Switching Apps

To perform various tasks on the same content, you can switch from one app to another without reloading this content.

This behavior is possible if the app supports the transition mechanism, and if the open content is compliant with the target app.

Switching from one app to another changes your working context. Each app has a specific set of commands, capabilities and behaviors that you may not find in the target app you select.

Switching between authoring and Finder apps or between Finder apps opens or explores content in the selected target app in a new tab.

When switching between authoring apps, the target app replaces the source app in the same tab.

Depending on the source and target apps, two different transition mechanisms are used. The enhanced transition mechanism is available when switching from a Finder app to an authoring app or when switching to Product Finder. The classic transition mechanism is used when switching to another Finder app.

For general information about apps, see About Apps.

Before you begin:

To build your working session from the source app, you can:

  • Select a node of the content structure in the source app.
    • Enhanced transition mechanism: The corresponding branch (the node in context) opens in the target app.
    • Classic transition mechanism: The node opens as root and without context in the target app.
  • Select multiple elements of the content structure in the source app.
    • Enhanced transition mechanism: The selected elements open in the same tab in the target app.
    • Classic transition mechanism: They open in different tabs.
  • If the switch scenario supports the enhanced transition mechanism, set a viewpoint or hide/show status that will be kept in the target app. If it supports the classic transition mechanism, they are not kept.

Note: When switching between authoring apps, you cannot select the elements to switch. The whole tab is switched to the target app. If the target app allows it, the viewpoint and Hide/Show status are kept.
  1. Click the Compass.
  2. Click an app icon.

The content is loaded in the target app.

Note: In case of cumulative opening of elements of the content structure in the target app, these elements open in the same tab if the switch scenario supports the enhanced transition mechanism. If it supports the classic transition mechanism, they open in separate tabs.