Nextcloud Migration

Instead of ownCloud, we now use Nextcloud. What has changed?

Sciebo was gradually transitioned from ownCloud to Nextcloud. The basic functions remain unchanged; only a few functions are added.

This document briefly outlines the resulting changes.

Generally, we will take care of your concerns as usual via our contact form in case of a request.

Changes

  • Apps are now at the top of the page and no longer at the top left in the menu
  • Groups are now called Teams and can be found in the Contact app
  • Microsoft Office formats are no longer opened in Onlyoffice, but in Collabora. Collabora is set as the standard for all Office formats. This is unfortunately beyond our control and is a requirement by the manufacturer Nextcloud. If problems (e.g. formatting) occur with MS documents, you can open and edit MS documents via the 3-dot menu with OnlyOffice for the time being. Please ensure that when collaborating on documents, all editing persons use the same editor, otherwise conflicts or data losses are to be expected. The reason for this is that the OnlyOffice server and Collabora are independent server services that cannot communicate directly with each other.
  • there are a few new apps: Calendar, Contacts, Deck (Kanban Board), Forms (Surveys) and Polls (Votes)
  • by default, the eye-friendly Dark mode is activated; via the menu at the top right, Light Mode, High Contrast and Dyslexia modes can also be set
  • Login only with Sciebo ID: Due to a bug, it was previously possible to log in with the email address. Please use only your Sciebo ID for login. In case of doubt, you can find out what this is in mySciebo.
  • Incoming shares can be automatically sorted into a separate folder. This can be selected under Settings/Share.
  • Incoming external shares (Federated Shares) currently have to be accepted via the web interface (bell icon). A next update to a newer Nextcloud version is expected to provide a remedy.

Update to the Nextcloud Client

We recommend that all users uninstall the old client and install the new Nextcloud-based client. See: Nextcloud-Clients or for English instructions: Nextcloud clients. The unbranded Nextcloud client works just as well with Sciebo and can also be used for other Nextclouds. A branded mobile client is currently not available, which is why we ask you to use the unbranded Nextcloud client from the stores.

Known characteristics:

  • The Nextcloud client does not synchronize files under Windows for compatibility reasons that contain characters reserved by Windows in their names ("?", “*”, “<”, “>”, “|”, “/”, “\” and “:”).

Migration Guide

  1. Make sure that any synchronization running in the previously used sciebo-ownCloud client is completed first.

  2. Open the previously installed sciebo-ownCloud client and click on “User Account”. Now select the option “Remove”. Confirm the removal. No data is lost.

  3. Now exit the sciebo-ownCloud client.

  4. Uninstall the sciebo client previously used from your system.

  5. IMPORTANT: Consider the sciebo folder previously used on your hard drive as backup and rename it, for example to backup_sciebo.

  6. Download the sciebo-Nextcloud-Client for your operating system on the following page: https://hochschulcloud.nrw/de/download/index.html We recommend using a client without VFS.

  7. Perform the client installation. If a system restart is required, perform it.

  8. Set up the new client by first selecting your instance. You will be asked for authorization with your sciebo ID via a browser window.

  9. Set up the synchronization according to your wishes. DO NOT select the previously used sciebo folder on your hard drive. Go back to step 5 of this guide if you have selected this and received an error message.

  10. Complete the setup assistant and leave the PC on until the synchronization is complete. Do not disconnect the device from the Internet during this time.

For advanced users

Tip 1:

(This measure only works if you do not use the VFS option.)

You can synchronize the data set from the old sync folder using ROBOCOPY or rsync -av (depending on the operating system) into the new folder. These command-line tools prevent newer data on the server from being overwritten by any older data from the client.

Tip 2:

(This is something for experts who know what they are doing. Always make a backup before doing this!)

Summary:

If you copy the config file aside before step 2 in the migration guide above, you can copy the old configuration file into the new config directory after installing the new client and then rename it according to the naming scheme of the new client. In the new config directory, there should already be a cfg file that tells you exactly which file the client is looking for. The initial file can then be renamed and the adopted cfg file will then be named exactly the same. Steps 5, 9, and 10 from the above instructions can then be omitted, as applying the old configuration file ensures that access is provided to the previous sync directory.

Step by Step:

  1. Make sure that any ongoing synchronization in the previously used sciebo-ownCloud-client has been completed.

  2. Find the configuration directory and copy the configuration file aside. On Linux, this is usually ~/.config/sciebo/sciebo.cfg On Windows, this is usually %HOMEPATH%\AppData\Roaming\sciebo\sciebo.cfg On macOS, this should be the path ~/Library/Preferences... The folders are usually hidden.

  3. Open the previously installed sciebo-ownCloud-client and click on “User account”. Now select the option “Remove”. Confirm the removal. No data is lost. This step ensures that the icons in the Explorer sidebar under Windows, if that is the platform you are using, are removed.

  4. Now exit the sciebo-ownCloud-client.

  5. Uninstall the sciebo-client previously used from your system.

  6. Download the sciebo-Nextcloud-client for your operating system from the following page: https://hochschulcloud.nrw/de/download/index.html We recommend using a client without VFS, unless you used the ownCloud-client with the activated VFS option in the old installation.

  7. Run the client installation. If a system restart is required, perform it.

  8. Start the new client and abort the installation. This ensures that a new configuration directory is created.

  9. Copy the backed-up configuration file into the new configuration directory.

  10. Start the new sync client. The settings from the old client installation should have been adopted.