Setting up and enabling WebDAV

WebDAV (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning) is a set of extensions to the HTTP/1.1 protocol which allow users to collaborate in the editing and management of files on remote Web servers.

About this task

WebDAV support in the Domino® Web Server enables accessing file resource type design elements in a Domino® database. This allows application designers to work with design elements such as HTML files, images, and other file based resources using web based authoring and development tools.

You must be using Web Site documents to configure and manage the Web sites on your server in order to use WebDAV.

Be aware that enabling WebDAV also enables the following HTTP methods for the web site: PUT, DELETE, GET, HEAD, OPTIONS.

Important: There are some restrictions when using a WebDAV-enabled server. For the Web Site document for which you have WebDAV enabled, do not do the following:
  • Configure URL redirection.
  • Enable the Redirect to SSL option.
  • Enable session authentication on the Web Site for which you have WebDAV enabled.
  • Create a File Protection document for the Web site that restricts access to the HTML root directory. If a File Protection document is preventing access to the HTML directory (\domino\data\domino\html), then some WebDAV clients will not be able to connect to or access the WebDAV database when accessing this Web Site. The server console displays one of these error messages:
    You are not authorized to perform this operation [_vti_inf.html] 
    You are not authorized to perform this operation [_vti_bin/shtml.exe/_vti_rpc]

To allow access to a database using WebDAV, do the following:

  • Provide the user with either Designer or Manager access in the database ACL (Access Control List). Also, the user must have both Create documents and Delete documents privileges enabled in the database ACL.
  • Set the Maximum Internet name & password field to either Designer or Manager access. This option is located on the Advanced tab on the database ACL dialog box.
  • Some WebDAV clients attempt to lock WebDAV items. In order for these clients to work correctly with Domino's WebDAV implementation, you must enable Design Locking for databases that will be used with WebDAV. You do this on the Design tab of the Database Properties dialog box.
  • In order to use Internet Explorer as a WebDAV client, the WebDAV database needs to reside in the Domino® data directory. Internet Explorer cannot access databases if they reside in a subdirectory within the data directory.

Before you can use WebDAV (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning), it must be enabled.

Procedure

  1. From the Domino® Administrator, choose Configuration > Web > Internet Sites.
  2. Open the Web Site document on which you want to enable WebDAV.
  3. Click the Configuration tab.
  4. Under Allowed Methods, select Enable WebDAV.
    Note: If you enable WebDAV, the following HTTP methods are also enabled: GET, HEAD, OPTIONS, PUT, and DELETE.
  5. Enter this command at the console so that the settings take effect:
    tell http refresh