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Enabling the file:// Protocol

Overview

One of the more popular customization requests we receive is to enable the file:// protocol in Jive hyperlinks, thereby allowing users to access files directly from the file server on which they are stored. This document will explain how you can set up Jive to support this functionality.

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Process

The reason the file protocol is not enabled by default is that it poses some well-known security risks.

Most major browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Safari) do not enable the links at all, though Internet Explorer still does.

If you are going to enable the file protocol in your Jive instance, be sure you fully understand the risks involved. This should not be enabled on an externally facing site.

  • For network resources that contain the raw UNC path, the double-slash format will be used (file://), such as for \\mynetwork\myfolder\mydocument.docx
  • For network resources already mapped to a local machine drive, the triple-slash format will be used (file:///), such as for Z:\myfolder\mydocument.docx

To add support for the file:// protocol, you'll need to make the following changes:

  1. Add file://, file:/// to the Allowed URL Schemes field in the URL Filter in the Jive Admin Console via Spaces > Settings > Filters and Macros > Filters > URL Filter > Settings.
  2. Add file://, file:/// to the "Allowed src/href Schemes" field on the HTML Filter via Spaces > Settings > Filters and Macros > Post Processing Filters > HTML: HTMLFilter > Settings.
    • Internet Explorer Specific Configuration
      The default browser security settings will prevent the link from working. To reconfigure this, you'll also need to add your Jive environment to the Trusted Sites, or lower your existing security settings (not recommended).  To add your Jive environment to the Trusted Sites, try these steps at Security zones: adding or removing websites.
  3. Once this is added, refresh the page or restart the browser.

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Confirmation

Users should now be able to access files directly from the file server.

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  1. Priyanka Bhotika

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