Edit Content in Edit View

When you display content in the Edit View, you can see one or more topics. The Contributor Editor Toolbar contains a variety of options for adding and editing content.

To work on the content, it must be in status Work in progress, see View the Status.

If you need to make changes to content in another status, there are three approaches you can take as an author or administrator:

Branching the content creates a separate version of the content that you can work on, without affecting any ongoing translation work. You can then translate the branched content separately, afterwards. Recommended
Change the Status to Work in progress from the Resource View.
Change the status to Work in progress from the Edit View.

This feature is only available for authors or administrators, see User Types. The Contributor will only be informed that the content is read-only. The assignment creator will have to change the status.

Important

It is not recommended to change status if your content is In translation or In translation review.

At that stage, the translators are working with the previous version of the content, so their work will not include translations for the changes you make.

Tip

In Contributor Editor, you can:

Add Comments in Edit View to provide feedback and information. You can also show and hide comment highlights. If you only want to add feedback comments, you do not need to enter the Edit View.
Copy Content from other Applications into the Contributor Editor. This includes copying from Word, Google Docs, and MarkDown editors.

Add Admonitions

In Contributor Editor you can add admonitions, such as warnings, notes, examples and tips. The instruction below shows how to add admonitions, change admonition type or remove them.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Position the cursor where you want to add the admonition. It will appear below the cursor position.
Note

If you want to add an admonition:
- After a Code block, Admonition, List or Procedure, quickly hit Enter twice to exit the block element.
- Inside a step or list item, position the cursor at the end of the the step or list item.
Select Admonition and choose admonition type in the in the Contributor Editor Toolbar.
Add content to the admonition. By default, an admonition has a paragraph.
To change admonition type, position the cursor inside the admonition and select another admonition type.
To remove the admonition, position the cursor inside it and and press Backspace on your keyboard.
Select Save.

Add Breaks Between Block Elements

To be able to add information below a block element in Contributor Editor, a break must be added. How you add a break depends on the type of block element:

Quickly hit Enter twice to exit a Code block, Admonition, List or Procedure.
Use the Break widget to exit a Table, Image or Media.

The following instruction describes how the break widget is used.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Select the Break widget that appears when hovering over a table, image or media.

The break ends the previous structure with a paragraph.
Use the Contributor Editor Toolbar to add or edit content.
Select Save.

Add Code Blocks

A code block is a section of one or more lines of code. When the content is published, the code block is formatted with syntax highlighting, indentation. In many cases Paligo will output proper syntax highlighting just by autodetecting the language. But in some cases the results will be better if the language is specified.

The following instruction shows how to add a code block in Contributor Editor.

Tip

If you want to change the programming language for an existing code block, position the cursor inside the code block and select a new programming language from the toolbar.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Position the cursor in a new paragraph.

Tip

You can also highlight a text and then select the code block option in the Contributor Editor Toolbar to turn it into a code block.
Select Insert code block and choose programming language in Contributor Editor Toolbar.
Enter the code inside the code block.
Select Save.

Add Images

In Contributor Editor you can add both images and inline images. The instruction below shows how to add images and available settings.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Position the cursor where you want to add the image.
Select Image and choose image type in the Contributor Editor Toolbar.
Use the Search (1) to find an existing image in the media library or Upload (2) a new image.

Tip

If you hover over an image, a magnifying glass is displayed in the top corner of the image. Select the magnifying glass to see a large popup view of the image.
Select an image from the media library.
Select the added image in the topic to open the image options.
1. Replace the image
2. Switch image type (image or inline image)
3. Add or remove caption
4. Adjust image size
5. Select size unit (pixels or percent)
Adjust the image with the image options.
Select Save.

Add Inline Elements

There are inline elements that you can use in Contributor Editor, such as bold, italic and underline. You can add them to individual letters, words or entire paragraphs. This is similar to "formatting" in a word processing program, but with more possibilities.

Tip

To remove text formatting, see Remove Inline Elements.

Highlight the text that you want to have the inline element.
Select an inline element in Contributor Editor Toolbar.
1. Bold
2. Italic
3. Underline
4. Strikethrough
5. Overline
6. Superscript
7. Subscript
8. Code - Use it to mark up text as code. It will be styled differently in the output so that it is clear that the text is code and not regular text.
  
