HiveDrive

HiveDrive

HiveDrive, in its "client" mode, is a software product that must be installed on a desktop or laptop PC by downloading an .EXE file. HiveDrive is natively integrated with the Operating System of the PC, so it is compatible with all Windows and Mac machines.

Minimum Requirements

Software

• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1, 10, 11
• Operating System: MacOSX through Parallel Desktop

Hardware

Minimum Requirements:

• CPU: quad core x86, x64, Arm64 (*)
• RAM: 4Gb
• Disk space: 1Gb (**)

(*) Apple M1 and M2 processors have limited support, for any issue with these CPUs please contact the HiveDrive Team support at https://support.silentwave.eu/en/
(**) This refers to the disk space required to install the various components of the software. With regard to data storage, it is necessary to provide as much disk space as necessary to store the project data

Licensing

HiveDrive is declined in nr. 3 (three) different versions: Basic, Professional and Enterprise. For prices info please visit the pricing page: https://www.hivedrive.eu/en/Pricing

Note: HiveDrive is a collaboration software, so we recommend to start any testing session from 2 users upwards. For more structured testing, please contact the HiveDrive team via email hello@hivedrive.eu who will prepare a dedicated test environment for you.

Account

Each user is required to have his or her own user profile on the portal https://accounts.hivedrive.eu who will subsequently be assigned a license (Basic, Professional, Enterprise) Accounts can be created:

• by individual users
• by a company administrator via bulk upload to the portal https://my.silentwave.eu/
• via integration with Microsoft Single Sign-On system

Installation

Where to download the .EXE installation file

Once the purchase is completed, it is necessary:

• go to https://my.silentwave.eu/ and login with personal credentials
• enter the "Products and Services" section via the left multifunction bar
• click on the expander named "HiveDrive" (if it is not already open by default)
• click on "Download" in the "Release" section you will find on the right side

Installation

Interactive Installation

Once you have downloaded the .EXE installation file by following the instructions from the emails you will receive from the system, it is possible that the software will require up to a maximum of 2 restarts of the computer in order to install all the necessary components. This will depend on the current situation of the computer at the time of the operation, in case HiveDrive needs some Windows updates that are not yet on the machine (so please save whatever project you currently have open to preserve it).

Command Line Installation

It is possible to install HiveDrive in command-line mode; to do so, simply open a terminal process, get to the folder where the setup .EXE file is stored, and start it by adding the parameter /S The setup ends with the following exit codes:

• 0: installation successfully completed
• 1: installation failed
• 3010: installation completed successfully, reboot required before HiveDrive could be started

Create a package for automated installation

You can automate the installation of HiveDrive by creating an installation and deployment package. Major deployment systems such as Microsoft Intune and Microsoft SCCM are supported.

To create the installation package, simply use the /S option described above. You can also use the /SKIPPENDINGREBOOTCHECK option to prevent checking for any reboots required by the Operating System (you will then be prompted to check the exit code and provide for a reboot if required at the end of the installation).

HiveDrive requires the installation of two software prerequisites:

• Microsoft LocalDB 2022
• Dokan 1.5 (https://github.com/dokan-dev/dokany/releases)
  These two software programs must be installed with the relevant installation procedures documented by their respective vendors. Our Support Team can provide help in configuring the installation package.

First login

Once the software is installed, double-clicking on the icon you may have to wait a longer time than normal (in the range of minutes) before HiveDrive starts.
This procedure is standard, as the time required at the first startup is essential to build the product's databases, so please wait patiently and possibly try clicking on the shortcut again until the green HiveDrive icon also appears in the lower right corner of the Windows bar.

Uninstall

To uninstall HiveDrive, simply type "Control Panel" in the search box in the taskbar and select it from the results. From here select "Programs" > "Programs and Features." In the list of software installed on your computer you will find HiveDrive. Simply select it and start the uninstallation.

First Login

1. Once the software is installed, double-click on the HiveDrive icon and it will open a window where you have to enter your personal "username" and "password" credentials (the same ones you set on the portal https://www.accounts.hivedrive.eu) to be able to login to the software
2. When you first start the software, you will see a window divided into two parts: on the left side you can create a project or on the right side you can check any projects to which the user has possibly been invited
   1. Create first project (left side): if no project exists, the first step is to create one by simply typing the name of the folder where HiveDrive will store all the files
   2. Retrieving projects from HiveDrive Gateway (right side): if there are other projects to which we have been invited or which we have previously accepted when we first started the software, they will appear in this section but HiveDrive will need technical synchronization time to display them, so please wait a few moments to see them appear and then enter
3. An "onboarding" screen will also appear on the first startup with the basic information about the product. You can choose not to show this screen again and it can still be found from the website at the following address: https://www.hivedrive.eu/it/OnBoarding

Application Interface

HiveDrive's interface opens at an optimized size but you will always be able to zoom in or out if necessary.
It is divided into two macro areas, one on the left and one on the right:

• the left side is dedicated to chat and instant messaging
• the right side always presents all team and project information visible Above these areas you will be able to find system settings and information about your account and your current activated license.

