The library is a central storage place for media and third-party elements such as:

  • Folders - Containers for other library items
  • Barcodes - Barcode and QR code images
  • Counters - Auto-incrementing fields used to count items such as figures, tables, equations...
  • Documents - DOCX, RTF, HTML, TXT...
  • Dynamic content - Scripts producing dynamic HTML-based content
  • Equations - Mathematical equations and expressions
  • HTML Code - This is raw HTML code which will be exported as-is in the final HTML based documentation
  • Image maps - Pictures with interactive click-able zones
  • Movies - MOV, AVI...
  • Pictures - PNG, JPEG...
  • Snippets - Place-holders for rich text content which can contain formatted texts, pictures...
  • Variables - Place-holders for textual content

All those elements are stored within the library and can be re-used in any number of topics within the current project. Once an item is placed in the topic editor, it is linked to the corresponding library item and therefore any modification made to the library item will also be propagated to the all linked items. As an example, changing a picture in the library which has been placed in hundreds of topics, will automatically update all those topics to display the updated picture.

Display the Library toolbar

To simplify library management, instead of navigating to the global ribbon tab to manage library, an optional toolbar can be shown at the top of the library panel. To toggle it, click the "Show / Hide library toolbar" in the title bar of the library panel.

Adding a library item

There are multiple ways to add items in the library:

  • From the "Home" ribbon tab, in the "Library" group, use the "Add item" button;
  • From the "Home" ribbon tab, in the "Library" group, use the "Import files" button to import multiple files at once;
  • Drag and drop files from the Windows Explorer on the library to show the "Import files" dialog and import them;
  • Drag and drop files from the Windows Explorer on the topic editor to show the "Import files" dialog, import them, and place them within that topic.

See the How to add an item to the library step-by-step guide.

Inserting a library item

To insert an item from the library to the topic editor, either:

  • Drag and drop the item from the Library panel into the topic editor
  • Select the element in the library panel then click the "Insert in topic" button from the "Home" ribbon bar, in the "Library" group
  • Right click the element in the library panel and choose "Insert in topic"

Inserting the library item's content into a topic

Some library items (documents, HTML, variables and snippets) can have their content directly inserted within a topic. This is useful to transform library items as "templates" for topic content. If the selected library items supports it, either:

  • Click the arrow at the right of the "Insert in topic" button from the "Home" ribbon bar, in the "Library" group, then click "Insert content in topic"
  • Right click the element in the library panel, hover over the "Insert in topic" item, then click "Insert content in topic"

Removing a library item

When an item is not needed anymore, it can be removed from the library:

  • Select the unwanted item in the "Library" panel
  • From the "Home" tab, in the "Library" group, click "Delete"

Note: Deleting a library item from the library will not delete any instance of that item in the project's topics. This providing a way to review each topic individually and decide if that instance needs to be deleted or replaced. The project analyzer can be used to quickly spot and fix delete library items.

See the How to delete an item to the library step-by-step guide.