Often messageREACH customers repeatedly use the same elements in their messages -- images, Click-TO files, pull files and attachments - and welcome the convenience of being able to store those files on the messageREACH system. Sending your message becomes quicker and simpler.
The File Store uses Microsoft's Web Folders, which work just like any other folder on your computer. You can drag files into the folder, make new folders, and move files around among the folders, rename files and delete them. The difference is that Web folders are located on a Web server outside your computer and network, in this case, on a Web server within the messageREACH system.
Note: Though web folders works just like any other folder on your PC, you must be connected to the Internet to access them.
After you log in to the messageREACH web site, you will see a selection in the menu panel for File Store Information.
The first time you open this page you will see the message "Your file store has not been setup. For more information click here". You will continue to see this message until your web folder has been set up.
View this page at any time to check your Usage Level (how full your File Store is), your Quota Limit (how much storage space you are allowed), and to display your own URL link to your File Store files. This link is used to create your Web Folder and to access your files via the web.
When you go to My Network Places and double-click on your File Store folder, you will see a folder already there, called Shared. This is a folder that everyone in your messageREACH account can access. Files and subfolders placed into the Shared folder, either by you or others in your account, can been seen and accessed by every user in the account.
You manage your files in File Store the same way that do for any other folder on your PC - drag them in, drag them out, delete them, rename them, copy them. You can create new folders as well. To store files that will not be accessible to others in your messageREACH account, simply create a new folder. Make sure that the folder you create is not a subfolder of Shared. Your own files will not visible to other users in your account.
You may want to set up another level of folders to sort your stored files by type so that they are easier to access. You might create a folder called "Images", or one called "Click'TO's", or one called "Messages", or anything else that reflects how you like to stay organized. Keep your folder names simple, especially if you plan to manually insert File Store URL's into your messages. While Windows does restrict some characters in file and folder names, any spaces in folder names must be encoded in a URL. It will be easier to handle those URL's if your folders have simple names.
For files you put into your files store, messageREACH strongly recommends using only letters and numbers in the filenames. Special characters and symbols in a file name could cause unexpected results when that file name becomes part of the URL that will be in your message.
There is a group of special keyboard characters that Windows will not allow in a filename:
| Name | Character |
| Backslash | \ |
| Forward slash | / |
| Colon | : |
| Asterisk | * |
| Question mark | ? |
| Quote | " |
| Less than | < |
| Greater than | > |
| Pipe | | |
Files you put in the messageREACH File Store can be trackable HTML pull files and Click-To's, or non-trackable HTML files, or attachments.
Create your text or HTML message in your normal manner, using the pull file syntax for text or HTML messages:
[pull file=filename.ext]
For graphics in HTML files, use the same syntax as for messages using images not in the File Store:
<img src="[pull name=filename.gif]">
When you are ready to upload your message with trackable pulls, click on the Pull Files Tab at top of messageREACH Job Submission screen .
To see your files in the File Store, click on Browse File Store. All of the files and folders you have in your File Store will be shown on the left of this screen. To see the files in the sub folders, click on the folders. Click on the displayed file name to choose the files you will be using with this message. It will appear in the File Name box. Then, click Add, and repeat until you have all of the files you want. The files you have chosen will appear in the Selected File box on the right side of the screen. Click on OK to finish. The messageREACH Job Submission screen will display the pull files you have chosen.
Non-trackable pull files are often set up when there are a number of images and other pull files in an HTML message and reporting on each of them is not necessary. While messageREACH will track every pull file, you may only need to track one image or pull to get the necessary recipient statistics for your message.
When you include the complete URL of your graphic or other file in your HTML message, messageREACH will not track these files. Just like any other file or graphic image you include in an HTML message, the location of the graphic or other file will be the URL of the server where the file(s) resides, in this case, the messageREACH server holding your web folder.
When you set up your web folders, you were given a URL address, unique to you, which will look like
https://filestore.xmr3.com/1234/567890
Your URL will have your own set of identifying numbers. To locate your own URL, go to My Network Places on your computer, double click your File Store folder, then double click any sub folders/file names. You will see the URL of your file (make sure you see its name at the end of the URL), which you can then copy and paste into your HTML message. The URL that will be placed in your message will look like this:
https://filestore.xmr3.com/1234/567890/sales/forecast04.doc
Set up your graphic file as you normally would in an HTML message, using the URL as illustrated below:
<img src="https://filestore.xmr3.com/1234/567890/sales/forecast04.gif">
The Windows Web Folder displays a generic error message if a Web Folder operation fails.The two most likely causes are an invalid URL link or exceeding the quota limit.
To determine if your quota limit has been exceeded, simply go to your File Store Info page. If the Current Usage value exceeds 100% you have reached your quota limit. You may delete files to create more space, or you can contact Customer Support to request a higher quota limit.
Entering an invalid link when your Web Folder is created can generate errors and prevent access to your File Store area. Make sure you use the link displayed in the File Store Info page. Make sure that HTTPS is used instead of HTTP. The Web Folder only works via a secure link.