Web Folders 4 WHS allows full browser-based drag and drop functionality for files and folders when uploading and downloading files remotely. The add-in also allows you to access your files through the Windows Explorer shell and any other WebDav client that supports HTTPS.
Installing the add-in is as simple as any other add-in. Copy the msi installer to your D:Software/Add-ins folder, open the WHS Settings dialog in the console and install the software from the Add-ins tab, as shown below.
In order for Web Folders to work, you will need to install a Microsoft update, Software Update for Web Folders (KB907306). A set of installation instructions is also available from the the author’s webpage.
Once you have installed the Microsoft update and this add-in, it needs to be configured to work with WHS. Open the WHS Setting window and click on the Web Folders icon.
Click on the Setup option.
Click on the Setup button. You will get the following dire warning screen.
Once you have decided you are brave enough to proceed, the next window pops up. Enter a name for your web directory (I chose the default).
Web Folders will install certain required OS components, as indicated in the following window. This is a nice touch in lieu of asking the user to manually install the component.
This will bring you back to the setup window, where you now find all those red X’s changed to green arrows. Success!
Clicking on the OK button will bring you back to the Web Folders section of the console. You will notice that the once empty window has now been populated with entries from your Folders folder.
From here, it simply a matter of highlighting desired folders and clicking on the Add option.
You can also right-click on a folder to perform the same function. Setup is now complete.
In the above picture, you will notice that there is option in the folder item menu to “Open”. Clicking on this froze the console app. After a slight delay, the console closed. It is interesting to note that if you click on the DFS Root link in the Web Folders setting window, it does work. I can only guess that some WHS code has changed between the time this add-in was written and today.
As there are many other options for accessing your shares in Windows Explorer, I would consider this a “this is what one can do” kind of add-in feature. Although, since it is there, it would be nice if it worked properly.
If you wish to do so, you can Map this folder from your workstation. The following series of pictures illustrate how to do this in Vista. Once again, I feel that this feature falls under “this is what one can do” kind of add-in feature. With the “Shared Folders on Server” mapping created by WHS on your connected machine, what is the point?
The real power of this add-in comes from the ability to access your Shares folder from a remote location and interact with the folders in the same manner as if you were sitting right at the machine. To do so, simply following the instructions below:
- Launch Internet Explorer
- Press Control-O to display the Open dialog; specify URL of Web Folders directory on the home server; remember to use HTTPS instead of HTTP; check Open as Web Folder check box; click OK
- If running Windows Vista, Allow Windows Explorer to launch the web content
Now, that is nice! A fully functional Windows Explorer interface from a remote location.
If you forget to check the “Open as Web Folder” box, you will get an ftp-type interface, as shown below.
And that is all there is to the add-in. I was not impressed, or perhaps simply did not care about, the Explorer interface feature inside WHS or as a mapped drive. The ability to have full access to your Shares folder from a remote location, however, is very impressive. If you are on the road a lot, and need to access/maintain your Shares folder for important business documents, this is the add-in for you.
Even though it takes a bit to get setup, it is a very straightforward/simple task to perform. I cannot think of any additional features that might be needed/desired, but it would be nice if the author could update the program so that all the access options work with the current version of WHS.
Author: Brendan Grant
Version Reviewed: 0.6.2
Release: 19Nov2007
