Class Folders

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How do I request Class Folders for my class?
2. How much disk space is allotted for each folder?
3. Why do I see folders that aren't mine?
4. Is it possible to address mail directly to subfolders?
5. Can class folders be accessed via webmail?
6. Do I have to add/delete users from every subfolder?
7. Can I create a subfolder where students have write access?

1. How do I request Class Folders for my class?

Follow the instructions at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/vumail/classrolls.php
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2. How much disk space is allotted for each folder?

Each folder is allotted 2 MB per student enrolled.  As students add and drop the class, disk quota will automatically be adjusted.   The top level folder and all sub-folders share the disk allotment.
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3. Why do I see folders that aren't mine?

When you access the class folder IMAP server you will be presented with a hierarchical display of all folders to which you have at least read-level access.  In addition to folders to which you have been given explicit access, you will also see folders to which the pseudo-users anonymous and anyone have been given read access.  The anonymous and anyone userid's are a convenient way for folder owners to make access widely available.

• anyone = any user with a valid VUnetID and password.
• anonymous = any user, no valid VUnetID and password required.

If you don't want to see folders other than your own, simply subscribe to your folders and tell your email client not to show you unsubscribed folders. If you don't want users outside your class to see your folders, make sure that anonymous and anyone do not have read or write privelege (Do not take away post privilege from anonymous however or your folder won't be able to receive email.)
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4. Is it possible to address mail directly to subfolders?

Yes.  You can add +foldername to the folder email address.  For example if you have a folder set up for geol320@vanderbilt.edu, you could address mail to the junk subfolder with geol320+junk@vanderbilt.edu.   A folder must meet two conditions in order to receive email via "+" addressing:

1. The pseudo user anonymous must be given post privilege (but don't give read or write privelege unless that is truly your intention to do so)
2. The foldername must be all lowercase.  For various reasons, mail delivery will fail to folders containing capital letters in the name.
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5. Can class folders be accessed via webmail?

Not yet.
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6. Do I have to add/delete users from every subfolder?

The answer is yes.  Neither the server nor the client currently supports applying access control lists to several folders at the same time.  We have submitted an enhancement request to Esys Corporation to add this functionality to the Simeon client.   For now, be aware that you must edit the access control list of each subfolder individually. 

The flip side of the question is that updates to access control lists made from the class information database are appllied to all folders.  This probably means (at least early in the semester) that it would be difficult to create folders accessible only to some members of the class because students who join the class late will be added to all the folders.
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7. Can I create a subfolder where students have write access?

Yes.  Follow these steps:

1. Create the subfolder.
2. The new subfolder contains all the members of the parent folder.  In the folder sharing dialog, go through the list of members giving each member write permission.
3. Make sure that as a member of the folder you have a user called student.  Assign student the appropriate permissions.  When students are added to a folder during an automated update, they will be assigned the same permissions as student.   In effect, student will serve as a folder-specific template for the permissions to assign new students.  If student does not exist as a template, students will by default be assigned read-only privelege to all folders
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