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Using the Desktop app of Content Station 10

Documentation Team
  • Updated

Info: This feature requires Content Station 10.8 or higher.

The Content Station Desktop app is used for setting up the communication between Content Station and other applications and for controlling some of the features of the Desktop app itself.

The Content Station Desktop app

Figure: The Settings window of the Content Station Desktop app.

Note: Shown here is the Desktop Application version 1.x.x (available since Content Station 10.28). Older versions will contain less options.

It can be used for the following features:

  • Defining which version of InDesign should be used for opening layouts
  • Defining if articles should be opened in Content Station or in InCopy
  • Automatically opening all types of files in their native application
  • Setting up a connection to Enterprise Server through a proxy server
  • Automatically downloading a file on a user's system when it is routed (Smart Caching)

For more information about these features, see:

Requirements

Using the Desktop app and its features requires the following:

For use with Content Station 10:

  • Content Station 10.8 or higher
  • For connecting to Enterprise Server: the Content Station Server plug-in 10.8 or higher
  • Google Chrome with the Content Station Desktop app extension installed
  • For using Smart Caching: the Content Station Server plug-in 10.28 or higher
  • For opening layouts in InDesign: Content Station 10.15 or higher.
  • For choosing the editor in which to open articles: Content Station 10.8 or higher.
  • For connecting to Enterprise Server through a proxy server: Content Station 10.16 or higher.
  • For automatically downloading a file when it is routed to a user (Smart Caching): Content Station 10.28 or higher.

For using Smart Caching with Smart Connection for InDesign or InCopy CC 2014 (version 10.3.0):

  • The Desktop app version 2.1.0 (available since Content Station 10.30) or higher
  • For connecting to Enterprise Server: the Content Station Server plug-in 10.28 or higher

Note: Content Station 10 or Google Chrome is not needed for using Smart Caching with Smart Connection.

Installation

The Content Station Desktop app comes in 2 parts:

  • The Content Station Desktop app itself
  • An extension for Google Chrome

Installing the Content Station Desktop app

Step 1. Download the file named Content Station Desktop App 1.x.x-bx from the Release announcement of Content Station 10, unpack it and double-click the file it contains.

Step 2. Do one of the following:

  • On Mac OS X: In the installation window that appears, drag the Content Station Desktop app to the Applications folder.
  • On Windows: Run the installer and wait for it to complete.

Installing the Google Chrome extension

The Google Chrome extension is installed by launching the Content Station Desktop app.

Step 1. Do one of the following:

  • On Mac OS X: Run the application from the Applications folder.
  • On Windows: Run the application from the Desktop shortcut or the Start menu.

The following takes place:

  • The Content Station Desktop app is added to the system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac OS X)
  • Google Chrome is opened
  • The Web store and the extension for the Content Station Desktop app is accessed

The Chrome extension

Figure: The extension for the Content Station Desktop app in the Chrome Web store.

Step 2. Click Add to Chrome and confirm that you want to add it.

The extension is added to Chrome and appears in the toolbar.

The extension added to Chrome

Figure: The extension added to Chrome.

Accessing the Desktop app

Access the Desktop app by clicking the Desktop app icon in the menu bar (Mac OS X) or in the system tray (Windows).

From here, you can:

  • Pause Smart Caching
  • Open the Download Progress window
  • Access the Settings
  • Quit the application

Note: When an old version of the Desktop app is installed, the Settings window will appear immediately after clicking the icon.

The Desktop app menu

Settings

To use the Content Station Desktop app, it needs to be set up. This is done through the Settings window.

The Content Station Desktop app

Figure: The Settings window of the Content Station Desktop app.

General settings

Setting Description Available since Desktop app version
InDesign version Set the version of InDesign in which the layouts should be opened. 1.0.0 build 8
Article editor Choose the article editor to use for opening articles: the Content Station 10 Print editor (default setting) or a version of InCopy. 1.0.0 build 12
Language Set the language of the Desktop app. 2.0.0 build 24
Socket port

For use with Content Station 10

(Optional)  Set the socket port through which the communication between the Chrome extension and the Desktop app should take place. When in doubt which port to use (if any), contact your system administrator.

Note: You can also set this by clicking the Chrome extension icon in Chrome.

For use with Smart Connection 10.3.x for Adobe CC 2014

(Optional) Set the socket port through which the communication between Smart Connection and the Desktop app should take place. When in doubt which port to use (if any), contact your system administrator.

 1.0.0 build 15
Cache size

Set the maximum disk space used for caching files.1

Note: The following files are cached:

  • Files that are downloaded by the Desktop app when they are opened for editing and do not yet exist on the system.
  • Files that are downloaded by the Desktop app when they are routed to you (see Smart Caching).
2.0.0 build 24
Cache period Set the maximum number of days that files are kept in the cache. 2.0.0 build 24
Clear cached files Clears the files that are currently stored in the cache.1  
Start application when starting up your system

(Optional but recommended) Define that the Desktop App should be launched on system start-up (this is the default setting).

 1.0.0 build 8

1 Cached files are stored in the following location:

  • For Windows: C:\Users\USER_FOLDER\AppData\Local\Content Station\cache
  • For Mac OS X: Users\USER_FOLDER\Library\Application Support\Content Station\cache

Smart Caching connections

Info: This feature requires the Desktop app version 2.0.0 build 24 or higher.

The list of connected Enterprise Servers

Smart Caching makes it possible to automatically download a file to a user's system when the file is routed to that user.

The Smart Caching connections window shows all instances of Enterprise Server to which a connection has been made for Smart Caching (by logging in when first using Smart Caching). The settings allow you to enable or disable Smart Caching, disconnect or re-connect from an instance of Enterprise Server, or remove the Enterprise Server instance completely.

For more information, see Automatically downloading a routed file in Content Station 10.

Proxy server

(Optional, only when a proxy server is used for connecting to Enterprise Server) Set the proxy settings as described in Connecting the Content Station 10 Desktop app to Enterprise Server through a proxy server.

Document history

  • 18 September 2017: Added information about using Smart Caching with Smart Connection for Adobe CC 2014.
  • 10 August 2017: Added information about using Smart Caching.
  • 10 August 2017: Added information about the options window.
  • 9 August 2017: Added information about the Desktop app menu.
  • 21 February 2017: Added information about setting the proxy settings.
  • 6 February 2017: Added information about opening articles in InCopy.

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