Sharing Files and Folders
There are 3 ways to share a file or folder:
- Using a direct public link (files only)
- Assigning user permissions, then using a share link
- Creating an invite link
For share links and invite links, users must have previously logged in to BCBox at least once before they can be assigned permissions.
Files marked as public in BCBox can be shared using a direct URL to the file.
To do so, click on the "public" switch for the file, confirm that you're making it publicly accessible. (Note: the MANAGE permission is required to make a file public.)
Publicly sharing a file makes it accessible to anyone on the internet, so use this feature at your own risk. The url will not change, making this is a good option for links published on a website. Considerations when sharing files publicly
Next, click on the corresponding "share" icon to the right. This opens a popup where you can copy a link for sharing, or a QR code that be scanned.
The "public" switch can also be found inside the file permissions dialog, which can be accessed through the "people" icon.
Share links are for IDIR or BCeID users that have been assigned permissions to a folder or file.
Before sharing the link, you'll first have to assign permissions for the user you want to add:
Once permissions have been set, click on the "share" icon for the corresponding file or folder. This opens a popup that displays a link for sharing and a QR code that can be scanned.
Any user that has been assigned permissions to the file or folder can use the link, after logging in to BCBox. They will be taken to the BCBox File Details page
An invite link also restricts access to specific IDIR or BCeID users, but you do not need to configure user-specific permissions ahead of time. Instead, each link is configured with a set of permissions, which are then auto-assigned to a user that clicks on the invite link.
To setup an invite link, click on the "share" icon for the corresponding file or folder, then "invite link" in the popup dialog:
- Make invite available for - how long until the invite link expires.
- Access options - permission to assign to the user receiving the link (see folder permissions or file permissions for details).
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Restrict to user's email
- If enabled, invite links will only be valid for users signing in to BCBox with an IDIR/BCeID account linked to the specified email address. The invite link will also be emailed to that user.
- If this option is not enabled, the invite link will be displayed below the form and can be given to any user but they are also required to sign-in to BCBox.
Click on "Generate invite link" to create the invite link. If "restrict to user's email" is enabled, an email notification containing the link is emailed to the provided email address. IDIR and BCeID users that do not have the same registered email will not be able to use the link.
The invite link can then be copied, or scanned as a QR code.
Invite links are single-use; they are no longer valid once they have been used by a user. If you want to invite multiple users, you will need to generate an invite link for each.
