You can preview a selected non-empty topic, web page, or outline using the Preview list on the Standard toolbar. The Preview list is only active when a single document is selected in the Outline Editor, Web Page Editor, or Library.

When you preview a document in any format, the Developer uses the settings configured in the Documents and Player options (Tools menu). The Developer also uses the Category setting in the Preview option to determine which category of publishing styles should be used for previewing content. You should review these settings in Tools, Options before you preview a topic.

Set the Default Preview

You can choose any of the available publishing styles as the default preview using the Preview list. The Preview list box indicates the current preview default. Click to preview the selected content using the current default or click the down arrow in the Preview list and select a different format. Your selection becomes the new default.

Preview and Languages

If you preview localized content in a Player format, the interface elements are in the default Developer language. For example, if you preview French content from an English Developer, the Actions menu and its options appear in English. If you preview localized content in a Document or Presentation output, the static text appears in the default Developer language. For example, if you preview French content from an English Developer in the Training Guide style, the Table of Contents text is still in English.

 Multi-user Considerations

• You can preview content while working online and offline; however, you should note that only the local content is used in the preview. For example, you cannot choose to preview server vs. local content; however, you do have this option when publishing content. While working offline, a message appears when you try to preview content that you do not have in your local cache. If this happens, you should go online to preview the document or use the Get command to download the topic and return to working offline.
   
  Also note that you cannot preview deleted, but restorable documents. You must first restore the document to preview it.

Preview from the Library 

The preview behavior varies based on the type of content selected in the Library. 

• Topic: If a topic is selected with a Player style, the topic launches in the selected play mode. If a topic is selected with a print style, the topic launches in the software associated with that style. For example, Presentation style opens in Microsoft PowerPoint while the Training Guide style opens in Microsoft Word.
   
• Web Page: You can preview web pages only in print styles with web page definitions. When you select a style, the Preview Topic document in the Styles folder is used to publish a preview of the current web page in the appropriate print output format.
   
• Module or Section: If a module or section is selected, only the concept (if one exists) is published for preview and any children are omitted.

Preview from the Outline Editor

When you select a module or section for preview from the Outline Editor, the preview publishes the selection item only. In addition, any item that is in the direct path from the root item to the selected item is published. For example, your outline is called Main outline and has a section called First Child section. Under First Child section are two subsections called First Grandchild section and Second Grandchild section. If you select the Second Grandchild section, the published output for preview would contain the Main outline, the First Child section and the Second Grandchild section but the First Grandchild section would be omitted because it is not in the direct path.

No items at levels below the selected item are published.

Preview from the Web Page Editor

When you preview a web page from the Library or Outline Editor, the preview behavior is as described above. Additionally, you can preview a web page you are editing from within the Web Page Editor using either the Preview in Word or Preview in Browser icons on the Web Page Editor - Tools toolbar.

To preview content:

1. From the Library or Outline, select the recorded topic or web page that you want to preview.
    
2. On the File menu, point to Preview and choose one of the formats listed. The Player modes are listed first followed by the document formats.
    
   You can also click the down arrow to the right of the Preview list on the Standard toolbar and choose one of the formats listed. Then click to preview the topic.
    
3. Review the topic and close it when you are finished.

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