Author
The Author module of the Quark Publishing Platform NextGen enables an author-type user to work with different content types and create and edit documents from within the platform. The Author module also provides a smart editor to edit documents. The smart editor comprises various operational and view-type functionalities.
Once you are logged in, you can access the Author module through the chocolate menu at the upper-right corner of the screen.

Alternatively, you can access the Author module directly by entering the URL - https://<SERVER-URL>/author/ in a browser.
Author Homepage
The homepage of the Author module provides several options to create new assets and to access the assets already available at the server/repository. These options are placed across the left pane and right-hand side of the homepage, and some of their functions overlap.

In the left pane, the tab Home is essentially the Author homepage. The function of the tab New is exactly the same as the option Create New on the right-hand-side part. And the tab Open comprises all the rest of the three options on the right-hand-side part (all described ahead) and consists of a few more additional ways to browse through asset collections to find an asset that you want to open.


The options on the right-hand side of the homepage are as follows:
Create New
The following options are available under the section Create New:

-
Create a new smart section, a smart document, or a smart citation using the in-built blank templates for these content models.
You can create your own custom content model. For more information, see the section Admin > Content Models. -
Create a new smart section/document/citation from a custom/user-defined template.
You can access user-defined templates either through the See All link next to Create New or through the tab New in the left pane and then select the content type you want to create.
Asset Properties
When you double-click a template (blank or user-defined), the Author module displays a list of default properties related to the selected content type. This list of properties (metadata) contains both types of properties - inherent and admin-defined.

Some properties are automatically generated and updated by the platform; for example, Created On, Last Modified, and so on. You can also modify some properties based on the asset/template you create or work on.
Save a Document
When you select the button Create on the asset properties page, the Author module opens the selected template in a Web Content Editor. After you make your edits, you can save your asset through the following process:
-
Select the save icon
at the upper left corner to open the Save As dialog box.
-
In the Save As dialog box, select the following:
-
Name of the document/section and the location on the server where you want to store the document.
-
Workflow (the stages a document is supposed to go through; for example, review, publish, and so on)
-
Assign To, if you want someone to review the document.
-
Revision Comment, if you want to notify other users (reviewers) of any specific details within the document.
-
Major/Minor Version.
-
-
Select Submit.
When you save an asset for the first time or directly upload a file to a server, you can set a custom initial version of the document by selecting the checkbox Custom Version in the Save As dialog box.

Continue Editing
This section lists the assets that you (the logged-in user) are currently working on or recently edited on the platform. You can also see the number of assets in the parenthesis next to Continue Editing. The listing also displays some key properties related to the listed documents, such as asset type, version, Created On, Last Modified, File Extension, and so on.


My Assignments
This section lists the assets that are assigned to you. You can assign a document to yourself or another author can assign a document to you when you collaborate with other authors on the same asset. The Author module lists the asset along with the collection path to make it easier for you to navigate to the asset.

Favorites
This section lists the assets that you have marked favorite. Generally, it is a good practice to mark the assets as a favorite on which you work frequently to make them easily accessible.

Open an Asset
The tab Open in the left pane takes you to the page Open that gives you several ways to further browse through the collections on the server/repository to find and open an asset.

The tabs Favorites, My Assignments, and Continue Editing list the same assets that you get when you select the respective See all links next to these sections on the Author homepage. Other than these, the Open page contains two more tabs - Searches and Browse, which are as follows:
Searches
This section allows you to use predefined searches (searches previously made and saved through Workspace) to find specific files on the server. When you select a search query in the list, the Author module displays the results associated with it.

Browse
This section opens the file manager of the server, where you can see all the files and folders you have access to. The complete collection hierarchy is on the left pane. The right-hand side of the screen displays the sub-collection and files in the collection you select on the left pane.

You can also filter results to display files only, folders only, or both through the option at the upper right corner of the results. You can also switch the view from list to grid through the option next to the files and folders filter option.
If you want to edit an asset, select the asset and then select the button Open. If you want to only read the content of an asset, select the asset and then select the button Read Only.
Search Tool
You can also search for an asset by name or property through the Search tool (select
the icon at the upper right corner of the screen).

