Using Nebula Filesystem Web Access
The Nebula File System Web Access lets you reach your Nebula files from anywhere you can browse the web. Here are a few important facts:
- The files are read-only.
- You must download, or save, a copy to your computer to edit it. You can’t edit it in place.
- When done, you will upload the file (save the new version back to your Nebula drives) using this Web Access. If you don’t give it a different name, it will over-write the original file.
Here's how to use this function.
Saving your documents to your computer
1. Open this web page (https://loupe.cac.washington.edu ).2. Enter your UW NetID and your Nebula password and click ‘login’:
3. After login, you will see a screen similar to Windows Explorer (see below). Click on the [+] next to ‘uw’. You will see the same files that are shown when you double-click your I: drive
NOTE:
- uw\groups is the same as your I:\groups drive
- uw\homedir is the same as your H: drive
4. On the left screen: keep clicking the + sign to move through the folder structure til you get display the folder you want. Then click on the folder name itself to display the contents of the folder on the right screen.
NOTE:
- Each time you click on a new directory, the cursor jumps back to the top. For each desired location, click on "Add to favorites" at the top. This creates a "favorites" option at the top left, with a link to each favorite location.
5. On the right screen: Right-click on the file you want and choose "Save Target As..." (see below). Maneuver to the desired location and click Save. Your file will be saved to that location with its original name.
NOTE:
- If your "Download" dialog box remains open, you can choose to close it, or Open the file you just saved.
- Remember where you saved your file(s)!
Saving your documents back to the file server
Once you have finished editing and have saved the changes to the local version of the file, you will need to "upload" it back to the Nebula file system.
NOTE:
- First, decide whether you want to overwrite the existing file on the server. If you do, keep the original name.
- If you don't, rename your file by using the Save As command.
1. Close your document(s).
2. Open the Nebula Web Access (https://loupe.cac.washington.edu)
3. Click through the folders list until you are displaying the desired location on the right-hand side.
4. At the bottom, click on the first "Browse" button. Locate the desired file and click "Open". This will enter the file name and location into the "Upload file" box. To upload another file, click the second "Browse" button. You can only upload 2 files at a time.
If you are uploading a file with its original name to its original location, you will get a warning that the file already exists:
When you want to overwrite an existing file, you must check the "overwrite file" box, next to the "Upload" button.
Suggested best practices
When using the I:\groups folders:
- Remember that other people in your department have access to these files.
- You are creating copies of files and editing the copy, so it's important to identify the copy
- We recommend that you save your edited files with a new, useful name.
Example: save "minutes071309.doc" as "minutes071309-rev1" or "minutes071309-yournetid" - Each department should develop its own standards for file naming. If several people are using this tool, there is a risk of multiple people creating variations of the original file, resulting in you having no "true" version.
When using the I:\homedir folder:
- No one has access to these files but you so you don't have to worry about others editing files that you are working on.
- You will save time later if you overwrite the older file with the newer one.
- If you're uneasy about overwriting a file, save your new file with a new name.
This is a new tool within Nebula and we welcome your feedback. Please email us at nebula@uw.edu.
