openDias - Support

Common Actions

Most user questions are covered below. However, if you have:

• A problem or some testing feedback, you can feedback at Forum / Discussion Group.
• A functionality suggestion, please submit it at Vote on Ideas and Suggestions, (you may want to check the current Scheduled Work in case your idea has already been planned).

Architecture Overview

Users can access openDias using a browser that points to the machine that has openDias installed on it (aka 'the server'). For most users, that will be their local machine, but there is nothing stopping this being a server on the local network or even the internet.

openDias will show scanners that can be accessed from 'the servers' location. Most of the time this will mean - scanners plugged into 'the server'. However, SANE can be configured to search for devices on other machines (ie the machine you're accessing 'the server' from).

The database of documents and the media files themselves are stored on 'the server'.

Upgrading

If you are upgrading from a previous version, you should check the below for migration details.

• 0.8.x -> 0.9.x
  • Some of the database configurable directories have been deprecated and are now controlled at build time. If you had changed the database config settings scan_directory or log_directory, these are now fixed as /var/lib/opendias and /var/log/opendias respectively. You are free to use symbolic links to your preferred directories, if you wish.
  • Location based authentication has been deprecated and replaced with username & password authentication. See below how to set this up for your needs.
  • If upgrading using a distro-package, after install, the name of the starting script will have changed. You will now need to use /etc/init.d/opendias start, where previously it was /etc/init.d/clearscene-opendias start.
• 8.7.x -> 0.8.x
  • The upgrade is seamless and requires no special attention.
• 8.6.x -> 0.7.x
  • The upgrade is seamless and requires no special attention.
• 8.5.x -> 0.6.x
  • The upgrade is seamless and requires no special attention.
• 8.4.x -> 0.5.x
  • The upgrade is seamless and requires no special attention.

Authentication Setup

Once installed, the administrator should point a web browser at:

• http://localhost:8988/opendias/

Set up authentication:

• For the first time use, login with the details:
  • username: admin
  • password: admin
• Change the admin users password as soon as possible:
  • Click the username link at the top right of the page.
  • Use the 'My Details' tab to change the admin users password.
• Create a new user:
  • Using the 'create user' tab, create a new user for everyday use.
  • Create as many users as required.
  • Logout of 'admin' and only use the user you've just created.

Application Proxying

Getting users to visit a URL that contains a port is ugly, eg:

• http://myServer.com:8988/opendias

You can use a forwarding proxy (eg Apache) to remove the port number. using a rewrite rule, WHICH FILE eg:

• RewriteRule ^/opendias(.*)$ http://myServer.com:8988/opendias$1 [P]

Replacing "myServer.com" with the address of your server.

Attaching SANE devices

openDias uses the SANE system to provide access to scanning devices. Most systems will have this installed already.

By default SANE (and therefor openDias) will provide access to any device attached locally. This means the scanning device could be in a different location to the user. To support this, it is recommended you enable to 'sane-net' device on the server (the machine with openDias installed). In brief:

1. Uncomment 'net' in /etc/sane.d/dll.conf.
2. Add machines you want to 'look for devices' on, into /etc/sane.d/net.conf.
3. Check SANE can get access to your networked device using the 'sane-find-scanner' tool.

Further reading on configuring sane or access remote devices.

Getting help

You can get help by posting a request on the 'support forum' page.