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Getting Started - sWord Index The Interface Documents Document Title Document Subtitle Document Properties Document Versions Document Types Document Models Create a New Document Open a Document Share a Document Preview a Document Publish a Document Delete a Document Document Attachments Document Sharing Document Publishing Quick Publish Publish for All Users Publish for Registered Users Customized Publishing Publishing and Versioning Document Versions Blocks and Tags About Blocks Select a Block Duplicate a Block Move a Block Remove a Block Open a Block (Tag Editing) Restrict Access to a Block Paragraphs And Lists Insert a Line break Insert a Paragraph Edit the Text Align a Paragraph Indent a Paragraph Convert a Paragraph to a List Duplicate a Paragraph Move a Paragraph Remove a Paragraph Restrict Access to a Paragraph Nesting Paragraphs Text and Formatting Edit Text Replace Text Change Font Size Bold Text Italic Text Small-Caps Text Underlined Text Overlined Text Strike-through Text Superscript Subscript Insert a Format Block Select a Format Block Move a Format Block Duplicate a Format Block Remove a Format Block Restrict Access to a Format Block Links and Anchors Link to an External Site Link to an Email Address Link to a Site Tool Link to a Site Document Link to a Site Library Item Link to an Attachment Create a Page Anchor Link to a Page Anchor Remove a Link Select a Link or Anchor Move a Link or Anchor Duplicate a Link or Anchor Restrict Access to a Link or Anchor Nesting a Link or Anchor Tables Insert a Table Manage Table Properties Edit Table Cell Contents Select a Table Move a Table Duplicate a Table Remove a Table Restrict Access to a Table Nesting a Table Images Insert an Image Manage Image Properties Select an Image Move an Image Duplicate an Image Remove an Image Restrict Access to an Image Using the Site Library Code Blocks XHTML Syntax Insert a Code Block Select a Code Block Move a Code Block Duplicate a Code Block Restrict Access to a Code Block Site Libraries ForumsAdditional Support
About Document Types
What is a document type?
A Document Type is just that - the type of document. Technically speaking, it denotes what data format is used to define the document.
For example, suppose you have site of books reviews. Your site may have two different types of documents: Standard and Book Review.
The Book Review type would probably allow you to insert specific fields (ex. Book Author, Book Title, Book Rating), whereas the Standard type would simply give you a blank page to start writing in.
The difference in format is easy to see:
- The Book Review type uses a data format which includes Book Author, Book Title and Book Rating.
- The Standard type uses a data format which includes just Text.
When and why to use document types?
When you create a new document, you will have to assign it a document types. Choosing the correct document type will not only allow your document to be viewed using the correct style template, but it may also be helpful to the user when conducting a search, or when using any other site specific tools.
In the book review example, it’s easy to figure out which document type to use:
- If you are inserting a new book review, choose Book Review from the pull down menu.
- If you are inserting any other type of page, let’s say an “About Us” page, then choose Standard.
Most likely, the site would have a “Find a Book Review” tool. In this case, if you hadn’t set your document type to Book Review, then the system would ignore your document while performing the search - and your users would have a hard time finding that book review.
Can I modify a document type after the document has been created?
That depends on whether or not the document types are compatible. sWord will not let you change to a document type which has an incompatible data format - that is which contain fields of information which don’t match up exactly.
If the types are compatible, you can change the document type via the Document Properties Manager.
Example of incompatibility
If we look at the book review example from above, with two document types - Book Review and Standard - it should be clear that the two types are incompatible.
Why?
Well, think about it: if you have a Standard type document which contains the field Text, and you converted it to a Book Review type document, which doesn't contain any Text field... what then? It should be clear that the two types are incompatible.
sWord will not allow the conversion.
Example of compatibility
Let’s assume that the Book Review site has three document types instead of two:
- A Book Review for Boys type, which uses a data format including Book Author, Book Title and Book Rating.
- A Book Review for Girls type, which uses a data format including Book Author, Book Title and Book Rating.
- A Standard type, which uses a data format including just Text.
Since both the Book Review for Boys and Book Review for Girls types contain the same data format, the only real difference between the two would be in how they appear (maybe boys have a blue background and girls a yellow one).
That means that the data format for these types are compatible, despite how different the pages may or may not appear.
sWord will allow conversion between Book Review for Boys and Book Review for Girls.