  Note
  
  For blocks of code, if you are not adding it inline in the middle of text, use Insert Code block in the toolbar instead.
9. GUI label - Use it to mark up text as a user interface label. This is often used for options in software.
10. Tag - Use it to mark up text as an HTML or XML element.
  
  For example, if the topic was about formatting HTML headings, you might have <h1> in the text and you could apply the tag to that. In the output, the tag content has a different styling to regular content.
Select Save.

Add Links

When you are working in Contributor Editor, you can add links to other topics within the assigned publication and external websites.

If you want to be able to link to topics outside the assignment, see Document Access.

Important

For the contributor to View Content in Context and to cross-reference topics within the publication, the assignment must be created from a fork.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Position the cursor where the link is to be inserted.

Alternatively, highlight the text that you want to use as the label for the link.
Select Link in Contributor Editor Toolbar and choose the appropriate type of link.
- Cross-reference - Select a topic or other content in your publication to link to.
- Link - Enter the URL to an external website and accept it with the green checkmark.
If necessary to edit the link or cross-reference, select it to access menu options.
- Unlink
- Edit link
Select Save.

Add Lists and Procedures

As a contributor, you can add entire lists and procedures or individual steps to a topic. If you want to add a paragraph or other elements after the list or procedure, you will need to Add Breaks Between Block Elements.

Tip

To create a sublist, create a new list item after an existing one. Use the Tab key to indent the new list item. At the end of the sub list, if the main list is to continue, create another sublist item and then use Shift + Tab to outdent it again.

To convert a list to a paragraph, position the cursor before the first character in the item / step / bullet text and press backspace. It will convert into a paragraph on the previous numbered item / step / bullet.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Position the cursor where the new list or procedure is to be inserted.

Note

If you want to add a list after another "structure" such as a subsection, add a break first. You can then add the list after the break.
Select a list option from the Contributor Editor Toolbar.
1. Numbered list. Use this for numbered lists that are charts or rankings. Do not use the it for step-by-step procedures (instructions/tasks). For such lists, use the procedure list instead.
2. Bulleted list. Use this for lists of items where there is no sequence to be followed.
3. Procedure. Use the procedure list for step-by-step instructions / tasks.
4. To-Do list. Use it to tick off tasks that must be done.
Enter the text for the first step / list item.
Press Enter at the end of the line to create the next step / list item.
Add as many steps as you need.
To add content, press Shift + Enter to move the cursor below the text.
Use the Contributor Editor Toolbar to insert images, admonitions or other content.
Select Save.

Add Subsections

To add a new topic or subsection in Contributor Editor, you must open the content in Edit View.

The new content will be located inside the topic that you have been assigned to. As a contributor, it is not possible to move it outside the assigned topic. Only the author can reorganize the publication structure.

Note

The contributor can only place subsections as the first nested section of the assigned topic. It is the responsibility of the author to arrange the subsections in the desired order once the contribution assignment is done.

This instruction describes how to add subsections to a contribution assignment topic.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Place the cursor where the new subsection is to be added.
Select Add Section in the Contributor Editor Toolbar.
Enter a title.
Use the Contributor Editor Toolbar to add or edit the content.
If needed, use the arrows to rearrange the order of the subsections or to delete a topic.
Select Save.

Add Tables

In Contributor Editor you can add tables and edit existing tables. The instruction below shows how to add tables and available settings.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Position the cursor where you want to add the table.
Select Insert table and choose the number of rows and columns in the Contributor Editor Toolbar.

Tip

You can add more rows and columns later if needed.
Select the part (or parts) of the table to be formatted (row, cell, column) to open the table options.
1. Column - Make header column, add, delete and select column.
2. Row - Make header row, add, delete and select row.
3. Merge cells - Merge cell up, down, right and left. Split cell vertically or horizontally.
4. Adjust table width.
5. Adjust text alignment (left, center, right or justify).
6. Add or remove caption
To delete the table, hover over the table and select the blue square in the left corner and press Backspace on your keyboard.
Select Save.

Add Topics

To add a new topic or subsection in Contributor Editor, you must open the content in Edit View.

Your new topics will appear in the location specified by the author when the assignment is created, see Contribution Settings. You cannot change the location in Edit View.

As a contributor, it is not possible to move it outside the assigned topic. Only the author can reorganize the publication structure.

