Branding Configuration v11.x

Owned by Florian Lahr (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Feb 04, 2019 by Daniel Maletz (Unlicensed)

In this article we provide several information about configuring PowerFolder Server as a white-labeled, branded solution.

Parts of the branding

  • Branded Desktop Clients for Windows / Mac / Linux
  • Branded Mobile Apps for Android and iOS (including the deployment process to the Apple iTunes and Google Play Stores)
  • Branded Web Interface

Updating all parts mentioned above is also included in the yearly branding fee. You can still decide if you wish to deploy the new version to your customers / users.

Information required for the creation of the branding

We need the following information to create the branding for you:

  • The intended name of the application / service (e.g. MyPowerFolder).
  • The URL under which clients and web users can reach your web-interface (e.g. https://mypowerfolder.example.com).
  • The primary and secondary color (as web / hex values for example #ff00ff)
  • A scale able logo (.eps / .ai) or an alternative high resolution logo (.png /.psd / .tif) with a transparent background
  • Icons in the following resolutions: 32x32, 128x128 and 1024x1024
  • Optionally a reference which gives us an impression how you wish the applications to look (e.g. homepage, brochure or a CI manual).
  • Optionally the public key files of your server(s). Located in configuration directory name "PowerFolder.public_key" and the nodeid of the server.
  • Contact details of the responsible person for questions during the branding process and the review phase.

(info) If you have questions about the requirements above, please contact us at branding@powerfolder.com. Without this information we cannot start the branding process.

Please note that deploying a Mobile App to the Apple App store can take up to 8 weeks due to the review process of Apple.

 

 

Deploying branded / white-labeled clients

If branding for PowerFolder Clients has been ordered, we provide them in a folder assigned to your PowerFolder.com account, which has been used to order the licenses.

In order to create a white-labeled client / web skin we will need additional information and images from you, please fill out the following form and send it back to us along with your companies logo images: PowerFolder Branding Form

To download the white-labeled clients:

  • Go to https://www.powerfolder.com/login
  • Login with the account name / email used for ordering
  • Enter the folder Distribution <Product Name>
  • Download the clients described below:

 

 

 

Overview:

 

 

 

 

FilenameDescription
<Product Name>_<Version>.jarClient Java WebStart ((error) Now obsolete) 
<Product Name>_<Version>_Installer.exeClient for Windows
<Product Name>_<Version>_Mac.dmgClient for Mac OS X 10.5 and later
<Product Name>_<Version>_Linux.tar.gzClient for Linux .tar.gz / 32-bit
<Product Name>_<Version>_amd64.debClient for Linux .deb / 64-bit
<Product Name>_<Version>_i386.debClient for Linux .deb / 32-bit
<Product Name>_<Version>.x86_64.rpmClient for Linux .rpm / 64-bit
<Product Name>_<Version>.i386.rpmClient for Linux .rpm / 32-bit

To make the white-labeled clients available for download:

  1. Delete the PowerFolder client packages from the Server Maintenance Folder, which have been downloaded automatically after the first start of PowerFolder Server.
  2. Place the above mentioned clients in the /client_deployment directory of the Server Maintenance Folder.
    (info) It makes sense to remove the version numbers, so you can simply overwrite the packages with new versions in the future, without the need to adjust the Download URLs again. 
  3. Configure the Download URLs in the preferences to match the packages you've just placed in the Server Maintenance Folder.

(tick) After placing them in the above location and adapting the download URLs, they will be immediately available for download.

Updating branded / white-labeled clients

To update existing white-labeled clients:

  1. Placed the new client packages in the /client_deployment directory of the Server Maintenance Folder. The easiest way is to overwrite the existing packages.
  2. Edit the PowerFolderPro_LatestVersion.txt with any text editor and update the version number to match the new version of the clients.
  3. (tick) After the PowerFolderPro_LatestVersion.txt has been updated and saved the clients will be notified within one hour or during the next start that a new version is available.

 

Installing a custom skin for the the web interface

If branding for PowerFolder Server has been ordered, we provide a web skin to change the look of the web interface in a folder assigned to your PowerFolder.com account, which has been used to order the licenses.

To download and install the custom skin:

  1. Go to https://my.powerfolder.com/login
  2. Login with the account name / email used for ordering
  3. Enter the folder Distribution <Product Name>
  4. Download the .zip file named <Product Name>_web_skin.zip.
  5. Place the contents of the .zip file into a directory named after the company or some other term in the /web-resources/skins directory of the Server Maintenance Folder. PowerFolder Server will automatically detect this new directory and will make it available for selection in the web interface under Preferences > Web > Apperance.

(tick) After the skin has been selected in web interface under Preferences > Web > Apperance it will be applied and the web interface will have the branded look. Please note that it may be necessary to clear the browser cache!

(info) Troubleshooting: If the color scheme is not applied correctly you might need to switch to the default skin and back to your branded one, since the color scheme is only applied when the skin is selected via the webinterface.

