# 5600 - Externally Referenced Files
Users of previous versions of Corel VENTURA™ may be familiar with the benefits of the
multiple file format. A single file format is used in Corel VENTURA 7 to allow for easy file
management. There are, several steps that will allow a user to take advantage of the multiple file
formats in Corel VENTURA 7. One of the benefits of the new file format is that you can decide
which files will be internal and which will be external. The procedure is different for text and
graphics.

Note: Ensure the most recent maintenance release has been installed. The latest maintenance
release is Revision C, build 1465. To check the build installed, click Help, About Corel
VENTURA. If the revision is older than 7.1465, contact Customer Service. 

Differences Between an External and Internal Files
Single file format and internal files:
When a text file is loaded into a program that uses a single file format, the text is appended to the
new file. The original file is copied into the new document and the new text file is stored
internally. The loaded text file remains unchanged, and changes made in the new file will only
appear in the new file. Corel® WordPerfect® and most other word processors use a single file
format.

Multiple file format and external files:
When a text file is loaded in a program using a multiple file format only a reference to the original
text file is made. Since this file is stored outside the new publication the text file can be thought of
as external. The original text file is used in the publication and changes made in the new document
will appear in the original text file and all other documents using the original text file. No copy of
the original is made. Versions of Corel VENTURA before version 7 used a multiple file format.

Corel VENTURA 7 uses a single file format by default, with options to use a multiple file format.
A text or graphic file loaded into a publication is stored internally to the publication by default.
This means that the file can only be accessed within Corel VENTURA 7 through the VENTURA
Navigator™ (The tool used to manage internal and external files in Corel VENTURA 7).
Externally referenced files are not stored internally to the Corel Ventura publication. External files
remain in the original location, and can be accessed through Windows Explorer, File Manager,
and VENTURA Navigator. If an External file is changed in another program the changes will be
reflected within Corel VENTURA 7 publications using the external file.

Using externally referenced files

There are several advantages to using external files.  One advantage is that a user can save disk
space by having multiple documents and chapters use the same file. This is especially noticeable
with large graphic files. A user can also update multiple publications outside Corel VENTURA by
editing the external file in a separate program. A company logo, for instance, would be changed in
all Corel VENTURA publications that reference the file externally, when the graphic file is
changed.

Tip: Use externally referenced graphics when working with many graphics, or large graphic files
in a publication. This reduces the file size of the *.VP file and improves performance.

Because some graphic files can be very large, Corel VENTURA 7 will prompt you to decide if a
large graphic file should remain external. The default setting is to prompt the user with any file
that is larger than 50 KB. This setting can be changed by clicking Tools, Options, Save, and
changing the value for Warn When Pictures are Over. Like previous versions of Corel
VENTURA, a graphic file will remain in the folder it was imported from.

Because text files are usually much smaller than graphic files, Corel VENTURA 7 saves all text
files in the *.VP file. To save a text file as external, select a file with VENTURA Navigator in
Publication Manager mode, right-click, and click Rename File.  Enable Export on Save, and select
a Text Format, type a new filename, and browse for the desired folder. The four text formats
available are Rich Text Format, ASCII, 8 Bit ASCII, and ANSI.

An alternative to maintaining external text files is the Export command.  This command is  used to
create a separate text file that is independent of the Corel VENTURA publication. This would be
used to bring a Corel VENTURA text file into another word processor making the exported file
separate from the publication. The file can then be reloaded into Corel VENTURA 7 with the
Import Text command, after any modifications have been made outside of Corel VENTURA.
This feature can also be used to remove Corel VENTURA markup codes from a text file for use
in other text editors.  To use this feature, click File, Export.

With Windows® 95 or Windows NT® 4.0, a *.VP file can be copied with external graphics and
libraries by right-clicking the publication in Windows Explorer click Copy with Links. Note that
text files saved externally will not copy to the new location with this command, refer to the online
help for more information (click Help, Help Topics, Index, Copy with links). In Windows NT
3.51 the files must be managed using File Manager. Regardless of the operating system, whenever
external files are used it is important to manage those files externally. If a user deletes or moves
external files, Corel VENTURA will be unable to load those files into the publication. As a
backup Corel VENTURA 7 maintains a copy of all text files in the *.VP file, so that if any
external text files are removed, then Corel VENTURA loads an internal copy of the text files.

Notes:
Externally referenced files in a chapter stored in a library are embedded when you add the chapter
to another publication. If you want the graphic files to remain external, add the chapter, then
remove and import the files. If you want the text files to remain external, add the chapter, and
right-click the text file with VENTURA Navigator in Publication Manager mode.  Click Rename,
and enable the Export on Save check box.

For information about sharing style sheets in Corel VENTURA 7 refer to the online Help or Fax
on Demand document #5604 for more information.

Corel VENTURA 7 includes two scripts, XONSAVE and IMPORTEX, to automate the process
of referencing text files externally. To run a script click Tools, Scripts, Run/Manage Scripts, Run.

XONSAVE can be used to set Export On Save for all or any combination of text files in an
opened publication.

IMPORTEX can be used to import text files and set Export On Save for those files. Using the
customization available in Corel VENTURA 7 you could replace the Load Text command with
this script.

If the latest revision of Corel VENTURA 7 is installed and the scripts are not available, perform a
Custom installation and install the Corel VENTURA scripts.