You can enable Kopano WebApp’s file previewer without installing a separate “FileViewer” package in the documented configuration, but MDM is a separate plugin that must be installed and connected to Z-Push. That distinction matters: the WebApp administrator manual documents the previewer through ENABLE_FILE_PREVIEWER, while the MDM manual documents a dedicated package, a configuration file, and dependencies. Installing the wrong “Files” add-on will not enable the previewer.
This guide is for administrators of an existing Kopano WebApp deployment. Kopano’s published WebApp and MDM manuals are legacy-edition documentation, so verify that their package names and settings match the exact WebApp, PHP, Z-Push, and operating-system versions you run before changing production. The steps below explain the documented path and how to verify it safely.
Use the built-in file previewer setting when users need to preview supported file attachments in WebApp. The documented administrator option is ENABLE_FILE_PREVIEWER; it controls whether users are offered a previewer setting. The WebApp manual does not describe this as a separate FileViewer package that you install with a package manager.
Kopano Files is different. It adds a Files area for browsing and managing external storage accounts, such as WebDAV or other configured back ends. It can require separate packages and backend configuration. If your goal is attachment previews, start with the previewer setting, not Kopano Files. If the goal is connecting shared storage to WebApp, follow the separate Files manual linked at the end.
Kopano’s Mobile Device Management plugin exposes information and actions for mobile devices that synchronize with Kopano through Z-Push. Depending on the deployment, users can view device details and use actions such as resync, remove, refresh, or wipe. It is useful when users or administrators need those device controls in WebApp; it is not a replacement for Z-Push and does not establish mobile synchronization by itself.
The Kopano MDM manual lists Z-Push 2.0 or higher and PHP SOAP support as dependencies. If Z-Push runs on a different host from WebApp, the MDM configuration must point to that Z-Push server. Before installing anything, confirm the Z-Push endpoint, installed PHP runtime, and package compatibility for your environment.
First locate the active WebApp config.php used by your installation. On a package-based deployment it is commonly under /etc/kopano/webapp/, but containers and custom installs may mount configuration elsewhere. Back up the actual file before editing, and avoid creating a second definition if the setting already exists.
In the active configuration, find ENABLE_FILE_PREVIEWER. The Kopano WebApp Admin Manual documents true as showing users the option to enable the file previewer in their settings, and false as hiding that option and disabling previews for all users. For example:
define("ENABLE_FILE_PREVIEWER", true);If the line already exists, change its value rather than adding a duplicate define(). Keep the surrounding PHP syntax intact. If there is no such line, use the template or configuration guidance that matches your installed WebApp package instead of copying an entire sample config over the live file.
After saving, check for PHP syntax errors using the PHP interpreter that serves WebApp. For example, if the configuration file is at the standard package path:
php -l /etc/kopano/webapp/config.phpA syntax check only validates PHP parsing; it does not confirm the setting is loaded by the running site. Sign in as a test user, open WebApp Settings, and confirm the file previewer option is available. Enable it, apply the change, then open an attachment of a type your WebApp supports. If the control is missing, confirm that you edited the active configuration, that WebApp plugins and settings are available, and that a package upgrade or container mount is not supplying another config file.
Use the MDM package built for the same Kopano WebApp release and distribution as the server. The Kopano MDM manual documents a Debian-family package named kopano-webapp-plugins-mdm and an RPM package for RPM-based distributions. It shows the Debian installation pattern below; replace the placeholder with the real package version obtained from your trusted, compatible package source:
sudo dpkg -i ./kopano-webapp-plugins-mdm_<version>.debDo not type the angle-bracket placeholder literally. If package installation reports unresolved dependencies, use your distribution’s normal package-management process to resolve them from trusted repositories, then confirm that the installed MDM package and WebApp version are intended to work together. Avoid downloading a random package build or mixing releases to satisfy a dependency.
Verify that the PHP SOAP extension is enabled in the PHP environment used by the WebApp. A quick check is:
php -m | grep -i '^soap$'If there is no output, install and enable the SOAP extension that matches the PHP version and web-server runtime used by WebApp. A CLI PHP check can differ from PHP-FPM or Apache’s PHP module, so compare the web-server configuration if the command shows SOAP but MDM still reports a missing SOAP function.
The published MDM manual places its settings in /etc/kopano/webapp/config-mdm.php. Back up the file, then check the documented options:
PLUGIN_MDM_USER_DEFAULT_ENABLE_MDM controls whether the plugin is enabled by default for users; the manual lists the default as false.PLUGIN_MDM_SERVER identifies the Z-Push server; the documented default is localhost.PLUGIN_MDM_SERVER_SSL should be set to true when the connection uses SSL/TLS; the documented default is false.If WebApp and Z-Push are on separate hosts, replace the default server setting with the actual Z-Push location required by your deployment. Use the correct protocol and hostname, and enable the SSL option when that endpoint uses HTTPS. Do not expose the endpoint publicly just to make the plugin respond; keep it reachable through the intended network path and valid certificate. Preserve the PHP syntax used by the installed file.
The default setting is not necessarily the right choice for every organization. You can allow users to enable MDM themselves, or enable it by default if your policy permits. If your WebApp configuration globally disables plugins or blocks the MDM plugin, resolve that central setting first; changing the MDM-specific default alone will not override a plugin explicitly disabled at the WebApp level.
After package installation and configuration, sign in to WebApp and open Settings, then the Plugins tab. Select MDM and apply the changes. The MDM manual says the device overview appears in a separate MDM tab in Settings and includes device information, the last synchronization, and a device ID. If the plugin is not listed, first confirm that the package files are installed in the active WebApp plugin directory and that global plugin settings do not hide or disable it.
Test with an account that already has a device synchronizing through Z-Push. If the device list is empty, check whether that account has a Z-Push device, whether the MDM server setting points to the correct Z-Push service, and whether PHP SOAP is available to the WebApp process. Review WebApp and Z-Push logs around a test request before changing unrelated server settings.
Treat the MDM actions as operational controls, not harmless refresh buttons. Kopano’s MDM manual warns that Wipe removes all data from the device and advises caution. Test the interface with a noncritical device and understand the organization’s recovery process before making Wipe available to users. Confirm the target device ID and user before invoking it.
Remove is also consequential: the manual notes that removing a device from the list means the user must remove and reconnect the account on the phone to have it appear again. Resync requests another synchronization; Refresh updates the displayed device list. Do not use Wipe as a general troubleshooting step for a device that is merely slow to sync.
For file preview, confirm the user can see and enable the setting, then open a supported attachment without downloading it first. For MDM, confirm that the test user can see the expected device information and that the last-sync details correspond to a device known to be syncing through Z-Push. Test lower-risk actions such as Refresh or Resync first. Keep Wipe disabled or limited according to your organization’s policy until you have validated its impact.
If preview controls are missing, recheck the active WebApp configuration and user setting. If MDM is missing or shows no devices, verify package compatibility, PHP SOAP, the MDM configuration path, the Z-Push host, and global plugin restrictions. Kopano’s published manuals describe the setting names and package pattern, but they do not establish compatibility for every current distribution and PHP release; use the package documentation for the exact server build as the final authority.
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