Working with binary files

A binary file is any computer file whose contents are not plain text. Instead, the data is stored in a sequence of bytes intended for a specific format or purpose, such as images, audio, video, compiled programs, or compressed data. A binary file does not use the DITA XML content structure but may still be used alongside DITA content.

You can import binary files into Inspire in any of the following formats:

• BMP. Displayed with an image icon to identify a Microsoft Bitmap Picture format.
• DOCX. Displayed as a blue document icon with a blue letter W to identify Microsoft Word text files.
• EPS. Displayed with an image icon to identify an Encapsulated PostScript format.

• GIF. Displayed with an image icon to identify a Compuserve Graphics Interchange Format.

• JPG. Displayed with an image icon to identify a Joint Photographic Experts Group format.

• PDF. Displayed with a red document icon and a red A logo to identify an Adobe PDF file format.

• PNG. Displayed with an image icon to identify a Portable Network Graphics format.

• SVG. Displayed with an image icon to identify a Scalable Vector Graphics XML format.

• TIF (or TIFF). Displayed with an image icon to identify a Tagged Image File Format.
• XLSX. Displayed with a green document icon with a green letter X to identify Microsoft Excel spreadsheet files.

In Inspire, you can use and manage binary files in the following ways:

• Add to a project. Add existing components to a project
• Apply tags. Use component tags
• Approve and Unapprove. Approve or unapprove a component
• Change language. Change a component's language
• Change type. Change a component's type
• Delete. Delete Components
• Export. Export content from the components browser
• Follow. Follow a component
• Import. Import an image
• Link to include in a DITA file. Link to existing content
• Lock. Lock components from the components browser
• Manage relationships. Manage relationships
• Manage permissions. Set permissions
• Mark as favorite. Add a component to your Favorite list
• Move within the file structure. Move components.
• Preview. Preview components
• Publish. Publish one component
• Rename. Rename a component
• Replace. Replace a binary file
• Run reports. Run reports on components
• Save. Choose how to save a copy of a component
  • Save as
  • Save as a copy
  • Save as a branch
  • Save as a snapshot
• See details. See details and relationships
• Send to review. Review images and locked components
• Send to translation. Translate Components
• Search. Find components
• View. Preview components