Editing a library file

Download files from a library to edit them.

About this task

You can choose whether to check out a file before you edit it or whether you want to open it without checking it out. Checking out a file locks it so that no one else can replace the file while you are working on it. This functionality allows you to avoid losing edits and encountering conflict errors if you try to replace the file at the same time as another community member.

Procedure

To edit files use any of these methods.

Double-click the name of a library file and choose whether to open the file for editing or reading. If you open it for editing, the file will be locked until you check it back in or cancel the check out.
Right-click the name of a library file and choose Open to open with the default associated application or Open with to choose an application.
Note: This method does not lock the file so you might encounter conflicts when you upload your changes.
Right-click the name of a library file and choose Edit. The file will be locked until you check it back in or cancel the check out.
Right-click the name of a library file and choose Check out to lock the file. Then, right-click the name of a library file and choose Open or Edit to view or edit the file.

What to do next

Whether you checked out the file or not, making changes to a library file creates a new local draft. You are notified about the draft in the Library Drafts Monitor. After you are done editing a file, right-click the file name and choose Check in. Your changes are uploaded to the server and the file is unlocked so that others can edit it.