Hw t Use LightJar This is a guide n hw t use LightJar. Depending upn yur past experience, the user interface fr LightJar may lk familiar r lk cmplicated, but after using it a cuple times, the interface becmes simple t use. LightJar is a web based strage service fr saving yur imprtant media recrdings (vide, audi, phts, etc.) fr future viewing, reminiscing and sharing. All features and tls described in this guide are the same fr the LightJar applicatin when used frm a desktp cmputer, laptp, tablet, and smart phne. There are sme exceptins and wrk-arunds fr mbile devices. IMPORTANT: When using LightJar actin features, Green messages pp up t acknwledge and cnfirm t the user that their actins n an item r cllectin f items were successful. Red messages indicate that an errr has ccurred, r that smething was nt dne crrectly. Cntents Lg-in t LightJar... 2 My Media Hme Page... 4 Uplading yur files int LightJar... 5 Organizing yur files, and adding infrmatin abut them... 6 Viewing r playing yur files (n need t dwnlad)...10 Sharing yur media files with thers...11 Receiving media files frm ther LightJar subscribers...12 Using LightJar t transfer files t recipients utside Friends and Family...13 Deleting Files frm yur Accunt...14 Managing yur Subscriptin...15 Restring Files frm Archived State...15 Final Message abut LightJar as a Web Applicatin...16 1
Lg-in t LightJar Lg-in t yur LightJar accunt begins here: https://app.lightjar.cm. Access t yur LightJar accunt requires a lg-in via an e-mail address and passwrd. Click n Frgt yur passwrd? and LightJar will help yu reset yur passwrd. New subscribers can 2
sign up fr LightJar using their Ggle r Yah lg-in credentials. Subscribers may change their passwrds if needed, as well as, create their wn secret questin and answer. LightJar administratrs will refer t the secret questin when cntacted by the subscriber befre acting upn the subscriber s behalf. 3
My Media Hme Page Upn lg-in int LightJar, the My Media Hme Page (previus page) is the starting pint fr accessing the applicatin s features and tls t manage yur strage accunt. Fr purpses f this discussin we will divide the My Media page int 3 parts, and review briefly what is cntained in each part. The page has a header, bdy, and fter. The header cntains the fllwing: My Media tab hme page, clicking this returns the user t the hme page Uplad tab g here t uplad files int yur LightJar accunt Shared tab listing the files previusly shared with friends and family, alng with ther helpful infrmatin pints and feature buttns Delete tab cntaining all files deleted, and waiting fr eventual permanent deletin r restratin Search Bx finding stred files based upn files saved name, title, descriptin, and place User Name clicking n user name shws a drp-dwn menu prviding access t varius supprt services, subscriptin management, and the lgut functin Hrizntal Strage Meter shws the size f yur subscriptin and hw much f yur strage is used The bdy f the page, frm tp t bttm, cntains: A rw f tls fr managing yur Cllectins, r grupings f files A rw f Actin buttns and features fr managing files and their display within LightJar The Display Area fr the thumbnail images f the files stred in LightJar NOTE fr initial turn-n f LightJar, we preppulate this area with three (3) thumbnail images t prvide new subscribers with a sense f hw things lk. A duplicate rw f Actin and display buttns fr LightJar files The fter cntains: Access t infrmatin abut ur terms f service 4
Access t a Chat line, Help Desk, and Supprt Center Cntact Us infrmatin Descriptins f LightJar s service and pricing Uplading yur files int LightJar After lg-in and landing n the My Media hme page, yu may wish t add media files t yur LightJar strage accunt, especially if yu have just signed up fr the service. T uplad a file r files int LightJar, first click the Uplad tab at the tp f the page. The Uplad page pens up. Drag items frm yur cmputer r smart device, and drp them int the field utlined in dts that cntains the wrds Drag and drp files here t begin uplad. Or click the link click here t find files t select the file(s) n yur cmputer r smart device that yu wish t uplad. 5
