Cloning an Asset
Last Updated: 17 Dec 2015
Cloning an asset creates a copy of the asset and any of its dependent assets. Everything will be copied, including the content of the asset. This is useful if you want to start with a template but then modify it with your own content. For example, if you need to add a new article on your Site, you can clone one of the other articles so you have a template to start with and then modify the content.
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The Clone Here menu
Initially, when you clone an asset, both assets will have the same name but a different asset ID. This means they are two different assets. If you edit one asset it will not change the other asset so you can change the name of the cloned asset and it will not change the name of the original asset. The Status of the cloned asset will be Under Construction.
To clone an asset, drag and drop the asset into the location that you want to clone it, and select Clone Here.
Dropping an asset directly onto a parent asset and selecting Clone Here will clone the asset under this parent asset as a child, for example, cloning an asset under a Site.
If you are using the old Java-based Asset Map, left click on the icon of the asset.
Line selector
When you move your mouse in the Asset Map, a black line will follow the mouse cursor. To clone the asset in between two assets in the Asset Map, place the line in between them. For example, to clone the asset in between the Squiz and About Us pages, place the line in between the two assets, as shown in the figure to the right.
Box selector
To clone the asset as a child of another asset, place the box around the parent asset. For example, to clone the asset under the About Us page, place the box around the About Us asset, as shown in the figure to the left. You will only be able to clone assets as a child of another asset if you have Write Permission to the parent. For example, this user needs to have Write Permission to the About Us page to be able to clone the Copyright page under it.
Once you have placed the line where you would like to clone the asset, left click and select Clone Here. To cancel the clone, you can select Cancel instead. If you try to clone an asset in the wrong location, you will receive an error message. For example, if you try to clone a Standard Page into the Media Folder, you will receive an error message, as you can only add files and documents to the Media Folder.
Once you have clicked Clone Here, a HIPO job will appear in a new window asking you to confirm that you would like to clone the asset, as shown in the figure below.
A HIPO Job
If you wish to continue with the clone, click the Next>> button; the HIPO job will be processed and the asset will be cloned. If you want to cancel the clone, click the Cancel button.
When an asset is cloned, various settings including the Permissions, Metadata Schemas, Workflow Schemas and Roles are inherited from its new parent. Backend Users cannot apply some of these settings to assets and these users may receive a number of warning messages once the HIPO Jobhas been completed. The asset, however, will still be cloned with its parent settings applied.
Cloning Multiple Assets
Clone menu option
If you want to clone multiple assets in the Asset Map, highlight the assets and drag and drop these assets into the location you want to clone them, and select Clone Here.
Dropping a group of assets directly onto a parent asset and selecting Clone Here will clone these assets under this parent asset as children, for example, cloning assets under a Site.
If you are using the old Java-based Asset Map, hold down the Shift key or the Ctrl key on the keyboard and select the assets you want to clone in the Asset Map. For example, if you wanted to clone the Copyright, Privacy Policy and Contact Us pages in the Asset Map, hold down the Shift key and select the Copyright, Privacy Policy and Contact Us pages, as shown in the figure to the right.
Once you have selected the assets you want to clone, right click on one of the selected assets; a menu will appear as shown in the figure to the right. Select Clone from the menu.
Line selector
When you move your mouse in the Asset Map, a black line will follow the mouse cursor. To clone the assets in between two assets in the Asset Map, place the line in between them. For example, to clone the assets in between the Squiz and About Us pages, place the line in between the two assets, as shown in the figure to the left.
Box selector
To clone the assets as a child of another asset, place the box around the parent asset. For example, to clone the assets under the Site, place the box around the SIte asset, as shown in the figure to the right. You will only be able to clone assets as a child of another asset if you have Write Permission to the parent. For example, this user needs to have Write Permission to the Site to be able to clone these assets under it.
Once you have placed the line where you would like to clone the assets, left click. A HIPO job will appear in a new window asking you to confirm that you would like to clone the assets, as shown in the figure below.
A HIPO Job
If you wish to continue with the clone, click the Next >> button; the HIPO job will be processed and the assets will cloned. If you want to cancel the clone, click the Cancel button.
Renaming an Asset while Cloning
When you clone an asset(s), the option Change the name of the cloned assets will appear in the HIPO job, as shown in the figure above. When you click this option, an additional field will appear allowing you to rename the new asset(s). If you do not change the name of the asset, it will have the same name as the asset you are cloning.