Projects menu

In the upper left part of the default screen there is a menu called "Projects". Clicking on it, a window will open where you can always:

1. Create a new project (by entering the name of the new project and its working folder)
2. Search for or open existing projects of which a user is a member by searching them among the visible list or, if there are many, by using the available "Search" field

Search

In the upper right part of the default screen there is a generic "Search" field. This field starts the search among all folders of all projects in the HiveDrive virtual disk.

Application Settings

In the upper right part of the default screen there is a button with a gear icon. By clicking it, you will access the following general application settings:

1. Experience: if selected, enables audio notification alert to messages that will be received in project chats or chats on file
2. Project Safer: by clicking on the button you will be able to select a PC or HiveDrive HUB from the network that you will designate as the default machine on all projects, aimed at keeping the continuous synchronization of files secure by recording all subsequent saves during the life of the project. In order to ensure that no data is lost, it is imperative that it is possible to keep this designated machine powered on and connected to the Internet at all times
3. System Settings: you can define the following settings:
   • Start on Windows startup: by enabling the feature through the selected checkbox, HiveDrive will always start among the default programs when opening Windows
   • Simultaneous upload limit: a numeric field that allows you to set the maximum number of simultaneous uploads of updates and files
   • Clear history data after (days): a numeric field that allows the history updates to be cleared, in terms of the number of days, within which to maintain data on the history of various updates
   • Local storage path: by clicking this button, it will be possible to define in which folder we actually want the project files to be saved (see next section)

IMPORTANT! In order for changes to be applied by the software, you have always to remember to click the "Save" button in the lower right corner

Disk space consumption

In the application settings (section above) it is possible to choose where and how files should be saved, if the default C disk is not sufficient. The possibilities are as follows:

1. if there is more than one disk in the user PC, it is possible to move storage from disk C to other disks (however, we recommend that you talk to the company IT manager before moving)
2. if a project has a HiveDrive HUB set up with a Backup role, right-clicking on the project (or a file) and disabling the "Keep always sync" feature will delete the project files locally and allow them to be downloaded only when needed
3. HiveDrive also performs a default local backup of 7 days, you can possibly limit this number of days (however, we recommend talking to your company IT manager before making the change)
4. HiveDrive maintains a local copy of files (except for point 2) precisely because working locally ensures maximum performance. For example, let's think about a point cloud or a 200MB .RVT file: it is better to do reads and writes to your C drive (preferably an SSD drive) than to a network drive or the Internet. However, all local work is later synchronized across the network via HiveDrive's SmartSync feature.

Account

In the upper right part of the default screen there is a circle where you will find your initials or you can, through the portal https://www.accounts.hivedrive.eu, place your representative image within HiveDrive, which will also appear on the chat and user or project administrator information. By clicking on this circle, you will be able to:

1. License information: verify the license assignee, license version, and expiration of the license currently in use
2. Logout: permanently exit HiveDrive (be careful! in this case you will need to re-enter your credentials the next time you want to access the software)

Project Interface

The interface related to each individual project occupies almost all of the "client" user interface. From left to right, the user will always have the chat and general information about the project and participants at his or her fingertips.

Chat

On the left side, on a green background, you will find the chat related to the current project (shown on the right side of the window).

In the chat will be possible:

• write text
• send images
• send screenshots
• add mentions to engage selected people
• send Autodesk Revit selections (from the HiveDrive add-on for Autodesk Revit)

The chat will also release a notification system (not just sound) to allow users to stay informed and updated on new unread messages. At the top within the chat there is an arrow to the left. By clicking, it will open a menu where you can create new "chatrooms" within the individual project (perhaps for different topics) and move between chats related to the same project. The list of chats will appear on this screen and then you only need to select the desired chatroom to enter it.

Project contextual menu

The right side of the interface contains the main information of the project.

The first row includes the name of the project, a placeholder with the word "HUB", and three clickable dots. The three dots open a "shortcut" menu that quickly enables a number of features:

1. Add user: add a new user to the project (this functionality is only available to those who are administrators, one or more users, of a specific project)
2. Browse: open the folder within HiveDrive where all subfolders and project files are contained
3. Delete project: delete the project and all its folders (this feature is only available to those who are administrators, one or more users, of a specific project)

In the second row, on the other hand, you can find information about:

• Last Edit: the day when the last change was made to the project files
• Last Edit by: the user who made the last edit on the project
• An icon with a screen and a white number on a green background representing the PCs active on the project at that time

User Management

The section on users ("Users") contains information on:

• Admins: who is or are the administrators of the project
• Currently connected to me: the users and HiveDrive HUBs that are active, online, and thus part of my private network

On the right side of the section are two buttons

1. Add: this button allows you to invite new users to your existing project. If the user is already part of your organization, starting to type their name will appear among the suggestions directly from the software. On the other hand, if the user is outside one's own organization, the personal email of the person to be involved should be entered. The latter will receive an invitation to the email indicated to join the project and, if he or she does not have HiveDrive, also instructions for creating an account and downloading the product. Warning.
2. Show all: This button allows you to check all users part of the project. The screen shows the name and the day a project was opened, a "Search" field when there are multiple users, a section with a list of members and an indication of when they joined the project, and the ability to remove a user with the "trash can" icon button. Project administrators are indicated by a green colored star next to their name. In the lower section, if the possibility occurs, the users or HiveDrive HUB machines that have been removed during the lifetime of the project are indicated. Clicking on each individual user opens a new screen showing the history of invitations to collaborate on the project and the computers from where the individual user has logged on to the project.

