Modify Attributes – Reference Attributes

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The Resource Manager provides an interface that enables you to modify references for several different tags in a DITA topic or map. You invoke the Resource Manager for modifying reference attributes from the Modify Attributes dialog box, the Document Map, and Column view. You invoke the Resource Manager by selecting the Browse option This is an image of a gray square with three periods on it.

next to the attribute you want to modify. In this case, the Resource Manager appears with the tab for modifying reference attributes active. The element and attribute you are modifying are in the title of the tab (for example, lq/href).

You can use the Resource Manager to both modify references to local documents and to modify references to external documents referenced by a URL. For most elements and attributes, you can use either type of reference. However, some elements and attributes require a specific type of reference.

Options for Modifying References to Local Documents

For modifying references to local documents, the Resource Manager for modifying attributes contains the following options:

• Look in — Determines the location of the content displayed in the Resource Manager browser.

Select a location from the drop-down list. This field always contains the location currently available in the browser. Double-clicking on a folder in the browser causes that folder to be displayed in the Look in field. If you select The Web in this list, the interface changes to the state for inserting references to Internet documents.

The list contains a Favorite Locations This is an image of a yellow star.

choice. Selecting this choice moves the location displayed in the browser to the Favorite Locations node where there is a list of the favorite locations you have saved.

The list also contains a History This is an image of a green circle containing a white, backwards pointing arrow.

choice. Selecting this choice moves the location displayed in the browser to the History node where there is a list of all the locations you have visited in the current session.

• Menu button This is an image of a document with a down pointing arrow beside of it.

— Displays a menu that contains the following options:

◦ Open (suffixed with Document)— If you have a document selected in the browser, opens that document in a new window.

Selected XML, DITA, SGML, and HTML documents open in a new Arbortext Editor window. Other types of documents or graphics open in the associated application. For example, a graphic opens in your default graphics application.

◦ Clear History — Clears the list of visited locations from the History node in the browser.

This choice is only available when the History node is selected.

◦ Add to Favorites — Adds the selected location to the Favorite Locations list.

This choice is only available when a file system folder, content management system (CMS) folder, or similar location is selected in the browser.

◦ Remove from Favorites — Removes the selected location from the Favorite Locations list.

This choice is only available when an item in the Favorite Locations list is selected.

◦ Move Up — Moves an item in the Favorite Locations list up one level in the list.

This choice is only available when an item in the Favorite Locations list is selected.

◦ Move Down — Moves an item in the Favorite Locations list down one level in the list.

This choice is only available when an item in the Favorite Locations list is selected.

◦ Export Favorites — Opens the Save As dialog box where you can save the list of your current favorite locations in an XML file.

This choice is only available when the Favorite Locations node is selected in the browser. This option saves your favorites in an XML file that can then be imported as a list of favorites using the Import Favorites menu choice. Do not modify this XML file, as it is just intended for saving a list of favorites.

◦ Import Favorites — Opens the Open dialog box where you can select an XML file containing an exported Resource Manager favorites list.

This choice is only available when the Favorite Locations node is selected in the browser. This option enables you to import as a list of favorites that were exported using the Export Favorites menu choice.

After you select a file in the Open dialog box and click Open, another dialog box opens asking whether to Merge with or replace current favorites list? Click Merge to have locations in the imported list that are not already in your current list added to your favorites list. Click Replace to have your current favorites list completely replaced by the imported list.

◦ Check Out and Edit — Opens the selected CMS object in Arbortext Editor for editing.

If the object is not checked out, the Resource Manager checks out (locks) the object for you. You have the option to check out any dependant objects in the same operation. This menu choice is only available for PTC Server connection objects.

◦ Check Out — Checks out (locks) the selected unlocked CMS object.

You have the option to check out any dependant objects in the same operation. This menu choice is only available for PTC Server connection objects.

◦ Undo Check Out — Cancels the check out of a CMS object and discards any changes made to that checked out version.

After canceling the check out of an object, if the document object is open in Arbortext Editor, it will change to read-only. This menu choice is only available for PTC Server connection objects.

◦ Properties — Displays the Object Properties dialog box containing the properties of the selected object.

This menu choice is only available for PTC Server connection objects.

