Create a new branch

This procedure creates a copy of a published map in the Authoring cycle.

The map must be in the Published cycle.

When you create a new branch, the system creates a new version of a published map that you can modify as you like. When a published map is branched, a copy of the map is created in the Authoring cycle and given the status Authoring:work. This is the root map.

During the branching process you'll be prompted to enter a tag, which will be applied to the root map and to all the documents which are subsequently branched within it, such as topics, images, sub-maps, etc. You can use this tag to search the repository for all documents belonging to a specific branch.

You can branch a map from Search view, your Todo List, or any other view where you can see a map.

  1. Right-click the map and select Branch > Create New Branch.
    The Branch Map dialog appears.
  2. Optional: In the Tag field, enter an identifier for the branch you are creating.
    The default tag is the version label of the published map. You can replace or modify this tag, if you want.
  3. Click OK.
    The Progress Information dialog tells you that the map is being branched.
A copy of the published map with its own unique ID is created in the Authoring cycle, and this new map opens in the DITA Map view. You'll see the tag that you assigned in the Title column.
All documents that you want to modify in the map must now be branched.