The uplad prcess fr yur files starts immediately. The faster yur internet cnnectin, the faster yur uplad speeds. Currently, the maximum file size that LightJar can uplad is 50GB. Yu can uplad multiple items at a time frm desktp cmputers, laptps, and mst tablets and smartphnes. The exceptins are Apple IOS devices iphnes and ipads, frm which LightJar is nly able t uplad ne file at a time. Hint: it is recmmended that yu uplad yur files int a Cllectin, because having files gruped in this way will make it easier and quicker t lcate a particular file later n, fr editing, sharing, r dwnlad. Chse an existing cllectin, r create a New Cllectin n this page, and then uplad yur files int the designated cllectin. Yu can title the Cllectin after the day s date f the uplad if nthing else cmes t mind. If creating a New Cllectin, make sure that this cllectin s name is what appears in the search bx befre initiating the uplad. Yu may need t search fr it, after creating it, t ensure that this cllectin s name appears. Organizing yur files, and adding infrmatin abut them LightJar has tls t rganize and grup media items; as well as, edit the infrmatin abut them. The bulleted items belw prvide an understanding f hw infrmatin is set up within LightJar, and hw yu can edit and rganize the files fr better future retrieval. Initial infrmatin abut yur files - When a file is first upladed int LightJar, the applicatin recrds the fllwing infrmatin that is frever linked t the file while in LightJar strage: Original file name File size Object name assigned by LightJar (fr quicker searches f the strage database) The LightJar create date, including time f day Thumbnail Images when upladed int LightJar, a representative thumbnail image is made fr each file. Thumbnail images are the nly way yur files are represented within LightJar. Each thumbnail als displays the name f the file (r its assigned title) and the uplad date. Yu are able t change the arrangement f thumbnail images, srting them by date f uplad, file size, r alpha-numeric titles. Thumbnails are typically displayed in a Grid n the My Media hmepage, but the user can als chse a List view. When in List view, mre infrmatin is displayed fr each file, such as an item s descriptin. 6
Prxy files fr vide files the majrity f vide files upladed int LightJar have a mp4 prxy cpy autmatically made f the riginal, and it is the prxy file that is shwn when a user wants t play their vide within LightJar. Prxy mp4 files are viewable n almst all brwsers and mre tlerable f Web cnstraints. The riginal file is always available fr dwnlad when needed. Adding r changing infrmatin abut the Files click n a thumbnail image t pen a media item, and then click Edit. Click Save after yu make yur changes, r Cancel if yu d nt wish t save yur changes. When yu edit an item, the riginal, initial file infrmatin is always displayed and cannt be changed. Hwever, yu can add r later change the fllwing infrmatin fields fr any file in yur LightJar accunt. Title fr yur file, the default is the file s name when upladed Date f the file, the default is the file s uplad date int LightJar Lcatin where the vide r pht was taken Descriptin - wrds t describe the media item why, wh, where, when, hw, etc.- adds value t what yu are saving, makes it mre meaningful later n Current Cllectins which Cllectins r grupings this file is assigned t in LightJar Search the search field is at the tp f the LightJar applicatin. Any infrmatin cntained in the file s name, title, place, r descriptin is searchable, and quickly fund. The search field recgnizes bth alpha and numerical characters. Cllectins a cllectin is a gruping f files r media items accrding t a cmmn theme. Examples f cmmn themes are date, place, event, persn, r thing. Any media item can be assigned t multiple cllectins. T create a new Cllectin click n New Cllectin n the My Media hme page. A pp-up windw appears. Enter infrmatin in the fields fr Title, Date, Where, and Descriptin and click Save. 7
Finding Cllectins - after yu create a Cllectin, there are 3 ways t later find it within LightJar The Search Cllectins field n the My Media hme page shws a drp-dwn list f Cllectins that yu scrll thrugh t find yur Cllectin; the current default srt f the items in the listing is numerical and then alpha A Z; Begin typing the name f the Cllectin in the Search Cllectins field, the list f cllectins matching yur typed characters is displayed, with the list getting smaller as mre characters are typed, finally displaying the wanted Cllectin; Click n View My Cllectins, the secnd item in the drp-dwn list within Search Cllectins. This prduces a page that shws the representative thumbnail fr each cllectin in a grid view. Yu can change the ways in which the cllectins are displayed, chsing grid r list view, and srting cllectins by date r alpha-numerically. Adding Files t a Cllectin there are fur (4) ways t add files t a cllectin Add files, ne at a time, t a Cllectin - g t a thumbnail image representing the item n the My Media hme page r n a Cllectin page. Click the '+' r plus sign icn in the thumbnail, and a Cllectin ppup windw appears. Pick an existing Cllectin fr yur item within the ppup windw, r create a new Cllectin. Click Add t cmplete adding the item int the designated Cllectin 8
