1-Page RCI | Full RCI | 1-Page Eden | Full Eden

Introduction
For Fall 2002, all Writing Program computer classrooms have been upgraded with new software called WebDrive. This software allows you or your students to save any files or work to your RCI or Eden "ftp" file space. Not only does this mean you won't have to lug around floppy disks which can get lost or damaged, and not only will this make your files easier to access from computers with web connections, but it's also necessary because the new computers in the computer classrooms wipe all added or new files with each reboot, for security purposes. This initial tutorial will introduce you to WebDrive.

You can also print out a handout for your students in Word or PDF or FlashPaper that gives basic information on using this software.

I have RCI space?
Every faculty member at Rutgers can sign up for an account with RCI. Your RCI account allows you to receive e-mail with a Rutgers address (username@rci.rutgers.edu), as well as use a variety of computing services at Rutgers University (such as the various computer labs).

When you sign up for an RCI account, you're also given storage space on the RCI server for school-related web pages, mail, etc. Twenty megs (20MB) are allowed for mail, and sixty megs (60MB) are allowed for web storage space.

Setting Up Your RCI Account
If you have not yet established a faculty account on an ICI (Instructional Computing Initiative) server at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, called "RCI" after its address, you will need to do so first. All faculty and staff are eligible; however, you must first be within the Rutgers system, which generally occurs after the first or second paycheck.

Just click on the URL below (which will open in a new window), read the "Acceptable Use Policy" guidelines, then go to the bottom and click on the "Accept" button. A form will appear on your screen. Fill in the form, press "Create Account," and in 15 minutes you will have a new RCI account.

Start here to establish your RCI account: < https://www.rci.rutgers.edu/rats/rats.cgi >

Setting up your WebDrive: Basic
Click on the "Connect to RCI" link on the desktop in the computer classrooms to start WebDrive. You will be asked for your RCI username (without the "@rci.rutgers.edu") and password (remember it's case sensitive!). Then you'll be connected to your server space and a window will open showing that it has been "mapped" as a drive. That means you'll be able to access it from any program, just as you would the floppy disk or hard disk drives.

If you open your drive in Windows Explorer, you may notice several folders already exist. Do not alter or delete any of these folders. These are set up for your RCI account to run properly.

Setting up your WebDrive: Advanced
Alternatively, you can open up the WebDrive program by clicking through: Start >> Programs >> WebDrive. Your "Site Name" box should read "RCI." The "Site Address/URL" should have the following entered: ftp.rci.rutgers.edu (this sets an FTP connection to your RCI space). Server type should read "FTP" (for above reasons), and the "Drive" should read "X" (for the aptly named "X-Drive"). Enter in your username at the bottom of the window. Go ahead and click "Connect"; the program will ask you for your RCI password. Once you enter in your password and hit "OK," you have successfully set up a "virtual" drive to save to.

You'll notice that in all applications, now (such as Windows Explorer), a new drive appears in the list of available drives to save to. This drive is your RCI space.

If you open your drive in Windows Explorer, you may notice several folders already exist. Do not alter or delete any of these folders. These are set up for your RCI account to run properly.

What WebDrive has essentially done is set up a connection to your RCI space, and has tricked the computer into thinking that your RCI space is just another hard drive that can be saved to! This makes the transferring of larger files much easier for you. Floppy disks only hold 1.4 MB, and not all computers on campus have CD burning devices. With your RCI space holding 60 MB, you now have this 60 MB to save and download files to and from. If you are connected to the Rutgers network through an office or computer lab, you will be able to access your RCI space at extremely fast speeds, which also helps the transferring of these large files. Of course, you can always access your RCI space through traditional dial-up modem efforts, as well.

Effectively Using Your X-Drive
Your best option for saving is to save files into the "public_html" directory of your RCI space with the X-Drive. If you save a file in here, any computer with a web browser and an internet connection can access files you save in here, making it much easier for you to obtain your files on computers that may not have all of the software you are used to using. Just go to http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~your_user_name. Assuming you don't have a file called "index.html," you will see a listing of all files in your "public_html" folder.

>> next