Using the Nextcloud desktop clients, university members can access their files in the Jade University's Collaboration Cloud in the file explorer.

Download the Nextcloud desktop client (under Download for desktop > Nextcloud Files), install it on your system and set it up as follows:

• In the “Add Nextcloud Account” window:
  • Click the Log in to Nextcloud button.
  • Server address: https://ccs.jade-hs.de/.
  • Click on the Next button.
  • A browser window will open
    • Connect to your account: click on Login.
    • Account access: click on Grant access.
    • Username: default login (form: ma1150)
    • Password: <your password>
    • Close the browser window
  • Local folder:
    • At the top right, you can change the local folder, but as a rule you should leave the default setting “Nextcloud” as it is.
  • Synchronisation:
    • Use virtual files instead of downloading the content immediately:
      • Initially no data is synchronised with the local folder.
      • Recommended setting,
        • if you work online practically all the time
      • Currently only available on Microsoft Windows
    • Synchronise all data from the server
      • All data will be synchronised with the local folder.
      • Recommended setting,
        • if you also need/want to work offline
        • if the amount of data is rather small
    • Select items to be synchronised
      • Only selected data will be synchronised with the local folder.
      • Recommended setting,
        • if you also need/want to work offline
        • if you need to exchange large amounts of data (e.g. initial when moving data from drive X:\ to Collaboration Cloud)
      • Initially select only the Personal folder as the item to be synchronised and activate other items later.
  • Click Connect

Download the Nextcloud desktop client (under Download for desktop > Nextcloud Files), install it on your system and set it up as described in the Microsoft Windows setup instructions.

• The function Use virtual files instead of downloading the content immediately is not available under Apple macOS. Please select the folders that you want to synchronize locally and limit yourself to those that you are currently editing.

Download the Nextcloud desktop client (under Download for desktop > Nextcloud Files), place it in a folder in your home directory and make the file executable. Start the Nextcloud desktop client by double-clicking on the file and set it up as described in the Microsoft Windows setup instructions.

• The function Use virtual files instead of downloading the content immediately is not available under Ubuntu Linux. Please select the folders that you want to synchronize locally and limit yourself to those that you are currently working on.
• Do not use the Nextcloud desktop client integrated in Ubuntu, this is usually an outdated version.

Under Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS, you can view the synchronization status in File Explorer in the Status column:

• Green circle with white tick: Always available on this device
  • The folder / file has been downloaded from the server and is therefore available locally. Any program can access the data of the real file.
  • The folder / file uses storage space for its data. If the system needs to reclaim disk space, the system must not reclaim the disk space used by the file: the file is always available - even if you are offline.
  • The folder / file is automatically synchronized between server and client
• White circle with green border & tick: Available on the device
  • The folder / file has been downloaded from the server and is therefore available locally. Any program can access the data of the real file.
  • The folder / file uses storage space for its data. If the system needs to reclaim storage space, it will virtualize the file again: the file is then only available online.
  • The folder / file is automatically synchronized between server and client
• Cloud: Available when online
  • The folder / file does not exist on the client, but is available as long as there is a network connection between the server and client
• Arrows: Synchronise
  • The folder / file is currently being synchronised with the server or client.

Under Ubuntu Linux, the synchronization status with the Nextcloud desktop client as AppImage is not visible in the file manager. You can see it here in the Nextcloud desktop client settings.

The Collaboration Cloud is essentially suitable for storing, viewing and jointly editing documents. The following file types are rather unsuitable:

• Programmes and drivers: these contain system files that cannot be synchronised. These can only be saved as a compressed file in the CCS.

Ignore list: Certain file types are not synchronised to the Collaboration Cloud because they do not make sense there or unnecessarily increase the network load. These files are listed in a so-called ignore list, including:

• desktop.ini Files in which the folder properties are stored under Microsoft Windows.
• .DS_Store files in which the folder properties are stored under Apple macOS
• .~lock Files to lock a file being edited.
• *.lnk Symbolic shortcuts pointing to other files in the file system
• Thumbs.db: Thumbnail Cache (English for thumbnail cache).

These file types prevent full synchronisation and can be safely deleted. To do this, you may have to switch on the display of hidden files.

• The minimum version of the Nextcloud desktop client to be used is 3.13, all older clients cause various problems and are excluded from synchronization.
• If possible, use the function “Use virtual files instead of downloading the content immediately ” (currently only available under Microsoft Windows). If possible, avoid synchronizing folders and files locally, especially if you are working on documents with several people. Use the collaboration options offered in the web interface of the Collaboration Cloud:
  • Use the integrated Web apps
  • Use the ONLYOFFICE integrated in the Collaboration Cloud, which opens automatically when you click on a document.
• Create regular backups. Local synchronization of folders and files always carries the risk of data loss, e.g. if several people synchronize the same folder and an error occurs with one person.
• Hard disk encryption:If you synchronize folders and files locally on your end device, it may be necessary - especially with mobile devices - to encrypt the data using hard disk encryption for data protection reasons.In the event that the device is lost, this can effectively protect business data from being accessed by unauthorized persons.