Add multiple files at ne time t a Cllectin - click the checkbx (lwer right crner) n multiple thumbnail representatins displayed n the My Media hme page r n a Cllectin page. G t the 'With Selected' bx menu, lcated in upper left r lwer left crners f the display page, and chse 'Add t Cllectin', and a Cllectin ppup windw appears. Pick an existing Cllectin fr yur item within the ppup windw, r create a new Cllectin. Click Add t cmplete adding the item int the designated Cllectin. Make sure the designated cllectin is displayed in the selectin field befre clicking Add. Uplad files directly int a cllectin - click n the Uplad tab (in the tp navigatinal header) t g t the Uplad page. Befre uplading media files int yur LightJar accunt, first chse a Cllectin frm the drp-dwn menu r create a new Cllectin int which the new media items will be placed. Cntinue with the Uplad prcess and the new items are upladed directly int the designated Cllectin. The new media items are displayed n bth the My Media page and within the assigned Cllectins page Place files int a cllectin when editing the file - click n a thumbnail representatin f yur item n the My Media hme page r n a Cllectins page t pen up the Detailed Media View page. Click Edit t display the editable fields fr yur item, including title, date, descriptin and assigned cllectins. Pick an existing Cllectin fr yur item within the ppup windw, r create a new Cllectin. Click Save t cmplete adding the item int the designated Cllectin. Files can be assigned t multiple cllectins Picking a Thumbnail t represent a Cllectin the View My Cllectins page, lcated in the drp-dwn menu f the Search Cllectins field, displays a thumbnail fr each cllectin. The thumbnail image fr the cllectin is autmatically assigned by LightJar and is based upn the file in the cllectin with the ldest date. T change the representative thumbnail fr a cllectin, edit the date f the file, having the desired thumbnail image, t a date lder than all ther files in the cllectin. Editing and Deleting Cllectins select a cllectin frm the Search Cllectins field (via drp-dwn listing, r typing in the name f the cllectin) and then click Edit. A pp-up windw displays the infrmatin abut the cllectin that can be edited. There is als a Delete buttn. Deleting a cllectin is final. If yu make a mistake, yu can recreate the cllectin again, and re-ppulate it again with the thumbnail images f the desired files. NOTE deleting a cllectin and its included thumbnails will NOT delete the riginal files. The riginal files are still listed in the My Media hmepage. 9
Viewing r playing yur files (n need t dwnlad) Watch yur vides, r view yur saved phts stred in LightJar frm wherever yu have Internet access T view r play a media file, first click n a media item s thumbnail image t display a pht, r the representative still image f a vide recrding, r the audi player fr an audi recrding. After clicking n the thumbnail image, the media file pens up, and if the file is a vide r audi recrding, clicking n the play buttn initiates play. There are tls t expand the screen, regulate the vlume, and pause r cntinue the play f the recrding. Playing upladed r shared vides Fr any type vide file upladed int LightJar, the applicatin autmatically prduces a secnd Internet-friendly MP4 prxy file cpy that can be played frm any device with a mdern Internet brwser. S if yu uplad an MOV mvie file frm yur iphne, a representative (prxy) cpy is made s yu can view the same mvie frm an Andrid smart phne r Windws tablet (which d nt play MOV mvie files in their brwser). In all cases, it is actually the prxy file that plays when yu click the play buttn within LightJar. T dwnlad the media item t yur cmputer, laptp, tablet r smart phne - click n the dwnlad icn displayed n the left side f thumbnail image r in the left upper