Open an Asset through Asset Picker Dialog
When you want to add an asset that is stored on the server into the asset you are currently authoring (for example, an image in a document), you can do it through the Asset Picker dialog. The Asset Picker dialog appears when you select the option to insert an asset From Platform.

Through the Asset Picker dialog, you can browse through the server/repository in the same manner you do through the tab Open in the left pane on the Author homepage. Unlike the tab Open, the Asset Picker dialog box only displays the content type that you want to add to your current document; for example, the Asset Picker dialog only displays images, when you have selected to add an image from the server/repository.
You can also add a specific version of an asset to your current document. To add a specific version of an asset:
-
Navigate to the asset you want to add.
-
Select the version icon
in the details.
-
Select the version you want to add to the version pane.
-
Select the button Select in the version pane, and then select the button Open in the Asset Picker dialog.
Content Editor
When you create a new document or when you open a document to edit, the Author module opens the document in Content Editor. Content Editor is a web authoring tool in-built in Quark Publishing Platform NextGen, which resembles other popular authoring tools such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
Content Editor contains several options to allow you to work with both inline and server-side components of Quark Publishing Platform NextGen.
Toolbars
Content Editor contains several toolbars and each of these toolbars has a specific set of functional options.

These toolbars are as follows:
File Operations
The options for some file operations always remain visible when you edit a document, which are as follows:

Name |
Icon |
Function |
Home |
|
Opens a new menu in the left pane with a few additional file operations, such as, Save As and Update Revision. |
Save |
|
Opens the Save dialog to allow you to save a document on the server. |
Discard |
|
Discards all the changes you have made in the current copy of the document and restores the document to the version stored on the server. |
Undo |
|
Reverses the most recent change you have made in a document. |
Redo |
|
Reverses the most recent Undo operation you have made in a document. |
Done Editing |
|
Saves the changes you have made to the current copy of the document as a new version on the server and closes the document. |
Workflow |
|
Open a mini Workflow right pane to allow you to change the workflow state of a document. |
Close |
|
Closes a document. |
Home
The tab Home contains the basic functions related to text formatting, which are as follows:

Name |
Icon |
Function |
Para Types |
|
Applies a paragraph type on the text. The available paragraph types are Normal, Heading, Note, and Long Quote. |
Tags |
|
Applies a tag/emphasis on the selected text. The available tags are Normal, Phrase, Citation, Country, Keyword, Organization, Person, Quote, Term, and Trademark. |
Bold |
|
Applies/removes the bold formatting to/from the selected text. |
Italics |
|
Applies/removes the italic formatting to/from the selected text. |
Underline |
|
Applies/removes the underline to/from the selected text. |
Strikethrough |
|
Applies/removes the strikethrough to/from the selected text. |
Subscript |
|
Applies subscript on the text. |
Superscript |
|
Applies superscript on the text. |
Bulleted List |
|
Creates a bulleted list. |
Numbered List |
|
Creates a numbered list. |
Increase Indent |
|
Increases the indent (moves to the right) of a list item. |
Decrease Indent |
|
Decreases the indent (moves to the left) of a list item. |
Find |
|
Allows you to search for a word or phrase within document content. Also, let's replace a word or phrase with another. |
View XML |
|
Allows you to see the XML of a document. |
Insert
The tab Insert gives you several options to insert various assets types, such as tables, images, charts, and so on from your local machine and server. These options are as follows:

Name |
Icon |
Function |
Insert Table |
|
Inserts a table. |
Insert Table from Server |
|
Inserts a table from the server. You can save a table as a component on the server.
|
Insert Region from Server |
|
Inserts a region from the server. You can save a body text region within a document as a component on the server.
|
Show Table As Chart |
|
Converts a data table into a chart. |
Insert Figure |
|
Creates a figure box with a placeholder for an image, space, and figure description. |
Insert Image |
|
Inserts an image. To insert an image from your local machine, select From Local File System. To insert an image from the server, select From Platform.
|
Insert Excel Table |
|
Inserts a table from an Excel file stored on the server. |
Insert Excel Chart |
|
Inserts a chart from an Excel file stored on the server. |
Paste from Server |
|
Pastes an Excel asset (table, chart, or table range) in the document. |
Insert Special Character |
|
Inserts special characters from a list of available special characters. |
Math Editor |
|
Allows you to edit math equations through Wiris MathType editor. |
Review
The tab Review contains functions related to reviewing a document, which are as follows:

