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You can exchange content between libraries and database servers and create backup copies of your content using export and import. When selecting content to export, you can choose a single document or folder, a selection of related documents, a collection of folders, or even an entire Library. The export process creates a single archive file that contains all of the documents included in the selection. Import adds all of the contents of an archive file to your Library, including their folder structure. If any errors occur during either process, they are written to an activity log, which is available for viewing upon completion of the process.

The export/import functionality allows you to:

Deliver content to your clients, allowing them to import it into their own libraries on their own servers and modify it further
Share and/or combine content among multiple developers working in single-user environments
Modify publishing styles
Share content defaults
Localize content
Share (Import/Export) sound files
Prepare a backup archive of your current content that can be imported back into the same Library for content restoration or recovery if necessary

Note: Use of export/import as a means of backing up your content is especially recommended for single user installations, as this type of installation does not include version control.

The export command is available only from the Library and Outline Editor, whereas import is a global menu command. Both commands are invoked from the Tools menu.

All document content in the Library, such as modules/sections, topics, web pages, glossaries, roles, questions/assessments, publishing styles, and so on, can be exported and hence imported as well. Included with each exported document are its embedded document properties, such as document name and language, as well as information about its links to other documents and its location within the folder structure of the Library. This information is included in the export archive even if the folders and/or the targets of the links themselves are not. Likewise, the folder structure is recorded in the export archive even if no folders are selected for export. The links and folder structure are rebuilt upon import as needed.

Multi-user Considerations

Unlike embedded document properties, external document properties are not included in the export of a document. These properties, such as State, are generally workflow-related and are stored on the server rather than as part of the document. When you import a document into a new Library, you must reset these properties as needed.

Also excluded from export, and therefore import, are document history and deleted documents. As a result, export/import provides only a partial backup in a multi-user environment. Therefore, you should use export and import for backup only as a supplement to your standard server backup procedures.

Folder permissions are not exported.

You can export and import whether online or offline. To export while offline, you must have the documents in your local cache. If you import while offline, you should check in the imported documents the next time you are working online, to make them available to other authors and add any changes to the Developer's version control system.

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