crner f the pened media item. Dwnlad gives the subscriber the riginal as-recrded file type. S in the previus example, yu wuld be dwnlading the MOV mvie file. (At this time, LightJar is unable t dwnlad files fr strage nt iphnes and ipads.) Playing audi files currently in LightJar, nly MP3 audi recrdings will play in every brwser. WAV and AIFF audi files play in sme brwsers, but nt all. T play an audi file that cannt be played inside LightJar, yu will need t first dwnlad the file(s) nt yur cmputer r tablet, and then the device s media player can play the desired files. Slideshws when a thumbnail image is clicked the media file pens up, shwing the pht image, r the still frame f a vide, r the audi player fr a sund recrding. On the left and right f the pened file are arrws that can be clicked t g frward r backward t see ther items n the My Media hmepage r within an pened Cllectin. Fr mbile device users, in additin t the clicking the arrw, they can als swipe the image t get t the next file. 10
Sharing yur media files with thers Files and Cllectins in LightJar strage can be shared with thers, including fellw LightJar subscribers. Shared items are sent via email ntificatins that cntain a subject line, yur message t the recipient, and links t yur cntent. Hw t share a single file r cllectin: Fr sharing a single item, click n the share icn that is present n each thumbnail image (need t have yur cursr n the thumbnail), r if the file is already pened, then click n the share icn in the upper left crner f the bx hlding the image. A share pp-up windw is displayed. Enter the email addresses fr the recipients, a subject, an expiratin date fr the share link, and a message fr recipient, and then click Share Media Asset in the bttm right crner f the pp-up windw; Fr sharing a Cllectin, click n the share icn that is present n each thumbnail image fr a Cllectin n the View My Cllectins page, r if a Cllectin is already pened click the Share buttn t the right f the New Cllectin blue bx. A share pp-up windw is displayed. Enter the email addresses fr the recipients, a subject, an expiratin date fr the share link, and a message fr recipient, and then click Share Cllectin within the pp-up windw. A list f all yur previusly shared files is in the Shared tab. Here yu see the file s name, the date it was shared, the link s expiratin date, the email f the recipient, a buttn t cpy the share link if yu wish t use it again, and a buttn t delete the link s it is n lnger active. What the recipients see - Recipients receive an email frm yu via LightJar, stating that yu want t share a file r cllectin with them. The email cntains a link. Clicking the link takes the recipient t a landing page in LightJar frm which they can d the fllwing: Play, view r dwnlad the shared files frm within their wn brwser; Review the titles and descriptins assigned t yur files; Fr recipients that are LightJar subscribers, in additin t the email, they receive a message in the LightJar Message Center asking them t accept the sender s invitatin t share a file r cllectin, and if they accept the invite, the files are depsited directly int their LightJar accunt. 11
Receiving media files frm ther LightJar subscribers LightJar subscribers can share items in their accunt with ther LightJar subscribers. The sharing prcess is the same as just described in the previus sectin. Receiving shared files int yur LightJar accunt first REQUIRES yur acceptance t the riginatr s invite t share items with yu, befre any files are depsited int yur accunt. Ntificatin f an invite t share items with yu, frm anther LightJar subscriber, cmes t yu in tw ways; ne t yur email address assciated with yur LightJar accunt, and the secnd is a message in yur LightJar message center. If new invites are present in the LightJar message center, there will be a number within a green circle displayed next t yur user name. The number represents the number f un-read invites. The LightJar message center can be fund by clicking n yur user name in the upper right crner f the LightJar screen and is the first item in the drp-dwn menu. Click n Message Center and ntificatins f invites frm ther users are displayed. Fr each invitatin, yu are able t accept r decline the files. When yu accept an invite, a cpy prcess begins and cmpletes when all files are placed int yur accunt. The transfer f small files is immediate, while the transfer f a large