Live Copies

The smart way to link content inside Showell. Control your content from one Master folder. Read more to find out the benefits and use cases!

💡What are Live Copies?

In order to truly understand the meaning and benefit of live copies, it's good to compare it to it's alternative options: Click here for a full comparison list.

  • Copy: When you copy a file, you create a new individual file. There is no connection between the original and the copy. This means that you end up with a File A and a File B.
  • Link: A link is reference point that leads to the original file. By clicking the link, you are actually opening the original file. Making adjustments to the original file, does not reflect on the link. Moving or hiding the original will break the connection between them.
  • Live Copy: This is a mirror of the original file. If you make adjustments to the original file, it will be mirrored on the live copy. The connection between the original and live copy cannot break.


☝️Why should I use Live Copies?

  • Live copies are great if you have content that should be available in multiple locations within your Showell Account. Instead of making a copy of the content and then edit each individual file, you can simply create live copies and you only have to apply the changes to the original file, this will automatically update all your live copies.
  • Live copies save storage space! you can make endless live copies of the original file, yet it will only take the storage space of the original one!
  • Live copies work smoothly with your DAM/Cloud integration!
    ➡️ Tip: Make your master synced folder private and use live copies to showcase the materials in the right places.
  • You can control all your content from one hidden/private folder. Certain documents should stay hidden from your users, you might have temporary files that come and go, or you like to organize your content in a different way then how it's displayed towards your users.
  • If you remove the original file, the Live Copy is not removed! (if you use a link, the link will break)
  • Live Copies are easy to keep up-to-date, simply update the original and all it's live copies will be updates as well.
  • Every individual live copy will have its own analytics.


➕ Live Copies is a Showell Add-on. If you'd like to know more:

💡Live Copies is activated and ready to be used?

 


COPY vs LINK vs LIVE COPY

➡️Within Showell Admin

Questions

COPY

LINK

LIVE COPY

Can the original file/folder be hidden or made private? YES YES, but not recommended because the connection can break YES
If the original file/folder is moved, does the connection stays intact? NO, There is no connection between original and copy NO, the connection will break YES
When viewing the copy/link, can I find out where the original file/folder is located? NO, There is no connection between original and copy YES, location can be found in the link address YES, you can navigate to the original with the click of a button
When viewing the original file/folder, can I find out where the copy/link is located? NO, There is no connection between original and copy NO YES, you can navigate to the Live Copy with the click of a button
If I edit the original file/folder, will this update the copy/link? NO, There is no connection between original and copy NO YES
If I edit the copy/link, will this update the original? NO, There is no connection between original and copy NO NO, and this is not recommended. If a Live copy itself is edited, it will become a stand-alone file. Any changes made to the original after this action, will not be mirrored anymore.
Can I set different privileges for both the original and the copy/link? YES YES YES
Does the copy/link takes extra storage space on the user's device? YES NO
(negligible amount)
NO
If I remove the original file/folder, Will the copy/link be removed? NO, There is no connection between original and copy NO, but the link will be broken NO, the live copies will become stand-alone files.
Exception: If you create a live copy of a folder and remove the original folder's content, the content of the live copied folder will also be removed.
If I add content to the original folder, will it automatically create a copy within the copied/linked folder?
NO, There is no connection between original and copy YES, but this will not create a copy. The newly added content will be accessible via the link YES, and this copy does not take any extra storage space on your device
If I add content to the copied/linked folder, will it automatically create a copy within the original?
NO, There is no connection between original and copy NO, it is not possible to add content to a link. A link is a single file. NO, it is recommended to only add content to the original folder.
If I reorganize content within the original folder, will it reorganize the content of the copied/linked folder?
NO, There is no connection between original and copy YES, because you are viewing the original folder YES
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