Note

When there are multiple topics in the contribution assignment, you have to Close and check-in a topic to be able to edit one of the other topics.

Also, remember to Save the changes before closing it.

To the left - Save the changes, To the right - Close and check-in the topic

This instruction describes how to add new topics to a contribution assignment topic.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Move the cursor to the plus symbol.
Enter a title.
Select Insert.
Use the Contributor Editor Toolbar to add or edit the content.
Select Save.

AI Assistant

The built-in AI Assistant in the Contributor Editor provides you the ability to improve existing content, but also to generate new content such as titles, paragraphs, lists, and tables by prompting OpenAPI.

You find the AI assistant button in the bottom-right corner of the Contributor Editor Toolbar. It is divided into two parts:

Commands hold the most common AI features to improve, shorten, lengthen, simplify and summarize content.
Generate Text to make the AI create new content.

Note

The AI Assistant is only available in the Contributor Editor.

Use Commands

The AI Assistant hold the most common features to improve, shorten, lengthen, simplify and summarize content.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Select the text to be edited.
Select AI Assistant.
Select Commands and choose one of the options.
The AI Assistant suggests a new text with the following choices:
- Replace the selected text with this suggestion.
- Insert below the selected text
- Try again to make the AI provide a new suggestion. Help the AI by explaining what is needed in the field at the bottom of the dialogue.
Select Save.

Generate Text

You can use the AI Assistant to generate new content.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Position the cursor where the text is to be inserted.
Select AI Assistant.
Select Generate Text.
Describe what you want AI Assistant to generate content about.
Select Submit.
The AI Assistant suggests a new text with the following choices:
- Replace the selected text with this suggestion.
- Insert below the selected text
- Try again to make the AI provide a new suggestion. Help the AI by explaining what is needed in the field at the bottom of the dialogue.
Select Save.

Create Snapshots in Edit View

When you are working on your assignment, you can save the content as a "snapshot". A snapshot is an archived version of the content at a particular point in time and is useful when you compare different versions. When a user creates a snapshot, it is possible to add a comment that provides more context about the snapshot for other users.

Some snapshots are created automatically at certain stages of the assignment process. But we also recommend that you create a snapshot when you:

Complete an assignment
Share content
Feel there are special changes that would be useful to be able to go back and compare snapshots.

Important

Only administrators, authors and contributors can create snapshots. Learn more about the differences between the User Types.

To create a snapshot:

Select Settings.
Select Create Snapshot.
Add a comment that explains why it was created.

Note

The snapshot comment can be viewed in the full Paligo Editor.

Select the parent folder in the Content Manager to access the Resource View. Expand the topic in the list and select the Versions tab. It contains all comments added for the snapshot versions.
Select OK to confirm the comment and create the snapshot.

Edit the Source Code

Paligo recommends that you use the regular features in Edit Mode to add and edit content in Contributor Editor.

However, there may be times when you want to look at the source code, for example, if a formatting element appears to be in the wrong place. The source code in the Source Editor is in HTML, it is only transformed to XML when saved to the database. You can view it by selecting the Source code option in the toolbar.

Caution

This is only for users with an advanced understanding of HTML code. By editing the source code in the Contributor Editor, it is easy to make mistakes and create a corrupt topic.

If you are not sure of this, instead provide a feedback comment about the necessary changes to the author.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Select Source code in the Contributor Editor Toolbar.
You can view the code or change the content in the Source Editor.

Warning

Do not use the source editor unless you have a good understanding of HTML.
Select Update to save changes or Cancel to exit without saving.

You can only update the code with your changes, if the HTML structure is valid.

Remove Inline Elements

Removing inline elements (such as bold, italic, guilabel, tag) can be done in two ways in Contributor Editor:

Deselect the inline element by selecting it again. An option in use is marked with a gray background.
Use Remove format. The following instruction describes how the Remove format option is used.

Warning

Do NOT use the Remove format option on text fragments that have a red background. That means that the text is reused in other topics and should not be edited. If you remove the format, it would break the reuse. Instead provide a feedback comment on such a text fragment.

Should you happen to clear the formatting on a reused text fragment, undo the command with Ctrl + Z (PC) or Cmd + Z (Mac).

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Select the content or position the cursor inside the text where the formatting is to be removed.
Select Remove format in the Contributor Editor Toolbar.
Select Save.