number f files r a large file, will transfer int yur accunt at an apprximate rate f 144Mbps r abut 1GB per minute. Once the cpy prcess is cmpleted, the wrd cmpleted is displayed next t the invite message. Yu shuld mark the message as read when dne. All shared files are displayed as thumbnail images n the My Media hme page. If a Cllectin was shared, this cllectin will be displayed n the View My Cllectins page, as well as, in the drp-dwn listing in the Search Cllectins bx. When yu accept an invite t a shared cllectin, the transfer prcess f anther subscriber s files int yur accunt happens in the backgrund, and yu are able t g t ther pages within LightJar, r even lg ff f LightJar, and the file transfer prcess will cntinue until it is cmplete. When yu decline an invite, a ntificatin is sent back t the riginatr that yu have declined their invitatin. Yu are als then given the ptin t delete this ntificatin Nte at the present time, accepted invitatins stay in the message center. These shuld be marked as read, s that when the number in the green circle re-appears, yu knw that yu have new invites frm ther users. 12
Using LightJar t transfer files t recipients utside Friends and Family Fr business purpses, a subscriber can transfer files and cllectins t recipients using the Uplad and Share features in LightJar. Explanatins f hw things wrk and best practice tips are given belw. If wanting t transfer a number f vides, audis, r ther types f large files, it is best t transfer the files as a LightJar Cllectin. First, create a New Cllectin, then Uplad the vide files int the newly created cllectin; and then Share the cllectin with the recipient, making sure t enter a subject and detailed message within the Share pp-up windw. Yu may wish t enter a date in the Expiratin field within the pp-up windw if yu want t limit the cllectin s availability t a certain length f time. The recipient receives an email frm the user name and email address assciated with yur LightJar accunt, and the email includes the link t yur Cllectin f vides. After the recipient clicks n the link, a LightJar webpage pens up in the recipient s default brwser shwing a list f the files sent t them. The vide and audi files are represented by a thumbnail and the recipient may click n the thumbnail and play the vides/audis within their brwser withut having t first dwnlad them t play them. T dwnlad any and all files in the Cllectin, the dwnlad buttn fr each file must be clicked if the recipient wants t dwnlad all the files and finish the transfer prcess. The link t the cllectin can be frwarded t ther recipients if the first recipient chses t d s, and remains active fr an indefinite perid if there is n expiratin date. Fr transfer f hundreds f images r phts r small dcument files, it is best practice t first zip (Windws) r cmpress (Apple) the files int ne zipped file befre Uplad int LightJar. The zipped file can then be shared as described abve. Using WinZip r a similar prgram t grup image files tgether makes fr easier delivery fr the recipient. It saves the recipient the time f having t dwnlad each file separately frm LightJar. Instead the recipient is able t dwnlad ne zipped file frm LightJar nt their cmputer and then pen up the zipped file t view all the images. 13
Alternatively, if dwnlad f the pht images is nt necessary, but the recipient nly needs t lk at the images as they appear within their brwser, then uplad the phts int a new Cllectin and Share the cllectin as described abve. If hundreds r thusands f images are in the Cllectin, the recipient will experience a 2 t 3 minute delay after clicking n the emailed link befre all the thumbnail images appear in their brwser. Clicking n each image s thumbnail will display each image in a larger size. In 2016, LightJar develpment plans include adding a zipped dwnlad feature within the applicatin, and presentatin f thumbnails n recipient landing pages in batches t speed up delivery and eliminate the wait time. Additinally, we plan t add a Srt feature s that the thumbnail images can be rganized by the recipient. Fr transfer f a single vide, pht, audi file, r dcument, first Uplad the file int LightJar. When uplad is cmplete, the file s representative thumbnail will be the first item displayed n the My Media hme page. Place yur cursr ver the thumbnail and a share icn will be displayed. Click n the Share icn, and a pp-up windw appears shwing a subject