Content Explorer

The Content Explorer (along with the Project Organizer) is one of the most-used elements in the Flare interface. The Content Explorer, just as it sounds, is used to hold all of the content-related items in your project. This includes the following:

Topic files are added to the root folder in the Content Explorer, unless you create custom folders to organize your topics. The rest of the content items are stored in the Resources folder, which Flare creates for you. Within the Resources folder are subfolders containing the various content items (e.g., Images, PageLayouts, Snippets).

How to open the Content Explorer

What you can do in the Content Explorer:

Explain the navigation buttons in the title bar

Button/Section	Description
	Lets you move the window pane from its docked position to another location in the interface. Simply click on this area and drag the window pane to the new location.
	Opens a drop-down menu with commands for moving and resizing the window pane. Dockable If you select the "Dockable" option, the Drag Pane button is shown or hidden accordingly. Auto Hide If you select the "Auto Hide" option, the window pane becomes "pinned" to the side of the interface so that you have more room for your workspace. You can show the window pane by hovering over the thin bar on the side of the interface. If you select this option again, the window pane returns to its previous state (no longer "pinned" to the side of the interface). Floating If you select the "Floating" option, the window pane is no longer "docked" (or "attached") to the application; instead, it becomes a free-floating element in the interface. Expand to 50% If you select the "Expand to 50%" option, the window pane enlarges to 50% of its size. If you select this option again, the window pane returns to its previous size. Send To Main Dock If you select the "Send To Main Dock" option, the window pane is moved to the main area of the interface (in other words, the central section that is normally used by Flare's various editors).
	Enlarges the window pane to 50% of its size. If you select this option again, the window pane returns to its previous size.
	"Pins" the window pane to the side of the interface so that you have more room for your workspace. You can show the window pane by hovering over the thin bar on the side of the interface. If you select this option again, the window pane returns to its previous state (no longer "pinned" to the side of the interface).
	Closes the window pane.

Explain the buttons and sections

Button/Section	Description
	Toggles between showing or hiding the subfolders in the Content Explorer.
	Splits the Content Explorer into two halves. The right half shows additional details for the files. When you click a file on the right side, a red circle shows the location in the Content Explorer.
	Expands all of the folders so that you can see all of the files under each one.
	Collapses all of the folders so that you can no longer see all of the files under each one.
	Lets you show or hide the small squares next to each folder and file, which are used to show colors representing condition tags that have been applied. See Applying Condition Tags to Content.
	Moves up one folder in the hierarchy. This button becomes enabled if you use the Split View button and select a file or folder on the right side of the split view.
	Opens the selected item.
	Opens the Properties dialog for the selected item.
	Creates a new custom folder, which you can use to organize your topic files.
	Opens the Add New Topic dialog, which lets you create a new topic or import one from outside the project.
	Lets you limit the files that are displayed by file format: All Files Displays all files. Topic Files Displays only the topic (HTM and HTML) files. MasterPage Files Displays only the master page (FLMSP) files. Page Layout Files Displays only the page layout (FLPGL) files. Snippet Files Displays only the snippet (FLSNP) files. Stylesheet Files Displays only the style sheet (CSS) files. Image/Media Files Displays only the image files (BMP, EMF, EXPS, GIF, HDP, JPG, JPEG, PNG, SWF, TIF, TIFF, WDP, WMF, XAML, XPS) and media files (SWF). GIF Files Displays only GIF files. JPEG Files Displays only JPG and JPEG files. PNG Files Displays only PNG files. MadCap Echo Files Displays only MadCap Echo audio files (ECSND). Flash Movie Files Displays only SWF files.
	Displays the color of condition tags that are associated with the file (if any). Condition tags are used to determine specific content or files to be included in some targets but not in others. For more information, see Developing Outputs.
	This indicates that you have the file checked out from source control. You can check in the file when you are ready. See Checking In Source Control Files and Checking Out Source Control Files.
	This indicates that you have a file in your project but have not yet added it to the integrated source control application. This might occur, for example, if you create a new topic and do not add the file to source control during the topic creation process. To resolve this, simply right-click on the file and select Source Control>Add. See Adding Files to Source Control.
	This indicates that the file is added to source control but is not currently checked out, which means that it contains a "Read Only" designation in its properties. In order to edit the file, you must check it out from source control. See Checking Out Source Control Files.
	This indicates that the file is currently checked out to another user. You can send a request to the user, asking that person to check in the file so that you can check it out. See Requesting a User to Check In Source Control Files.
	This indicates that the file is not current (i.e., the local copy of the file is older than the source control copy). This might happen, for example, if another user checks out the file, makes changes to it, and checks it back in to source control. If this occurs, you can check the file out or get the latest version of the file from source control. See Checking Out Source Control Files or Getting the Latest Version of Source Control Files.
	This indicates that the file is deleted from source control, but you still have a copy of the file on your local machine. If necessary, you can add the file to source control. See Adding Files to Source Control.

Note: If you are working with HTML Help and import a RoboHelp project that has been merged with other CHM files or includes Shortcut controls, the linked files are placed in a special subfolder in the Content Explorer (Resources\CHMSupport). For more information, see Importing Tips.

Note: If you import Microsoft Word documents containing embedded pictures into a project, Flare places copies of those image files in subfolders within the Resources\Images folder. This is done in order to avoid naming conflicts with embedded images from other Word documents that you might import. The subfolders are named after the Word documents being imported.

Note: You can quickly insert a text hyperlink to a file (e.g., topic, image, snippet) in the Content Explorer. To do this, click and drag the destination file from the Content Explorer to the location in the topic where you want to insert it. As you drag the file into the topic, a vertical red bar acts as a guide to help you place the link in the topic. When you release the mouse button, the Insert Hyperlink dialog opens. You can modify any fields in the dialog (if necessary) and click OK to insert the hyperlink.