SharePoint Explorer

The SharePoint Explorer lets you integrate files from a Microsoft SharePoint server. SharePoint is software that allows organizations to collaborate, share files, and publish information to the Web. See SharePoint Integration and www.sharepoint.microsoft.com.

How to Open the SharePoint Explorer

Select the View > SharePoint Explorer.

What You Can Do in the SharePoint Explorer

Following are the primary tasks that you can perform in the SharePoint Explorer.

  • Connect to SharePoint Server From the SharePoint Explorer in Contributor, you can connect to a specific SharePoint server. You can then use that window pane to access the files on that server. See Connecting to a SharePoint Server.
  • Open and Edit Files You can open a file from the SharePoint Explorer by simply double-clicking it. When you do this, you are opening the actual file existing on the SharePoint site. If it is a file type not supported in Contributor, you will be directed to open the file in its default application. See Opening SharePoint Files.

  • Check Out Files You can check out SharePoint files from the Contributor interface. Checking out a file simply means to activate a "flag" on the SharePoint site indicating that you want to access the file and prevent others from editing it and conflicting with your changes. See Checking Out SharePoint Files.

    If necessary, you can also undo any check outs. See Undoing a Check-Out of SharePoint Files.

  • Check In Files When you are finished working on a SharePoint file that you checked out, you can check it back in so that others can edit it. See Checking In SharePoint 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 connect to a SharePoint server.

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.