbers of files edited and uploaded via WebDAV.

To access the Document Library folder from a file browser, you must use your log-in credentials and the WebDAV URL of the folder you want to access. Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Documents and Media app that contains the folder you want to access. Click the folder’s Actions icon () and select Access from Desktop.

   

   Figure 1: Select *Access from Desktop* to get the folder's WebDAV URL.

2. Copy the WebDAV URL and follow the instructions for your operating system:

   Windows: Map a network drive drive to the WebDAV URL. Enter your credentials when prompted. The Document Library folder appears in the network drive. From your file browser, you can now add, edit, move, or delete files in this folder.

   macOS: In the Finder, select Go → Connect to Server. In the Server Address field, enter the WebDAV URL of the folder you want to access, then click Connect and enter your credentials when prompted.

   Linux: In your file manager, you must slightly modify the Document Library folder’s WebDAV URL. For KDE’s Dolphin, change the URL’s protocol to webdav:// instead of http://. For GNOME’s Nautilus, change the URL’s protocol to dav:// instead of http://. Then press Enter and enter your credentials when prompted.

Now you can access the Document Library folder from your desktop file system. If you edit a file in this folder on your file system, the change also shows up in the same Document Library folder in the portal. What’s more, the file’s minor version is incremented due to the edit.