Copying or moving files in Content Station 9

Files that are stored in Enterprise can be easily moved or copied in Content Station, for example by dragging the file from one location to another.

Example: Moving files by adding them to a Dossier or a Task is a common step in the process of gathering content for a story.

Linking, moving or referring to a file?

A file can be moved in one of the following ways:

• By actually moving the file. The file is moved to a new location.

Example: A typical scenario is when a file is moved from one Dossier to another.

• By creating a copy of the file. The original file is left in its location and an exact copy of the file is created in the new location.

Example: This method can be used when a file needs to be moved from one Dossier to another in order to edit it without changing the original file.

• By creating a reference to the file. The original file is left in its location and a reference to that file is made in the new location.

Note: You can compare this to creating a shortcut to the original file. When opening the file in the new location you are actually opening the file in the original location.

Example: Creating a copy by reference is what typically happens when adding a file to a Dossier or to a Task.

Summary

In short, do one of the following:

• To move a file, drag it from one location to another.

Note: By 'location' we mean a Dossier or a Task.

• To copy a file, drag it while holding down the Alt key (Mac OS) or Ctrl key (Windows) or use the Copy To dialog box.

• To create a copy by reference of a file, drag it while holding down the Ctrl key (Mac OS) or Alt key (Windows)

Drag & drop: best practice

To get the best results when using a key on the keyboard, use the following methods:

• Dragging: click and drag the files first before holding down the modifier key (you can stop dragging at any time, just make sure to not release the mouse)
• Dropping: first drop the files onto the target area by releasing the mouse before releasing the modifier key.

Moving a file from a Dossier to another Dossier or to a Task

There are various ways of doing this. In short, you can drag a file from anywhere in Content Station where you can see the file as part of a Dossier and drop it anywhere in Content Station where you can see the Dossier or Task in which it should be added.

Drag the file from:

• An open Dossier with Dossier Content selected in the Info pane so that all files that are in the Dossier can be seen.

Figure: When selecting 'Dossier Content' in the Info pane (A), the files that are part of the Dossier are shown in the Document pane (B).

• An expanded Dossier in a Document pane, for example in the Search tab.

Figure: Click on the expander icon in front of a Dossier to see all its content.

Note: The expander is only available when viewing the Document pane in List View mode.

Drop the file on:

• A Dossier or Task in:
• A Document pane (such as in the Search tab)
• The Inbox
• The Recent Items pane
• The Favorites pane
• The Planning Application

• One of the following areas in an open Dossier:
• A Publication Channel
• A Task (including one that is in the Dossier from which the file is dragged)
• The Document pane
• Dossier Content in the Info pane
• A Related Dossier

Figure: Areas in a Dossier on which a file can be dropped: a Publication Channel (A), a Task (B), the Document pane (C), or Dossier Content in the Info pane (D).

Tip: When a Dossier is open but not in view, drag the file over the tab of the Dossier and hold it there for a brief moment to access the Dossier.

See some of these steps performed in this short video:

Moving a file from a Task to another Task or to a Dossier

Drag the file from:

• An expanded Task in the Document pane — such as in a Dossier or in the Search tab — so that all files that are in the Task can be seen.

Drop the file on:

• A location anywhere in the Document pane within a Dossier.

Figure: Dragging a file from a Task into the Dossier that the Task is part of.

• A Dossier or Task in:
• A Document pane (such as in the Search tab)
• The Inbox
• The Recent Items pane
• The Favorites pane
• The Planning Application

Figure: Dragging a file from an expanded Task to another Dossier in the Document pane of the Search tab.

Creating a copy of a file

Use this method when you want to create a new file that is based on an existing file.

Step 1. Use one of the following methods:

• Method #1: Drag-and-drop

Drag the file from:

• Anywhere in Content Station while holding down the following key:
• Mac OS: Alt
• Windows: Ctrl

Drop the file on:

• A Dossier or Task anywhere in Content Station.

Tip: This includes the same Dossier or Task that the file is already in. This will create a duplicate of the file within that Dossier or Task.

Method #2: Context menu

• Right-click the file and choose Copy To...
• Select the file and choose File > Copy To...

The Copy To dialog box appears with 'Copy of' added as a prefix to the file name.

Step 2. (Optional) Change the name and any of the properties of the file.

How duplicate file names are handled by Enterprise 9

Step 3. Click OK.

Note: When copying multiple files, a separate Copy To dialog box appears for each file.

Creating a reference to a file

When a file is uploaded to Enterprise, it only exists once in the system. When the file is subsequently added to a Dossier or to a Task, the file that you see in the Dossier or Task is technically a reference to the file in the sense that the original file has not moved.

Another typical scenario is when a file in a Dossier also needs to be part of another Dossier. While moving it from one Dossier to another, a reference to the file can then be created so that it exists in both Dossiers (while technically it only exists once in the system).

Method #1:

Drag a file from outside a Dossier or a Task and drop it into a Dossier or a Task.

This is the regular method of adding a file to a Dossier or Task.

Example: Drag a file from the Inbox, Recent Items pane, Search tab and so on into a Dossier or a Task.

Method #2:

Drag a file from one of the following locations while holding down the Alt key (Mac OS) or the Ctrl key (Windows):

• A Dossier
• A Task
• The Planned Items pane in the Planning Application

This is the regular method of adding a file from one Dossier or Task to another Dossier or Task and have that file exist in both Dossiers or Tasks.

Method #3

Expand a layout in a Dossier or Task and drag a placed article or image into the Dossier or Task itself.

Method #4:

Drag a file from outside a Dossier or a Task and drop it into a Dossier or a Task while holding down the Ctrl key (Mac OS) or the Alt key (Windows).

This method is not often used but does exist in case you want to make use of it.