Files from your computer

A paired device can browse the shared folders on your computer and attach a file to a chat as if it were on the device. Your phone opens Downloads on your Mac, taps the PDF you saved this morning, and the chat has it. The file crosses the same end-to-end encrypted connection as everything else between paired devices; Olace's servers never see a folder name or a byte.

Turn it on

On the computer that holds the files: Settings › Remote Access › Files for paired devices. Or, from its terminal:

olace files on

Downloads and Documents are shared by default. Add or remove folders on the same screen, or with olace files allow <folder> and olace files remove <folder>. The list lives on the computer only; a paired device cannot change it.

On Windows and Linux nothing else is needed: the background service runs as you and reads what you can read. On Windows, Downloads and Documents are wherever Windows keeps them, so a Documents folder that OneDrive backs up is the one shared. On Linux they are wherever your desktop keeps them, so a localized or moved Downloads is the one shared.

On a Mac, the first time the background service reads a folder macOS asks for permission. Allow it, and if the prompt was missed open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Files and Folders and allow olace-daemon for that folder. The settings screen tells you which folder still needs it.

Attach one

On the phone or any paired device, open the attach menu in a chat and choose Files on <computer>. Browse or search the shared folders, tap a file to attach it, or press and hold to pick several. The file lands in the composer like any other attachment and is sent with the message. Files over 10 MB are shown but cannot be attached yet.

The row is always in the attach menu once attachments are possible, so you can see the feature before you have paired anything; it names the computer when one is reachable and says why when none is.

What is shared

• Only the folders on the list, and only for reading. Nothing on a paired device can write to the computer.
• Hidden files and folders are never shown, including files Windows marks hidden or system and names a Linux folder's .hidden file lists. A link that points outside a shared folder (a symlink, or a junction on Windows) is not followed.
• The whole disk, the home folder itself, private folders like .ssh, and system folders like /proc cannot be added to the list.
• Only the files you pick are transferred. Browsing sends folder listings, not contents.

From the terminal

olace files                       # is sharing on, and which folders
olace files ls                    # the shared folders
olace files ls Downloads          # one folder, as a paired device sees it
olace files search report --in Documents
olace files cat Downloads/notes.txt

ls, search and cat go through the running service, so what they show is exactly what a paired device gets, folder permissions included.