Managing Data Files and Folders
The Data window contains both input data files that are used in analyses and output data files that are returned as the result of completed analyses. Input data files can be uploaded or imported to your personal workspace from your desktop or from URL, as well as made available by other users in the Community Data folder and shared with others.
This section discusses how to organize and maneuver data files and folders in your Data window, including viewing and changing the file's info-type.
For information on using data files in your analyses, see Submitting an Analysis.
You can access and manage data from outside the DE as well. For more information, see Downloading and Uploading Data.
Opening the Data window
Click the Data icon to open the Data window.
Window icons
Data menus
The Data toolbar helps you manage files and folders.
Upload menu
- Upload (simple and bulk) and import files and folders
File menu
- Open a new window in your home folder or at a selected location
- Create a new folder
- Create a new file, including plain text files; tabular data files; R, Perl, Python, and Shell scripts; and Markdown files
- Move a file or folder to Trash
Edit menu
- Rename a file or folder
- Edit files and folders
- Edit data comments
- Edit information type
- Move files and folders
Download menu
Share menu
- Share a file or folder with collaborators in the DE
- Create a Public Link to a file
- Share a folder location
- View genome files in CoGe or Ensembl, or Newick files in the Tree Viewer. These commands are also available for selected CoGe, Ensemble, or Newick files in the Details pane.
Metadata
- Use metadata and metadata templates, and request a permanent identifier (DOI or ARK) to allow others to reuse your datasets
Refresh
- Refresh the Data window if results are not updating as expected.
Search
- Search for a file using basic or advanced search.
Trash
Using the Data list
- Click in the search field, or paste the path, to search for a file or folder.
- Click a folder in the Navigation list to displays its contents (files and subfolders) in the middle column.
- Click a checkbox in the middle pane to view details about the item in the Details section in the right column.
Viewing and selecting files and folders
The Navigation list in the left pane is where you navigate through data files and folders in your personal workspace.
Personal folder | Click your username folder to view the list of data items you own. |
Community Data | View the list of data items that have been shared by other CyVerse account users. |
Shared With Me | Click the Shared With Me folder (does not show if no one has shared any items with you) to view data items that have been shared with you by other users. |
Trash | Click the Trash folder to view the list of deleted data items, empty the Trash folder to permanently delete all items in the folder, or delete selected items. |
Saved filters | If you saved any search filters, the Saved filters folder is displayed below the Trash folder. |
Favorites | The list of your favorite files and folders. |
Understanding inaccessible data items
Data items that are inaccessible are displayed in red italicized font.
This may be due to special characters (' or ~) in the path or name, or system-level items, such as your iplant/home/shared folder or your home directory. These data items cannot be opened, renamed, moved, deleted, or accessed in any way. For more information, see Using Special Characters in the DE.
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Sorting, adding, and hiding columns in the Data list
You can sort on any column in the Data list, and hide or show columns to customize the look of your Data list.
- Hover over the column header until a down arrow appears on the right side of the column, and then click the down arrow:
- Click the setting to use
- To sort on the column, click either Sort Ascending or Sort Descending.
To hide or show a column, point to Columns, and then select or clear the checkbox for the column.
Need to view the path?
Show the Path column to help you determine which file or folder to use in search results.
Using the Data actions icons
Each item in the middle section of the Data list displays icons to the right for actions you can take on the item. The actions that are available depend on the permissions to which you have been granted for the item:
(shared path folder) | Create a Shared Path Folder Link (folders only) |
Share the item Via the Discovery Environment | |
Metadata: Add or edit metadata or select a metadata template | |
Add or retract comments about a file or folder |
Viewing Details
Click the checkbox for a file or folder in the middle column to view information about it in the Details section on the right side of the Data window. The options that are available depend upon whether a file or a folder is selected.
File Details | Folder Details |
Details Option | Description | File | Folder |
---|---|---|---|
Last Modified | Date the item was last modified by the owner. | ||
Date Submitted | Date the owner shared it publicly with other CyVerse users. | ||
Permissions | Permission level you have been granted for the item. | ||
Share | Displays whether the file or folder has been shared. If you are the owner, allows you to access the file or folder to share or change sharing permissions. | ||
Size | Size of the file. | ||
Type | File type for the file. | ||
Info-Type | Info-type for the file. | ||
md5 Checksum | Useful for comparing files and verifying the integrity of the downloaded file. | ||
Send to | CoGe, Ensemble, or Newick files only. Allows you to send a genome file to CoGe or Ensembl, or a Newick file to the Tree Viewer. These commands are also available in the Share menu. | ||
Files(s)/Folder(s) | Number of files and subfolders contained in the folder. | ||
Tags | Add or delete a tag for a file or folder, or enter a description about the tag or data item. |
Basic process
To begin, you need the data files you want to use in your analysis. You can use any file in your personal, Community Data, or Shared With Me folder, or you can upload or import a data file to your personal folder. Once the data file is in your workspace folder or in the Community Data folder, you can:
- Use the file in an analysis.
- View the outputs of a completed analysis.
- Download data files, output files, and folders.
- Add or view metadata in files and folders.
- Add tags and tag descriptions to files and folders.
It is also possible to manage data outside of the Discovery Environment using other tools, as documented in Downloading and Uploading Data.