6 Checking In Files

This chapter describes how to check in files to Oracle Content Server, in the following topics:

6.1 About Manual File Check-In

Manual File Check-in is the process of submitting a file to the content server repository. You must have the correct permission to check a file into the content server. The system administrator assigns permissions to users. During the check-in process, you specify metadata for your file so that the content item can be found by drilling down or by searching. You can check in files and have metadata automatically applied through your desktop application by using Desktop Integration Suite. For more information, see "Setting Metadata To Be Remembered for Form-Based Check-ins" in Oracle Fusion Middleware User's Guide for Desktop Integration Suite.

Important:

It is extremely important to know your organization's standards before you enter the metadata. The metadata helps users find the content item and determines where the content server stores the file.

6.2 Primary and Alternate Files

When you check in a file, the native file is the primary file. You have the option to also specify an alternate file, such as the following:

  • A web-viewable version of the native file: This is typically used when the native file cannot be converted by the content server, or you want to convert the native file manually.

  • A file in a format that can be converted to a web-viewable file: This is typically used when the native file cannot be converted by the content server, and you have an alternate file format that can be converted by the system (such as PostScript).

  • A file explaining what the native file contains: Typical uses include providing a text file that describes the contents of a compressed file (such as a ZIP file) and supplying documentation for an executable file.

For example, if you are checking in a Word document that has several graphics, you could compress the Word file and all the original graphics into a ZIP file and then check in that ZIP file as the primary file. As the alternate file, you could specify the Word document itself (which could be converted to PDF by the Oracle Content Server), a text file that describes the contents of the ZIP file, or a PDF file that you created manually.

Note:

The file extension of the alternate file (after the period) cannot be the same as that of the primary file (for example, both files cannot end in .doc)

6.3 Watermarks and File Check-In

This section covers the following topics:

6.3.1 About PDF Watermark

PDF Watermark is an optional component that is automatically installed with Oracle Content Server. If enabled, this component allows watermarks to be applied to PDF files generated by the PDFConverter component of Oracle Inbound Refinery (Oracle IBR), or to native PDF content in the weblayout directory.

There are two types of watermarks: Static and Dynamic. A PDF file receives a static watermark during content check-in as a follow-on step to the Oracle IBR conversion. Only documents that Oracle IBR converts to PDF can receive a static watermark. After a document receives a watermark, all viewers of the document see the same watermark.

Dynamic watermarks are generated as needed when a user requests the document for viewing or downloading and can contain variable information (for example, the user name, date, and time of download). System administrators define rules and set up specific conditions for determining which requested content gets a dynamic watermark. Different users may see the same content with different watermarks.

6.3.2 Watermark Templates

A special kind of template determines the appearance of a watermark that gets applied to a PDF document. A watermark template defines the text fields and images used for the watermark and to which pages each field and image can be applied. The template may also enforce certain security measures, such as requiring a password for viewing or printing the watermarked content. The system administrator creates and manages watermark templates.

6.3.3 Content Check-In Form

When you check in certain document formats to the system, they may be automatically converted to PDF for viewing on the web. In such cases, you may be allowed to specify a template used to apply the static watermark.

To request that a document receive a static watermark, enter the content ID of the template to be used. Your system administrator provides you with a list of templates that are available and appropriate for your use.

6.4 Checking In Single Files

This section covers the following topics:

6.4.1 Checking In a New File

Use the following procedure to check in a new file:

  1. Click the New Check In link.

  2. The Content Check-In Form opens.

  3. If applicable, enter a unique name in the Content ID field. Content ID values are generated automatically by the content server if your system administrator has enabled this feature. However, you can override an automatically generated content ID by entering a new value.

    Note:

    If your content server uses an Oracle database, all content IDs are converted to uppercase letters automatically.
  4. From the Type list, select the option that best describes the file.

  5. Enter a descriptive title in the Title field. The title you enter must be 249 or fewer characters in length.

  6. From the Security Group list, select the security group for the content item. Keep in mind that this content item is available to users who have permission to the specified security group.

  7. If accounts are enabled for your system, select an option from the Account list, or enter a new account name. Keep in mind that this content item is available to users who have permission to the specified account.

  8. Specify a primary file in one of two ways:

    • Click Browse next to the Primary File field. Navigate to and select the native file, then click Open.

    • Enter the complete path name and file name of the native file in the Primary File field (for example, c:/My Documents/ABC Project/MyFile.doc).

      Tip:

      You can check in a metadata placeholder without specifying a primary file by entering an invalid path in the Primary File field. For example, entering the word placeholder into the Primary File field creates a content item within Oracle Content Server with the specified metadata, but no indexed primary file. This can be useful for initiating workflows or making metadata available for searching and discussion.