 

Customizing URLs / links used in the web interface and clients

PowerFolder Server offers the customization of links / URLs to documentation, product, company and support information to have them point to own URL targets. Those links will be used in

  • Clients
  • E-Mails
  • Server Web Interface

To customize links, click on Preferences > Customizations in the web interface.The URLs below are available for customization:

  • URL / Homepage
  • URL / Support
  • URL / Documentation
  • URL / About
  • URL / Shop
  • URL / Quickstart Guide
  • URL / Contact Page

(info) One those URLs are replaced by custom URLs, they will be written to the Default.config file in the Server Maintenance Folder, so they can be pulled by the clients.

Client skin

Additional to the skin for the web interface the skin for the desktop client is included as well in the subdirectory client.

When a desktop client performs a login the skin of the user (as set for the server or in the organization) is downloaded, respectively updated if a newer version exists.
The downloaded skin is stored in the PowerFolder settings directory of the user, for example:
/home/$USER/.PowerFolder/skin

After the skin is downloaded or updated, the desktop client automatically restarts to apply the changes depending on the operating system:

OS X:
Client Skin
Dock Icon

Widows:
Client Skin
Taskbar Icon
Folder Icons (requires a restart of the explorer)
Shortcut Icons (requires a restart of the explorer)

Linux:
Client Skin
Taskbar Icon

 

Documentation URLs

PowerFolder Server offers some links in the web interface to point to online documentation. Those links can not be fully customized, which means they will point to the URL of documentation and will get a last part appended, which is hard-coded.

Example

If the URL of documentation has been set to http://wiki.example.com/, the link to the documentation for the file archive in the web interface under Preferences > General > Archiving keeps will be changed to http://wiki.example.com/File-Archive.

(lightbulb) In some cases it may not be possible to provide URL targets with the last part of the URL, which is hard-coded. One possible solution is to place a .htaccess file in the location on the web server, which serves the documentation URL, and place some directives for mod_alias or mod_rewrite in it to forward to own URLs. Another possibility is to leave the URL empty. In that case all links to the documentation will be removed.

Full list of not changeable URL parts

URL partDescription of to-be-provided content
Cloud_SpaceContains information about online storage, which can be used/bought on the server.
Conflict_handlingContains information about how conflicts are being handled by the client.
Connect_on_demandContains information how to to configure the client not to keep a permanent connection to servers and other clients.
Default_Folder 
DialogsContains information about options available the client under Preferences > Dialogs.
Disconnected-Device 
Duplicate-FilenameContains information about the warning for duplicate filenames.
DynDNSContains information about options available the client under Preferences > DynDNS.
Excluding_Files_from_SynchronizationContains information how to exlude files and directories from synchronization.
ExpertContains information about options available the client under Preferences > Expert.
File_ArchiveContains information about the file archiving function
File-Name-Too-LongContains information about the warning for too long filenames.
Folder-Database 
GeneralContains information about options available the client under Preferences > General.
Illegal-CharsContains information about characters which can not be used in filenames.
Illegal-End-CharsContains information about characters not valid as an ending character on Windows systems.
Information 
LimitationsContains information about the limitations in the free version
Limited_connectivityContains information how to solve limited connectivity problems.
Memory_configurationContains information how to configure memory options in PowerFolder Server or Client.
NetworkContains information about options available the client under Preferences > Network.
No-OwnerContains information how to proceed on folders which lost their owner.
PluginsContains information about options available the client under Preferences > Plugins.
Referral_reward_system 
Reserved-WordContains information about reserved words on Windows systems which can not be used in filenames.
Script_executionContains information about the option to execute a script after a file has been synchronized.
Security_PermissionsContains information about available folder permissions.
Server_client_deploymentContains information how to deploy clients to end users.
System_ServiceContains information how to configure the client to run as a system service
Transfer_ModesContains information about the transfer modes for folders.
Unsynchronized-FolderContains information how to proceed on folders which have not been fully synchronized.
User_InterfaceContains information about options available the client under Preferences > User Interface.
User-interface-lock 
Version_Conflict_With_Old_Client 
WebDAV

Contains information how to use WebDAV with PowerFolder

 

Create your own Branding

To create your own Branding you can create your own skin by:

  • Going to the admin interface /preferences/web
  • Enter a name into the "Create skin:" field and press save
  • You will find a skin with this name in the  Server Maintenance Folder under resources/webresources/skins
  • Within the image folder you will find a logos folder which contains the logos which you can replace please keep the site and filetype of those images if you edit them.
  • The skin for the desktop client can be configured the same way by modifying the files in the skin subdirectory:
    • icons.properties
    • Folder.ico
    • synth.xml
    • icons (directory with icons as defined in the icons.properties file)

You can further customize the Webinterface by editing the main.css within your skin. Please note that in version 10 it might be necceasary to use the CSS parameter "!important" to overwrite existing values.

 

The Creation of mobile apps and clients as well as a complete (100%) web branding requires our services and cannot be done by yourself.

 

 

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