Using ownCloud 7 in the field

After reading the article " Making Google backup or paranoia about sanctions. Owncloud and other open solutions ", I decided that it was time to give a second chance to ownCloud after an extremely unsuccessful experience with version 5. As a result, it turned out that in this short period of time, ownCloud has acquired a quite good-looking look and is able to work as an everyday tool - the problems found are either not significant or have a solution. Those who are not familiar with ownCloud can learn about its key features, for example, on the official website or on opennet.ru . In this article I will NOT talk about how to install ownCloud and how to set it up from scratch, because there is already enough written about it - painted - rewritten , and the installation is nothing complicated, I will only briefly mention important details. Under the cut there will be information about what ownCloud is interesting about, what applications in apps.owncloud.com seemed to me worth of attention, touch on integration with KDE and Android, and also say a few words about the pitfalls and interesting places, well, in the end let me down totals for those who are too lazy to read so much. I use ownCloud on my server alone, so user administration and everything that goes with it will be described extremely poorly. Caution: a lot of pictures.

A few words about the software used

The whole construction is based on ArchLinux x86_64 + Nginx 1.6.1 + MariaDB 10.0.13 + php-fpm 5.5.16 + ownCloud 7.0.2 (ejabberd 14.07 optional) from standard repositories. The settings are almost the same as the recommended ones , I took certificates from StartSSL . For synchronization, they took: empty ArchLinux + KDE, Sony Xperia S CyanogenMod 11 (Android 4.4.2) with a lot of contacts without GAPPS, empty Google Nexus PAC (Android 4.3.1) with GAPPS and a connected Google account. I mostly install applications from F-Droid . Under the spoiler there are small configuration nuances that may be useful to the administrator. It is worth getting under it only when installing ownCloud, for a general understanding of the value of the platform, this information is not needed.

Briefly about the main thing

In my opinion, the following list of applications deserves special attention. Some applications were included in the package, the rest were downloaded and installed separately. List of applications:
Activity, Calendar, Contacts, Deleted files, Encryption, Full Text Search, PDF Viewer (pdfjs-based), Pictures, Share Files, Text Editor, Video Viewer (MediaElement.js), Files move , JavaScript XMPP Chat , Mail , Maps , News , Notes , Music , RainLoop Webmail , Passman , Roundcube , Grauphel , Tasks Enhanced , ocDashboard , Embedded Videostream , Old Menu , ATNotes .
And now more about some of the components, use and synchronization.

Official desktop client

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The ownCloud Desktop Client is available for Linux, Windows and Mac. It supports the synchronization of individual folders, ignoring files and folders on the template, synchronization pause, notifications on the desktop, logging actions (current session), work through HTTP-SOCKS proxy, limiting download / upload speed. The client supports only one account and has an not quite adequate interface for adding synchronization of individual folders, I did not notice any more minuses, there is enough functionality for everyday tasks. I emphasize that this is exactly file synchronizer, not remote access to them. For normal remote access to files, you can use any program that works with WebDAV (Dolphin in KDE, Windows Explorer).

Official Android Client

ownCloud for Android ( F-Droid , Google Play ) version 1.5.8 is able to perform the following functions:

1. Download, upload, delete and rename files, folders only delete and rename.
2. Automatically sync manually specified files.
3. Automatic loading of created photo and video files.
4. Open sharing for files and folders.
5. Support multiple accounts.
6. Password support to run the application.

This is, in fact, everything. Personally, I actively use auto-synchronization of files, autoloading files, sharing (sfotkal - clicked on the notification - share the link - copy the link; regular files are roughly the same), well, just convenient access to files in the cloud. With long-term use of bugs is not noticed, but it would be good to carry out:

1. Appload folders.
2. Button "upload current photos and videos."
3. Auto-sync specified folders, not just files.
4. Integration of synchronization tools for calendar, contacts and tasks.
5. When you automatically upload photos and videos, the files are copied to the /sdcard/owncloud/user@example.com/Snaploading folder, then from there they go to the server, i.e. in fact there are 2 copies. It can be quite resource intensive with long-term use.
6. Separate settings for the startup photos and video files, depending on the account. Now the footage is either not being downloaded anywhere, or is being uploaded immediately to all accounts, for separation you will have to keep 2 applications on the device.
7. Automatically photos and videos are uploaded to the “Immediate Download” folder, the ability to change this name from the application settings is not enough.

