Various questions regarding folder structure

[Ottawait]

Hi,
I bought TS-251 OS 4.1.2 (clean install) and placed 8GB RAM and 2x4TB HDs in Raid 1. So far working well. I am setting it up for a family/home use where the plan is to consolidate all the photos, music, videos and documents to a common place so they can be accessed from all computing devices e.g. IPAD, MAC, Iphones, Smart TVs and PCs. Also plan is to use these common folders with multimedia to be common library for Itunes playlists. Another requirement would be to be able when I import photos from iphones or photo camera into iphotos on the mac to have them automatically imported into the spot on QNAP? How? Where?
I know it is doable but looking for best way to create folder structure that would work best for this scenario. Trying to make it as seamless as possible. Confused with following as well:
1. What is the role of the Public Folder? To be public like accessible to all users? Would this be the best place to have as common multi media and docs storage?
2. What is the difference between Home and Homes folders?
3. Should I create a user account for each family member? If so, can they still have common place for multimedia files they sync their devices with?

Thanks for your help

[pwilson]

I know it is doable but looking for best way to create folder structure that would work best for this scenario. Trying to make it as seamless as possible.

By default, almost all NAS Applications expect your Multimedia files to live in your Multimedia share, (or subdirectories thereof). I use the following directory tree here:

Code: Select all

~# /opt/bin/tree -L 2 /share/Multimedia                                                                                              
/share/Multimedia
├── Audio
│   └── Music
├── eBooks
├── HappyCut
├── Pictures
│   ├── Connie
│   ├── Family
│   └── Patrick
├── Video
│   ├── Home Movies
│   ├── Internet
│   ├── Movies
│   ├── Music Videos
│   ├── Stand Up Comedy
│   └── TV Shows


69 directories, 24 files

Confused with following as well:
1. What is the role of the Public Folder? To be public like accessible to all users? Would this be the best place to have as common multi media and docs storage?

Your "Public" share is indeed a "share" that is accessible to all users. Put your "Multimedia" files in your "Multimedia" share (or subdirectories thereof), see previous answer above.

2. What is the difference between Home and Homes folders?

The "homes" share is the location for all the user's "home" shares. Individual users have access to their own "home" share, from the network, the WebApps (ie the "Stations", and Mobile Apps. Only "admin" can access the "homes" share. Please stop using the terminology "folder" and "share" interchangeably as they are not the same thing. Shares do indeed point to "folders", but not all folders are "shares".

3. Should I create a user account for each family member? If so, can they still have common place for multimedia files they sync their devices with?

Absolutely! Create NAS accounts for each and every member of your family. Setup identical username/password pairs on both the NAS and the client machines. (If these match then your users can access the NAS shares from their Windows PC's without having to provide a password every time they access the "shares" on the NAS). For example if your NAS is known as "TS-251" within your Windows "Workgroup", your users will be able to access the shares directly from Windows Explorer with UNC paths like: "\\TS-251\Public", "\\TS-251\Multimedia", "\\TS-251\home" from their Windows machines.

They can also access things like "\\TS-251\Multimedia\Movies", if you've created a "folder" called "Movies" within your Multimedia "share". (assuming that you've setup the "permissions" properly on both the "Multimedia" share, and the "Movies" subfolder.

Remember to ensure that your NAS and your computers all live within the same "Workgroup".

[Ottawait]

Thanks Patrick, much appreciate your time. The folder structure is something I have setup pretty much the same way as you suggested. As a matter of fact I think i did read your post elsewhere and based on it i set it up the same. I am setting it up for the client that created his own hell with all different kind of devices and multimedia files all over the place. So now I need to consolidate it the best way so it work for them the best. e.g. His and his wife's music/photos may be in the same location but kids music may be in some other (as they may have different taste for music). And what you mentioned for Multimedia folder/share is what I thought it should be. But then why QSync on PCs places music from the user's laptop to the users personal collection instead of Multimedia folder?
I mean i know that in the SOHO environments may require having users accounts and their own files etc. In the home environments there is no much need for that, so they don't want their own folders, personal collections etc and more need everyone MM files in the same folder and share.
Also what wold be commonly placed in Public folder so I have an idea?

[pwilson]

I get all my family members to put their music in "Multimedia/Audio/Music/Artist/Album". Yes, my children have different tastes than I do. That is what "Playlists" are for. I never listen to Techno or (C)Rap music myself, but my kids do. Everyone stores their Music in there, and by the file "owner" I can see who put it there.

I can't comment of storing Music etc in user "home" shares, as I discourage users from doing so. Anyone in the family is encouraged to place their Music in the main Music repository on the NAS. Just because Music is in my Multimedia share doesn't mean I have to listen to it. Similarly, I sincerely doubt my kids will listen to my Mozart, Bach, or Dr. Hook.

[wilsodg]

The only issue with storing all multiimedia in multimedia is that indexing works across all sub folders - so photo scanning will pick up all your music album and video artwork too which is a pita. So I store photos and music as separate shares so I can have better control over indexing.

[pwilson]

The only issue with storing all multiimedia in multimedia is that indexing works across all sub folders - so photo scanning will pick up all your music album and video artwork too which is a pita. So I store photos and music as separate shares so I can have better control over indexing.

Indexing is easy to control:



Check out the Multimedia Management section of the fine manual.

[Ottawait]

Can you deselect all of the media type from scanning for some folders? Example if i create a folder with software or misc. can I deselect that folder from scanning any media type? I did try and Ithink I had to select at the minimum one... But that was in 4.1.2 and not sure if 4.1.3 allows it as I did not try it yet. As soon as I deselect e.g. Photo and Music Video is selected and inactive, couldn't de-select it?

