User Guide - WebDav

24/11/2004 3:47 PM
- Server Configuration

Applicable Plans: All Standard VPS, all Advanced VPS and Premier VPS plans

User Guide - Using WebDAV

Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning, or WebDAV, is a set of extensions to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) that allows computer-users to edit and manage files collaboratively on remote World Wide Web servers - from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebDAV

Overview

WebDAV allows users to create, change and move documents on a remote server, typically a web server. WebDAV allows multiple users to work on files located on a remote server, instead of having to download and then upload the files from their own computers. WebDAV is 'firewall friendly' because it uses the HTTP protocol.

Most modern operating systems, such as Mac OS X, Windows 98 and above, and Linux all support WebDAV. For most operating systems, the WebDAV folders on the remote server are seen as a mapped network drive. There are also some utilities to make WebDAV folders appear as if they were local folders on your computer.

Please read the User Guide - Managing your websites with the Apache web server for more information on how to use the PBA Control Panel to manage your sites.

Enabling WebDAV on your eApps VPS
Using WebDAV
Links to other information

Enabling WebDAV on your eApps VPS

The modules required for WebDAV are already installed on the Apache web server that comes standard with your VPS. No software installation is needed, and all configuration is done from the PBA Control Panel.

To enable WebDAV, log in to the Control Panel, and click on the Site Tab. If necessary, click on Select Another Site, and choose the correct site from the list.

This example assumes you are making a WebDAV folder directly in the DocumentRoot for your site, using /home/webadmin/eapps-example.com/html (substitute webadmin and eapps-example.com for your actual Admin user and site).

Once you have selected the correct site, click on the link for Website Files and Scripts

This displays the DocumentRoot directory for your site.

Click on Make Directory to create the new directory. Give the directory a meaningful and unique name, in all lowercase letters, and with no spaces. Do not name your directory 'webdav', as that can cause problems if you use mod_jk.

Name of directory

Click OK

After you create the directory, you will be taken back to the Website Files and Scripts screen, and your new directory will be available. Click on the new directory to enter it.

Once you are in the new directory, click on the Manage Protection button

Then click on the New Web User button

Create at least one User name and Password for this directory. For the User name, use all lowercase letters, with no spaces. For the Password, do not use an actual dictionary word - use a made up combination of letters, numbers and special characters like !#$&.

New Web User

Click OK

Next, click on the System Tab, and then on File Manager. In the File Manager, navigate to the directory one level above the new directory you created. For this example, navigate to home > webadmin > eapps-example.com > html.

Filemanager Navigation

Click the check box next to the new folder that you just created, and then click on the Properties link near the top of the screen

In the Properties screen, under Permissions, select the Write permission for Group (by default, Owner will have Read, Write and Execute checked, and Group and Other will have Read and Execute checked).

In the Ownership section, leave the Owner at the default (usually the Admin user for this site), and change the Group to apache. Select the check box for Files inherit group.

This example shows how the Permissions and Ownership screen should look when configured correctly.

Click OK to save these changes.

Now that the directory exists and has been protected from unauthorized access, you can now enable WebDAV.

Click back on the Site tab. If necessary, click on Select Another Site and choose the correct site. Click on Website Settings, and then click on the Custom Settings tab.
Click on Edit, and add the following to Custom Settings, making sure to change the Location to match your new directory.

# This specifies the name of the WebDAV folder.
# Replace name_of_new_directory with the name of the WebDAV directory you created.
<Location /name_of_new_directory>
Dav On
</Location>

Now you can browse to http://eapps-example.com/name_of_new_directory (replace your own domain and directory for eapps-example.com and name_of_new_directory), and you will be asked for the User name and Password. Log in, and you will have access to the WebDAV folder.

If you get a 403 Forbidden error, with the message You don't have permission to access /name_of_new_directory on this server, click back on the General Settings tab under Website Settings, and click on Configure. Then, check Allow Indexes, and then Update. Refresh the page, and you should now be able to see the content.

Using WebDAV

One common use of WebDAV is to share files between users, or as an upload location for files that will then be moved into the web site DocumentRoot. The WebDAV directory on the VPS can be configured as a Network Place (on Windows) or a remote server in Mac OS X. Once configured, you can drag and drop files or folders to the WebDAV location, and other users who have access to the WebDAV directory can do the same.

Another use for WebDAV is to share a calendar between users. You can upload a file in .ics format, and subscribe to that by pointing your calender program to the ics file in the WebDAV folder. You can find calendars to share at sites like http://www.icalshare.com

Links to other information

Mozilla Calendar Project - http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/
Connecting to a WebDAV server with Mac OS X - http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=mac/10.4/en/mh1050.html
Adding a Network Place in Windows XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308416
Adding a Network Place in Windows Vista - http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistanetworking/thread/adbfa5fc-b568-4070-896b-1e5e3c6bec0d/
Adding a network place in Windows 7 - http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7desktop/thread/02f34043-8115-415e-a94e-e2d41c98b8a8

Share via

Did you find this article useful?

On-Premise Help Desk Software by SupportPal