File Handlers

NOTE:

To perform operations on this page, the user must be a member of the NRTADMIN group, or be assigned to a role with Tier 2 access to Control Center. For more information about the specific operations allowed, see Understanding tiers.

File handlers are a set of applications required to handle certain type of documents, such as .pdf, .txt, xlsx and so on. When a library is initialized, an application list that includes information about most of the Windows applications is provided. Each iManage library has a list of applications associated with it. It contains the information required to integrate document handling applications with iManage Work. This information includes the:

Procedure to associate document types and applications
Program to launch applications from iManage Work
Open and print documents in integrated applications.

When you are on the File Handlers page, you see the list of document handling applications with their metadata values. The following are various operations that you can perform on this table list:

Search for the required file handler app using the Search field.
Add a file handler application using the Add File Handlers option.
Map multiple document types to an application using the Primary application and Non-primary application types.
Edit a particular file handler's attributes using the Edit option.
Delete single or multiple file handler app using the Delete option.
View details of a file handler app using the View option.
View generic table options in User interface overview section.

Search for file handlers

This option is available on the ribbon bar and can be used search file handler application by Profile Field and Captions.

Figure: Search field

Adding a file handler

Select +Add File Handler. The Add File Handler dialog box appears.
Enter the value for the following fields and select Save. A new file handler app is added.

Table: Field information

Field Identifier	Intended Content
Name	Descriptive name for the file handling application. Note: The Name field cannot be edited after it is set.
Location	Location of the application in this field. You can specify a full pathname. For example, if the application is Microsoft Word and the executable file is `WINWORD.EXE`, it is sufficient to enter `WINWORD.EXE` in this field. If the application is a non-primary application (see the Primary Application option in this table), the following command line parameters pass document information to the applications launched from iManage: %DOC_DB. Allows you to pass the library name %DOC_NUM. Allows you to pass the document number %DOC_VER. Allows you to pass the document version -NO_OUTPUT Used when the application being launched does not return output to iManage Work clients. Example: You want to pass the library name, document number, and version number to an application through the command line. The specified application does not return any output to iManage. A fax application is an example of an application that might consume this document information but not return any output. You call the fax application sendfax.exe. Given these parameters, the command line settings for the fax application would be: `C:\…\sendfax.exe DB=%DOC_DB NUM=%DOC_NUM VER=%DOC_VER -NO_OUTPUT`
Type	Identifies the document type associated with an application. Note: The Type field cannot be edited after it is set.
Integration Mode	This text-entry field identifies the method for integrating the application with iManage Work clients: COM Integration: Select this option if this application is integrated with iManage using macros supplied with the iManage DMS. ODMA Integration: Select this option if the application is integrated using the ODMA method. Non-Integrated: Select this option if the application cannot be integrated using macros or ODMA integration. For information about application integration, refer to iManage Work Desktop Clients Customization Guide.
Primary Application	Indicates that the application is the primary application for the document type. If multiple applications are associated with a document type, one application may be identified as the primary one. If only one application is associated with a document type, enable (turn ON) the switch.
DDE	Enable (turn ON) the switch if the application supports dynamic data exchange (DDE). Enter the required information in the fields on the Add or Edit Application dialog box. Most major applications support DDE. CAUTION: DDE is not supported and should NOT be enabled for PowerPoint or PowerPoint 2007 application formats.
Enter information for the following sections only if the DDE switch is enabled:
DDE Name	DDE application name which is usually the executable filename for the application (without the `.exe` extension).
DDE Topic	DDE Topic for the application which usually identifies a category of data associated with the application.
Open Command	DDE Command Line to open a document in the application. The DDE Command Line varies from application to application.
Open Read Only Command	DDE Command Line to open a document for read-only viewing in this application. Again, the DDE command line varies from application to application.
Print Command	(Optional) DDE Command Line to print a document in the application. The command line assumes that the application is already running.
Print and Exit App Command	(Optional) DDE Command Line to print a document when the application is not already running.

Editing a file handler

This option is available on the:

ribbon bar (select a file handler to see this option on the ribbon bar)
kebab menu (select the icon adjacent to each file handler app to see this option)
context menu (right-click the file handler app to see this option)

Use any of the preceding options and perform the following steps to edit the file handler app:

Right-click the file handler app and select Edit. The Edit File Handler dialog box appears.
Edit the required fields. For more information about the details, see table Field information.
IMPORTANT:
The Name and Type field cannot be edited.
Select Save.

Deleting file handlers

Single File Handler

This option is available on the:

ribbon bar (select a file handler to see this option on the ribbon bar)
kebab menu (select the icon adjacent to each file handler app to see this option)
context menu (right-click the file handler app to see this option)

Use any of the preceding options and perform the following steps to edit the file handler app:

Select the file handler app you want to delete.
Right-click the file handler app and select Delete. The Delete confirmation box appears. Confirm the action to continue or abort.

Multiple File Handler

Select the file handler apps and select Delete on the ribbon bar. The selected file handler apps are deleted.

NOTE:

In case of errors, error messages are displayed. You can view or download the messages using the Download as CSV option.

Viewing file handler details

This option is available on the:

ribbon bar (select a file handler to see this option on the ribbon bar)
kebab menu (select the icon adjacent to each file handler app to see this option)
context menu (right-click the file handler app to see this option)
file handler app (in the Doc #/Version column) as a clickable link.

Use one of the above option and select View.

Mapping multiple document types to a file handler application

You can create multiple records in the File Handler information table for the same application. These records list the different document types. With this mapping, users can open multiple document types from the same application. For example, you want to open ANSI text files and Word documents in Microsoft Word. Confirm that both document types are listed in the Type field (see table Field information). Next, add a record to the File Handler information table for Microsoft Word. A copy of the entry for Microsoft Word is made, but the ANSI is the document type. Each entry must be designated as the primary application for the data type.

Primary Applications

The primary application is the preferred application for opening a document. If only one application is associated with a document type, the Primary Application switch must be enabled (turned ON) in the File Handler list to ensure that the document opens in iManage Work clients.

If multiple applications are mapped to the same document type, you can identify one as primary by selecting the Primary Application check box when you create the entry for the application in the File Handler list. Only one application can be identified as the primary application for a document type.

NOTE:

To use the Open feature in iManage clients, the document type must have an application designated as the Primary Application in the File Handler list.

Non-Primary Applications

The primary application is the preferred application for opening an iManage document. Other applications that are mapped to the same document type become non-primary.

All non-primary applications are listed in the Application submenu of iManage clients. Users can select documents in the document grid and open a document in a non-primary application by selecting it from the Application submenu.