Duplicating Objects
Any objects (except templates) in an Author-it library can be duplicated. For example, if you want to create an exact copy of a topic (including its related topics, assigned template, etc.), you can duplicate it.
You can duplicate a template by creating an object based on that template, but not by following the process described here.
This is extremely helpful when you are creating new media objects and styles. For example, if you want to create a style that is the same as Body Text but uses center alignment, you can duplicate the Body Text style and then modify the copy.
To duplicate a style:
- Locate the style. By default, all styles are stored in the Styles folder.
- Double-click the style that you want to duplicate. The Style dialog box is displayed.
The Object > Duplicate menu option does not display if the object isn't open.
- Select Object > Duplicate from the main Author-it menu. A confirmation message is displayed.
- Accept the message. The object for the duplicated style is displayed, prefixing the description with "Copy of." For example, if you duplicate Wide Graphic, the description is displayed as "Copy of Wide Graphic."
Then, edit the style definition. Be sure to select the General tab to change the description and, if necessary, applicable outputs.
When you duplicate a style, the new style uses the same template as the original. If you need to change an option but can't (because it's controlled by the template), set the template to (none) on the General tab. The object keeps the settings from the original template, but now you can change them as desired.
To make development easier, modify the description. For example, change "Copy of Body Text" to "Body Text Center."
