This document describes Sencha File Storage, which provides an AJAX file storage interface with drag-and-drop capabilities, versioning, and WebDAV access. It uses Sencha ExtJS for the client interface, communicates with the server via REST, and leverages the file-storage infrastructure and content repository in OpenACS for storing and versioning files, as well as providing WebDAV access. It discusses requirements, architecture, example GUIs, drag-and-drop implementation, and open questions regarding representing versioning and metadata in the interface.

1. Sencha File Storage
AJAX file storage with drag-and-
drop, versioning, and Web-DAV
access

2. Requirements
 Attractive AJAX GUI.
 Drag-and-drop of files in the File
storage
 Drag-and-drop of files between
the browser and the (Windows)
operating system
 Versioning of files
 Access to files on the server-
side via Web-DAV protocol
 File permissions based on ]
po[ vertical/horizontal
permissions

3. Architecture
Overview
 Using Sencha Ext-JS as the client-side Web
browser library
 Using REST protocol as defined by Sencha REST
proxy and the ]po[ REST Interface
 Using the “file-storage” OpenACS infrastructure
on the server side
 File-storage already supports Web-DAV providing
a second access path to the server-side files
 File-storage uses the OpenACS content
repository, which provides versioning and meta-
data.
 Custom logic is necessary in order to create one
file-storage per ]po[ project.
 ]po[ permissions are set on a project’s file-storage
using callback functions on im_project
Physical Server
(Linux)
AOL
Web-DAVSencha
Proxy
Sencha
Store
File-Storage
Content Repo
RESTInterface

4. GUI Examples
 Sencha Tree layout
 Tree-Filelist layout:
Folder tree at the left, files at the right
 Windows Explorer layout:
Left side may also show files
 WinSCP layout:
Similar to Windows Explorer
 DropBox Web layout

5. Operating
System
Drag-and-drop
 http://www.html5rocks.com/en/tuto
 http://stackoverflow.com/questions

6. Open
Questions  How to represent and expose
version and meta-data
information on the GUI?
 How to store meta-data with
files (creator, data, tags,
comments, custom fields), and
how to expose these meta-
data on the GUI?

7. Open
Questions  How to represent and expose
version and meta-data
information on the GUI?
 How to store meta-data with
files (creator, data, tags,
comments, custom fields), and
how to expose these meta-
data on the GUI?