Document Exchange 6.4

With Document Exchange (DMX) your DotNetNuke® installation will become a state-of-the-art Document Management system. Specify exactly who can see, edit, add or approve content, document by document. Build complex folder structures and categorize to reflect your document management needs. Index the contents so users can easily find them. Allow users to edit documents online while locking the file for others.

Document Exchange is the premier document management solution for DotNetNuke (DNN). This latest version builds on years of DNN experience (since 2003), not only delivering a solid and stable DNN module, but also making complex document centric SaaS solutions using DNN and DMX as a base platform. This module is a must-have for any serious intra/extranet site. One customer we work with uses it to manage over 60.000 documents. Document Exchange has been bought by organizations large and small from all trades. These include health care, legal, industry, government and even military. DMX can be found on servers on all continents. There are customers in South Africa, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Hungary and Singapore. We aim to deliver the platform in all major languages, free of charge.

Document Exchange is packed with features. Out of the box DMX provides everything you need to create your own comprehensive document management solution including content search. There are no additional modules required, simply install and unleash the power of this system. Check out the feature list to see just what DMX can do for you!

At Bring2mind we focus on Document Management. It is all we do, and it’s what we aim to be the best at. We listen to your comments regarding our work and keep improving upon it. We take interest in your specific document needs. We aim to be the best, today, tomorrow and after. To do that, we keep looking to improve the performance, stability and feature set of this module.

Highlights

Rich UI using Ajax technologies

You can also opt to use the Ajax UI. The user interface shows the folder structure, the files, and details of those files all in one comprehensive view similar to what people are used to using the Windows Explorer or Outlook.

UI Flexibility

Change the look and feel of DMX with a simple setting. The fully templatable interface allows you to shape the appearance using a simple text editor. Use tokens to place content. This technology uses the powerful DNN token replace engine to provide a fast flexible UI. You can potentially show a set of documents through one UI in a DMX instance on your site and show the same set through another UI at another place on your site.

Per item role and user based security

Every document or folder has permissions set for both roles and/or individual users. Roles can be grouped as in DNN. Users are added by username as in DNN. Permissions are by default inherited from the parent. Setting permissions can be denied for non Admins from any point in the document tree downward. The permissions panel will no longer show up for regular users. Folders have VIEW, EDIT, ADD and APPROVE permissions. Setting the approval permission will turn on the approval mechanism for that folder. Other items have VIEW, EDIT and APPROVE permissions. By default, those that have approval rights get notified upon changes to the document. Permissions can be unified on all children with a single click. The permission set can be extended for custom applications.

Versioning of documents

The user specifies how many versions of a document must be preserved before they are deleted (-1 = unlimited) Older versions are automatically deleted upon upload of a new version.

Advanced security to prevent unauthorized direct access

Files are obfuscated and stored in a way that makes it impossible for them to be downloaded directly. Files can be stored anywhere on the server or even a UNC path

Various Storage Options

Synchronization with files on (network) server

Synchronize a folder in DMX with a folder on your server. Can even synchronize with UNC path provided you set up security correctly. Specify resolution direction. Will create new versions in DMX when content is changed on disk. A scheduled task synchronizes content.

Direct editing of content through a (Fully Integrated) WebDAV server

Open and save documents directly in client applications on your own PC using our own WebDAV server. Documents will be locked while in being edited. Versioning works through WebDAV. Approval mechanism works through WebDAV (i.e. new content needs to go through approval before being visible). Security is handled through DNN. User accounts are those defined in DNN. Drag n drop files using your Windows explorer from your local PC to DMX.

View items directly online

Certain file types can be viewed directly within the Ajax UI. Currently images, text, html, pdf. Extensible architecture should allow the inclusion of new file types in the future.

Edit items directly online

Certain file types can be edited directly. Currently text and html files. Extensible architecture should allow the inclusion of new file types in the future.

Portal-wide sharing of content

Content in DMX can be made to show at different places in the portal. Each DMX module acts as a virtual drive looking at one big underlying folder structure that is shared across the portal. This makes very advanced applications possible. Because DMX can be made to have different UIs, you can make the same content appear in different forms on different pages

Supports upload of very large (up to 2GB) files

DMX includes components that will allow the user to upload large files by streaming directly to hard disk instead of server memory. Select which component you wish to use to upload. This helps if there are clashes with other installed third party components. Upload multiple documents at once. Tune the web.config directly from your admin screens in DMX.