      Note:

      If you are checking in a placeholder using Internet Explorer version 6.0 on the Windows XP operating system with Service Pack 2 installed, the path used in the Primary File field must be valid, but end with an invalid file. In the following example, c:/ is a valid drive, but placeholder is not a valid file:
      c:/placeholder
      

      If you do not specify a valid drive, an error message is displayed.

  9. If the Format field is displayed under the Primary File field, select the conversion format for the file.

    • If you selected the Use Default option, Oracle Content Server converts the file format based on its file name extension.

    • If selected any other option, Oracle Content Server ignores the file extension and uses the selected format to determine how to convert the file.

  10. (Optional) Specify an alternate file by browsing or entering the path name and file name.

    • The alternate file must have a different file extension than the primary file.

    • The alternate file is typically in a web-viewable format or a format that can be converted to a web-viewable file, such as .pdf, .txt, .doc, and so on.

  11. If the Format field is displayed under the Alternate File field and you specified an alternate file, select a conversion format for the file.

    • If you selected the Use Default option, Oracle Content Server converts the file format based on its file name extension.

    • If you selected any other option, Oracle Content Server ignores the file extension and uses the selected format to determine how to convert the file.

  12. Accept the default revision in the Revision field. (You should change the revision only if there is a specific reason to do so.)

  13. Enter any notes about the file in the Comments field.

  14. Use the default release date, or enter a future release date in the Release Date field.

  15. If you want the file to be unavailable in the content server on a particular date, enter a date in the Expiration Date field.

  16. If applicable, fill in any of your organization's custom metadata fields.

  17. After you enter all the appropriate metadata values, click Check In.

    Upon successful check-in, the Check-In Confirmation Page opens.

    Note:

    Depending on the type of file you checked in and how your system is configured, it may take a few minutes for the file to be converted and indexed before it is available through a search or by drilling down.

6.4.2 Checking In a Similar File

If you have a new file to check in that has similar metadata to an existing content item, you can use an existing content item as a model for the new file. The system then pre-fills metadata fields in the content check-in form with values from the "model" content item.

Use the following procedure to check in a similar file:

  1. From the Check-In Confirmation Page or the Content Information Page of the existing content item, click Check In Similar.

    The Content Check-In Form opens. Most of the metadata fields display the same values as those assigned to the existing content item.

  2. Continue with Step 3 of the procedure for Checking In a New File, changing or adding metadata values and member permissions as necessary.

6.4.3 Checking In a Revised File

Use the following procedure to check in a revised file:

  1. Click the My Content Server tray.

  2. Click My Checked-Out Content.

    The Checked-Out Content for user Page opens.

  3. Click the Actions icon for the appropriate content item to display a contextual menu, and choose Check In. You can now check in the revised file. For details, see Section 6.4.1, "Checking In a New File."

Please note the following considerations:

  • The content ID that was assigned to the original file cannot be changed.

  • The name of the original file is displayed for reference; however, the revised file that you are checking is not required to have the same name.

  • The revision has been incremented by one.

6.5 Checking In Multiple Files

This section covers the following topics:

6.5.1 About Multiple File Check-In

You can check in multiple files as a compressed ZIP file that is stored as a single content item. Checking in multiple files is useful for a variety of situations, including:

  • Publishing software, such as FrameMaker: You can check in an entire book that contains multiple chapters.

  • Page layout software, such as QuarkXpress: You can check in the Quark file and all its supporting files (fonts, pictures, and so on).

  • CAD software, such as Solidworks: You can check in an assembly made of several files.

  • Related files: You can check in a group of related files, such as a set of JPG files for a Web site.

There are two ways to check in multiple files:

  • Create a compressed ZIP file outside of Oracle Content Server, using a compression program such as WinZip or PKZIP, then check in this ZIP file as a single file. For details, refer to Section 6.4.1, "Checking In a New File."

  • Create a compressed ZIP file within Oracle Content Server by selecting the Upload Multiple Files check box in the Content Check-In Form. Checking in multiple files using this method is possible if all of the following conditions are true:

    • The system administrator has enabled the upload applet on the content server.

    • You select the Enable upload applet check box in your User Profile Page.

    • You are using a web browser that runs Java.

    For details, see Section 6.5.3, "Checking In Multiple Files Using Upload."

6.5.2 Upload Applet Requirements

You can use the upload applet to check in multiple files only if the following conditions are all true:

  • The system administrator has enabled the upload applet on the content server.