line, expiratin date, and message. Enter the required infrmatin, and then click n the blue Share buttn in the lwer right crner f the pp-up windw. The recipient will receive an email frm yu that includes a link t the transferred file. After clicking n the link, a LightJar landing page will appear, and the recipient will be able t play r view r dwnlad the file. Deleting Files frm yur Accunt G t the My Media hmepage, and place yur cursr ver the file s thumbnail image that yu wish t delete. Click the red X. Answer yes t the pp-up questin. Yur deleted file is placed in the LightJar delete bucket where it stays fr 30 days befre final deletin and remval. Befre 30 days pass, yu can g t the Delete tab in LightJar, and restre the file back t the My Media page, r permanently delete it. T delete multiple files at nce, g the My Media hmepage and click the checkbxes fr multiple images, g t the With Selected feature, and frm the drp-dwn menu, chse Delete items. 14
Managing yur Subscriptin When in LightJar, the drp-dwn menu underneath yur lgin name in the upper right crner cntains an item labeled Manage Subscriptin. Click this item t increase the size f yur subscriptin, change yur billing infrmatin, r cancel yur LightJar subscriptin. There are three (3) types f Subscriptin Plans t LightJar Active Plans fr 24x7 immediate access t all files fr play, dwnlad and sharing; Archived Plans (least expensive) used fr backup and disaster recvery; restratin f files can take up t 24 hurs Managed Plans - a cmbinatin f the Active and Archived plans fr cst savings 24x7 access fr frequently used files, and delayed access fr files rarely tuched, but stred in LightJar fr backup purpses Subscriptin strage size determines pricing the larger the number f gigabytes (GBs) assciated with yur subscriptin plan, the higher the mnthly r annual prices. The mre GBs yu have, the mre phts, vides, and ther files yu can stre in yur LightJar accunt. Restring Files frm Archived State 15
If yu have a Managed r Archived plan as yur subscriptin t LightJar services, yu will have files that have been placed in archived state. The small blue safe belw the last thumbnail image abve indicates that the file is archived. The small yellw safe belw the first thumbnail image indicates the item is in the prcess f being restred t active state s that it can be dwnladed r shared. If yu initiate a dwnlad r share actin n a file that is in archived state, yu will first receive this message and questin: This is an archived file. Befre dwnlading r sharing this file, it may take up t 24 hurs t retrieve it frm archived strage. D yu wish t cntinue? Clicking yes in answer t the questin begins the restratin prcess. During the prcess the yellw safe appears belw the thumbnail image. When the image is restred t active state, the yellw safe ges away, and the file is available fr dwnlading r sharing. Final Message abut LightJar as a Web Applicatin LightJar is a web applicatin made t wrk with yur brwser via a web cnnectin t ur clud-based servers. Examples f brwsers are Chrme, Firefx, Safari, and Internet Explrer. LightJar wrks best when yur web brwser is up-t-date (2015 vintage r newer) and yur Internet cnnectin is reliable and fast. If these tw items are nt ptimal, sme features in LightJar may nt wrk as described in this guide. Additinally, smetimes the web brwser n yur cmputer r smart device may be impacted by smething else happening at the same time n yur device, such as malware impacting yur cmputer s perfrmance. If things are nt wrking as described in this guide, we suggest yu refresh yur screen r pssibly lg-ff and lg back int LightJar. Many times, a refresh f the cnnectin between yur brwser and ur web servers can give the applicatin a chance t catch up and cntinue in an acceptable manner. LightJar is private, encrypted, highly durable, highly reliable. Yur media cntent is hsted in LightJar servers, lcated in Amazn Web Services (AWS) S3 and Glacier repsitries, each advertised as having eleven (11) 9 s durability, r 99.999999999% retentin f stred data. There is very little chance that yur cntent will be lst. User data (name, address, etc.) is als stred in file servers within AWS. All user cntent and data is encrypted during transprt and at rest. 16
If yu have questins abut this guide r a message fr us, please chat with us, write us at supprt@lightjar.cm, r enter a message in the Help sectin f LightJar. 17