Name |
Icon |
Function |
Add Comment |
|
Adds a comment on a specific section of a document. |
Delete Comment |
|
Deletes a comment already available in a document. |
Hide All Comments |
|
Hides all the comments in a document. |
Show Previous Comment |
|
Moves the selection highlight to the previous comment. |
Show Next Comment |
|
Moves the selection highlight to the next comment. |
Track Changes |
|
Tracks all the changes that you are currently making to a previously saved version of a document. |
Highlight Changes |
|
Highlights all the changes that you have made to a previously saved version of a document. |
Show Previous Change |
|
Moves the selection highlight to the previous change in a document. |
Show Next Change |
|
Moves the selection highlight to the next change in a document. |
Accept and Move to Next |
|
Accepts the currently selected change and moves the cursor to the next change. |
Reject and Move to Next |
|
Rejects the currently selected change and moves the cursor to the next change. |
Accept Change |
|
Accepts the currently selected change. |
Reject Change |
|
Rejects the currently selected change. |
Accept All Changes |
|
Accepts all the changes made in a document. |
Reject All Changes |
|
Rejects all the changes made in a document. |
Spelling and Grammar |
|
Checks for spelling and grammatical mistakes in a document. |
Reference
The tab Reference allows you to add references, links, and notes in a document. These options are as follows:

Name |
Icon |
Function |
Insert Link |
|
Adds a hyperlink to the selected text. |
Insert Cross Reference |
|
Cross-references a section in a document with a word or phrase within the same document. |
Synchronize Cross Reference |
|
Synchronizes the currently selected cross-reference. By default, a cross-reference is not synchronized, meaning, when you change the title of a referenced content, the Author module does not automatically update the title wherever the content is referenced. |
Synchronize All Cross References |
|
Synchronizes all the cross-references in the document. |
Insert Footnote |
|
Inserts a footnote for the selected text. |
Insert Endnote |
|
Inserts an endnote for the selected text. |
Insert Citation |
|
Inserts a citation for the selected text. |
Insert Citation from Server |
|
Inserts a citation saved on the server for the selected text. |
Insert Table Note |
|
Inserts a table note for the selected table. |
Insert Section Note |
|
Inserts a section note for the selected section. |
Refresh |
|
Refreshes the page to reflect all the recent changes. |
Pin Component Reference |
|
Pins a component reference, which means other users cannot change the referenced component. |
Unpin Component Reference |
|
Unpins a component reference to allow other users to make changes to the referenced component. |
Convert to Inline |
|
Converts a component that is referenced from the server to an inline cross-reference. |
Table
The tab Table contains all the functions related to the tables, which are as follows:

Name |
Icon |
Function |
Table Type |
|
Changes the type of table from the available table types. |
Create Table Component |
|
Creates a component of the selected table and saves it on the server, which any user with author privileges can reuse in a document. |
Replace Table from Server |
|
Replaces the selected table from a table stored on the server. |
Caption |
|
Creates a title placeholder right above the table. |
Description |
|
Creates a description placeholder right after the table. |
Insert Paragraph After |
|
Inserts a paragraph after the table. |
Insert Row Above |
|
Inserts a row above the current (selected or where the cursor is placed) row. |
Insert Row Below |
|
Inserts a row below the current row. |
Insert Column to left |
|
Inserts a column left to the current column. |
Insert Column to Right |
|
Inserts a column right to the current column. |
Split Cells Horizontally |
|
Splits the current table cell horizontally. |
Split Cells Vertically |
|
Splits the current table cell vertically. |
Merge Cells |
|
Merges the selected table cells. |
Delete Row(s) |
|
Deletes the current row. |
Delete Column(s) |
|
Deletes the current column. |
Delete Table |
|
Deletes the entire table. |
Text Color |
|
Sets the color of the text in the selected table cell(s). |
Background Color |
|
Sets the background color of the selected table cell(s). |

