Opening, saving and closing files with Content Station 9 Web – Home

Notes:

This article describes how to open, save and close all types of files that cannot be edited within Content Station itself: meaning all files except InCopy articles (when not opened in Content Station itself), HTML articles and plain-text articles.

For information about opening, saving and closing InCopy articles (in Content Station), HTML articles and plain-text articles, see Opening, saving and closing articles in Content Station 9.

This article describes the workflow of opening, saving and closing files using Content Station Web. When using Content Station AIR, see Opening, saving and closing files with Content Station 9 AIR.

Content Station allows you to open any type of file for editing it in its own application. After editing the file, it can be saved back to Enterprise.

Example: You can open a Photoshop file from within Content Station, edit the file in Photoshop and save the changed version back to Enterprise.

Opening files

Opening a file using Content Station Web is done by using the Check Out Only option:

Step 1. Use one of the following methods:

Select the file and choose File > Open > Check Out Only..

Select the file, right-click it and choose Check Out Only..

You are asked to choose a location where the file should be stored.

The Save dialog box when checking out a file

Step 2. Click Save and browse to a location somewhere on the system and save the file.

The following actions take place:

The file is checked out of the system. As long as the file is in this state, other users are prevented from editing the file.
An icon appears in the 'In Use By' column of the Document pane for the file: a yellow pencil for you as the user who has checked out the file, a yellow padlock for all other users.

Checked-out files in Content Station Web

Figure: Files that are checked-out can be recognized by their icons in the Document pane.

Step 3. Access the location where you saved the file to and double-click it to open it in its own application.

Saving files

While working on a checked-out file, you can:

Save the file in the application in which it is edited
Check-in the file and close it

Note: When editing InCopy articles in InCopy (instead of editing InCopy articles in Content Station) or editing layouts in InDesign and Smart Connection is installed in these applications, use the advanced features of Smart Connection for saving files. For more information, see:

Closing or saving a layout using Smart Connection 9

Closing or saving an article using Smart Connection 9 for InCopy

Saving the file in the application in which it is edited

When editing a checked-out file and subsequently saving that change, the change is saved on the local system. The content of the file is now different from the original file in the Enterprise system.

Note: In Content Station Web, no icons appear to make you aware of this difference.

Checking-in the file and closing it

When you are finished working on the file it needs to be checked-in. This saves the made changes to Enterprise and makes the file available for other users to edit it.

Step 1. (Optional but recommended) Close the file in the application in which it was edited.

Step 2. Return to Content Station and locate the file that you have checked out.

Step 3. Select the file and do one of the following:

Choose File > Save > Check In...
Right-click the file and choose Check In...

The Windows Explorer / Mac Finder window appears.

Step 4. Browse to the location where you saved the file and click Open.

The file is checked-in and closed. It is now available for other users to edit it.

Note: The originally checked-out file is not removed from the system.

Closing files

Files can be closed in one of the following ways:

By checking-in the file. See Checking-in the file and closing it above.
By closing the file without saving any last-made changes (known as an 'Abort Check-out' action). See below.

Closing or saving a layout using Smart Connection 9

Closing or saving an article using Smart Connection 9 for InCopy

Closing the file without saving any last-made changes (Abort Check-out)

Use the Abort Check-out feature to close the file without saving any last-made changes.

This method is typically used when opening a file by mistake, quickly checking the content of the file without having to work on it, or realizing that the file does not need to be edited.

Of course, you can also close the file by checking it in, but using the 'Abort Check-out' method has the following advantages: