Sometimes a file that is stored in Assets Server needs to be changed in some way and the changes stored back in Assets Server for the same file, perhaps even as a different file type.
Examples:
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This can be done by downloading the file, changing it and uploading it again whereby the original file is replaced.
Tip: Images can be rotated or flipped from within Assets without opening them in another application. See Editing images in Assets.
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 Server.
Step 1. Using Assets, locate the file that you want to edit.
Step 2. Select it and in the menu bar choose Check out.
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 Server.
Step 5. Do one of the following:
For Assets 6.107 and higher:
For both methods, choose one of the following sub-options:
1 Metadata that describes file properties such as file size is never replaced. 2 Some values may still be replaced, depending on how the system is configured. See Keeping metadata values versus replacing metadata values later in this article. |
For Assets 6.106 and lower:
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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 Server.
- A file can be duplicated and saved as a new file in Assets Server.
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. To prevent this from happening, the file is 'checked-out' (locked) when you open it. When you are done working on the file, you 'check-in' (unlock) the file which makes it available for other users to edit.
Files that are checked-out can be recognized by the following:
- For files that you have checked-out yourself: a pencil icon is displayed over the thumbnail
- For files that are checked-out by another user: their Avatar icon is displayed over the thumbnail
Differences in processes
Depending on the version of Assets and any supporting applications that may or may not be used, some differences exist in the process of working with checked-out files.
Assets with Assets Agent
The most advanced methods for working with checked-out files are available when using Assets together with Assets Agent: a small application that runs in the background on the same system on which Assets is used.
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 also verifies if a connection with Assets Agent exists and will show a notification when the connection is lost or re-established. An icon next to the 'Checked-out files' button in the toolbar shows the current status.
Figure: Assets Agent Status icon in Assets shows whether or not it is connected to Assets Agent.
When Assets Agent is running but Assets shows that it is not connected, click the icon in Assets to try and re-establish the connection.
Connecting to Assets Server using a trusted URL Info: This feature requires Assets Server 6.86 or higher and Assets Agent 1.0.32.57 (shipped with Assets Server 6.86) or higher. When Assets Agent connects to Assets Server, it is important that the URL that is used is that of a trusted server. To make sure of this, the URL needs to be specified. Your system administrator may have already done this for you by configuring Assets Agent; when that is the case, the connection is made automatically and no action on your side is needed. When no trusted URL is specified yet, a message appears asking to confirm the name and URL of the server to connect to. Enter the name and the URL of the instance of Assets Server that you want to connect to (for details, check with your system administrator). Tip: The displayed URL can be copied and pasted into the Server URL field. To permanently store the server name and URL so that they do not have to be entered manually each time, you can add them to the Assets Agent preferences: Step 1. With Assets Agent running, access its menu by clicking its icon in the notification area of Windows or in the menu on macOS. Figure: The Assets Agent icon in the notification area of Windows (left) and in the menu on macOS (right). Step 2. From the menu that appears, choose Configure Assets Server... . The dialog for configuring an instance of Assets Server appears. Step 3. Enter a server name and URL and click Save. The settings are stored on your system in the following file: woodwingAssetsServerURLConfig.json This file is stored in the following location: Windows: ~/AppData/Local/WoodWing/Elvis/ macOS: /Library/Application Support/WoodWing/Elvis/ The next time Assets tries to connect to this server via Assets Agent, the connection is automatically established. |
Assets without Assets Agent
When Assets is not configured to use Assets Agent, only basic functionality for working with checked-out files is available in Assets (see File check-out without the use of Assets Agent).
Working with InDesign layouts
Another exception to the standard way of checking-out files is related to working with InDesign layouts.
These are not checked out using the 'Check out' command in the context menu, but by using the Open in InDesign command.
It also requires to have Assets for InDesign installed in InDesign. The layout is then automatically opened in InDesign.
Checking-in a layout
Checking in a layout is automatically done when the layout is closed in InDesign. For details, see Checking in layouts using Assets for InDesign.
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:
- Click Check out in the menu bar.
- Right-click a file and choose Check out from the context menu.