Conflicts

The "Conflicts" section is activated when problems may arise during asynchronous work. By working several people at the same time on same files, situations may arise that need to be resolved by project admins. In this section the types of conflicts will appear and the possibility to resolve them by clicking the "Resolve" button which will open the "Resolution Manager". The Resolution Manager will display information about the conflicts and allow you to

• view the conflict
• choose whether to open a chatroom related to the conflict with the people involved
• discard the desired version of the file
• open a "fork" and keep all saved versions of the conflict

Settings

The last section, located at the bottom, in the space concerning the project, concerns the settings of the project itself, currently open. Making changes in these settings, will also overwrite the "system" settings, already prepared possibly at the enterprise level (if any). In this section it will be possible to assign to the machines in the private network, the following "roles":

1. Project Safer: PC or HiveDrive HUB that will always have to remain on and connected to the Internet to allow communication between PCs in the network, even when working asynchronously
2. Accelerator: this role (assignable only to a HiveDrive HUB) allows the improvement of work performance and intelligent file saving, as the number of project members increases
3. Backup: this role (preferably assignable to a HiveDrive HUB under ideal conditions) allows saving and recovery of data in case of accidental loss of information Clicking on the respective buttons will open a window with a list of possible and available machines to be selected and made operational in the respective role

IMPORTANT! for the first assignment, it is always preferable to assign the roles in the following order: Accelerator, Backup, Project safer

Windows Explorer

Installing HiveDrive also enables a number of operations in the Windows Operating System, as it is natively integrated. HiveDrive also appears as a system folder visible in the File Explorer, like a disk on your own (virtual) PC.

Working folder

HiveDrive's protection system allows access to folders and files only if the software is active. Should you have HiveDrive closed or turned off, you will not be able to access or even see the project folders contained in the HiveDrive virtual disk. In each pc on which HiveDrive is installed, a folder C:\HiveDrive will automatically be created, which will be the working folder. As many subfolders will appear in this folder when HiveDrive is started as there are projects in which the user participates. c:\HiveDrive{project name}. This causes each software to save and open files with the same absolute paths, ensuring that any files linked together (e.g., DWG files with xRif) will always open correctly regardless of computer or business rules. This means that files are physically stored on disk C: ? as we previously mentioned in the C:\HiveDrive folder project folders are "shown" only if HiveDrive is started and the user has entered his user and password. The files are stored in a user-defined location using the setting: "Local storage path" found in the application settings.

File status icons

1. synced
2. need download
3. locked (no write permission)
4. online avaiable

Right click contextual menu

HiveDrive also enables additional functionality that can be reached by right-clicking on files or folders contained exclusively in the HiveDrive drive.

Warning: Windows 11 currently hides the HiveDrive context menu; to reach it, you have to click "Show More options"

Link file in HiveDrive chat

With this feature, by browsing the list of folders and files, you will be able to send documents with any file extension directly into HiveDrive chats.

Keep always synced

By checking this, you will be able to keep all the files within your PC up-to-date at all times, tracking every single update or change (and gradually going to use up the available disk space).

Restore previous version

By clicking on a file or even an entire folder, with HiveDrive it is always possible to revert to a previous version of the data in it. To do this, a screen will open where you will have to enter:

• the path where we are going to retrieve the files or folders
• date and time of the version we want to revert to and click on the "Save" button to start the procedure.

Manage security options

By clicking on a file or even an entire folder, read, write and delete permissions can always be assigned with HiveDrive. Once the screen is open, right-click will first have to add users with the green "Add" button to whom permissions should be assigned. The users that will appear are only those already invited to the project and for whom an invitation has been accepted and therefore an active part of the project. Once the users have been added, you will be able to select them one by one, thus enabling the menu at the bottom where you will be able to define whether to allow or deny individual permissions or to "inherit" them from higher folders (if existing).

Workflow

Soon available

Sidebar

When the File Explorer is opened, a section called HiveDrive (like a PC disk) will also appear on the left. Clicking on it will allow you to see (if HiveDrive is on or open) the links to all the folders of the various projects, and, by clicking on each one, the list of all the documents contained with any file extension.

Issues

It may happen that the context menu is not registered during setup. you can try na new installation to correct the problem or alternatively run via Command Line with administrator privileges the command: c:\Program Files\SilentWave\HiveDrive\HiveDrive.WSEx.RegistrationManager.exe /runas /Register="c:\Program Files\SilentWave\HiveDrive\HiveDrive.WSEx.dll"