Using libraries

A media library is a special Authorware file that contains a collection of individual icons and their content. You can place display, calculation, digital movie, sound, and interaction icons (but not interaction structures) in a library. For information on specific procedures, see Libraries--step-by-step procedures.

To use a library icon, drag it to the flowline. The icon that appears on the flowline represents a link to the icon and its content in the library.

The titles of icons linked to a library are displayed in italics.

Authorware doesn't actually make a copy of the library icon or its content, it just displays a duplicate image of the icon. The content remains in the library.

Any changes you make to the content of a library icon--for example, adding text or replacing the image there with a different one--are reflected everywhere you use the icon in every file you link to the library.

To organize icons in the library window you can color them, by selecting an icon, then selecting a color from the color palette. You can also sort the icons in the library window by clicking on any of the headings: Link, Color, Icon, Title, or Date.

You can link up to 17 libraries to a piece, and you can have as many as 20 library files open at the same time. (There's an advantage to being able to have more libraries open than you can link to a piece: You can copy icons from the unlinked libraries to the libraries you do want to link to.) Authorware lets you link more than one library to a piece so that you can use libraries to organize content. For example, you might want to put text, graphics, sound, and digital movies all in separate libraries. Or if you're working on a project that's going to be distributed in several languages, each language can be in a separate library.

Note: Don't confuse the button library with a media library. The button library contains only button components, and it's always part of a course file.

Library key features

When you're trying to decide how best to use media libraries, keep these key features in mind:

With libraries you can use the same content more than once without duplicating it.
The Authorware file stores only a link to the content, not the content itself.
You can embed or link content to an icon in a library.
Unlike an external media file, a library can contain more than one piece of content.
A library icon can contain icon properties, not just content.
A library can be packaged, which makes it easy to distribute. But once it's packaged, its content can't be edited.
You can link as many as 17 libraries to a file.
An entire team can use a library at the same time.

Using libraries

Library key features

See also