The files are checked out and automatically opened in their default application.
Note: To prevent long waiting times, no files are automatically opened when more than 30 files (for Assets 6.57 or higher), or 9 files (for Assets 6.56 or lower) are selected. Opening these files then needs to be done manually (see Manually opening checked-out files below).
Troubleshooting: files are not opened automatically The process of automatically opening files is handled by Assets Agent. This application therefore needs to be running and connected. When this is not the case, the default functionality is used. The file then needs to be manually opened from one of the following locations in which it is downloaded:
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Working with checked-out files
Files that have been checked-out are mainly managed from the Checked-out files page. This page can be accessed by clicking 'Checked-out files' at the top of the page.
Figure: The Checked-out Files 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 flower.jpg is edited and saved as flower.jpg.
- Related files. When a file is saved using a different file type or file name, it is seen as a version that is related to the file that was originally checked out.
Example: A file named flower.jpg is edited and saved as flower.png.
These files appear in the 'Related files' panel on the right side of the page.
The number of related files is indicated in a badge at the top of the thumbnail. Selecting the thumbnail will also select the list of files that are related to the file in the Related files panel.
The part of the file name that is different is highlighted in blue.
Example: Here, a file named 'bike silhouette.jpg' is checked-out and saved as 'bike-silhouette.png'. Everything after 'bike' in the new file name is different compared to the original name and is therefore highlighted. |
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 flower.jpg is edited and saved as flower.jpg.
- Replace is available for all files and allows you to replace 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. The file that you are replacing the original file with has to be stored outside of Assets though (such as on your local system or a network drive).
Keeping metadata values versus replacing metadata values
Info: This feature requires Assets 6.107 or higher.
When the 'Keep original metadata' option is chosen when checking in or replacing a file, the metadata values of the original file are left intact and not replaced by the metadata values of the file that is checked in.
In certain scenarios though, it could be necessary to have specific metadata values of the original file replaced with values from the file that is checked in (such as the copyright information of the file that is checked in). Which metadata values are treated this way can be configured by the system administrator.
You might therefore see that the value of one or more metadata fields have changed even though you have chosen the 'Keep original metadata' option. When in doubt, check with your system administrator.
Actions to perform
The following table shows the actions that can be performed and what the result of that action is.
Action | Result | Example |
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Checking-in the original file | The original file is updated. |
A file named flower.jpg is edited and saved as flower.jpg. |
Replacing the checked-out file by another file | The original file is replaced. |
A file named flower.jpg is replaced by file flower-2.png. The original file flower.jpg is replaced as flower.png. The file name is retained. |
Saving an edited version as a new file |
A new file is added to Assets Server. The original file is still in place. |
A file named flower.jpg is edited and saved as flower.png. The file flower.png is saved to Assets Server as a new file. The original file flower.jpg still exists. |
Duplicating a file and saving it as a new file |
A new file is added to Assets Server. The original file is still in place. |
A file named flower.jpg is saved as flower.png or duplicated as flower-2.jpg. The file flower.png or flower-2.jpg is saved to Assets Server as a new file. The original file flower.jpg still exists. |
Canceling the check-out of a file | The original file is untouched as if it was never checked-out. |
Each action is described in more detail below.
Info: Use the filter to only show information for one action. |
Checking-in the original file
In this process, changes are made to a file and the original file is updated with these changes.
During this process, the edited file is saved using the original file name and file type.
Example: A file named flower.jpg is edited and saved as flower.jpg.
Step 1. Do one of the following:
- Anywhere in Assets:
- Select the file and from the menu bar, choose 'Check out'.
- Right-click the file and from the context menu, choose 'Check out'.
The file is opened in its native editor.
Step 2. Edit the file in some way and save it using the same name and as the same type as the original file.
Step 3. On the Checked-out files page, do one of the following:
- On the thumbnail of the file, click the 'Check in' icon.
- Select the file and from the menu bar, choose 'Check in'.
- 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'.
Step 4. (In Assets 6.107 and higher only) From the sub menu that appears, choose one of the following options:
- Replace metadata. This replaces all metadata values of the original file with the metadata values of the file that is checked in (with the exception of metadata that describes file properties such as file size; this is never replaced).
