External Resources Window Pane

The External Resources window pane lets you select and maintain groups of external files in one place. External resources can be virtually any local or network files that you have access to (e.g., images, PDF files). You might use this feature if there are certain reference files that are related to the documents you are working on in Contributor.

How to Open This Window Pane

Select View > External Resources.

What You Can Do in This Window Pane

Following are the primary tasks that you can perform in the External Resources window pane.

  • Add Folders to External Resources Window Pane You can browse and select local and network folders containing files to which you want to have easy access. See Adding Folders to External Resources.
  • Open and Edit Files You can open an external resource file by simply double-clicking it in Contributor. Keep in mind that when you open a network file from the External Resources window pane, you are opening the actual file on that network; there is no local copy of it. If you attempt to open a file type not supported in Contributor, you will be directed to open the file in its default application. See Opening External Resource Files.

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.

  • Close Closes the window pane.
  • Dock Attaches the window pane to the interface if it is floating.
  • Auto Hide "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).
  • Float Detaches the window pane from the application so that it becomes a free-floating element in the interface.
  • Standard Tabs (Top) Arranges window panes so that traditional tabs are displayed at the top.
  • Standard Tabs (Bottom) Arranges window panes so that traditional tabs are displayed at the bottom.
  • Accordion Tabs Arranges window panes so that they are stacked with accordion tabs.

"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.

Buttons and Sections

Lets you add new folders with files to the External Resources window pane. See Adding Folders to External Resources.

Click to show or hide folders where files are kept.

Shows or hides the folders that the files are stored in.

Click to show or hide files within a folder.

Shows or hides the files. If you click this button when the Show Folders button is selected, the area splits into two halves. The folder is shown on the left side, and the files and subfolders within it are shown on the right.

Collapses all

Collapses the folders.

Click to move up one folder level.

If the Show Files button is the only one selected, you can click this button to move up one folder level.

Opens the selected item.

Display properties for the selected item.

Opens the Properties dialog for the selected item.

[Preview Bar]

This is the area at the bottom of the window pane. When you click on a file, this bar shows an icon, as well as the name of the file.