How do I set up a Student Web Folder?

What is a Web Folder?

Some courses require students to create HTML web pages (not WordPress) that can be viewed on the Internet. In order to do that files need to be placed in a special web folder. When students save web pages, or html files, in this folder, they will be published "live" on the World Wide Web, accessible to anyone with an Internet connection and a web browser, and will even turn up in Google searches.

Web Folders have a maximum size of 100MB and are separate from your U Drive limit of 10GB.

Student Web Folders only support basic HTML/CSS/JavaScript pages. Dynamic pages like PHP, ASP, etc. are not supported.

Check to See if you Already Have a Web Folder

To check and see if you already have a web folder try browsing to https://stuweb.viu.ca/YOUR STUDENT NUMBER.

Example: https://stuweb.viu.ca/123456789

Create Your Web Folder

  1. Create a web folder in your account. You will be required to log in with your VIU student computer username and password. Enter your student number and computer account password in the appropriate fields.

  2. Click on the Enable Home Page Access button.

  3. Click the Continue button under "Home page access enabled successfully".

  4. The message "Home page access is enabled" will appear in green letters, indicating that your web folder has been created.

  5. Confirm the Web Folder was created properly by going to https://stuweb.viu.ca/YOUR STUDENT NUMBER. You should see a test page if your Web Folder was created properly. If it was not please contact the IT Service Desk at ithelp@viu.ca or 250-740-6300.

Using Your Web Folder to Publish Web Pages

To make your web pages available on the World Wide Web, you must log into your student account and save all web page related files (HTML documents, graphics, sounds, etc.) into your Web Folder. To view your published web pages in a web browser (such as Chrome), type the address of your page(s) into your browser's address bar following this formula:

https://stuweb.viu.ca/YOUR STUDENT NUMBER/yourfile.html

Example: http://stuweb.viu.ca/123456789/index.html

The maximum amount of storage space you have for your web site is 100MB.

Accessing Your Web Folder

Your Web Folder is accessible to you on or off campus. To connect to your Web Folder please follow the instructions below for your operating system (Please note: If you do not include the 'S' in HTTPS:// you will be prompted for your username/password repeatedly and be unable to access your student web folder. The connection must be over HTTPS and not the less secure HTTP):

Windows

  1. Click on the folder icon in the Windows taskbar to open File Explorer.

  2. On Windows 10 or 11, click This PC on the left margin. On Windows 7, this will be Computer.

  3. On Windows 10, click on the Computer tab from the ribbon menu (top left). On Windows 11, click the ellipses buttonfrom the ribbon menu (top).

  4. Click Map Network Drive.

  5. Choose any free drive letter, we recommend "W:", in the 'Folder' box enter "https://stuweb.viu.ca/YOUR STUDENT NUMBER" (Example: "https://stuweb.viu.ca/123456789"), checkmark Reconnect at sign-in and Connect using different credentials and click Finish

  6. In a few seconds you will be prompted for a username and password. Enter your student number for the username and your VIU account password, checkmark 'Remember my credentials' and click 'Ok'

  7. Your Web Folder should appear. To re-open it later repeat step 1 and you should see your Web Folder listed as a drive

Note: If you are accessing your Web Folder from a non-VIU computer and plan to work on Word, Excel or PowerPoint files please follow these instructions to add https://stuweb.viu.ca/ to your Trusted Sites otherwise you will receive a security error when trying to access Office files: Follow this link for more info.

Before leaving this page please review the 'Web Folder Limitations' section at the bottom of this page.

macOS

  1. Open Finder, then click Go and Connect to Server

  2. In 'Server Address' enter "https://stuweb.viu.ca/YOUR STUDENT NUMBER" (Example: "https://stuweb.viu.ca/123456789"), click the '+' and then click 'Connect'

  3. In a few seconds you will be prompted for a username and password. Enter your student number for the username and your VIU account password, checkmark 'Remember this password in my keychain' and click Connect

  4. Your Web Folder should appear. To re-open it later repeat step 1 and you should see your Web Folder listed under 'Favorite Servers'. Double click it.

Before leaving this page please review the 'Web Folder Limitations' section at the bottom of this page.

Web Folder Limitations

The following are known limitations and issues when using Web Folders:

Windows

  • Office Documents opened directly from the WebDAV folder prompt the user to re-enter their username and password.
  • Choosing to have Windows 'Remember this password' does not work for Web Folder mappings and you will need to re-enter your password on every new login/reboot of your computer
  • Logging off and back on to a computer with in 30 seconds will cause your Web Folder to be inaccessible. Please logoff, wait 60 seconds and then log back on
  • If you choose to have Windows remember your Web Folder mapping when you next login you will see a red 'x' on the drive under 'Computer'. This is normal. Double click the drive, enter your password and you'll be right back into your Web Folder.
    web folder with X

Both Windows and Mac

  • Web Folder folders do not show quota usage accurately under 'File Explorer'. It shows the entire amount of storage on the server’s hard drive instead. Students will be unable to tell how much of their Web Folder they are using. If they run out of space they will simple get an error message.
  • WebDAV is slow. We've done everything we can to optimize it.
  • There can be a delay on file changes/saves of 30-60 seconds.

How to Migrate from Your Old Web Folder

To migrate your data from your old Web Folder (www.discovery.mala.bc.ca) to a new Web Folder (stuweb.viu.ca) you will need to do the following:

  1. Login to a VIU computer
  2. Create a new web folder by following the instructions under the section ‘Creating a Web Folder for the first time
  3. Connect to your new web folder by following the instructions under the section ‘Accessing your Web Folder’
  4. Open ‘My Computer’ and go to your ‘U: Drive’
  5. Inside your ‘U: Drive’ open the ‘Web’ folder
  6. Select everything in your U Drive Web Folder, right click and choose ‘Copy’
  7. Open ‘My Computer’ and open your new web folder (W: if you chose the recommended letter in our instructions)
  8. Right click and choose ‘Paste’
  9. Your old web folder content should now be accessible in your new web folder. You can safely delete the ‘Web’ folder in your U: Drive if you would like.
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