The File Formats Section

All files in the Content Management Server are created on the basis of file formats. A file format defines, among other things, the following properties of the files which are based on them.

• File type and file name extension;
• custom fields and field sets, in which fields can be grouped together;
• a global creation permission: only users who have this permission may create files based on this file format;
• valid formats for files contained in folders;
• the name of a main content layout - a layout file which is always processed when a main content of a file based on the file format is exported or displayed as a preview;
• several functions: a function is Tcl code, which is executed by the Content Management Server when an application-specific event occurs, e.g. when a version has been edited.

To a certain extent, therefore, file formats define regulations which have to be observed by the Content Management Server when you create a new file, or modify or export the version of a file.

In order to be able to define file formats, you must have the permission to edit global settings.

If you would like to create, edit or delete a file format, switch to the File Formats section by clicking on the File Formats tab on the Configuration Management page.

This page is also displayed if you click the Browse or Add button in a dialog in order to select a file format. In this case, the New button is not present and a Cancel button is provided in the upper area of the page allowing you to cancel the selection action if required.

In order to display file formats in the main area of the section, please use the search function.

If you would like to only display those file formats whose names contain a particular search text, enter the search text in the Show file formats whose name contains field and click on the Search button. A list of file formats whose names contain the search text is then displayed in the main area of the section. In order to change the search text, enter the new search text in the Show file formats whose name contains field and click again on the Search button. If you would like to have all available file formats displayed, leave the entry field empty and click on the Search button.

You can also refine the search by entering the file type as an additional search criterion. To do this, select one of the possible file types from the Show only file formats of type popup menu.

The list entries of the search result each contain the name, the title and the file type of a file format.

The number of file formats displayed in the list in the main area of the section depends on your personal preferences. If the list contains more entries than you have set as default, a sequence of numbers in ascending order will appear above and below the list. Each number refers to an additional results page which you can display by clicking on the number. You can also move forwards and backwards (using next or previous).

If this page was displayed because you clicked the Browse or Add button in a dialog, you can now select a file format by simply clicking its name.

If you click on the name of a file format listed, the Content Manager displays all the available information concerning this format on the view page of the file format: