Import a folder structure from the Components browser

You can create a new folder structure in Inspire by importing a ZIP file. During this process Inspire creates the sub-folders in the parent folder you select using the paths in the ZIP file. All references in the ZIP file are created even if there are duplicate file names. Any components in the folders are also imported as new files.

Tips and tricks

You can also import a folder structure when you're working in a project. Follow the steps in Import a folder structure from a project.
When you import an XML file with elements, Inspire will either assign a unique ID to all elements that don't have one, or only to supported elements. If you are an administrator read Create automatic IDs for all elements.

Before you begin

Application administrators and users must have special permissions to create subfolders.
- By default, when importing a ZIP file, your organizational admins and users do not see the option to Create Subfolders.
- To grant these permissions, follow the steps in Allow application administrators to import subfolders.
You cannot import a folder structure using drag and drop.
When creating a folder structure, you can only import one ZIP file at a time.
Before starting the import process, you must have a parent folder to select as the place where the imported sub-folders will be created. For help on creating a folder, follow the steps in either of the following:
- Create a component folder
- Create a root folder
You only see a checkbox for the Create Subfolders option when you select a ZIP file to import.
- If you don't select the Unzip option, the ZIP file is imported but as Binary and without subfolders.
You can import structured ZIP files that contain GUIDs in the filenames without losing the GUID or the file being automatically considered new content.
- A Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) is a unique ID that is computed by Windows to be a 128-bit number to uniquely identify objects such as files.
- On import, Inspire does not remove a GUID from a filename. For example, a file in a zip named MyFile_a1098r8yr.xml is imported as MyFile_a1098r8yr.xml.
- If the file exists in Inspire, the existing file is updated.
- If the file doesn't exist in Inspire, the file is added to the correct folder structure.
- Inspire also maintains GUIDs within href, conref, and conrefend references.
ZIPs that are invalid will fail import.
- The ZIP must have less than 50 folders.
- The filenames must be less than 200 characters.
- The folder path must be less than 255 characters.

You must use absolute paths in the ZIP file. Relative paths are not supported.

Examples of an absolute path:

<topicref href="E:/Mycompany/Project1/Content/tasks/topic1.dita/>"

href="E:\MyCompany\Project1\Content\Topics\overview.xml"

The files in the folder can't be part of an active translation job

When you import files by opening a folder's Options menu and selecting import, Inspire checks to make sure none of the files are in an active translation job.

If the files you are importing are part of an active translation job:

The entire import will fail, even if some files are not part of an active translation job.
You see an error message: You are trying to import files that are part of an active translation job. Use the "Import translation" action in the translation management tab instead.
You see one error for each file you are trying to import that is part of an active translation job. File ({fileName}) was found in translation job ({translation job id}).

To import translation files:

Go to the Translation Management tab.
Select the job that the files belong to.
Right-click the job or click the Options menu.
Select Import translation...

For more information, read Import translated components.

To import a folder structure from the Components browser:

Click Components.
In the Folders pane, navigate to the parent folder where you want to create the new sub-folder structure.
Right-click the folder and select Import.
You can also click the Options menu, and select Import.
On the Import Components screen, to complete step 1 of 4:
1. Click Browse for files.
2. On the Open screen, select a ZIP file with a folder structure to import and click Open.
3. On the Import Components screen, in the file's row, if not already selected, select Unzip.
4. In the file's row, select Create Subfolders.
  Application administrators must have special permissions to create subfolders. To grant these permissions, follow the steps in Allow application administrators to import subfolders.
5. On the Import Components screen, click Next.
To complete step 2 of 4:
1. Review the list of files.
2. Click Next.
To complete step 3 of 4:
1. Wait for the files to be imported.
To complete step 4 of 4:
1. Click Finish.
  Results:
  - You see a message that the import process has begun. You receive an email when the import completes.
  - Inspire either assigns a unique ID to all elements that don't have one, or only to supported elements. This is configured by your administrator.
  - If the import fails, you receive a notification in Inspire and an email with a list of issues.
  - When you complete a task that triggers a notification, such as importing content, the Slack and email message bodies contain:
    - The notification with ten or less Issues, Errors, and Warnings.
    - A link at the bottom of the message [See Full Version]
    - You can click the [See Full Version] link to expand a section under the link with the full details.
You must refresh the Folders pane to see the new folders. Do any of the following:
- In the Folders pane toolbar, click Refresh and then navigate to the parent folder again.
- Right-click the parent folder and select Expand all.
You can verify that you imported the correct folder structure by looking in the Components browser in the Folders pane.