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How to create and edit an entity

Create entities in the library, edit their title, type, and properties on the Metadata tab, and manage their files on the Files tab.

Create entities from the library footer, one at a time or from a batch of PDFs. Once an entity exists, open it and work from its tabs. The Metadata tab holds the title, the type, and the properties. The Files tab holds the documents and the supporting material.

Prerequisites​

  • To create entities: the collaborator, editor, or admin role
  • To change an entity that exists: the editor or admin role, or permission to edit that entity

Steps​

Create an entity​

  1. Go to the Library page.
  2. Select Create entity in the footer. The entity form opens on the right.
  3. Type a name in the Title field. You must enter a title.
  4. Select a template from the Type drop-down below it. Uwazi selects a default for you.
  5. Fill in the metadata fields. An asterisk marks required fields.
  6. To attach a main document, select Add PDF under Primary Documents, then choose one or more PDF files.
  7. To attach supporting material, select Add file under Supporting files, then:
    • Select Upload from computer to choose a file of any type.
    • Select Add from web to enter a display name and a web address.
  8. Select Save. Uwazi creates the entity and opens it for viewing.

New entities stay private until you publish or share them.

Edit an entity​

  1. Open the entity and select the Metadata tab.
  2. Select Edit in the footer. The footer swaps to Cancel and Save.
  3. Change the Title, pick a different Template, or edit any property. An icon picker sits between the two fields.
  4. Select Save, or select Cancel to drop your changes.

Both Title and Template need a value before Uwazi accepts the form. If the server rejects a value, the message appears under the field it belongs to. Leave the page with unsaved changes and Uwazi stops you first.

Add files to an entity​

  1. Open the entity and select the Files tab. It lists PRIMARY DOCUMENTS and SUPPORTING FILES.
  2. Select Add file.
  3. Select the file box to open a picker, or drag a file onto it.
  4. Edit the Name if you want a different label. Select Remove to drop the file and pick another.
  5. Set Add as:
    • Supporting file takes a file of any type. Uwazi picks this for you.
    • New primary doc takes a PDF. The option stays disabled for every other type.
  6. Select Add file. A progress line runs while the file uploads.

To make a supporting file primary, delete it, then add it again as New primary doc.

Add a translated primary document​

  1. In the right pane file list, under PRIMARY DOCUMENTS, select Add translation.
  2. Choose a PDF.

Uwazi files the result as a primary document. The picker takes PDF files only.

Rename or delete a file​

warning

Deleting a file removes it for everyone, and you can't undo it.

  1. On the Files tab, open the menu on the file's row.
  2. Pick an action:
    • View opens the file.
    • Rename changes its name.
    • Change language appears on primary documents only.
    • Delete removes it.
  3. To remove several files at once, select their rows, then select Delete in the toolbar.
  4. Confirm in the dialog.

Create entities by uploading PDFs​

Turn many PDF files into entities in one action.

note

Each PDF becomes one entity. Uwazi sets the title to the file name and the type to the default template.

  1. Go to the Library page.
  2. Select Upload PDF(s) to create in the footer.
  3. Choose one or more PDF files. Uwazi accepts only PDF files here.
  4. Wait while the files upload one at a time. A counter shows the progress and how many files remain.

Edit a field on several entities at once​

  1. In the library, select more than one entity:
    • In card view, hold Ctrl (or Command) and select each entity. Hold Shift to select a range.
    • In table view, select the checkbox on each row.
    • Use Select all to add every entity loaded on the page.
  2. With two or more entities selected, the selection panel opens. It shows the count and the selected titles.
  3. Select Edit. The form shows only the fields the selected entities share.
  4. Change a field. A warning icon marks each field you change.
  5. Select Save. Uwazi writes each changed field to every selected entity, replacing the old values.

You can't change the title or attach files in this mode.

Copy field values from another entity​

  1. Open an entity and select Edit.
  2. Select Copy From. The panel splits into two columns.
  3. Search for the source entity by title, then select it from the results.
  4. Review the fields Uwazi highlights. These are the fields both entities share.
  5. Select Copy Highlighted. Uwazi copies the highlighted values into your form, replacing the current values.
  6. Review the form, make any other changes, then select Save.

Uwazi doesn't copy the title, generated IDs, image fields, or media fields.

Result​

You've created or updated your entities, and they appear in the library.

See also​