This page last changed on Aug 27, 2009 by jlargman.

On this page:

Introduction to Confluence's WebDAV Client Integration

WebDAV allows users to access Confluence content via a WebDAV client, such as 'My Network Places' in Microsoft Windows. Provided that the user has permission, they will be able to read and write to spaces, pages and attachments in Confluence. Users will be asked to log in and the standard Confluence content access permissions will apply to the equivalent content available through the WebDAV client.

By default, all WebDAV clients have permission to write to Confluence. Write permissions include the ability for a WebDAV client to create, edit, move or delete content associated with spaces, pages and attachments in a Confluence installation.

This page provides instructions on how you can set up a WebDAV client natively for a range of different operating systems. WebDAV clients typically appear as drives in your operating system's file browser application, such as 'Windows Explorer' in Microsoft Windows, 'Finder' in Mac OS or 'Konqueror' in Linux.

Setting Up a WebDAV Client in Microsoft Windows

This section covers the two methods for configuring a WebDAV client natively in Microsoft Windows:

  • As a network drive
  • As a web folder

If possible, use the network drive method as this will enable more comprehensive WebDAV client interaction with Confluence than that provided by a web folder. However, your Confluence instance must meet several environmental constraints if you use this method. If you cannot configure your instance to meet these requirements, then use the web folder method or third-party WebDAV client software.

If you run into any problems with the procedures in this section, please refer to the Troubleshooting WebDAV page.

Windows Network Drive

To map a Confluence WebDAV client network drive, your Confluence instance must be configured so that all of the following criteria is met:

  • Uses HTTP (not HTTPS)
  • Listens on port 80 (not 8080, which is the default port value used by the popular application server Apache Tomcat that runs many Confluence installations and Confluence Standalone distributions)
  • Has no context root

The reason for these restrictions results from limitations in Microsoft's Mini-Redirector component. For more information, please refer to Microsoft's server discovery issue.

To map a Confluence WebDAV client network drive in Microsoft Windows,

  1. In Windows XP, go to My Computer -> Tools menu -> Map Network Drive.
    In Windows Vista, go to Computer -> Map Network Drive.
    The 'Map Network Drive' dialog box opens.
  2. Specify the following input to map the WebDAV client as a network drive:
    • Drive: <Any drive letter> (for example, Z:)
    • Folder: \\<hostname>\webdav (for example, \\localhost\webdav)
  3. Click 'Finish'.
    When prompted for login credentials, specify your Confluence username and password.

Screenshot: A Confluence WebDAV Client Network Drive in Windows XP

Windows Web Folder

To map a Confluence WebDAV client web folder in Windows XP,

  1. Go to My Network Places and choose 'Add a network place'. The 'Add Network Place Wizard' opens.
  2. Click 'Next', ensure that 'Choose another network location' is selected and then click 'Next' again.
  3. In the 'Internet or network address' field, enter the URL for the Confluence WebDAV location (for example, http://<confluence server url>/confluence/plugins/servlet/confluence/default or http://<confluence server url>/plugins/servlet/confluence/default) and then click 'Next'.
    When prompted for login credentials, specify your Confluence username and password.
  4. Provide a meaningful name for your web folder and proceed with the remainder of the wizard.
  5. Click 'Finish'.

Screenshot: A Confluence WebDAV Client Web Folder in Windows XP

To map a Confluence WebDAV client web folder in Windows Vista,
This procedure is very similar to the one for Windows XP. However, the following procedure includes the slight interface differences that are specific to Windows Vista.

  1. Open the 'Map Network Drive' dialog box (refer to first step of the procedure above for mapping a network drive) and choose 'Connect to a Web site that you can use to store your documents and pictures'. The 'Add Network Location' wizard opens.
  2. Click 'Next', ensure that 'Choose a custom network location' is selected and then click 'Next' again.
  3. In the 'Internet or network address' field, enter the URL for the Confluence WebDAV location (for example, http://<confluence server url>/confluence/plugins/servlet/confluence/default or http://<confluence server url>/plugins/servlet/confluence/default) and then click 'Next'.
    When prompted for login credentials, specify your Confluence username and password.
  4. Provide a meaningful name for your network location/web folder and proceed with the remainder of the wizard.
  5. Click 'Finish'.

Setting up a WebDAV client in Mac OS

To set up a Confluence WebDAV client in Mac OS,

  1. Open the Finder.
  2. From Go on the Finder Menu, select Connect to Server or press Command+K, which will also bring up this dialog box.
  3. In the 'Server Address' field, enter the URL for the Confluence WebDAV location (for example, http://<confluence server url>/confluence/plugins/servlet/confluence/default or http://<confluence server url>/plugins/servlet/confluence/default) and click 'Connect'.
    When prompted for login credentials, specify your Confluence username and password.

Screenshot: Setting Up a WebDAV Client in Mac OS

Setting up a WebDAV client in Linux or Unix

There are many tools and mechanisms available for configuring WebDAV clients in these operating systems. Therefore, we have chosen to demonstrate this using the file manager Konqueror, which is part of the Linux K Desktop Environment.

To set up a Confluence WebDAV client in Konqueror,

  1. Open Konqueror.
  2. In the 'Location' field, enter the URL for the Confluence WebDAV location using the 'protocol' webdavs (for example, webdavs://<confluence server url>/confluence/plugins/servlet/confluence/default or webdavs://<confluence server url>/plugins/servlet/confluence/default) and press Enter.
    If prompted for login credentials, specify your Confluence username and password.
    You should be able to click to load many, but not all files. In practice, you would normally save a modified file locally, then drag it to the Konqueror window to upload it to Confluence.

Document generated by Confluence on Jul 09, 2010 01:08