◦ Clear CMS Search Results — Clears any CMS objects that have been added to the CMS Search Results part of the Resource Manager browser.

This menu choice is only available for supported CMS adapters. This option does not remove those objects from the CMS, just from the Resource Manager browser.

• Previous Folder button This is an image of a green circle containing a white, backwards pointing arrow.

— Moves the location displayed in the browser to the last folder that was displayed in the browser.

The Resource Manager maintains a history of the folders you have viewed in the current session, so you can use this button to move the browser view back through that history. If you have viewed only one folder in the current session, this button is disabled.

• Up One Level button This is an image of a folder with a green arrow superimposed pointing up.

— Moves the location displayed in the browser up one level in the current hierarchy.

If you are at the top of the hierarchy, this button is disabled.

• Refresh button This is an image of a white document with two green arrows superimposed pointing in a circle.

— Updates the browser view to reflect any changes made to the objects displayed in the browser.

• Browse the Web button This is an image of a white document with a globe superimposed.

— Changes the dialog box to the state for modifying references from the Internet.

• Use CMS Object Browser button This is an image a file cabinet.

— Invoke the Browser for the PTC Server connection or a repository adapter.

This button is only available when you are connected to a content management system (CMS) through the PTC Server connection or a repository adapter.

• Search CMS button This is an image of a pair of binoculars over a file cabinet.

— Invokes the Search dialog box.

This button is only available for PTC Server connection objects. The Search dialog box enables you to enter a query to find all CMS objects matching some search criteria. Search results appear in the CMS Search Results part of the Resource Manager browser.

• Filter — Enables you to filter the list of files and document elements displayed in the browser.

When you enter text in this option, the list of files and document elements displayed in the browser is filtered to just show the files or elements for which the labels contain the text you have entered. In this case, the Filter option and the browser display a light yellow background color to indicate that the contents of the browser are being filtered.

For example, if you enter “test”, then just objects with labels containing “Test”, “testing”, “test cases”, and so forth are displayed in the browser. If you have expanded a document to show the elements inside the document, then the displayed elements are also filtered. In this case, the document remains displayed in the browser even if its label does not contain the filter text.

Filtering is case insensitive. Folders and similar objects are not filtered. If you enter multiple terms in the Filter option, the matching labels must contain all of those terms.

• Resource Manager browser — Provides a file system, content management system (CMS), or document hierarchy.

The Resource Manager browser enables you to locate content in either a file system or a CMS to insert into your document. The browser provides a hierarchical view of the contents of the file system or CMS. In addition to showing folder and files, the browser also enables you to view the contents of DITA documents. For example, when you are using the Topic tab, the browser shows you the elements in a DITA document that are available for use as a topic reference based on the current context in the document. If a title for an element is available, the title is displayed in the browser next to the element. The element's ID is also displayed, depending on the setting of the ditahideids advanced preference.

If you are browsing the contents of a DITA map that contains key definitions, you can expand that map and the key definitions are indicated by a key icon This is an image of the Insert Key Reference toolbar button.

. If you select a key definition, the key name is inserted in the Keyref option. If you modify the reference with the key definition selected, the value of the href, scope, type, and format attributes from the key definition are used for the modified reference. The setting of the ditakeyrefui advanced preference determines whether this option is available in the Resource Manager browser.

The browser contains a Favorite Locations This is an image of a yellow star.

node that contains the list of the favorites locations you have saved. Double-clicking on one of the favorites opens that location in the browser. If a favorite location is not currently available, for example if the location has been deleted or is a CMS folder and you are not logged onto the CMS, then the folder has special icon This is an image of a folder with a red rectangle containing a white exclamation point on top.

to indicate that status.

The browser also contains a History This is an image of a green circle containing a white, backwards pointing arrow.

node that contains a list of all the locations you have visited in the current session. Double-clicking on one of the locations opens that location in the browser.

Click on the plus sign ( + ) in the hierarchy to open a level in the hierarchy or the contents of a document. Click on the minus sign ( – ) to close a level or document. Click on an object in the hierarchy to select it. Double-click on a folder to move the browser focus to that folder. Double-click on a document or document element to replace the current topic reference in your document with a reference to the selected document or element.

