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