Region
The tab Region allows you to create a region within a document and offers related options, which are as follows:

Name |
Icon |
Function |
Regions (Region Type) |
|
Sets the region type. The available region types are Region, Box, and Callout. |
Create Region Component |
|
Creates a component of the selected region and saves it on the server, which any user with author privileges can reuse in a document. |
Region Title |
|
Creates a title placeholder right above the selected region. |
Insert Paragraph After |
|
Inserts a paragraph after the selected region. |
Replace Region from Server |
|
Replaces the selected region with another region stored on the server. |
Remove Region |
|
Removes the selected region. |
Work with a Document
The web authoring tool of the Author module is intuitive for the most part because of its similarities with other popular authoring tools. However, when you work with a document, there are certain functions and processes that require a detailed description. These functions and processes are as follows:
Apply Paragraph Types and Tags
You can use Paragraph Types and Tags to make part of the text body visually distinguishable. Paragraph types are for entire sections like a paragraph, while tags are for single words or phrases.
To apply a paragraph type:
-
Position the cursor in the paragraph on which you want to apply a paragraph type.
-
Select the tab Home.
-
From the Para Types dropdown menu, select a paragraph type.
To apply a tag:
-
Select the word or phrase on which you want to apply a tag.
-
Select the tab Home.
-
From the Tags dropdown menu, select a tag.
Insert Elements
The Author module allows you to insert several types of elements in a document; such as tables, images, figures, charts, and so on. You can insert some types of elements from within the content editor, some from your local machine, some from the server, and some from two or more of these sources.
Insert a Table
You can insert a table from within the content editor and from the server, which is stored as a component.
To insert a table from within the content editor:
-
Select the tab Insert.
-
Select the Insert Table icon
.
-
The Author module inserts a table of the default size 4 x 3.

To insert a table from the server:
-
Select the tab Insert.
-
Select the Insert Table from Server icon and then select Default Table.
-
The Author module opens the Asset Picker dialog.
-
In the Asset Picker dialog, navigate to the table you want to add.
-
Select the table and then select the button Open.
-
The Author module inserts the table you have selected.
When you insert a table from the server (or any component on the server), the Author module provides a few options through the kebab menu that allow you to use and edit the table based on your specific requirements through
a toolbar called the Component Reference Toolbar.
The options on the Component Reference Toolbar vary based on the content type of the component you have added from the server. For example, for a table from the server, the Component Reference Toolbar contains the following options:

-
Pin Component: Pins the current version of the table component in the current document, so that, when you or another author updates the table on the server, the current version remains intact in the current document.
-
Edit: This allows you to edit the table component on the server from within the document.
-
Add to Workflow: This allows you to assign or update a workflow status to the table.
-
Refresh: Refreshes the table to reflect any recent or ongoing changes in the table.
-
Convert to Inline: Converts the table component to a simple table to allow you to make updates that do not affect the table component stored on the server.

