Collaboration panel

Use this to share your document on the local network or internet with other Power PDF users for editing.

This panel is called from the Panel bar by the following tool:

If you do not see this tool, right-click in an empty area of the Panel bar and select it.

Collaboration meeting

Power PDF supports co-editing meetings on two levels:

• LAN Collaboration is supported by all Power PDF licenses and does not require server installation. However, only users on the same local network can participate. See Prepare for a LAN Collaboration Meeting and Join to a LAN Collaboration Meeting for details.
  Note: Participants should use Power PDF 3.0 or later.
• Online Collaboration requires Power PDF Advanced 5.0 or newer with Volume License and the supplied on-premise collaboration server up and running. Refer to the Network Installation Guide for server installation and configuration details. From a user's perspective, see Prepare for an Online Collaboration Meeting and Join to an online collaboration meeting for details.

Note: The following features are not available during the collaboration meeting: Edit Text, Convert to Editable, Bates numbering, Sequencer, Clean Document, Secure Delivery, Modify security, Sign and Certify functions, Tag PDF tool, Reading order functions, FormTyper, Form Contrlos panel.

LAN and online collaboration meetings require different preparation, but the conduct is the same. During the meeting all meeting participants can work on the same document, using the familiar user interface. The following features are active in a co-editing meeting:

• All participants see all changes real time.

• Cursors of other participants show up colored and labeled with the nickname.

• The Collaboration panel provides a toolbar and a partner list.

During the meeting, participants can do any of the following:

• Follow a user: On the collaboration floating toolbar at the top-right of the Document Panel, click the arrow next to the Follow Another User () command. Select a participant from the drop-down list to watch that Document Panel working.
• In Follow mode, you cannot edit the document. The Document Panel shows all the activities of the selected partner in real time, including edits and scrolling.
• On the semi-transparent Following <Nickname>'s Current View floating toolbar near the top of the Document Panel, click the arrow next to the Follow Another User () command to unfollow the partner and return to co-edit mode.
• Set user display: On the collaboration floating toolbar at the top-right of the Document Panel, click the arrow next to the Show User As () command. From the drop-down list, select how to display the activity of the user currently followed.
• Current Tool and ID: The icon of the actual tool in use labeled with the nickname represents the cursor of the user.
• Laser Pointer and ID: A small arrow labeled with the nickname represents the cursor of the user.
• Do Not Show: No user activity display.
• Exit meeting: On the Collaboration Panel toolbar, click Exit () or right-click on your nickname in the list, then select Exit from the context menu to close the co-editing meeting. After a confirmation message, meeting owner may save the document. Other participants may save the document only if the Normal security option was selected by the meeting owner.

During the meeting, only the meeting owner can do the following:

• On the Collaboration Panel toolbar, click Add () or right-click on your nickname in the list, then select Add from the context menu to invite a new partner to the co-editing meeting.
• On the Collaboration Panel toolbar, select a nickname, then click , or select Remove from the context menu to dismiss that partner from the meeting.

Prepare for a LAN Collaboration Meeting

Whilst LAN collaboration meeting partners are awaiting for the invitation, meeting owners should proceed with the steps below:

1. Open the document you would like to share for collaborative editing. (The file should not be located in a shared folder.)
   Note: If you miss this step, then the Collaboration Panel will ask you later to specify the document path or browse for a document.

2. Switch to the Collaboration Panel.

3. Collaboration Panel requires you to specify your nickname before editing, so the Enter Nickname dialog box appears at first use. Enter a unique name in the Name dialog box, then click OK.
   Note: The Rename Nickname dialog box can be started later by clicking on its icon at the top of the Collaboration Panel.

4. Select the LAN Collaboration () tab.

5. Select Visible to users in the same LAN to be discoverable to other Power PDF users for co-editing. This step also enables the Start Collaboration button.

6. Click Start Collaboration to display the LAN Collaboration dialog box.

7. Select partners and set up security as describer in the LAN Collaboration dialog box.

Join to a LAN Collaboration Meeting

To join to a LAN collaboration meeting as a participant, do the following:

1. Switch to the Collaboration Panel.
2. The Collaboration Panel requires you to specify your nickname before editing, so the Enter Nickname dialog box appears at first use. Enter a unique name in the Name box, then click OK.
   Tip: The Rename Nickname dialog box can be started later by clicking on its icon at the top of the Collaboration Panel.
3. Select the LAN Collaboration () tab.
4. Select Visible to users in the same LAN to be discoverable to other Power PDF users for co-editing.
   Meeting participants receive a confirmation dialog at the start of the meeting with the following message:
   <Nickname> has invited you to co-edit the document "<Documentname>"
   The file name in the confirmation message is built upon the name of the shared document, with _Collaboration.pdf appended to the end.
5. Join by confirming the message. Power PDF asks for Access Code if it was required by the meeting owner.

The LAN collaboration meeting starts.

Prepare for an Online Collaboration Meeting

Before using online collaboration, specify the on-premise collaboration server URL on the Online Collaboration page in the Options dialog box.

To prepare for an online collaboration meeting as the meeting owner, do the following:

1. Open the document to share in collaboration.
2. Switch to the Collaboration Panel.
3. The Collaboration Panel requires you to specify your nickname before editing, so the Enter Nickname dialog box appears at first use. Enter a unique name in the Name box, then click OK.
   Tip: The Rename Nickname dialog box can be started later by clicking on its icon at the top of the Collaboration Panel.
4. Select the Online Collaboration () tab.
5. Click Start Collaboration.
   The Collaboration Setup dialog box appears.
6. Select a Security Option, then click Setup.
• Select the Normal option to let meeting participants save the co-edited document at the end of the session.
• Select the Secure option to prevent meeting participants from saving the co-edited document.
  Important: By selecting secure, security settings for this document will be lost.
7. The Collaboration Setup dialog box appears with a unique Collaboration ID. Other participants can connect to the meeting with this ID.
8. Click Copy to copy the Collaboration ID to the clipboard. Pass the ID to the participants as you invite them.
9. Click Start.

The online collaboration meeting starts as participants join.

Join to an Online Collaboration Meeting

Before using online collaboration, specify the on-premise collaboration server URL on the Online Collaboration page in the Options dialog box.

To join to an online collaboration meeting as a participant, do the following:

1. Switch to the Collaboration Panel.The Collaboration Panel requires you to specify your nickname before editing, so the Enter Nickname dialog box appears at first use. Enter a unique name in the Name box, then click OK.
   The Rename Nickname dialog box can be started later by clicking on its icon at the top of the Collaboration Panel.
2. Select the Online Collaboration () tab.
3. Click Join Collaboration.
   The Join a Collaboration dialog box appears.
4. Paste the Collaboration ID you received from the meeting owner, then click Join.

The collaboration meeting starts.