The Lifecycle of an Offline Library

Each time an offline library is created, Author-it goes through the following process of creating objects in the offline library, and locking objects in the main library or offline library.

1. A new offline library file is created at the path set in the offline library's properties.
2. All objects, excluding topic and file objects, are copied across to the new library.
   • The library shows that these topics and file objects exist and which folders they are in, but not the actual data in these objects.
   • All templates, including topic and file objects, are included.
   • Object edit history is not included.
3. All topic and file objects that have been marked as being available offline are copied to the new library.
4. Depending on the settings chosen under the offline library properties, external files referenced by any object marked as being available offline are included in the offline library as an external resource. This helps prevent any "file not found" errors when you are working offline.
5. All objects in the offline library are locked to prevent editing.
6. Author-it attempts to lock all objects in the main library that you have marked as being checked out.
   • If the lock is obtained, the object is checked out.
   • If the lock cannot be obtained (for example, someone else has the object open) the object will not be checked out.
7. All the objects that were successfully checked out have their lock removed in the offline library. Essentially, although an Object may exist in more than one library, it is only be able to be edited in one of them.
8. During this process, a LOG file is created in the same location as the offline library. This file contains information such as a list of external files that were not included in the library, and any locks that were not successful.
9. Take a copy of the offline library.

   

   Tip: When you take the offline library to work in leave a copy at the location specified in the offline library properties. While a copy remains at this location Author-it disables the option to create a new offline library.

10. When the library is ready for check in it is returned to the location set in the offline library's properties. Author-it begins the check in process:
    • As each object is checked in the lock is removed in the main library. New objects are added to the main library.
    • If any changes were made to styles or templates in the main library the changes are applied to the objects as they are checked in.
    • If any new objects that link external files were created Author-it prompts for the path where the file will be stored.
11. The LOG file is updated.
12. After successful check in Author-it deletes the offline library.