Creating a New Object or Template

As you create documentation using Author-it you will need to create new objects. The procedure for creating an object is the same for all types of objects and object templates.

To Create a New Object or Template:

1. Select the folder you want create the object in.
2. Select Author or Design and choose an object. Select a template to base your new object on from the submenu.

   -or-

   Right-click in the folder's object list, choose New and select the object from the submenu. Select a template to base your new object on.

   You do not have to base an object on a Template. However, it is strongly recommended for two reasons:

   • So you don't have to set the object's properties one by one each time you create a new object.
   • To ensure consistency, and to allow easy updating of inherited properties throughout your documents.

     The Object properties window opens, and the General tab is displayed.

     

     

     You can save your changes and continue working, by choosing the Apply button.

3. Enter a Description for the object. We recommend you make this name as meaningful as you can, so you can find the object easily.

   When you first create an object, the Description is copied to the other (output) tabs. For example, in a Topic, it becomes the Heading of the Word, Help and Web tabs. When you change the Description after the first time, your changes are not copied to the other tabs of the object, unless you want them to be. This means you can add a distinctive name to the end of the Description and it won't appear in your document's outputs.

   Note: This is not the case when working with the Editor. Any change to a Topic Description from within the Editor is automatically made to the Heading of the Word, Help, and Web tabs, unless specified differently.

4. If you want to make this object a Template, and you have sufficient security access, you can check the Make this object an object template checkbox.

   Note: After the object has been saved as a template, you cannot make it into an ordinary object again.

5. Set any other properties of the object which are not inherited.
6. Choose OK to save and close the object.