Opening files for editing (file check-out and check-in) in Assets 10

Sometimes a file that is stored in Assets needs to be changed in some way and the changes stored back in Assets for the same file, perhaps even as a different file type.

Examples: An image may need to be edited by cropping it or by changing the image itself. Text may need to be added or removed from a Word document. An InDesign layout may need to be worked on. A Photoshop file needs to be changed to a PNG file.

This can be done by downloading the file from Assets, changing it locally on your machine, and uploading it back to Assets. During this process, a new version of the original file is created.

Tip: Images can be rotated or flipped from within Assets without opening them in another application. See Editing images in Assets 10.

This article explains how to open files for editing and saving them back to Assets.

Info: Use the filter to only show information for one section: All sections Requirements Quick Start The file check-in / check-out concept Checking-out a file for editing Working with checked-out files How files are displayed Check in versus replace Checking-in the original file Replacing the checked-out file by another file Saving an edited version as a new file Canceling the check-out of a file File check-out without the use of Swivle Agent

Requirements

This process works by using Assets Agent, an application that needs to be installed locally on your system and which runs in the background while working with Assets. It is assumed here that it is installed and running.

With Assets Agent, a file can be automatically opened in its native application and checked-in again in a single action.

When Assets Agent is running, an icon is shown in the notification area (Windows system tray) or in the menu bar (macOS).

Figure: The Assets Agent icon in the notification area of Windows (left) and in the menu on macOS (right).

Tip: Configure your system in such a way that Assets Agent is automatically started when the system itself is started.

Assets without Assets Agent

When Assets Agent is not installed or not running, only basic functionality for working with checked-out files is available in Assets (see File check-out without the use of Assets Agent at the end of this article).

Opening Adobe InDesign layouts for editing

The steps in this article apply to all types of files, except Adobe InDesign layouts. These files can also be directly opened from within Assets, but this is done without the use of Assets Agent. To make this work though, Assets for InDesign needs to be installed in InDesign.

Note: When opening a layout by right-clicking it and choosing 'Check out' from the context menu, nothing happens when Assets for InDesign is not installed. To check out layouts from Assets, Assets for InDesign needs to be installed.

For more information, see the articles for Opening layouts using Assets 10 for InDesign.

Quick start

As a quick overview of what is described in this article, the following are the main actions for opening a file, editing it in some way, and saving it back to Assets.

Note: It is assumed here that Assets Agent is running.

Step 1. In Assets, locate the file that you want to edit (such as an image or document, but not an InDesign layout).

Step 2. Select it and in the menu bar choose Check out, or right-click the file and choose Check out from the context menu.

The file is opened in its application.

Step 3. Edit the file in some way and save it.

Step 4. Access the Checked-out files page in Assets and select the file that you want to save back to Assets.

Step 5. Do one of the following:

• Click Check in to update the original file with the edited file.
• Click Replace to replace the original file with another file. This can be the same file but with a different name or file type, or a completely different file.

In summary, the following actions can be performed for files that have been checked out:

• A file can be edited and the changes can be saved back to the original file.
• A file can be replaced by another file.
• A file can be edited and saved as a new file in Assets.

For full details see the rest of this article.

The file check-in / check-out concept

While you are editing a file, it is important that other users cannot make any changes to the same file. You do not want to overwrite someone else's work, but likewise you do not want someone else to overwrite your work.

To prevent this from happening, the file is 'checked-out' (locked) when you open it for editing. When you are done working on the file, you 'check-in' (unlock) the file which makes it available for other users to edit.

While a file is checked out, other users are prevented from performing most actions including also checking it out, updating it (such as the metadata), or moving or deleting it until it is 'checked in' again. Some actions are still possible, such as downloading the original file, previewing the file, or sharing the file.

Checking in a file does not replace the original file. Instead, a new version is created. Assets will keep up to 5 previous versions of a single file. For more information, see Working with file versions and file history in Assets 10.

Checked-out files can be recognized as follows:

• For files that you have checked-out yourself: a pencil icon is displayed.
• When the file has been edited, an asterisk is also shown.
• For files that are checked-out by another user: their Avatar icon is displayed.

Tip: Hover the mouse pointer over the icon to see the name of the user who has checked-out the file.

Figure: Checked-out files can be recognized by an icon. From left to right: checked-out by you but not edited, checked-out by you and edited, checked out by another user.

Checking-out a file for editing

Step 1. Select one or more files that you want to check out.

Step 2. Do one of the following:

• In the menu bar, click Check out.
• Press keyboard shortcut E.
• Right-click a file and from the context menu, and choose Check out.

The file is checked-out and automatically opened in its default application.

Working with checked-out files

Files that have been checked out can be managed from the Checked-out files page. It can be accessed by clicking 'Checked-out' at the top of the page.