The first 3 points are leveled by FolderSync ( Google Play , free ), but without much convenience. To synchronize the calendar, contacts and tasks, there are also separate programs, but the last 2 points should be corrected in the application here and now. It seems to me that fixing them will not be difficult, maybe even this article will prompt some kind person to issue a pull request.
Alternative applications: ownCloud Client ( Google Play , free ) from BezKloboukuNos, many applications that work with files via WebDAV.
In addition to Android, it also claims support for Windows Phone and iOS .

The calendar

The application can work with multiple calendars, hide / show specified, fumble calendars between users of ownCloud, supports a flexible system for repeating events. I would very much like to see the possibility of convenient sharing of the calendar to the outside world, but ownCloud can only give a listing with * .ics v2.0 files after successful basic-authentication.
To export a calendar from your phone / tablet to your ownCloud, you must use the manual methods provided by the appropriate calendar provider. As a synchronization tool, I use DAVdroid ( F-Droid , Google Play ), as an alternative, you can consider CalDAV-Sync ( Google Play ), which has additional functions (changing the name and color of the calendar, the ability to synchronize only from the server, different synchronization ranges) , but DAVdroid is enough for me. About two years ago, Marten Gajda (developer CalDAV-Sync, CardDAV-Sync and a few more applications presented below) promised to post the source code of their applications when they are ready for version 1.0. Let's wait, see if he can do that soon.

Contacts

I had to tinker a bit with my contacts. As it turned out, it is impossible by any means of the client’s forces to send the current phone contacts to the server in a couple of clicks. In addition, if you export contacts to vCard and upload to ownCloud, then nothing will be adequate either. As a result, I exported all contacts from all devices to vCard using vCardIO ( code.google.com , Google Play ) (because I swear at the built-in ownCloud), deleted all contacts from all devices, downloaded all vCard to ownCloud, started synchronization on all devices. It was after these actions that I received the correct synchronization.
I use the same DAVdroid to synchronize contacts, but as an alternative, you can use CardDAV-Sync beta ( Google Play , free ), which can also choose the direction and priority of synchronization, as well as periodic synchronization.

Tasks

Tasks Enhanced provides an interface for creating tasks with a slightly different functionality than the calendar: the progress of the task, the comments of various users ownCloud, grouping by importance / time / status of the event, a reminder of the event at a specified time. It uses storage objects identical to the calendar for data storage, so be careful when deleting the list / calendar. Also, if you hide a calendar, then the task list will also be hidden, and to share tasks you need to completely share the calendar. Tasks Enhanced skillfully complements the calendar: if the calendar is convenient to store schedules, long-distance and recurring events, meetings, reminders and holidays, then you can put information about a project with its deadlines, single events with a reminder about them at a convenient time in Tasks Enhanced, well, or just use it as a todo list. Since the calendar and task entries in the database are not much different and are in the same table, it is theoretically possible to write a small button for WEB GUI to transfer the record, but these are just thoughts in the ear.

To work with Tasks Enhanced on Android, I found only one application - Tasks ( F-Droid , Google Play ), but it can synchronize tasks only if the aforementioned CalDAV-Sync is installed. The application can show tasks with different sortings (all, deadline, start, priority, process), add / edit tasks, remind you about the start and end of a task. The appearance is minimalistic, the control is logical, pleasant to use. An alternative is the CalDAV Tasksync beta free ( Google Play ) application, which has a slightly different skill set, but does have a significant drawback - it does not know how to remind of events. The author promised to correct this misunderstanding in the next releases. It is necessary to put both applications and independently decide which is more convenient to use. Task Sync - To-Do List ( Google Play ) should also support ownCloud, but I have not tested it.

RSS aggregator

News is the simplest news collector that can perform only a few functions: add a folder to / rename / delete a tape, create / rename / delete a folder, feeds are moved using Drag & Drop, and the “Mark read” button is present near the feed, like the daw “ Keep unread "near the entry. I am not a connoisseur of aggregators, the functionality is sufficient for convenient management of feeds. I do not know how much and whose "feature" it is, but I did not add all my feeds through direct RSS links, but simply by inserting the address of the home page into the field and pressing the "Add" button.



