The copy-paste functionality in the content manager operates like other copy-paste functions in other applications and tools, for example Windows explorer. Since its main function is to duplicate content from one part of the file system to another, the copy paste functions are mainly used within the content explorer view. However, it is possible to copy from any other view into the content manager, while the paste operations will be limited to the explorer view only.
How to... Copy-Paste
Copy
The first stage when using copy-paste is to select the items that should be copied. Users can simply right-click on any content item or folder in ANY of the content views and choose "copy" from the context menu (see item actions and folder actions). Multiple items can also be copied by first selecting them and then choosing copy from the context menu.
Once selected, the item listing is held in memory until a paste operation is performed or until another competing copy (or cut) operation replaces the selection in memory.
Paste
The next stage is to paste the items to trigger the duplication. Crucially, this can only happen in the Content Explorer view, since all other views are filtered lists of items, rather than folder containers and destinations.
The choice of using the "simple" paste versus the "deep" paste option is driven by the duplication goal. This is explained in the mechanics section below.
The various ways to paste content
In the content explorer, you can:
- Right-click in the Item listing pane and choose one of the paste options from the context menu to copy the items into the currently selected folder:
- Right-click on a folder in the folder tree and choose one of the paste options from the context menu to copy the items into that specific folder:
- Click on the menu for a sub-folder item in the item listing panel and choose one of the paste options from the context menu to copy the items into that specific folder:
Copy-Paste Mechanics
While copying items from one folder to another is simple process, the underlying mechanics in Pyramid are more complex. This is because items can include other nested objects and items, which in turn can also nest other objects and items. The hierarchical content model means that the copy-paste operation needs to behave with smarter mechanics than just a simple duplication framework.
To resolve this problem, the content manager allows users to either do a paste or a deep paste operation. To explain this we will use the example of a Present dashboard (and its lineage diagram shown below) which has multiple green Discover visualizations and a purple Illustrate object in its structure. Note: Some of the Discover items also contain orange Formulate calculations (gross margin).
Paste
Using the example above, a user copying the dashboard (red) item and then choosing the simple paste option will ONLY DUPLICATE the red Present file. All the other items are not copied and instead become SHARED between the original dashboard and its duplicate. This is a form of referential content copying, where the file structures are referenced multiple times, rather than fully duplicated.
The simple paste, therefore, is used when the dashboard itself needs to be duplicated without duplicating any of the content embedded inside it.
Simple pasting encourages content-reuse and sharing.
Deep Paste
The deep paste option is designed to make both a duplicate of the item and a duplicate of all the subordinate content items used or embedded in the items as well. In our example, the entire tree of items is duplicated and copied to the new destination. In the process, the new dashboard is "rewired" to point to the new copies of the green Discover reports and the new copy of the purple Illustrate objects. Likewise, the new green Discover reports are also rewired to look at the new copies of the orange Formulate calculations.
The deep paste, therefore, is used when users want to make a full duplication of an entire collection of conjoined analytical objects and to consolidate the elements into one location.
Deep pasting discourages content-reuse and sharing, but makes it easier to create more controlled and consolidated analytical content projects.
Move to Destination
If your paste would create duplicate content items at the target location, you can use this dialog to tell Pyramid how to resolve any potential import conflicts. This ensures that you do not end up with duplicate files or IDs or an unwanted proliferation of identical files.
The Move to Destination dialog box includes the following options for each file or folder reporting a clash:
- Replace files: (Files only.) Replace each duplicate item at the target with the new version from the source. The source item overwrites the target item, resulting in there being a new version of the item with the same name and content ID as the old version.
- Merge files: (Folders only.) Where there are duplicate items, replace the items at the target with new versions from the source as described above. Where there are new source items, copy them to the target. Where there are existing items on the target that are not present at the source, leave them unchanged. In short, replace duplicate items, add new items, and leave existing items unchanged.
- New: Where there are duplicate items, keep both old and new versions. Rename the new (source) version of each item by attaching a suffix and, if the item shares the same content ID as a target item, also assign it a new ID.
- Skip: Ignore this item and move on to the next, leaving the target file unchanged.
Tip: Select the Apply to All checkbox before you click one of the options to apply your selection to all of the clashing items and folders.