How files are displayed

The page makes a distinction between the following types of files:

• Unedited files. When a file has been checked out, it will initially appear as an 'unedited file'. This indicates that no changes have been made to this original file.

• Edited files. When the file is edited and saved using the original file type and file name, it appears as an 'edited file'.

Example: A file named coffee.jpg is edited and saved as coffee.jpg.

Check in versus replace

It is important to be aware of the slight differences that exist between the options 'Check in' and 'Replace':

• Check in is only available for a file that is edited and saved using the original file type and file name (in other words: files that appear in the 'Edited files' section).

Example: A file named coffee.jpg is edited and saved as coffee.jpg.

• Replace is available for all files and is used for replacing the originally checked-out file by a different file. This will typically be a different version of the same file but can potentially be a completely different file.

Checking-in the original file

Checking-in a file can be done when the edited file is saved using the original file name and file type.

Example: A file named coffee.jpg is edited and saved as coffee.jpg.

Do one of the following:

• Anywhere in Assets:
• Select the file and from the menu bar, choose Check in.
• Right-click the file and from the context menu, choose Check in.

• On the Checked-out files page:
• On the thumbnail of the file, click the Check in icon.
• Right-click the file and from the context menu, choose Check in.
• In the toolbar, click Check in: Edited files or Check in: All files.

The following takes place:

• The file is automatically checked in.
• The file is unlocked: other users can now check out the file.
• The file is removed from the Checked-out files page.
• The file that was downloaded onto your system is removed.

Tip: When Assets Agent is running but Assets shows that it is not connected, click the Assets Agent icon in Assets to try and re-establish the connection.

As long as there is no connection between Assets and Assets Agent, the Replace option needs to be used (see below).

Replacing the checked-out file by another file

It is very common to open a file and to save it under a different name or as a different file type, and then to use that file to replace the original file with.

Example: A file named coffee.jpg is edited and saved as coffee.png.

Step 1. Do one of the following:

• Anywhere in Assets:
• Select the file and from the menu bar, choose Replace.
• Right-click the file and from the context menu, choose Replace.

• On the Checked-out files page:
• Right-click the file and from the context menu, choose Replace.

Step 2. Browse to the file that you want to replace the original file with and double-click it or select Open.

The following takes place:

• The file is replaced.
• The file is unlocked: other users can now check-out the file.
• The file is removed from the Checked-out files page.
• The file that was downloaded onto your system is removed.

Saving an edited version as a new file

After opening a file and editing it, instead of using the edited file to replace the original file with, the edited file can also be saved to Assets as a new file.

Step 1. On the Checked out files page, select a file in the Edited files section.

Step 2. Do one of the following:

• From the menu bar, choose Save as new.
• Right-click the file and from the context menu, choose Save as new.

The 'Save as new' window appears, showing the location in the Folder browser where the original file is stored.

Step 3. Browse to the folder where you want to save the file and click Save.

The following takes place:

• The new file is added to Assets.
• The original file is unlocked: other users can now check-out the file.
• The original file is removed from the Checked-out files page.
• The original file that was downloaded to your system is removed.

Canceling the check-out of a file

When a file has been checked-out but you decide that no work needs to be done on it, the check-out can be aborted by doing one of the following:

• Anywhere in Assets:
• Select the file and from the menu bar, choose Abort check out.
• Right-click the file and from the context menu, choose Abort check out.

• On the Checked-out files page:
• On the thumbnail of the file, click the Abort check out icon.
• Right-click the file and from the context menu, chooseAbort check out.
• In the toolbar, click Abort > All un-edited files or Abort: > All files.

The following takes place:

• The file is unlocked: other users can now check out the file.
• The file is removed from the Checked-out files page.
• The file that was downloaded onto your system is removed.

File check-out without the use of Assets Agent

When Assets is not used together with Assets Agent, the functionality of working with checked-out files in Assets is restricted:

Step 1. Find and select the files you want to work on.

Step 2. Click the Check out button in the toolbar or right-click the file and choose Check out from the context menu.

Depending on how your browser is configured, the following happens:

• The file is saved to the default location in which your browser saves files.
• A dialog appears to browse to the location in which you want to save the file.

The files are now locked in Assets.

Step 3. Open the files in their native application, save and close them.

Step 4. In Assets, navigate to the Checked-out files page.

Step 5. For each file, select Check in, browse to the updated file and select it.

Tip: You can also check in a file by right-clicking the checked out file in the main screen and choosing Check in from the context menu.

The file is now uploaded back into Assets and unlocked for other users.

Upon check in, Assets will not replace the original file. Instead, a new version is created. Assets will keep up to 5 previous versions of a single file. For more information about versioning, see Working with file versions and file history in Assets 10.