Linking to a file in the drive

Version 11.1 by mmorgan on 2022/02/02 22:33

Avoid sharing links into the Drive that contain /lib/ in the URL (https://drive.ebrains.eu/lib/...). This is done by people who simply copy the URL from their browser page, typically from OnlyOffice. These URLs work most of the time but have a known issue when referenced in a Word document and accessed from Microsoft Word (not OnlyOffice).

To link to a file in the Drive, click on the "Share" icon as shown below.

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Clicking on this "Share" icon (shown above) brings up a popup (as shown below).

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Two types of links are supported for files in the Drive: Share links and Internal links.

  1. The "Share Link" generates a public link. A public link makes the file accessible in read-only mode to anyone that has the link, including users without an EBRAINS account. Even someone with write permission in that collab will only have read access to that file when accessing it via a public link.
  2. The "Internal Link" generates a smart link. A smart link provides access only to those with corresponding read or write permissions in that collab.

A third type of link is supported for folders in the Drive.

  1. The "Upload Link" provides a URL for any user to upload a document that will be placed in the selected folder. The URL does not allow users to view the contents of the folder.

WARNING: creating a public link to a folder makes all of its content accessible to users who have the link.

When sharing a smart link or public link with users, consider also indicating the URL of the collab's Drive (e.g. https://wiki.ebrains.eu/bin/view/Collabs/mycollab/Drive) because it cannot (yet) be determined from the smart link or the public link. That is the URL displayed in your browser when viewing the Drive from the Wiki.

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Avoid sharing the URL displayed in your browser from a Drive (not Wiki) window because that URL is specific to your role in that collab and therefore may not be accessible to other users of the same collab.

Links to moved files

Links do not follow files when they are renamed or moved. However, if you create a link to a file test.docx, then delete that file and upload another document with the filename test.docx, the created link will still work and will point to the newer file.