Avoid Multiple Copies of the Same File

Does this scenario sound familiar?

• You upload a file
• You decide to make and edit and update that file
• You upload the file again (with a new filename like myfile-v2.pdf)
• Perhaps that cycle repeats because even more edits and uploads take place
• You now have multiple copies of the same file in your document library

Unlike your computer, when you add a file with the same name to Sitefinity it does not overwrite the old file with the new file. Instead, you end up with two files in your list that both have the same file name.

This may seem like counter-intuitive behaviour because you're not used to it, but there are some circumstances where you may not want to overwrite a file with the one that has the same file name. It is a good practice to give your files helpful names, but often with images in particular you end up keeping the default file name that was created by your camera.

Replace the file

To avoid multiple copies of the same file in Sitefinity there is an option to explicitly "Replace the file."  Here's how you do this:

• From the document library or the image library click the file you want to replace
• On the right side of the properties screen there is a gear icon.
  • For a file this is with the file name
  • For an image this is in the top-right corner of the image preview
• From this menu choose "Replace the file"
• Upload your new file

Here's the screenshot for a replacing a regular file.

And, here's the screenshot for replacing an image file.

Benefits of this Approach

In addition to helping keep your libraries clean and organized, this approach of replacing an existing file will do two helpful things for you:

1. Any links on your site to the file don't need to be changed.  Those existing links will now open the newest version of the file.
2. The other existing properties and file name on your website are kept clean. When you replace a file, Sitefinity keeps the original file name. If you replace "myfile.pdf" with one from your computer named "myfile-v2-draft-final-final.pdf", Sitefinity sticks with "myfile.pdf"

Responsive Design Adjustments

Specifying Which Responsive Rules Apply To A  Page

Most of the time you do not need to worry about this, but there may be a rare case where you want to completely turn off responsive rules for a page. If you did this then even on a mobile device the regular desktop version of the page would appear.

As soon as you enter the list of layout controls look to the bottom for the Responsive Layout Settings button

From here you can choose which responsive rules apply to the page (or not).

Hide or Show Specific Columns for Various Screen Sizes

You can get more granular with hiding and showing content at certain screen sizes by editing a specific layout control on your page.

To start, click the Edit link on a layout control on your page.

At the bottom of the layout properties on the right side of the screen there is now a heading for Responsive design. Click the Change button there to open up additional options for responsive screen sizes.



From the new window you can select if a column show appear or be hidden at certain screen sizes

Note: Hiding a column at a desktop screen size will make that column disappear from the screen you're working on. To show that column again, simply reduce the width of your browser window. When your window size matches a mobile phone for example, the hidden column will appear again.

 

 

It can be quite frustrating and time consuming if all of your files are stored in one document library, or if one document library gets used extensively resulting in a large file list.

Organize Your Files with Document Libraries and Subfolders

Just like organizing files on your computer into folders and subfolders, you can organize documents and files in Sitefinity using Document Libraries and subfolders. Subfolders in Sitefinity are just Document Libraries the live inside another Document Library.

To get this to work start by going into your Documents & Files in Sitefinity



Now, click the button to create a new document library



Give your new document library a name and then make sure to indicate that you want to choose a parent library that this new library will belong to. When you select that choice a new button will appear allowing you to select that parent library.

When you click the Select a library button a new window will appear. From here you can choose the parent library and click done. Note that you can nest libraries multiple levels deep just like having folders within folders within folders on your computer.

When finished you'll have a well organized list of folders within the parent Document Library.

Special Note - You Can Change the Library After Uploading

So, it is worth admitting that even while composing this blog post, I would forget to switch the library that I wanted these screenshot images to be saved in. Realizing that after the fact is no big deal. Without leaving the blog post editing window I can bring up the image properties and move the image file to the right library.

From the properties screen (right-click your image or file link and choose properties) click the button at the top labeled Edit all properties (this button is in the middle of the screen when editing a link to a file).


The next screen has an option to change the library that the image or file is saved in. Clicking Change here will move the file to a new library. Save your changes by clicking publish on this screen, save on the next screen and then you'll get back to the screen you were working from before.

With Sitefinity Layout Controls you can:

• Add and customize columns in your content area
• Assign your own css style names and modify the design
• Adjust the flow of your content on mobile devices

To get started, edit a page and click the Layout button in the top right corner of the page.


You will then get a list of pink(ish) controls that can be dropped on a page just like your content widgets.

Customize Your Columns

Add more columns

By dragging a layout control onto your page you can split your content area in to multiple columns.

Nested Controls

You can also nest your content controls by dropping one inside the other.

Customize the Style of Your Content

Click Edit to pull up the properties for your layout control.

Change Column Widths

The width of each column can be modified. Clicking "Spaces" will also give you options to adjust the padding between columns.

Add Custom CSS Styles

Clicking Classes & Labels allows you to add your own css class names that get inserted to the html that wraps each column. (Switch back to the list of content widgets and drag a style block onto your page to include your own css.)