Insert an Image
You can insert an image from your local machine and from the server. The steps to insert an image from the server are the same as inserting a table or region from the server. To insert an image from your local machine:
-
Under the tab Insert, select the Insert Image icon
to expand the insert image options.
-
Select From Local File System to open the Open file explorer dialog.
-
Select the image you want to insert and then select the button Open.
-
The Author module opens a dialog to save the image from your local machine to the server.
-
Select a location on the server, a workflow status, and version (Major or Minor) for the image, and then select the button Save.
-
The Author module inserts the image in the document.
Insert a Figure
In Quark Publishing Platform NextGen, a figure is a placeholder for an image that also contains a title and description of the image. To insert a figure:
-
Under the tab Insert, select the Insert Figure icon
.
-
The Author module inserts a figure in the document, in which, you can insert an image from the server or from your local file system.
Insert an Excel Table/Chart
You can insert an Excel table/chart that is already stored on the server. To insert an Excel table/chart:
-
Under the tab Insert, select the Insert Excel Table icon
or select the Insert Excel Chart icon
to open the Asset Picker dialog.
-
In the Asset Picker dialog, navigate to the Excel file you want to add a table/chart from.
-
Select the Excel file and then select Open to open the Insert Table/Insert Chart dialog.
-
The Insert Table/Insert Chart dialog lists all the tables and charts in the Excel file, which you can select to preview.
-
Select the table/chart you want to add and then select the button Insert Table/Insert Chart.
-
The Author module inserts the Excel table/chart in the document.
Icon |
Excel File Type |
|
An Excel file with more than one table/chart. |
|
An Excel file with a single table. |
|
An Excel file with a single chart. |
Insert a Special Character
To insert a special character:
-
Under the tab Insert, select the Insert Special Character icon
to open the Insert Special Character dialog.
-
In the Insert Special Character dialog, select the category of special characters that you want to add.
-
Select the character that you want to add.
-
The Author module inserts the character in the document.
Insert Math Equations
You can insert math equations into a document through a MathType add-in. The MathType editor by Wiris is inbuilt in Quark Publishing Platform NextGen.
To insert a math equation:
-
Under the tab Insert, select the MathType icon
to open the Wiris MathType Editor.
-
In the Wiris Editor, select a tab based on the type of equation or expression that you want to type.
-
Edit the values in the equation/expression you have selected within the Wiris Editor and then select the button OK.
-
The Author module inserts the equation/expression in the document body.
Insert a Cross-reference
To insert a cross-reference:
-
Select the word/phrase where you want to add a cross-reference in the document.
-
Under the tab Reference, select the Insert Cross Reference icon
to open the Insert Cross Reference dialog.
-
In the dialog Insert Cross Reference, select a component type, a document, and then the component that you want to cross-reference.
-
The Author module cross-references the selected component with the selected text.
Document Structure
The Document Structure pane on the left of the authoring space outlines the hierarchy of the sections within the document.

The Document Structure pane has a Show Outline Only mode, which you can switch On and Off through the slide button at the upper-right corner of the pane.
When On, the Author module only displays the structure of the document, which you can expand and collapse through the icons and respectively.

When Off, the Author module provides you the options to add sections and sub-sections in-between the already available sections in the document.

App Panes
The application panes or app panes in the Author module provides several options to view, update, and preview a document and its elements.

These app panes are as follows:
Preview
The Preview pane allows you to preview a document in several formats (output channels) and also provides a few related options such as downloading a preview, refreshing the preview, and so on.

Primarily, the Preview pane previews a document in one of the following formats through several output channels:
-
PDF
-
JPEG
-
HTML
The Preview pane provides the following additional options:
-
Select an output channel
-
Refresh the review
-
Download the preview
-
Print the preview
-
Additional options through the kebab menu icon, which allows you to change the display settings and view the document properties

You can also preview a specific section instead of the entire document. To preview a section:
-
Select the section in the navigation menu or place the cursor in the section in the document body.
-
Select one of these output channels Current Section PDF.
-
Select the Preview pane.
Changes
The Changes pane displays the most recent changes made in a document by any of the authors that are currently working on that document.

There are three dropdown menus to sort and filter the list of changes. These menus are as follows:

-
Sort by position (in the document) or date
-
Filter by users/reviewers
-
Filter by type of change (insertion, deletion, or all)
The Changes pane also allows authors and editors to easily track changes and accept/reject several changes at once.


Notes
The Notes pane keeps a track of all the footnotes, endnotes, citations, table notes, and section notes that one or more authors have added to a document. The Notes pane also has a toolbar to add a note or delete a selected note. You can also refresh the pane to see the latest notes that have been added after you have opened the Notes pane.

The Notes pane displays only one type of notes at a time, which you can select through a dropdown menu at the top of the pane.

Unlike other notes, which are always inline, you can add a citation from the server
as well. Additionally, you can also convert an inline citation to a server component
and vice versa through the kebab menu icon next to citations listed in the Notes pane.