Document contents are indexed and can be searched

Use DMX to search documents and their contents. Select from multiple search providers to index the contents to documents. Show search results from DMX on the search results page of DNN. Search will not return any documents the user is not allowed to see. Limit search to a folder and its children. Ultra fast client side searching in a single folder.

Categorization

Reorganize the contents using categorization. Any document can belong to any number of categories. Category names are multilingual. Categories are organized in a tree. Every DMX instance can optionally show the categories starting at any point in the category tree. Use the templated view to show a dedicated category browser a la Yahoo

Custom attributes

Specify global or per folder attributes. By default attributes are inherited. Add your own specific attributes to items. Use a number of built in data types. For extensions a custom control can be hooked in. Use regex to validate input. Make attribute show up in multiple places using the templatable UI. Attributes have a localized title.

Notifications

Subscribe to content so you will be notified by email in case of changes. Notifications are sent in a batch in a single email to users. This avoids email floods. You can specify which email goes to whom upon which 'action'. This provides a very configurable notification system. Emails can be localized. Emails use 'token replace' to give you awesome power in tuning the appearance of messages. Send Audit emails. The email address will receieve an email for every action in the document management system (configurable).

Batch download/upload

Select a number of files and/or folders and the contents will be zipped and sent for download. Also works with 'Mail Me'. Select 'unzip' and a zip file will be unzipped upon upload preserving the folder structure contained therein.

Multilingual features

DMX is one of the first modules to implement content localization. Document titles, remarks, custom attributes and category names can be specified in any number of languages and will show up accordingly to the user. This feature is already employed for a number of years at major European companies for their intranet.

Syndication

Use the RSS feed for a what's new from your document library. Feed respects user's login. It will not show what is not available to the user. Feed uses DMX root folder setting. Only items below that are syndicated. Feed can be made to restrict to a category. Feed includes ALL metadata in extension to Rss format.

Mailing

Enable users to send documents to others. Control who can use this function and who they can send documents to. Send either with document as attachment or as a link with a unique key which will bypass security. Ideal for distributing documents to all users in a particular role.

Unique extensible architecture

DMX was designed with extensibility in mind. We specialize in delivering custom solutions based on DMX using these features. Let us know what your needs are and we’ll give you an indication on the possibilities using DMX as a platform for document centric solutions.

Document Exchange Features At a Glance

Organize your content

• Store your files in a folder structure, just as you would when using your trusted Windows Explorer. Any document belongs to exactly one folder.
• Organize your files using categories. Any document can belong to multiple categories.

Share content

• Share your files across your portal. Every DMX module is a virtual drive into an underlying folder structure. Instantiate multiple DMX instances in your portal and allow your users to share content across the portal.
• Link to content in DMX using URL that will navigate to content automatically
• Syndicate content from DMX using RSS

RSS Syndication

• Restrict to category
• Restrict to folder
• You can specify a custom filter to further limit the content being syndicated
• Set nr of items to syndicate
• Rss feed includes document metadata in extension (in its own namespace)

Document Upload/Download

• Use the wizard to upload content. Uploading becomes much more user friendly using a wizard interface, guiding the user through the process.
• Upload control shows progress and prevents mishaps. The upload control gives the user feedback about the upload process.
• Upload multiple files at once.
• Double click download.
• Download by email.
• Choose between upload controls
• Unzip on upload
• Specify a thumbnail for a document (new)

WebDAV

• Drag and drop from your Windows Explorer to upload/download content to/from the Document Exchange
• Open well known document formats (Office) directly from the document exchange in your client applications.
• DMX WebDAV is fully integrated into DMX and versioning and locking are reflected in both Web UI and WebDAV backend simultaneously.
• Open folders as ‘Web Folders’ in your Windows Explorer
• Use your own Windows Explorer to organize content (add, delete, move, etc)
• Set WebDAV permissions: specify roles that may access content through WebDAV

Security

• Every item (folder, document, etc) has its own security settings.
• Permissions are both role- and user based.
• Permissions are extensible. By default ADD, VIEW, EDIT, APPROVE are available. For custom applications more can be added.
• By default permissions are inherited upon creation of an item.
• Files are hashed and renamed to prevent direct download.
• Files can be saved outside the portal root and even to a network share to further complicate tampering.
• Administrators can decide to switch off permission setting by regular users for particular branches of the document tree
• Document Administrators can revive documents from the last stage of deletion, called the graveyard (new)

Workflow

• Full per item approval mechanism. Content will not show up until approved.
• Versioning of documents. You can specify the number of versions that should be kept on the server per document.
• New versions of items subject to approval will show up as the last approved version until approved.