For Android, there is an ownCloud News Reader application ( F-Droid , Google Play ) that allows you to read the data collected by the aggregator. In addition to actually reading the data, the program allows you to add a feed and mark the specified entry as unread. This ended the functionality, and adding a feed and moving it through the WEB GUI to a folder caused the client to no longer synchronize at all, and had to be reinstalled. Sometimes it happens that it dulls during synchronization, I did not notice any more flaws. Despite the modest possibilities, it is convenient to use WEB and Android applications, there is no desire to switch back to Tiny Tiny RSS. I did not find any alternative Android clients for the RSS aggregator.
In the Google Chrome app store, you can install the ownCloud News Checker extension, which should show (it works with a considerable delay) the number of unread posts and allows you to quickly go to the ownCloud News page. How useful this application is - judge for yourself.

Bookmarks

Well, everything is simple: fields for names, addresses, descriptions and tags. It is possible to drag a button to the browser's bookmarks bar, which will allow you to open the pop-up bookmark adding interface for the current page in 1 click. You can take a button (and drag it to the bookmarks bar) on the application's start page in the ownCloud WEB GUI. Import / export of bookmarks is also supported, I managed to export bookmarks from Chromium to ownCloud using third-party HTML tools.
For Android, there is the ownCloud Bookmarks application ( Google Play ), which allows you to browse by tags, add and delete bookmarks. You can add not only with your hands, but also through the "Send" button in the browser (at least in the built-in). There is no export and import, and it doesn’t hurt, and the main thing is that there is convenient access to bookmarks from mobile devices.



The Google Chrome store has an Owncloud Bookmarks application, with which you can quickly get to your bookmarks, sorting by tags is present, the add bookmark button is also, so you don’t have to add a separate panel to the panel, except to save one click. If you use ownCloud bookmarks - be sure to put this extension.

Notes

Notes is actually a web snout to /Notes/*.txt. The name of the note corresponds to the name of the text file and the first line of content, the contents of the note - the contents of the text file. Minimalist straight rolls over, even the field for the name of the note does not exist. For Android, there is My Own Notes ( F-Droid , Google Play ), which allows you to add / change / delete notes.
You can also put an ATNotes application in ownCloud, which already has names for notes, is able to fumble specified notes inside ownCloud, supports simplest elements of text formatting and stores data not in the user's directory, but in the database. However, ATNotes is not able to synchronize with anything.

Music

Music can actually work correctly only with MP3 files. In theory, if you correctly arrange the collection, you can listen to music from the centralized place on the network using the built-in Ampache. In fact, not all applications cope with this task. On Android, I just earned just Just Player ( F-Droid , Google Play ), and this is probably because the Music code has “Dirty fix for JustPlayer”. On the desktop, neither Amarok, nor Viridian mastered the connection, but Tomahawk started running right away . Sorry, we will wait for corrections.

Images

The application parses the folder and makes up a grid of pictures with a tree corresponding to this tree. Images can be deployed almost to the full screen, there is support for a slideshow - auto-change images every ~ 4.5 seconds.
For Android, there is the ownCloud Gallery application ( Google Play , free ), bugs directly jump on the user from the screen, but somehow the application can cope with the generation of thumbnails and cannot open the original full screen. The developer otplyvvtsya from this using the "limitation of the ownCloud API", but I do not understand why you can not pick up the entire file on WebDAV, as does the original application, and then show the user normally.

On this application that can be synchronized with other devices, ended.

Jabber client

JavaScript XMPP Chat is a miniature Jabber client for ownCloud, it does not know how to act as a standalone client, therefore it requires HTTP Binding (XEP-0124) from the XMPP server. In addition to standard messages, support for OTR and video calls (WebRTC) is declared, but I have not tested them. There is support for notifications on the desktop, everything is concise and simple, no frills. An additional button will now appear on the authentication page in ownCloud - “Log in without chat”, but the main “Login” button now besides its ownCloud is also authenticated by the Jabber client. Of the minuses, it is worth noting problems with automatic authentication and, in general, not very stable operation, and the fact that the OJSXC folding bar overlaps the page scroll bar.

