Static collections: a deep dive
Static Collection Facts:
A Static Collection is a group of shortcuts to the actual files/folders.
Deleting files or even whole collections does not delete files/folders or affect the binder.
Editing a file or folder in a collection changes the file in the binder.
Only in Static Collections can you add or delete files/folders from the collection.
Static Collections will NOT have a magnifying glass in the header.
Dynamic Collections and Search Results can both be changed into a Standard (Static) Collection via the Navigation Menu. (Menu command Navigate > Collections > Convert to a Standard Collection.)
You can create as many collections as you like.
See how to add and delete files/folders from collections below.
Four Methods to Create a Static Collection
A.) Click the Plus sign in the Collections Header and type in a name for your new Static Collection.
B.) Use the Menu command Documents> Add to Collection > New Collection to create a new Static Collection. A new entry will appear in your collection list labeled New Collection. Click on name to edit your name for this new collection.
C.) Choose an existing Dynamic Collection and then use the Menu command Navigation > Collections > Convert to Standard (Static) Collection to make the collection Static. When this is done the magnifying glass in the right corner of the Header bar changes to a negative sign. (see above)
D.) You can create a new blank collection and then use Ctrl +A to copy all the files in a Dynamic Search/Search results and drag into the newly created Static Collection from the results of the Dynamic Search.
Create a Static Collection useing Methods A, and B-
1. A new slot will appear and you then type in a name for the new collection. (See green box above.)
2. Add or delete files. (See below.) You can select some or all of the files from a Dynamic Collection and drag them onto the name of the Static Collection and this will add those file shortcuts to the new Collection.
Adding and Deleting Files
Static/Standard Collections allow you to freely add, shuffle and remove items as you work. This is the most flexible and freeform type of collection.
Add Files-
A. Right Click Option- Add files to this by right clicking any highlighted/chosen binder item and see the option to add to ANY Standard collection that is available within the list of current collections. Note you can click multiple files while holding the Ctrl key to add them at once to a Static Collection (or use the Ctrl + A shortcut to select all of a Collections files to move).
1. Choose a file to right click on.
2. Use the option to Add to Collection.
3. Choose a collection to add the file to.
4. Lists collections in reverse order of appearance in the collections list.
B Select and Drag- Highlight one or multiple files in the Binder and drag onto any Static Collection in the Collection Area adds those files into the Static collection. The original file will remain in the Binder. (Note: You cannot add documents manually to a Dynamic Collection or the Search Results.)
C. Add Search Results-To add ALL the search results from a search, then go back to the search results. Using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A will select all the files in the current search. These can be either and copied (Method A) or dragged (Method B) into your new Static Collection. Or you can decide to add only select files from a new search or Dynamic Collection.
D. Menu command Documents > Add to Collection > and choose to add a single documents or multiple selected documents to an existing Static Collection or create a new one.
E. Add a Text or Folder from inside a current Collection- You can right click a file/files inside a displayed Standard Collection and add these to another static collection.
1. Choose a Static Collection (notice (no magnifying glass to the right of the name)
2. Select a document(s) to add to another Static Search and right click
3. Will see the option to add to Collection.
4. Choose a Static Collection to add the selected files to.
Delete Files-
A. Select a single or multiple files and click minus sign in the header bar. (See above in red box). This is not possible in Search Results or Dynamic Collections.)
B. Select a single or multiple files and press the delete key.
Permanently Deleting Collection Files/Folders-
Select item(s) to delete and use the standard keyboard command Ctrl + delete key to delete an item(s) not only from a collection but to send it to the Trash folder and remove from the Binder as well.
[Using the Delete key alone, ONLY removes files/folders from the collection.]
Cloning (Backing up a collection) Collections-
Method 1
Choose a Collection and select all the items inside it with the Ctrl + A command.
Now click the Collections Header bar and click +. The copied files will be added to the newly created Static Collection. This will be at the top of the collection list and can be renamed.
Method 2
Create a new document to store your collection list. (You could have a Folder to store your backed up Collection documents or place in the Bookmark panel.)
Lock the editor in place. (Navigate> Lock in place or right click on document icon and choose Lock in place)
Choose a Collection and click on a document inside the Collection.
Now use the Keyboard command Ctrl + A to choose all its results.
Drag the selected files into the newly created blank document.
This document and will now contain a list of links that match the files/folders in the chosen Collection.
1. This newly created document will act as a backup for the 2 stars collection. This document now contains a list of bookmarks to every file that was in that Collection.
2. The Static Collection (2 stars) with its contents displayed below.
3. All the search results have been chosen.
4. Dragging this onto the locked editor view leaves a list of links that match the document list in the Collection. (An effective clone/backup.)
5. Editing this list has no effect on the original files/and folders.
You can use this method to store seldom used collections inside a document and remove from the list of collections if this becomes too large and unwieldy.
Sorting of Collections
Note: Sorting of all files in a collection can only occur in Static Collections and can not be reversed. You can still move files around in the binder as you want.
If you highlight a Static Collection or Binder folder you can arrange files in it by alphabetical order by clicking on Menu command Edit >Sort. (Only Static Collections can be arranged in Binder Order.)
You will then see a warning message.
Note: You can also choose a collection and sort its files in binder order.
This cannot be undone.
However, afterwards you can move files in a collection around anyway you want to further customize the order.
See the blog on using collections for ideas on how to use these helpful tools.