Edit a Note
To edit a note:
-
Double click on the note you want to edit to open the Edit Note window.
-
Edit the note and then select the button Post.
Comments
The Comments pane keeps a track of all the comments that one or more authors have added to a document. The Comments pane also has a toolbar to add a comment by selecting text in the authoring canvas or delete a selected comment, and to sort the list of comments by position and date. You can also refresh the pane to see the latest comments that have been added after you have opened the Comments pane.

Properties
The Properties pane displays several types of properties of a document or an element/section within a document.

You can switch between properties of the entire document and of a specific section through the Increase Scope/Decrease Scope buttons at the upper-right corner of the Properties pane. For a section (decreased scope), the Properties pane only displays Keywords.

The properties in the Properties pane are as follows:
General
The general properties define the following three attributes:
-
Language: Allows you to select a language for your document. English, French, German, and Spanish are available in Quark Publishing Platform NextGen by default.
-
Audience: Allows you to select an audience for your document, which can be internal, external, novice, or expert.
-
Keywords: Allows you to define keywords for your document which are essentially tags to categorize the document.
Dates
The date properties consist of a list of key dates related to a document which authors/reviewers can add and edit. These date properties are as follows:

-
Approved On
-
Next Review
-
Expires On
-
Published On
To set/edit a date:
-
Select the calendar icon
against a date attribute to open a calendar dialog.
-
In the calendar dialog, select a date or clear an already selected date to select a new date.
Organization
The Organization properties allow you to add tags related to the business unit and department to categorize a document.

Permissions
The Permissions properties allow you to define all the copyright-related information for a document, such as copyright year, license information, and so on. You can add/edit a copyright information field by clicking on the blank area next to the field name.

Contributors
The Contributors property allows you to add or remove a contributor (peer author or reviewer) to a document. While adding a contributor, you have to fill certain fields about the contributor such as role, email, and name.

You can add a new contributor through the Add New button () next to the Contributor Information property. To remove a contributor, select the delete icon
next to the Contributor Information property corresponding to the contributor entry.

History
The History pane displays the version history of a document and also allows you to covert two versions and revert to a previous version.
The latest version has a tag of Current Version on its card. You can also choose to see all the versions (including the ones auto-saved by the server) or to only see the versions that you have manually saved.

To compare two versions:
-
Select the versions you want to compare.
-
Select the button Compare Revisions that the Author module displays after you select two versions to compare.
-
The Author module opens the Compare Revisions dialog, with changes highlighted (insertions in green and deletions in red).
To revert to an earlier version:
-
Select the version number on the version card.
-
The Author module opens in the Revision History window.
-
Select the button Revert to This Version.
-
The Author module prompts a dialog to confirm if you want to revert to this version.
-
Select the button OK.
Link
The Link (or Link and References) pane displays all the referenced elements from the server in a document and elements within the document that are referenced in other documents.

The Link pane also displays the following information about the listed references:
-
Content type
-
Date modified
-
Version
-
Workflow status
-
Size (if a file)
-
Snippet (if a section or region)
Additionally, the Link pane allows you to perform the following functions:
-
Filter the list of links and references based on whether a document includes a reference or whether an element in the document is included as a reference elsewhere.
-
Find a reference by name through a search tool.
-
Open a reference in read-only mode, which opens the reference component in a new browser window.
Workflow
The Workflow pane displays the workflow status-related information of a document. The Workflow pane also displays additional information such as the location of the asset on the server, version, revision comments, and other attributes.

By default, the Author module opens the Workflow pane in read-only mode. However, you can make the Workflow pane editable through the tab Workflow on the header toolbar and then update any of the information listed within the Workflow pane.

Statistics
The Statistics pane displays the count of the following elements in a document:
-
Characters
-
Characters without spaces
-
Words
-
Paragraphs
-
Components
-
Sections

Offline Editing
Offline editing allows you to edit documents locally when the connection with the server is lost. When the connection with the server is lost, the Author module displays a notification above the authoring canvas. Quark Publishing Platform NextGen retains the changes made while offline. You can see these changes through the link View Edits next to the notification for connection lost, which displays the version created by offline edits under the History pane in the App panes.

Once the connection is reestablished, Quark Publishing Platform NextGen syncs the offline version with the online version.