Templatable UI

• Use a templatable UI to make DMX look how you want.
• Templates are text/html files containing tokens that are replaced by content at runtime.
• Token documentation included in distribution
• Adjusted templates are bound to the module instance. Create any number of different 'looks'.
• Share templates throughout the portal (new)

Ajax UI

• A three pane display shows navigation, file lists, and file details with statistics all on one page. The use of a splitter allows the user to examine each in detail.
• There is a context sensitive menu on each item. Right click a file and a menu shows relevant to that file.
• Get online help. Documentation is made available through our own menu.
• The menu system is expandable. The menu can be adjusted for custom applications without the need to recompile code.
• The details screen is expandable. The details screen is made to be able to show multiple panes so that custom applications can add their own details screen.
• Powerful batch downloading. Select multiple items, and click download. The items will be zipped (preserving folder structure) and provided as download.
• Use of style sheets permits customization.
• View certain document types inline
• Edit certain document types directly in the web UI
• Improved performance and choice of either 2 or 3 panel layout (new)

Search

• Use the search box above the file list to quickly filter a list without interaction with the server (i.e. this is lightning fast)
• Search engine is configurable and can set changed per portal.
• Document contents are indexed using DotLucene® search engine or MS Indexing Service.
• Use our unique on screen search panel to search the entire contents of the repository
• Search on any field or combination of fields.
• Use an advanced search box to compile your own Lucene syntax queries.
• Limit search to folder/subfolders
• Highlights in search results (new)

Notifications

• Subscribe to content and be notified upon changes
• Use of tokens means admin can make custom notifications
• The notification mechanism can be expanded for use in custom applications
• Notifications are pooled and sent in batches to avoid email floods
• Email documents from within the module to others (new)

Localization

• Document Exchange is fully localizable.
• We work with others to provide as many language packs out of the box as we can.
• Document Exchange implements content localization. Titles of documents, categories and remarks can be specified in multiple languages.
• Download language packs for DMX directly from the module (new)

Extensible architecture

• The architecture of this module allows the module to be easily expanded in custom projects
• This allows us to provide custom solutions with minimal code forks
• Provider model for aspects like notification, search and storage
• Free extensions are made available regularly

Admin/host functions

• Script runner includes scripts for less common administrative tasks like content reindexing. Extensible solution that avoids screen clutter with infrequent tasks.
• Export script to export complete DMX to a directory on the server's hard disk
• Web.config editor to tune key parameters (max upload size, etc) and additions
• Support for IPortable. Export the contents and settings of DMX in portal templates
• Get support from Bring2mind directly from within the module
• Ability to specify Document Administrators (new)
• Manage subscriptions to items by individual users (new)

Performance

• Document Exchange is powerful and fast. We continuously monitor performance and rearchitect the application if necessary.

Continuity and quality control

• Seamless upgrade from DMX 3
• Many new features planned for future upgrades
• Upgrade subscription model: licenses now offer one year of free upgrades
• We work with a network of dedicated customers that put DMX through its paces

Requirements

1. SQL Server 2005/Express. DMX uses some of the latest enhancements in SQL 2005.
2. IIS 6 (Windows 2003) or higher. We recommend IIS 7.5.
3. Trust level: Medium or Full. Some components (like DotLucene) require full trust. DMX will work in medium trust, but some features will become disabled.
4. For DMX you’ll need to run version 08.00.00 or higher of DotNetNuke

Licensing

Licenses for DMX are ‘per DNN installation’ with a maximum of 25 portals using the module. This means that you can run up to 25 sites using DNN/DMX on a single license. Furthermore, the license allows the user to install it on a staging or testing server. The license includes one whole year of free updates (minor or major).

DMX licenses have a subscription period (or service period as we call it). After purchase you get one year of support and upgrades. You will be contacted toward the end of this period to renew the service period for another year for a reduced fee.

Read more ...

Other licenses

Contact us or go to the Bring2mind website for details about the 'pro' license (unlimited portals), 'enterprise' license (unlimited installs for own organization), 'partial source' license (get all code behind classes and a number of providers so you can change the module and learn how to extend it) and the 'OEM' license (roll out to your customers in your own branded solution).

Activation

DMX needs to be activated to work across a network. You can always use the trial activation mode (30 days). If you feel at any time you should be permitted to activate at more DNN installations, don’t hesitate to contact us. The policy at Bring2mind is that first and foremost you should have a working module. The mechanism is just there to prevent illegal and/or ‘unconscious’ spreading of the software. It is not meant to hinder you in any way.