Side-loading Files Advanced

The BlackBerry Dynamics version of the Files Advanced app now supports the iTunes File Sharing feature. This feature allows files and folders to be copied directly into the Documents folder of the app's sandbox. Once in the app sandbox, they will automatically be imported into the correct sync folders in the app's encrypted storage.

Side-loading of files is limited by the free storage space on the device and will require additional free space, equivalent to at least the size of the largest file being imported, to complete the side-loading process. This feature is intended for 2-way file transfer, it does not give users rights to read or copy the files.

Note: The Files Advanced app is not actively involved in the iTunes File Sharing file transfer process.

Note: This procedure requires a fresh install of Files Advanced for BlackBerry Dynamics that isn't enrolled in management.

Preparing Documents for Side Loading

Note: Ensure that the device has sufficient free storage space before side-loading and do not interrupt the sync process once it begins.

1. In the Files Advanced Advanced web administration, navigate to Mobile Access --> Data Sources.
2. If you already have Data Sources that you wish to use, make sure they are marked as 1-way or 2-way sync folders. If you don’t have Data Sources that you want to side-load, create new ones.
3. Assign the Data Sources to a group containing the users whose iOS devices will be side loaded. For this example we will create a folder named Reference.
4. On a computer, create a folder called To Import and copy the desired folders inside it. So in this example we have a To Import folder containing the Reference folder, which contains the documents that the server would normally try to sync to the iOS device over the internet.

   Note: The folders inside the To Import folder must be named exactly like the Data Sources’ display names. For example, you have a Data Source called Reference, and in the To Import folder you will create a folder called Reference.

5. If you are performing this procedure on a Windows machine, you will have to install iTunes.

Sync the items through iTunes

1. Install the Files Advanced for BlackBerry Dynamics app.
2. Connect the iOS device to a computer using a cable. Cables that can only charge the device will not work.
3. Open iTunes and select the device. Click Trust on the computer and device if prompted.
4. In iTunes, click on the device icon and then on the Apps section in the left sidebar.
5. Scroll down to the File Sharing section of the page and select Files Advanced.
6. Drag the “To Import” folder you created into the Files Advanced Documents section in iTunes.
7. Click Sync. Follow other iTunes prompts if needed and let the sync to complete.

Enrolling and importing the side-loaded documents

1. After the iTunes sync is complete, launch the Files Advanced for BlackBerry app.

   Note: The importing of the files and folders will take place before the Files Advanced app is enrolled with the Files Advanced server. The procedure must be performed on a clean install.

   Note: This feature performs an initial loading of sync folder content and then hands off the folder syncing responsibilities to the Files Advanced app. All onward syncing will proceed as usual.

2. Enter the BlackBerry email address and Access Key for your user.
3. Follow the wizard to complete enrollment with the Files Advanced server. You will be prompted to enter your Files Advanced username and password.
4. Dismiss the tutorial that appears on the first run.
5. The import process will begin. At this point, the Files Advanced app will import the documents that were side-loaded into its secure container. It will then check with the server to confirm which documents match the corresponding sync folder. If everything is the same, the device will be in sync with the server, for the side-loaded sync folder(s).

Important notes

• Any assigned sync folders that do not have a corresponding folder in the To Import folder will be silently ignored and will perform a standard, full over-the-air initial sync after the import process completes.
• Any folders in the To Import folder that do not match an assigned network sync folder will be silently ignored and deleted from the device.
• If the user leaves the app while the import is executing, it will continue to run in the background for up to 10 minutes. This time period is depended on iOS app management out of Files Advanced control. If the Files Advanced app is shut down by iOS or the end user, the import process will continue where it left off the next time the app is started.
• After the preloaded files and folders have been copied into the appropriate sync folders, the app will perform an over-the air sync. During this first sync, the app will consider any files side-loaded into the app as up-to-date as long as the server version of that file has the same file size. The timestamps on the files will not be expected to match, so if the sizes match, the local file's timestamp will be updated so that it matches the server version. If the sizes do not match, the file will be automatically synced down from the server and replaced. This will not trigger any conflict detection behavior.
• A policy setting will be added to the BlackBerry Dynamics application policy section for Files Advanced (on the BlackBerry Control server) that governs whether this side-loading behavior is active. By default, this feature will be disabled. If disabled in the BlackBerry Dynamics policy, the enrolled/activated Files Advanced for BlackBerry app will delete any files and folders that are copied into the Documents folder via iTunes File Sharing, each time the app starts up.