Create a new branch

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

Before you begin

The map must be in the Published cycle.

About this task

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.

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

Procedure

  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.

    The tag is applied to the root map and to all the documents that are subsequently branched within it, such as topics, images, submaps, etc. You can use this tag to search the repository for all documents belonging to a specific branch.

  3. Click OK.
    The Progress Information dialog tells you that the map is being branched.

Results

A copy of the published map 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.

What to do next

Any documents that you want to modify in the map must first be branched.