I forgot to check "Sync Product and Local Database" - consequences?
linvanchene
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I have worried about this, too. I hope we get an answer.
Hi - sorry for the delay.
If you have "Sync Product and Local Database" checked, any changes you are making will sync to your local CMS as well as write out to the XML file you are creating. If you do not have it checked, then the changes to the XML file will not be immediately apparent on your system unless you reimport that changed file. :)
Hope that helps!
Kat
What XML file are you referring to? Do you mean the .dsx file for the product in the runtime/support directory?
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If you are creating Metadata or making changes, you should get a pop up that states this file already exists - do you want to overwrite etc... Just like saving out other types of documents that prompt that you are about to overwrite an existing version.
That is creating the files. Yes, the dsx (type of xml - can be opened in an editor) file. It gets saved in your Support folder with the .dsa and .jpg for that product.
The CMS (Content Management Service) connects to the database where all the product information for your individual installation is located. That would be your "Local Database". You do not access that directly. It is all done via the Support files, CMS and DS interaction.
Now, if you choose to Sync as you make changes to the metadata, that is telling metadata to "update and sync your changes directly to the database as you save - "Accept"." (It also writes the changes to the dsx file.)
If you choose not to sync, no changes you make to the metadata would show on your system but would be saved out to the dsx file when you export it. Then, to see your changes, you would have to tell DS to Reimport Metadata" and choose that product from the list, in order to import the changes recorded there.
Either way, as long as you are Exporting the files out, your changes will not be "lost", you may just need to reimport them if you were not syncing at the time. :)
Hope that helps.
Kat
User Data -
That is a separate file saved in Support. You specifically tell the program to export the User Data. This is important if you made changes to the Metadata on your system and chose NOT to export the files. (I always leave the "Auto Export" check box checked for just this reason.) The user data is just that. Personal changes you made inside DS and the Metadata (say changing categories but not doing anything else. So you never exported any files.)
If you export your User data file (Open Content Database Maintenance and choose "Export User Data - It saves to: Support> User Data 1) ...you can then tell DS to use your file instead of the packaged files. An example of this:
I have a thing about wanting my "Animals" under top level Animals and not Figures>Animals. So I change the category for all my animals. I know....I'm picky. LOL So, If I have to reimport Metadata, I tell it to use MY User Data file and not the product, so it doesn't move all my animals back to Figure>Animals.
If you chose instead, to export the dsx files for each product as you "customized" them, then it will keep those changes when you reimport, as you have written them into the dsx files themselves. The exception being if you reinstall the product itself and that file overwrites yours. I always keep a backup of my Support folder. :) Personal preference.
Kat
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The one thing to keep in mind. User Data is not really a back up of changes....Unless you specifically choose to Export User Data, your changes can go away on imports etc... And the User Data is a dsx Support file just like the rest once it is exported. Then it can be reimported like any other Metadata. Without exporting it, your changes are subject to loss. :)
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Well I am glad to see you learning it. :) It makes finding things sooooo much easier. :)
Thanks for playing!
Kat