WebDAV

Connecting a WebDAV share to freedam turns a folder tree that already exists - on a Synology NAS, an ownCloud server, or any other system that speaks WebDAV - into a searchable, governed asset library, without moving the files by hand. freedam scans the share, imports what it finds, and keeps the library in sync as the share changes over time.

What it does

WebDAV is one of freedam's built-in source connectors (Admin → Sources). Unlike a one-off import, a source remembers what it pulled last time: on each refresh, only what changed is fetched. New files become assets, files that changed on the server become a new version of the existing asset (links, shares, and collection memberships stay intact), and files that disappeared are handled the way you choose - archived safely and restored automatically if they come back, or simply left alone.

The connection is strictly read-only: freedam never writes anything back to your server. You connect with a username and password, which are stored encrypted and never logged.

How it works

You create the source with the server's address, credentials, and the folder to start from. A Test connection button checks that the server responds and the credentials work, then freedam suggests a layout - which folders look like asset folders, and whether a catalog spreadsheet is present - that you can accept or adjust.

Mapping is where it gets powerful. Each folder can be scanned with include and exclude rules (system junk files are excluded by default). Optionally, a catalog file - a spreadsheet with one row per product or record - drives the matching: you show freedam how your filenames are built by labelling the parts of one real example, matched files inherit the row's metadata and their place in your hierarchy, and a live preview shows exactly where each file would land before you run anything. Files that match no row go to a review collection, where they can be checked, re-linked once catalog rows arrive, or dismissed.

Refreshes run manually on every plan, or on a schedule you set per source - daily at 02:00, hourly, weekdays only, whatever fits (scheduled refresh is included in the Business plan). Before committing, you can import just the first few files as a sample, or do a full dry run that works out the complete plan without changing anything.

Good to know

• Safety stops protect the library. If a refresh suddenly sees more than half the files missing - which usually means a server hiccup, not a real clean-up - it pauses for review instead of archiving your library. A refresh that cannot log in stops with an authentication error on its run page; fix the credentials and refresh again.
• One run at a time. A scheduled refresh is skipped if the previous one is still going, so runs never pile up.
• Secure connections are verified by default. You can allow self-signed certificates on trusted internal networks, but freedam shows a permanent warning on the source when you do.
• Unchanged files are skipped - refreshing a share that has not changed creates no versions and costs no bandwidth. Configuring sources is an admin permission.

The full walkthrough - including a Synology example, catalog mapping, and troubleshooting - lives in the documentation. Want to see a synced library before you connect your own? Try the demo.