Using the WebDAV Browse URL workflow in Adobe FrameMaker

Learn how to use the Browse URL workflow in Adobe FrameMaker and how to manage various files and folders in WebDAV.

You can access the Browse URL dialog box with the Browse URL button on the Welcome Screen and from and a few dialogs related to file management.

Figure 1. Browse URL

A. Store the URL path by specifying a nickname to the server B. Delete the stored URL path C. Look In list displays the recently accessed file D. Move up one folder level E. Create a folder on the server F. Rename a file or folder G. Delete selected file or folder H. Stored server name I. File details that you can sort according to any column J. Specify the complete URL for a file

New: You can specify the HTTP URL of the template you want to use for a new document. You can either type the complete URL of the template in the New dialog box or use the Browse URL dialog box to select the template.
Open: You can open any HTTP file on a server by typing its URL in the filename of the file Open dialog box. You can open all the FrameMaker file types supported through local file paths using HTTP paths. These file types include .fm, .book, .mif, .xml, .ditamap, and .bookmap. You can also open text files, Microsoft Office documents, such as DOC, DOCX, and RTF.
Import: You can import files by specifying their HTTP paths. You can import them by reference or copy them into your document. You can import an HTTP text inset, add a cross-reference to an HTTP file, import graphics, or U3D objects files by specifying their HTTP paths.
Save: You can specify a URL in the Save As dialog to upload the file to a WebDAV enabled server. You can save a file in all FrameMaker formats.

Note: You cannot do a batch conversion of documents for HTTP WebDAV directories.

Save a WebDAV server connection

When working with Browse URL you don’t have to explicitly set up a server. If a WebDAV server has an authentication process setup, you need to provide login credentials the first time you access a file on the server. If you work frequently with a server, you can save the server connection in the Browse URL for quicker access.

Access the Browse URL dialog box and type the HTTP path to the WebDAV enabled server in the filename box.
If prompted, specify your Login ID and Password.
To save the server connections, click the Store URL icon.
Specify a nickname for the server connection. Click OK.

Once saved, the server connection is displayed each time you access the Browse URL dialog box.

To delete a saved server connection, click the Remove URL icon.

Setting WebDAV preferences

Choose Edit > Preferences and set the following options.

Checkout HTTP Files On Open: Clear this option if you do not want to check out a file from a WebDAV server when opening the file.
Upload HTTP Files On Save: Clear this option if you want to check in a file only once when you close the file.

Using HTTP paths to open files

You can open any file on a WebDAV server by specifying its URL.

For XML files, FrameMaker silently downloads all HTTP references, such as the xml schema or the DTDs associated with the XML file. Other references, such as text or graphic insets or cross-referenced files are also downloaded.

You can also reference or import graphic file objects in your documents by specifying their URLs. You can include links to documents by specifying their HTTP paths in hypertext markers.

Create, open, import and save documents

You can create, open, import, and save files directly from a WebDAV server by specifying the file URL.

Note: If you selected the Checkout HTTP Files On Open option from the Preferences dialog box, a file is automatically locked and checked-out when you download it. An asterisk symbol appears against the filename indicating that it is checked-out.

To create a document on a WebDAV server:

Choose File > New > Document. Click the Browse URL icon.
Select the server name from the right panel or specify the HTTP path to the server.
Specify a filename.
Click OK.

To create a DITA topic, DITA map, or a bookmap on a WebDAV server:

Choose DITA > New DITA File and select any option from the menu.
Click the Browse URL icon in the new file dialog boxes to create a DITA file on a WebDAV server.

To open an unstructured FrameMaker file from a WebDAV server:

Choose File > Open. Click the Browse URL icon.
Select the server name from the right panel, navigate to the folder, and double-click the file to open it.

Alternatively, specify the complete HTTP path to the file. Click Open.

To open a DTD from a WebDAV server:

Choose Structure > DTD > Open DTD. Click the Browse URL icon.
Select the server name from the right panel, navigate to the folder, and double-click the file to open it.

Alternatively, specify the complete HTTP path to the DTD file. Click Open.

To open an XML Schema from a WebDAV server:

Choose Structure > Schema > Open Schema and click the Browse URL icon.
Select the server name from the right panel, navigate to the folder, and double-click the file to open it.

Alternatively, specify the complete HTTP path to the schema file and click Open.

To save a file on a WebDAV server:

You can automatically upload changes to the WebDAV server. To do so, ensure that you have selected the Upload HTTP Files On Save option in the Preferences dialog box.

Choose File > Save As. Click the Browse URL icon.
Select the server name from the right panel and navigate to the folder. Click Save.

To save a DTD:

Choose Structure > DTD > Save As DTD. Click the Browse URL icon.
Select the server name from the right panel and navigate to the folder. Click Save.

To import a file from a WebDAV server:

Import a file:: Choose File > Import > File. Click the Browse URL icon.
Import a DTD:: Choose Structure > DTD > Import DTD. Click the Browse URL icon.
Import a schema:: Choose Structure > Schema > Import Schema. Click the Browse URL icon.
Import a CSS file:: Choose Structure > Import CSS Styles. Click the Browse URL icon.

To close a file opened from a WebDAV server:

By default, when you close a file the file is automatically checked-in.

Associate a template with a book folder (WebDAV)

You can specify the HTTP path of the template when associating it with a folder in a hierarchical book.

In the book window, right-click the folder for which you want to define a template. Click Properties. The Container Properties dialog is displayed.
Select the Template Path option and click the Add Template ("...") button to browse for a file.
Specify the complete HTTP path in the filename box or click Browse URL to locate the file on the server.
Click OK, Open, and Set to associate a template for the selected folder.