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Managing Files in Open OnDemand

Open OnDemand includes a browser-based file manager for working with files stored on VHPC. You can use it to browse directories, upload and download files, create folders, rename or delete items, and make light edits to text files.

The file manager uses your normal VHPC account and permissions. It does not provide access to files or directories that you could not access from a VHPC shell.

Open the File Manager

Open the Files menu from the Open OnDemand navigation bar, then select one of the available storage shortcuts:

Location Purpose
Home Directory Your VHPC home directory
Work Your primary VHPC work directory
Staging Your VHPC staging directory

The underlying paths follow this general pattern:

Home:     /gpfs/home/<group>/<NetID>
Work:     /gpfs/data/<group>/<NetID>
Staging:  /gpfs/stage/<group>/<NetID>

The exact group portion of the path depends on your VHPC account.

These menu entries are shortcuts to the same storage available from a VHPC shell or SSH session.

Select a directory name to open it.

The path near the top of the file manager shows your current location. Use the path components to move back to a parent directory.

The main file list displays information such as:

  • Name
  • Size
  • Modification time
  • File or directory type

Select a column heading when you want to change the sort order.

Select Files and Directories

Use the checkbox beside an item to select it.

Selecting one or more items enables the actions that apply to those items. Available actions depend on the item type and your permissions.

Each file also has a menu containing actions such as:

  • View
  • Edit
  • Rename
  • Download
  • Delete

Additional actions may be available from the toolbar when one or more items are selected.

Create a Directory

To create a directory:

  1. Open the location where the directory should be created.
  2. Select New Directory.
  3. Enter the directory name.
  4. Confirm the action.

Simple directory names are generally easier to use in shell commands and Slurm scripts.

For example:

simulation-results

is easier to work with than:

Simulation Results - Final Version

Create a File

To create an empty file:

  1. Open the destination directory.
  2. Select New File.
  3. Enter the file name.
  4. Confirm the action.

Include the appropriate extension when needed, such as:

analysis.py
submit.slurm
notes.txt
input.csv

You can then open the file in the browser editor.

Make Light Edits to a Text File

Open OnDemand includes a browser-based editor for plain-text files.

To edit a file:

  1. Open the file’s action menu.
  2. Select Edit.
  3. Make the required changes.
  4. Select Save before leaving the page.

The editor is useful for quick changes to files such as:

  • Slurm submission scripts
  • Shell scripts
  • Source files
  • Configuration files
  • Small input files
  • Notes and documentation

The editor includes optional settings for:

  • Default, Vim, or Emacs key bindings
  • Font size
  • Syntax-highlighting mode
  • Editor theme
  • Line wrapping
  • Soft tabs

These options make the editor more comfortable for small changes, but it is not intended to replace a full development environment.

For extensive editing or software development, use the VHPC web-based shell, an interactive desktop, or another supported development workflow.

Warning

Save your changes before closing the editor or browser tab. Unsaved changes may be lost.

View a File

Select View from a file’s action menu to open a read-only view.

This is useful for quickly reviewing text files, scripts, logs, and job output without opening the editor.

Large files may be slow or impractical to view through the browser.

Upload Files

To upload files from your computer:

  1. Open the destination directory.
  2. Select Upload.
  3. Drag files into the upload window or use the file picker.
  4. Wait for the upload to finish.

Do not close the upload window or leave the page until the transfer completes.

Browser uploads are best suited to modest files and small groups of files. Use an approved VHPC data-transfer method for:

  • Very large files
  • Large datasets
  • Directories containing many files
  • Transfers that may need to resume after interruption
  • Automated or recurring transfers

Upload speed depends on your network connection, VPN performance, file size, and current service load.

Download Files

To download a file:

  1. Open the file’s action menu or select the file.
  2. Select Download.
  3. Save the file when prompted by your browser.

Downloading a directory or multiple selected items may require Open OnDemand to prepare an archive first. This can take time when the selection contains many files or a large amount of data.