Undo or Redo Contributor Edits

In Contributor Editor you can undo and redo all actions done since the last time you saved. The options for Undo and Redo are found in the Contributor Editor Toolbar.

Use the Undo option to cancel your last action. If needed, you can select the Undo option multiple times to cancel your previous actions in order.
Use the Redo option to restore the previous cancelled action.

To the left - Undo, To the right - Redo

Tip

You can also use the standard keyboard shortcuts:

Undo - Ctrl + Z (PC) or Cmd + Z (Mac)
Redo - Ctrl + Y (PC) or Cmd + Shift + Z (Mac)

Variables in Contributions

When you work on a Contribution Assignment, you may see variables in the content. Variables are words or phrases that are reused in many places. A common example is a product name, which may be reused in a user guide, specifications document, training content, and other content. By setting the product name as a variable, authors can update the name with a single change, rather than having to update every occurrence of the name.

In Edit View, variables appear as highlighted boxes in the text. They can appear as the code for the variable, which is <name of variable set>:<name of variable>:

Variables shown as code, no values in place.

Or they can appear with a value in place:

Variables shown with variant values in place.

As a Contributor, you can:

Choose the values that should be shown for the variables, see Set the Variants for Variables in a Contribution.
Use variables in any text that you add or change, see Add a Variable to a Contribution.

You cannot:

Change the text in the variables, as this could have an impact on other documents.
Create new variables. New variables can only be created in the full Paligo editor.

Set the Variants for Variables in a Contribution

If your content contains variables, you may see the variable code rather than actual text or values. This means the variable values have not been chosen. Variable values come from a collection, called a "variant". Typically, authors will create a "favorite" profile that you can select to quickly apply the appropriate variant. If not, you can set the variant manually.

Select the assignment in the Assignments Panel.

The Assignment Types control which view opens up.

Tip

For alternative ways to open an assignment, see Different Ways to Open Assignments.
Select Settings.
Select Profile settings.
If you have been advised to use a specific "favorite profile", select the Favorites tab. Next, select the profile and then select Apply. You can then close the Profile Settings dialog (ignore the remaining steps of this procedure).

If you cannot see the relevant profile, or have not been told which profile to use, contact the creator of the Contribution Assignment. Ask them which profile you should use, or if there is no profile, which variant(s) you should use. We explain how to apply the variants in the next step.
If you have been asked to apply the variants without using a profile, select the Variables tab. It contains a list of Variable Sets.

In your content, variables with no set values appear as:
```
{variable set:variable}
```
For example, {Acme Products:Product Name}

Make a note of which Variable Sets are referenced.
For each Variable Set that is referenced in your content:
1. Select the dropdown box below the Variable Set name.
2. Select the appropriate variant.
When you have set the variants, select Apply.
Close the Profile Settings dialog.

Add a Variable to a Contribution

You can use any of the existing variables when you add or edit content in your Contribution Assignment. But be aware that you cannot create new variables, as they can only be created in the full Paligo editor.

To use a variable in your Contribution Assignment:

Open the Contribution Assignment in Edit View.
Click at the position where you want the variable to appear, for example, in a sentence inside a paragraph.
Select Variables on the Contributor Editor Toolbar. .
Choose the appropriate Variable Set.

A Variable Set is a collection of variables and their variants (values).
Select a variable to add it to the content.
Select OK or Close to close the Choose a variable dialog.

Note

If the variable appears as the variable code, you can set its variant (see Set the Variants for Variables in a Contribution).

Edit Content in Edit View

Important

Tip

Add Admonitions

Tip

Note

Add Breaks Between Block Elements

Tip

Add Code Blocks

Tip

Tip

Tip

Add Images

Tip

Tip

Add Inline Elements

Tip

Note

Add Links

Important

Tip

Add Lists and Procedures

Tip

Tip

Note

Add Subsections

Note

Tip

Add Tables

Tip

Tip

Add Topics

Note

Tip

AI Assistant

Note

Use Commands

Tip

Generate Text

Tip

Create Snapshots in Edit View

Important

Note

Edit the Source Code

Caution

Tip

Warning

Remove Inline Elements

Warning

Tip

Undo or Redo Contributor Edits

Tip

Variables in Contributions

Set the Variants for Variables in a Contribution

Tip

Add a Variable to a Contribution

Note

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