Managing templates or products in batch

There are times when it is more efficient to work with more than one product at a time, or when other processes within ArcGIS may require access to the products outside the product library. The product library allows you to do the following in batch:

• Get Local Copy
• Check Out
• Check In
• Undo Check Out

You can access products in batch to check out or get local copies to put on disk to allow the data and map document to be manipulated using arcpy or other processes. One common workflow is to use the mapping module of arcpy to batch print or export the map documents that are stored in the product library.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap.
2. If necessary, open the Product Library window by clicking Customize > Production > Product Library on the main menu.

   A tree view of the product library appears.
3. Navigate to the series that contains the products you want to manage.
4. Right-click the series and click Batch Manage Products.

   The Batch Manage Products dialog box appears.

5. Confirm that the Series drop-down shows the series that contains the products you want to manage.
   Tip:

   You can click the Series drop-down arrow to change the series that contains the products you want to manage

6. If you want to manage two or more products but not all the products in the series, press the SHIFT or CTRL key and click two or more products to select them on the Available Products list.
   1. Click the single right arrow button to move only the selected products to the Selected Products list.
7. If you want to manage all the available products in the series, click the double right arrow button to move them to the Selected Products list.
   Tip:

   If you also want to manage products from another series, you can repeat steps 5–7 to move the products from another series to the Selected Products list.

   Tip:

   To remove one or more products, click them in the Selected Products list and click the single or double left arrow button.

8. Click the Action drop-down arrow and choose an option:
   • Get Local Copy
   • Check Out
   • Check In
   • Undo Check Out
9. Click OK.

   If you chose to get local copies or to check out, the Get Local Copy or Check Out dialog box appears. If you chose to check in, the Check In dialog box appears. If you chose to undo the checkout, the Undoing check out dialog box appears, and you can continue to step 12.

10. If you want to get local copies or check out, complete the substeps:
    1. Click the ellipsis (...) next to the Output Location field.

       The Browse For Folder dialog box appears.

    2. Navigate to the folder where you want to store the .mxd.
       Tip:

       If necessary, you can use Make New Folder to create new folders and subfolders.

    3. Click OK.

       The Open option is not enabled when these actions are performed in batch.

    4. Check the Overwrite existing file(s) check box if a previous version of the .mxd exists in the location you chose and you want to overwrite this file with the version from the product library.

       If you don't check this check box and you have a local version, the local version is used instead of the one from the product library.

    5. If template instructions exist and were set, and you want to use them, click Options.

       A dialog box appears with a list of template instructions.

    6. Check the box next to the template instructions that you want to apply to the template or product.
       • Python Scripts—Allow custom business logic to be executed on a product. A single Python file can be saved as part of a template instruction.
       • Layout Rules—Enable a product map document’s layout size and orientation and the relative placement of elements on that layout to react to changes that happen on dynamic cartographic products.
       • Data Frame Rules—Allow products to have their data frame settings, such as scale, extent, coordinate system, and rotation, updated based on a product's associated instance.
    7. Click OK.
    8. Click OK to get a local copy or check out.

       A progress dialog box appears for getting a local copy or checking out.

       Getting Local Copy dialog box with progress information

       Checking out dialog box with progress information

       Continue to step 12.

11. If you want to check in, complete the substeps:
    1. If necessary, type a description of the changes you made in the Comments text box.

       The option to change the file version is not enabled when these actions are performed in batch.

    2. To keep the .mxd file checked out, check the Keep Checked Out check box.
       Note:

       If this check box is checked, the .mxd file remains checked out, and it will not be checked in.

    3. If you do not want to keep a copy of the map document on your machine, uncheck the Keep Local Copy check box.
    4. Click OK.

       The Checking in dialog box appears with the progress information.
12. Click OK when the process completes.