← All use cases

1. Have an Edge Agent at home

   Files are kept on your own computer, so sharing folders needs an Edge Agent. A Cloud Agent covers lists only.

   1. Pick an always-on computer: an old Mac mini, a Linux box, or a Raspberry Pi with a big drive.
   2. Follow Install Portico Edge.
   3. Open the console and sign in. The folder shows up under Things.

   Keep it awake: if that computer sleeps, nobody can reach the photos.

   The console with the Things panel showing Beach Trip01-edge-console.png

2. Add a Portico Files folder

   A folder you add here becomes a "Thing" you can share with people.

   1. In the Things panel, tap + (Add Thing).
   2. Set Type to Folder (Portico Files).
   3. Name: Family Photos. Folder name: photos. Tap Check folder. The folder is created if it doesn't exist yet.
   4. Leave Users read-only checked. Guests can look but not change anything until you say so.
   5. Tap Save.

   The Add Thing dialog: Folder (Portico Files), Family Photos, Users read-only checked02-add-thing.png

3. Upload the photos

   Organize by event so the photo wall is easy to browse.

   1. Tap the Family Photos card in Things to open it in Portico Files.
   2. Tap New folder and name it Beach Trip.
   3. Open that folder and tap Upload to pick photos, or drag them onto the page from a computer.

   Portico Files Tree view of Beach Trip, with the uploaded photos and the Upload button03-upload.png

4. Invite Grandma and Grandpa

   An invitation decides exactly what someone can reach. Here, that's the photo folder.

   1. In Invitations, tap + (New invite).
   2. Set Invitation type to Things.
   3. Leave Connection mode on Portico Relay.
   4. Invite name: Grandmas iPad. Add their email in To email (optional).
   5. Under Choose things to share, tick Family Photos and Beach Trip.

   New invitation with type Things and connection mode Portico Relay04-invite-type.png

   Invite name Grandmas iPad, with Family Photos and Beach Trip ticked04-invite-things.png

5. Grandma swipes through beach week

   What she sees after she taps Accept.

   1. She opens the link or scans the QR with her Camera, signs in, and taps Accept in Portico Mobile.
   2. She opens Beach Trip and switches the view from Tree to Photos to get a thumbnail grid.
   3. Portico Photos opens a full-screen photo wall. Tap a photo, then swipe for the next one.
   4. She sees a Read-only badge, and there's no upload button for her.

   The Photos view: a grid of Beach Trip thumbnails05-photos-grid.png

   Portico Photos open on the Beach Trip pictures06-photo-wall.png

6. Let Aunt Lucia add her photos

   Give write access one person at a time.

   1. Invite Lucia the same way as in step 4.
   2. Once she has accepted, open Family Photos and tap the Users pill.
   3. Next to Lucia, switch Read-only to Can write.
   4. She now sees Upload and New folder in that folder.

   The folder's Users panel with Lucia set to Can write07-can-write.png

7. Optional: share one album, watermarked

   Share just one album with a friend, and put their name on every photo they see.

   1. Select the Beach Trip folder and tap Share as Thing in the selection bar. Give it a name. A selected photo shows Share photo as Thing instead.
   2. Invite the friend with that new Thing ticked. They see only that album.
   3. Select photos and turn Watermark: On. View-only guests see their own email on the photo and get a View only badge instead of Download.

   The selection bar with Share photo as Thing on a Beach Trip photo08-share-photo.png

   A watermarked photo with the View only badge08-watermark.png