Using a Custom Fragment Library


The Custom Fragment button can be used to access and modify a local fragment library. Clicking on it when it is inactive activates the last-used custom fragment library; the first fragment within it becomes the current fragment, appearing in the area below the toolbars and in the popup menu to the right of the various building buttons. If no custom fragment library exists, this area will be blank.

Clicking on the Custom Fragment button when it is selected opens the Custom Fragments palette, bringing up the lower dialog below:

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The Custom Fragments Window

This palette allows you to select from the available fragments in the open library. The selected fragment will become the current fragment once the dialog is exited.

The Library field at the top of the palette indicates the fragment library that is in use. Previously opened libraries are also present in the list. Additional library locations may be opened by clicking on the button labeled “...”.

Fragment libraries are simply folders on disk, and individual fragments within a library are stored as files within that folder. Thus, creating a new fragment library consists of creating a folder at the desired location and then selecting it in this palette. The library will obviously be initially empty. Any non-fragment files within the folder are ignored—although, best practice is to limit fragment library folder use solely to fragment files.

Fragments within a fragment library are organized into a series of user-defined groups. If this feature has not been used, then all fragments will be within the “root” group: i.e., ./ as in the figure.

The Custom Fragment context menu, reached by right-clicking within the fragment list area in the center of the palette, is used to manage and modify fragment libraries. It has the following selections:

Note that fragments within a library can be updated only by removing and then re-adding them (there is no way to modify an existing fragment).