Use an approved VHPC data-transfer method for large or bulk downloads.

Rename a File or Directory

To rename an item:

  1. Open its action menu.
  2. Select Rename.
  3. Enter the new name.
  4. Confirm the change.

Renaming changes the item’s path. Scripts, notebooks, symbolic links, or applications that refer to the old path may also need to be updated.

Copy or Move Items

Select one or more files or directories, then use the available copy or move action.

You must have permission to access the source and write to the destination.

Keep in mind:

  • Copying creates another copy and consumes additional storage.
  • Moving an item changes its path.
  • Moving large amounts of data between storage systems may take time.
  • Applications or scripts using the original path may need to be updated.

Confirm the destination carefully before starting the operation.

Delete Files and Directories

To delete an item:

  1. Open its action menu or select it in the file list.
  2. Select Delete.
  3. Verify the name and path.
  4. Confirm the deletion.

Danger

Files deleted through Open OnDemand may not be recoverable. Do not assume they are moved to a recycle bin or trash folder.

Deleting a directory may also delete everything stored beneath it.

File Permissions

Open OnDemand follows normal Linux file and directory permissions.

You may be unable to view, edit, move, or delete an item when:

  • You do not own it
  • Your project group lacks the required permission
  • The containing directory does not permit the action
  • The storage location is read-only
  • Access is controlled by an access-control list

The file manager does not bypass VHPC security or project permissions.

You can inspect permissions from the web-based shell with:

ls -ld path

Do not change permissions unless you understand how the change will affect access to the data.

Persistent and Temporary Storage

Files stored in your VHPC home, work, staging, or approved project directories remain available after you log out of Open OnDemand or end an interactive session.

Files stored only in temporary locations on a compute node may be removed when the job or session ends.

Do not rely on locations such as:

/tmp

for persistent storage.

Save important work to an approved VHPC storage location.

Use the File Manager with Other Open OnDemand Tools

The file manager works with the same underlying files as the shell and interactive applications.

For example, you can:

  • Upload a script and submit it from the web shell
  • Edit a Slurm script and then launch the job
  • Review output generated by an interactive application
  • Download completed results
  • Create a file in Jupyter and view it in the file manager

You may need to refresh the directory listing before newly created or modified files appear.

Troubleshooting

A storage shortcut is missing

The standard shortcuts should include Home Directory, Work, and Staging.

Reload the page or sign out and sign in again. If a shortcut remains missing, contact the Service Desk.

I cannot open a file or directory

Confirm that you are in the expected path and that your VHPC account has permission to access it.

Use the web shell to inspect the path:

ls -ld path

I cannot edit or delete an item

You may not own the item, or the containing directory may not permit the requested action.

Project-group permissions or access-control lists may also affect access.

An uploaded file does not appear

Refresh the directory listing and confirm that:

  • The upload completed
  • You uploaded it to the intended directory
  • Your account can read the file

An upload or download failed

Retry the transfer once and confirm that your VPN connection is still active.

For a large file, directory, or dataset, use an approved VHPC data-transfer method instead of the browser file manager.

A directory download is taking a long time

Open OnDemand may be preparing an archive before the download begins.

This can take significant time when the directory is large or contains many files.

My edits were not saved

The browser editor does not automatically preserve every change.

Select Save before closing the editor or browser tab.

Next Steps

Getting Help

If you cannot access a storage location, encounter repeated transfer failures, or receive an unexpected error, contact the Kennesaw State University Service Desk.

Method Students Faculty/Staff
Web ServiceNow ServiceNow
E-Mail studenthelpdesk@kennesaw.edu service@kennesaw.edu
Phone 470-578-3555 470-578-6999

When reporting a problem, include:

  • Your NetID
  • The file or directory path involved
  • The action you were attempting
  • The approximate date and time of the problem
  • Any visible error message
  • The approximate size of the file or directory, when relevant