[pwilson]

Can you deselect all of the media type from scanning for some folders? Example if i create a folder with software or misc. can I deselect that folder from scanning any media type? I did try and Ithink I had to select at the minimum one... But that was in 4.1.2 and not sure if 4.1.3 allows it as I did not try it yet. As soon as I deselect e.g. Photo and Music Video is selected and inactive, couldn't de-select it?

It's your NAS so you can do whatever you want. However, I would not recommend putting your "software" or "misc" anywhere near your Multimedia share, as this share was not designed for that purpose.



I have it set to limit each "type" of Multimedia in it's own subfolder of the Multimedia share, this allows me to control how each one is processed by the Multimedia Management feature.

For your "software" or "misc", I would recommend putting that stuff in the "Public" share, if you want it accessible to all your users, or place it in your private "home" share if you don't want it accessible to others. This part of QNAP's design should be easy to understand.

[Ottawait]

Example I have documents/software that would be accessible to a few people but not all where would be the best place to do so? I put them in Public and then give access to administrators group only. Confusing part is that both folders by default are public .. so naming one public would make you think that other is not so don't really see the point of having the two folders. I think Public would be enough with ability to select which folder to scan and for what media type. It would be less confusion. And then have home folders for private things...
I understand you can do this anyway you want but if QNAP by default looks for media types in MM folder then you need to force it to scan others you created...Thanks for your help Patrick
my 2 cents anyway.

[Ottawait]

Example I have documents/software that would be accessible to a few people but not all where would be the best place to do so? I put them in Public and then give access to administrators group only. Confusing part is that both folders by default are public .. so naming one public would make you think that other is not so don't really see the point of having the two folders. I think Public would be enough with ability to select which folder to scan and for what media type. It would be less confusion. And then have home folders for private things...
I understand you can do this anyway you want but if QNAP by default looks for media types in MM folder then you need to force it to scan others you created...Thanks for your help Patrcik
my 2 cents anyway.

[Ottawait]

Example I have documents/software that would be accessible to a few people but not all where would be the best place to do so? I put them in Public and then give access to administrators group only. Confusing part is that both folders by default are public .. so naming one public would make you think that other is not so don't really see the point of having the two folders. I think Public would be enough with ability to select which folder to scan and for what media type. It would be less confusion. And then have home folders for private things...
I understand you can do this anyway you want but if QNAP by default looks for media types in MM folder then you need to force it to scan others you created...Thanks for your help Patrck
my 2 cents anyway.

[Ottawait]

Ughh sorry for triple reply...

[pwilson]

Example I have documents/software that would be accessible to a few people but not all where would be the best place to do so? I put them in Public and then give access to administrators group only. Confusing part is that both folders by default are public .. so naming one public would make you think that other is not so don't really see the point of having the two folders. I think Public would be enough with ability to select which folder to scan and for what media type. It would be less confusion. And then have home folders for private things...
I understand you can do this anyway you want but if QNAP by default looks for media types in MM folder then you need to force it to scan others you created...Thanks for your help Patrick
my 2 cents anyway.

Don't change the permissions on the "Public" share, as you will defeat it's purpose. If you want to limit files to only a few users, why not simply create a new "Stuff" share, and then limit access to that share to those specific users, by changing the permissions on it. Use the QNAP "default shares" for QNAP's intended purpose, and create your own "new shares" for any of your purposes.

For example you probably do not want to put "adult" videos or pictures in your Multimedia share, as they would be shared out by all the DLNA Servers that you choose to install on your NAS, which would "share" the content out without any security whatsoever.

If you are industious and Linux savvy, you could change permissions on subfolders within your "Public" share to restrict access to certain subfolders, but these permissions could get "accidentally" changed easily, so I do not recommend doing this, even if you know what you are doing.

I recommend creating a new share for content that you want restricted to only certain users, so you don't accidentally make "restricted" content available to all users.

The last thing you need is your 6 year old child playing "Debbie does Dallas" because your permissions weren't set properly.

[Ottawait]

well thanks for mentioning that, but that wasn't my exact concern lol. I wanted to make private file like e.g. parents income taxes, bills, mortgage and bank statements etc so only parents have access to it. So ok, If i put multimedia files into the multimedia folder. Private to home folders. Shared files to a newly created shared folder called e.g. Household. So what is Public good for then? Not trying to be pain in the a** just trying to understand what designers of QNAP had in mind when creating default shared folders?

[Ottawait]

Can you deselect all of the media type from scanning for some folders? Example if i create a folder with software or misc. can I deselect that folder from scanning any media type? I did try and Ithink I had to select at the minimum one... But that was in 4.1.2 and not sure if 4.1.3 allows it as I did not try it yet. As soon as I deselect e.g. Photo and Music Video is selected and inactive, couldn't de-select it?

It's your NAS so you can do whatever you want. However, I would not recommend putting your "software" or "misc" anywhere near your Multimedia share, as this share was not designed for that purpose.



I have it set to limit each "type" of Multimedia in it's own subfolder of the Multimedia share, this allows me to control how each one is processed by the Multimedia Management feature.

For your "software" or "misc", I would recommend putting that stuff in the "Public" share, if you want it accessible to all your users, or place it in your private "home" share if you don't want it accessible to others. This part of QNAP's design should be easy to understand.

I just tried the exact same thing as you have in your screenshot. I removed built in Multimedia folder and instead created Multimedia\audio; Multimedia\Video etc... Applied it....and it would be applying and when done, it would not show any media folder listed!? Tried several times with no avail. I have 4.1.3 loaded on it.