  • You selected the Enable upload applet check box in your User Profile Page.

  • You are using a web browser that runs Java.

The upload applet requires permission to access the local drive. When you access the Content Check-In Form for the first time after enabling this applet, you may see a Java security warning:

  • If your system is using the Sun Java plug-in, when you encounter this message box, click Run. If you do not want to be prompted again with this message box, select Always trust content from this publisher, then click Run.

  • If your system is using the Microsoft plug-in for Internet Explorer, click Yes to give full permissions. If you do not want to be prompted again with this message box, select Always trust software from Oracle, click Yes.

6.5.3 Checking In Multiple Files Using Upload

Use the following procedure to check in multiple files as a single content item in a compressed ZIP format using the upload applet:

Note:

You can also check in multiple files by creating a compressed ZIP file outside of Oracle Content Server using a compression program such as WinZip or PKZIP, and then checking in the ZIP file as a single file. For details, see Section 6.4.1, "Checking In a New File."
  1. Enable the upload applet in your user profile. For details, refer to Section 3.7.2, "Editing Your User Profile."

  2. Follow the general procedure for Checking In a New File, Checking In a Similar File, or Checking In a Revised File.

  3. Before specifying the primary file or alternate file, select the corresponding Upload Multiple Files check box.

  4. Click the corresponding Browse button.

    The Upload Files Window opens.

  5. (Optional) Change the default Zip Name value to a more descriptive file name. Include the .zip extension.

  6. Select the files to be checked in.

    Use the following procedure to select files one at a time:

    1. Click Select File.

      The Select File Window opens.

    2. Navigate to the file to add, and click Open.

      The Files to Upload list displays the file.

    3. Repeat the previous two steps as necessary to select individual files.

    Use the following procedure to select multiple files at a time:

    1. Click Select Multiple.

      The Select Files Window opens.

    2. To select the drive where the files are located, click Change Drive, select the drive on the Change Drive Window, and click OK.

    3. Navigate to the directory or files to add. The Subdirectories list shows the contents of the directory where you are currently located. To navigate to the parent directory, double-click the ".." entry in the Subdirectories list.

    4. To select multiple files in the Files list:

      • To select noncontiguous files, hold down the Ctrl key, and click each file name.

      • To select contiguous files, hold down the Shift key and click the first and last file names.

    5. To narrow the selection of files, use the File Filter field. For example, the filter *.doc selects all files with a .doc extension.

    6. To select all files in all subdirectories of the current directory, select the Recurse through subdirectories check box.

    7. To store path information (from the parent folder) with the files you are adding, select the Include parent folder in file path check box.

    8. Click the button appropriate to your selection: Add Selected or Add with Filter.

    9. The selected files are displayed in the Files to Upload list.

    10. Repeat these steps as necessary to add files from other directories or drives.

  7. Verify that the correct files are shown in the Files to Upload list, and click OK.

    The ZIP file name appears in the Primary File or Alternate File field.

  8. Follow the general check-in procedure to complete the check-in. For details, see Section 6.4.1, "Checking In a New File."

    If the chunking function is enabled, the Upload Message Screen displays a progress bar during upload.

6.6 Important Considerations

This section covers the following topics:

6.6.1 Multibyte Characters

You should not use multibyte characters (for example, Japanese or Korean) in content IDs and content types, even if Oracle Content Server is to be used in a multibyte environment. The values of these fields are included in the URLs of content items, and limitations in current web technology prevent web servers and browsers from handling URLs with multibyte characters correctly.

To use multibyte characters in content IDs, content types, or both, you must ask your content server system administrator if the entire content server environment (all servers and all clients) runs on operating systems that support multibyte languages (for example, Japanese or Korean versions of Microsoft Windows). Otherwise, errors may occur, such as links to PDF renditions of content items not working or Dynamic Converter failing to find content items.

6.6.2 Content Profiles

Content profiles, defined by your system administrator, determine what metadata fields are displayed and how they are grouped and titled on the associated check in, search, and information pages, based on rules established by the system administrator. By default, all content profiles are displayed as links under both the Search and New Check In lists on the Toolbar.

Figure 6-1 Content Profile Links Under the Search and New Check In Lists on the Toolbar

Surrounding text describes Figure 6-1 .

If you access a search or check-in page using a content profile link, you may not have access to all available metadata fields, either for searching or use when checking in a content item. Also, if you access the Content Information Page of a content item that meets criteria established by the system administrator, the initial information displayed may not be the full information available.

Figure 6-2 Content Information Page Streamlined by Content Profiles

Surrounding text describes Figure 6-2 .