• Type — Determines the type of document displayed in the Resource Manager browser.

Use this drop-down list to filter the documents displayed in the browser by the type of document. You can choose the following types of documents:

◦ Topic — Only display DITA topic documents.

◦ Topic or Map — Display either DITA map or topic documents.

◦ Map — Only display DITA map documents.

◦ Image — Only display graphic files.

◦ DITAVAL — Only display DITAVAL files.

This choice is only available when you are modifying the href attribute for the data element. Also in the case, when you set the href attribute to a DITAVAL file, the name attribute is automatically set to ditavalref.

◦ PDF — Only display PDF documents.

◦ HTML — Only display HTML documents.

◦ Any — Display all types of documents.

• Show — Determines the type of documents displayed for DITA documents in the Resource Manager browser.

Use this drop-down list to filter the elements displayed for documents in the browser by the type of element. The contents of this list varies based on the type of document you are editing.

• Keyref — Enables you to optionally enter a key name to insert in the keyref attribute for the reference.

Use this option when you want to add a key reference to the reference you are modifying. The setting of the ditakeyrefui advanced preference determines whether this option is available in the Resource Manager. If there are keys defined in one of the key-defining maps set in either the ditakeycontext or ditakeybaselist advanced preferences for the object selected in the browser, then those keys appear in the drop-down list by default.

• Modify button — Replaces the current reference in your document with a reference to the document selected in the browser.

Options for Modifying References to Documents Referenced by a URL

For modifying references to a document referenced by a URL, the Resource Manager for modifying attributes contains the following options:

• Look in — Determines the state of the interface.

This option is always set to The Web when you are modifying a reference to a document on the Internet. Selecting a different location from the drop-down list changes the state of the tab to that for modifying references to local documents.

Menu button This is an image of a document with a down pointing arrow beside of it.

— Displays a menu that contains the following options:

◦ Open (suffixed with Document) — This choice is disabled.

◦ Clear CMS Search Results — Clears any CMS objects that have been added to the CMS Search Results part of the Resource Manager browser.

• Previous Folder button This is an image of a green circle containing a white, backwards pointing arrow.

— Moves the location displayed in the browser to the last folder that was displayed in the browser.

If the last location you viewed in the browser is not The Web, the state of the tab changes to that for modifying references to local documents.

• Up One Level button This is an image of a folder with a green arrow superimposed pointing up.

— This button is disabled.

• Refresh button This is an image of a white document with two green arrows superimposed pointing in a circle.

— This button is disabled.

• Browse the Web button This is an image of a white document with a globe superimposed.

— This button is disabled.

• Current Document button This is an image of a white document with a blue star superimposed.

— Opens the current document in the browser view.

The state of the tab changes to that for modifying references to local documents.

• Use CMS Object Browser button This is an image of a file cabinet.

— Invokes the Browser for the PTC Server connection or a repository adapter.

This button is only available when you are connected to a content management system (CMS) through the PTC Server connection or a repository adapter.

• Search CMS button This is an image of a pair of binoculars over a file cabinet.

— Invokes the Search dialog box.

• URL — Displays the URL to be inserted for your link or cross reference.

You can either edit this field to add the desired URL or select the Get Browser URL button to insert the URL for the web page displayed in your active web browser into the option.

• Open Browser — Opens your default web browser.

If there is a URL in the URL option, the web browser opens with that web page displayed. Note that you must have a default web browser set either in your operating system or in the Preferences dialog box’s File Locations preferences to use this option.

• Get Browser URL — Inserts the URL for the web page displayed in your active web browser into the URL option.

Note that you must have a default web browser set either in your operating system or in the Preferences dialog box’s File Locations preferences to use this option.

• Keyref — Enables you to optionally enter a key name to insert in the keyref attribute for the reference.

Use this option when you want to add a key reference to the reference you are modifying. The setting of the ditakeyrefui advanced preference determines whether this option is available in the Resource Manager. If there are keys defined in one of the key-defining maps set in either the ditakeycontext or ditakeybaselist advanced preferences for the URL displayed in the browser, then those keys appear in the drop-down list by default.

• Modify button — Replaces the reference in your document with a reference to the specified URL.

Related information

Resource Manager Overview

Modify Attributes Dialog Box