Using document check-in/ check-out in FrontPage

[2010 To all web editors: See important information about the migration of LSE websites into the Content Management System: CMS: migration. Are you looking for CMS 'How to' guides?]

Introduction

If your department or unit has more than one web editor then coordinating who edits what and when can become problematic. (When you are the sole editor of a website the issue of ensuring that the page you are editing is not already being updated by another editor does not arise).

FrontPage offers a feature that allows one editor to check a file out for editing. Until it is checked back in, no other editors can make changes to that file. Other editors can still open the page as read-only in case they want to copy text, for example.

How to enable check-in/ check-out

In order to enable this feature:

Open your website in FrontPage
Select Tools, Web Settings and under the General tab, tick the 'Use document check-in and check-out' option
When asked whether you want to proceed with the change, click Yes

Using check-in/ check-out

Once you have enabled document check-in/ check-out, you can edit your pages as before, except that now when you open a page you will be asked whether you want to check the file out for editing or, if another editor has opened that page for editing, you will be informed that the file is available as read-only.

Icons to the left of the filenames indicate the check-in/ check-out status:

Green dot = file checked in and available for editing
Red tick = you have the file checked out
Lock symbol = another editor has the file checked out

Editing pages

In the Folders view double-click the file that you want to edit
Confirm that you want to check the file out for editing by clicking Yes when prompted
Once you have finished editing the page save your changes and close the page
In the Folders view check the page back in by right-clicking and selecting 'Check-in' from the list of options. You will see that the icon has changed back to a green dot.

Note: Document check-in/ check-out includes all the files in your FrontPage web so you can also control editing of MS Office documents, PDFs and images.

Important: When importing files into your website always use File, Import from within FrontPage rather than copying files into your website folder. This will ensure that the new file is under document check-in/ check-out control.

How to list which files are checked out

Within the Folders view you can see which files are already checked out as they will have a lock icon or a red-tick icon to the left of the filename.

Note: You may need to select Edit, Refresh in order to see the lock icon beside files that other editors have checked out after you have opened FrontPage. However, FrontPage will automatically verify the status of a file when you attempt to open it and prevent you from doing so if another user has the file checked out.

You can see a list of all checked-out files by switching to the Reports view and selecting 'Checkout Status'. This report will typically be the last option.

The Checkout Status report will show which files are checked out, when they were last checked out and by whom.

What happens if someone checks a file out and is not available to check the file back in?

In case an editor forgets to check a file in before going on leave, the Web Services Team is able to reassign the check-out to another editor.

How to disable document check-in/ check-out?

To revert to not using FrontPage's check-in/ check-out simply:

Open your website in FrontPage
Select Tools, Web Settings and under the General tab, untick the 'Use document check-in and check-out' option
When asked whether you want to proceed with the change, click Yes

Comments from existing users

'Would definitely recommend it to any other web editors who share pages - means there is no scope for error'

'It is a lot easier with the check in/ check out facility. There is now no overlap'

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