- Keep original metadata. The metadata values of the original file is not replaced with the metadata values of the file that is checked in (with possibly the exception of specific fields, see Keeping metadata values versus replacing metadata values earlier in this article).
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.
Troubleshooting: the 'Check in' option is not available The 'Check in' option is only available when the Assets Agent is running and connected. Check that this is the case. 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
In this scenario, the checked-out file is replaced by another file. This is typically done to change the file type of a file.
The file that is used as the replacement could be a completely different file and of a completely different type, or it could be a variation of the original file that was stored somewhere.
During this process, the file name of the original file is retained.
Example: A file named flower.jpg is replaced by flower.png.
Note: The file that you are replacing the original file with has to be stored outside of Assets (such as on your local system or a network drive).
Step 1. Check out a file for editing as described above.
Step 2. Edit the file in some way and save it using a different name and/or as a different type as the original file.
Step 3. On the Check-out files page, do one of the following:
- Select a single file and from the menu bar, choose 'Replace'.
- Right-click a single file and from the context menu, choose 'Replace'.
- In the Related files panel, hover the mouse pointer over the thumbnail and click the 'Replace' icon.
Step 4. (In Assets 6.107 and higher only) From the sub menu that appears, choose one of the following options:
- Replace metadata. This replaces all metadata values of the original file with the metadata values of the file that is checked in (with the exception of metadata that describes file properties such as file size; this is never replaced).
- Keep original metadata. The metadata values of the original file is not replaced with the metadata values of the file that is checked in (with possibly the exception of specific fields, see Keeping metadata values versus replacing metadata values earlier in this article).
Step 5. Browse to a file on your local system 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.
- If a related file still exists for the original file, then that related file is shown dimmed in the place where the original file was shown. It will show the text 'File is checked-in' in the thumbnail. If needed, it can still be used to replace the original file with. Remove it from the page by deleting the file from the Related files panel or by clicking 'Abort all' from the toolbar.
Tip: The original file can at any time be restored using the History panel.
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 Server 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 Server.
- 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 onto your system is removed.
Duplicating a file and saving it as a new file
In this method, the original file is duplicated, saved with a different name, or saved as a different file type.
Example: A file named flower.jpg is duplicated as flower-copy.jpg or saved as flower.png.
Instead of using the new file to replace the original file with, the new file can also be saved to Assets Server as a separate file.
Step 1. Duplicate the checked-out file (for example by copying it in the Elvis Checkouts folder), or save it using a different name or as a different file type.
The new file appears in the Related files panel.
Step 2. In the Related files panel, hover the mouse pointer over the thumbnail and click the Save as new icon.
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 Server.
- The new file is removed from the Checked-out files page.
- The new file that was created on the 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 Check-out files page:
- On the thumbnail of the file, click the 'Abort check out' icon.
- 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'.
- In the toolbar, click 'Abort all'.
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.
Manually opening checked-out files
Files that are checked out are opened automatically unless many files are selected (see Checking-out a file for editing) in which case they need to be opened manually.
Of course, even when a file has been opened automatically you may want to temporarily close it and work on it over multiple sessions.
Manually opening a checked-out file is done by:
- Right-clicking the file in the search results and choosing Open from the context menu.
- Selecting the file in the Checked-out files page and clicking Open.
- Double-clicking the file in the Checked-out files page.
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:
- File check-out: The folder in which the file is saved needs to be manually selected (depending on how the preferences of the Web browser are set) and the checked-out file needs to be manually opened from the folder in which it is downloaded.
- File check-in is only available as 'Replace'. The file that is selected can either be the edited version of the file, a different version of the same file or a completely different file. The process of replacing the file is the same as described above, except for the following:
- The checked-out files that were saved on your system are not removed, you may want to remove these manually from your system.
- The Related files panel is not available without Assets Agent, and therefore the Replace option in that panel is also not available.
- Abort check out. Cancel the check-out of the file.
- The File check out page shows all files in the 'Unedited files' section.
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