empower® Sync

Available from Version: -

Operating System: Windows

empower® Add-in: Template Management

The empower® Sync is a background process that synchronizes data between the server and the individual clients.

This process is used to make data available offline so that you can also work with empower® offline. Templates and library searches also work offline.

The following data is synchronized:

  • Metadata – e.g. folders, users, designs and permissions

  • Content data from the empower® Backend – e.g. templates

If an element's content data is also synchronized, it can be inserted entirely without a connection to the empower® Backend.

Note

Write functions such as uploading an element to the empower® Library are not available offline.

Note

If there is no connection to the empower® Sync, only elements that have been made available offline by synchronization can be opened.

For further information regarding offline and online availability, see Online Availability of Library Content.

User Interface

To access the empower® Sync, navigate to the Windows task bar. Here, click on the empower® Icon (Figure 1332, “empower® Icon”).

The icon will either be displayed in the taskbar or in the context menu of the taskbar.

Figure 1332. empower® Icon

empower® Icon

Note

After the installation, empower® will ask you to log in.

You only need to log in once. The empower® Sync will remember your login data.

For further information regarding the user information and the sign out option, see User Information.

Main Window

In the main window, you can see when the empower® Sync has executed the last synchronization. In addition, you can see how many files have been synchronized and what the size of this data has been (Figure 1333, “Main Window”).

Figure 1333. Main Window

Main Window

To see the exact date and time of the latest synchronization, move your mouse cursor over the text Last synced … (Figure 1334, “Mouse-Over Last synced”).

Figure 1334. Mouse-Over Last synced

Mouse-Over Last synced

Start the Synchronization Manually

To manually initiate a synchronization, click on the button Sync Now (Figure 1335, “Button Sync Now”).

The empower® Sync will then start the synchronization of any data that has changed or been added since the last synchronization and will also display a progress bar during this time.

Figure 1335. Button Sync Now

Button Sync Now

Note

The button Sync Now can be used when you know that there has been a change which you cannot yet access because the interval for the next synchronization has not yet been reached.

Access the Sync Options

To open the empower® Sync options, click on the gear symbol in the top right corner of the main window (Figure 1336, “Gear Symbol”).

A drop-down menu containing the available options opens.

Figure 1336. Gear Symbol

Gear Symbol

On the top of the drop-down menu, you can see which environment you are connected to. The green circle next to the environment shows if there is a connection to the empower® Backend.

If the empower® Sync cannot establish a connection, this circle will appear in red.

To close the empower® Sync and shut down empower®, click on the option Exit (Figure 1337, “Option Exit”).

To minimize the empower® Sync window, click on the X symbol in the top right corner.

Figure 1337. Option Exit

Option Exit

If you click on the button Exit, a message will appear in the window (Figure 1338, “Message for Application Exit”).

To confirm the process, click on the button Exit Application.

Figure 1338. Message for Application Exit

Message for Application Exit

Important

Closing the empower® Sync via the button Exit will lead to the empower® Sync being shut down.

Some features need a connection to the empower® Sync to work properly.

If you open the Office application again, the empower® Sync will be restarted automatically.

Note

If the empower® Sync crashes unexpectedly, empower® tries to restart it. If this restart is not successful, a dialog box opens (Figure 1339, “Error Message for Sync”).

Figure 1339. Error Message for Sync

Error Message for Sync

Note

Alternatively, you can access the options Sync Now, Sync from Scratch, Logs and Exit via the context menu. To do so, right-click on the empower® Icon in your task bar.

Execute a Sync from Scratch

The option Sync From Scratch can be used to delete the previous synchronization metadata. The empower® Sync will start a complete synchronization afterwards.

Content data will not be deleted.

To execute this process, click on the option Sync from Scratch (Figure 1340, “Option Sync From Scratch”).

Figure 1340. Option Sync From Scratch

Option Sync From Scratch

Important

As this option starts a complete synchronization, the login is also reset. Therefore, you need to login again after using this option.

Note

This option can be used if problems occur despite synchronization or if the synchronization fails regularly.

In addition, the option can help to solve issues regarding user rights as the login data is also reset.

Clear the Local Cache

The option Clear local cache can be used to clear the cache for content data. It does not start a synchronization.

To execute this process, click on the option Clear local cache (Figure 1341, “Option Clear local cache”).

Figure 1341. Option Clear local cache

Option Clear local cache

A message appears. Read this message carefully.

To clear the cache, click on the button Clear local cache (Figure 1342, “Message for Clear local cache”). The empower® Sync will then start clearing the cache.

Figure 1342. Message for Clear local cache

Message for Clear local cache

Note

This option can be used to free up hard disk space after several weeks or months of working with empower®.

Important

The next access to content that is not available offline may take longer than usual after clearing the cache, as the content must first be downloaded. This download requires a connection to the empower® Backend.

The next synchronization process can also take longer, as content data must be resynchronized.

Open the Log Files

The option Logs can be used to open the file directory in which the log files are stored.

To open the log file directory, click on the option Logs (Figure 1343, “Option Logs”). The corresponding folder will be opened.

Figure 1343. Option Logs

Option Logs

Note

This option can be used if the empower® Support Team needs further information regarding the cause of unexpected problems.

User Information

Next to the gear symbol, you can see the user's initials (Figure 1344, “User Initials”).

Figure 1344. User Initials

User Initials

To view the user information, click on the initials. The user's full name and the user's e-mail address will be displayed (Figure 1345, “User Information”).

To log out, click on the option Sign out.

Figure 1345. User Information

User Information

Synchronize a Specific Library Folder

If you only want to load changes in a specific library folder in PowerPoint, you can do so directly in the empower® Library.

This can be useful if a colleague has added or changed content and you know about these changes, but the next automatic synchronization has not been run yet.

To synchronize the content of a specific folder, follow the following steps:

  1. Open the empower® Library.

  2. Navigate to the folder that you want to synchronize.

  3. Next to the path bar, click on the refresh symbol (Figure 1346, “Refresh Symbol in Library”).

    The folder is reloaded and all changes made since the last synchronization are displayed.

Figure 1346. Refresh Symbol in Library

Refresh Symbol in Library

This manual partial synchronization only applies to the current folder. It does not synchronize other library content or background settings.

Note

Individual folders can only be synchronized manually in the empower® Library in PowerPoint.

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