Library Files Specifics
Library files are anything you choose to register so you can find them again and use them at some point in time. They can be digital files - like a piece of software, a code element, a manual - and they can be physical things you wish to register, as a reference.
As a default, library files have no relations to projects. But library files can be background documents for one or more projects. Examples of background documents are:
- A presentation from another project used as template for a new presentation
- A report with background / technical information
- An article / analysis with market information
- A web site
In previous versions of cattaDoc, library files were called resource documents, but with version 4.0 the scope for this file/document class has been expanded - thus a new and broader name.
Library files have an additional set of characteristics - in addition to those also characterising the other document classes. These are:
Library types are broad characteristics of the library file type. They are especially useful when searching. The default library types in cattaDoc are:
- Software
- IT documents
- Other documents
- Podcasts
Additional library types can be created in the system administration part of cattaDoc. They are purely descriptive.
The main purpose of library categories is storing / archiving. Each library category is a separate folder in the library repository. They are of course also useful when searching.
The default library categories in cattaDoc are:
- Project Management
- PRINCE2
The default library categories are only meant as examples. Additional library categories can be created in the system administration part of cattaDoc.
By default, all file/document objects in cattaDoc are assumed to be available online, ie. in cattaDoc.
However, for library files six additional locations are available:
- Online
- Archive
- Web site
- Folder
- CD / DVD
- Paper
- Deleted
Additional locations can be created in the system administration part of cattaDoc.
Library files can be created as all other objects in cattaDoc: By selecting New object from the search screen - the drop-down button with the OK icon: . Similarly, they can be displayed and edited using the standard book form in cattaDoc.
However, several library files are often created in succession, where the standard object creation method in cattaDoc can be a bit complicated and slow. Therefore a special fast library file entry form is available. It is selected by clicking the button with the file icon in the Search menu.
The fast library file entry form combines creation of meta data with the creation of one or more versions in one screen.
Furthermore, it adds features not available in the standard book form:
- Quick navigation: To the next, the former, the first and the last library file
- Copy of existing library file metadata to a new library file
- Registration of an uploaded file without actual upload - useful for very large files, e.g. a CD ISO image
There are also features missing form the fast library file entry form, e.g. the ability to register appendix and response relationships as well as relations to projects, companies and persons as background information. This can be done afterwards from the standard book form.
The fast library file entry form can operate both in creation and in edit mode.
The fast library file entry form is a separate pop-up window which can be launched from the search page by clicking the Library entry icon at the top.
By default, library files are included in document search. However, a specific library search form has been added to the search page in order to cover more detailed library files search.
Also the library search results are different from the document search results.