Password Manager

Passman - client-side password manager (AES). Maybe I’m doing something wrong, but I still don’t understand how to write there. In addition, the buttons in the lower left corner do not work for me, I see this application completely crookedly. And in general, I personally do not see any benefit in this application, it is easier for me to synchronize my KeePass-base and open it. So safer.

post office

Mail clients are represented by three applications: Roundcube , RainLoop Webmail and Mail . The first 2 applications actually embed the interface of the corresponding client into the window with ownCloud; Roundcube has autologin working, Rainloop does not. Roundcube has a plugin that allows you to do the reverse operation - to integrate the window with ownCloud into Roundcube, but it seemed to me not interesting. If you are using Roundcube, I advise you to install the Roundcube-CardDAV plugin, which will allow you to synchronize contacts from ownCloud to make it more convenient. This function is already built into Rainloop, so you don’t need to install anything. Note that the address should not just be https://example.com/remote.php/carddav/ , as in most programs that work with CardDAV, but the full one - https://example.com/remote.php/carddav/ addressbooks / USER / Contacts .
The last client, Mail, is being developed by the project itself, there has not yet been a release (and this must be taken into account if there is a desire to use it in daily work), but, in my opinion, the application is fully operational. If it is enough to check the mail and respond with a simple message, Mail will fit perfectly for this. This application is not yet able to be installed just like that, you will need to read the README and follow the instructions there (or look under the spoiler at the beginning of the article).

On this interesting applications that require additional explanation, ended. I will say a few words about less interesting applications that can be found already on apps.owncloud.com .

Other applications

Documents - collaboration with documents. It may not be possible to work on complex documents, dazzling tables and formulas, but it is very convenient to make changes to simple documents collectively.
Maps - maps that use openlayers (OpenStreetMap) as a source of maps, can find the nearest places.
grauphel - Tomboy sync server - tomboy REST server, nothing more to say and do not.
ocDashboard - a page with widgets for quick access to information.
Embedded Videostream - application for playing multimedia files directly in the browser.
Old menu - for those who do not like the new drop-down menu and want to return the old one to the left.
Files move is an application that allows you to move files into folders directly to the ownCloud WEB GUI.
mozilla_sync - your sync-server for Firefox. I do not use this browser, so I did not check for performance.
In addition to these applications, you can find updates and other applications at apps.owncloud.com . Many applications have not yet been ported from 5 and 6 versions of ownCloud, but again, the project is very actively developing and most interesting applications are either already ported or will be ported soon. At the moment, ownCloud 8 is being developed, now in the app store you can find it being developed only for the 8th version of News - Unstable channel . You can also view github.com/owncloud for applications that are not in the store.

Additional Information

KDE allows you to connect contacts and calendars using CardDAV and CalDAV (System Settings - Personal Information). There you can also connect mailboxes. Together with kontact (in ArchLinux I advise you to install the kde-meta-kdepim package right away) these tools will allow you to get centralized access to calendars, tasks and contacts from ownCloud, mail, local feeds and notes.On the possibilities of Kontact recommend reading on the Internet.
Before using ownCloud, I strongly advise you to read the documentation at doc.owncloud.org . There you can learn about the additional features of ownCloud: full encryption of user files, data sharing between two ownCloud servers, synchronization, management of remote files, file versioning and more. In addition to information for end users, on doc.owncloud.org, you can find usefulness for administrators and developers.

Total

For those who are too lazy to read the whole article, I will highlight the main pros and cons of the platform.

Pros:
Fully working basic services, the project is clearly ready for everyday use.
Availability of applications for all occasions.
Nice things like sharing files and folders, automatic versioning of files, collaboration with documents, mounting external resources, etc.
Data synchronization on main desktop and mobile platforms.
Active development.

Minuses:
In some applications, only basic functions are presented, which may not be enough.
Rare delays when connecting to the server.
There may be rare errors when installing and configuring applications. At first, this may scare away, but after setting up, the applications work stably, except for Ampache and OJSXC. In fact, I had to scratch my head only when installing OJSXC due to the dampness of the code, other applications are installed without problems, you just need to read the README.

If you can, you can personally participate in the development of the platform, especially in the official Android application, this would be very useful. The field for work is still huge on all fronts, there is where to turn.
Already we can say with confidence that you can use ownCloud 7 in everyday life, install additional programs on your computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones, set up the synchronization of the necessary components, and then calmly rejoice in comfortable work with common data.

useful links

Official site - owncloud.org
Platform features - owncloud.org/features
Documentation - doc.owncloud.org
Demo - demo.owncloud.org
Articles about releases of ownCloud versions from opennet.ru - 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 .
More applications - github.com/owncloud/core/wiki/Apps
Alternatives - Seafile ( demo ), Pydio ( demo). You can use them as an additional means of accessing files (because they are primarily aimed at working with files and are not combines, like ownCloud), which I will soon do.