Create a launch to enable the updating of a new version of existing web pages for future activation. When you create a Launch, you specify a title and the source page:
Optionally, you can specify the Launch Date (and time) to define when the launch pages are to be promoted and activated. However the Launch Date only operates in combination with the Production Ready flag (see Editing a Launch Configuration); for the actions to actually occur automatically, both must be set.
You can create a launch from either the Sites or Launches console:
Open the Sites or Launches console.
When using the Sites console it is usual to navigate to the location of the source page, but this is not compulsory as you can navigate when selecting the Launch Source in the wizard.
Depending on the console you are using:
Launches:
Sites:
In the Sites console you can also use selection mode to select a page before selecting Create.
This will use the selected page as the initial source page.
In the Select Source step you need to Add Pages. You can select multiple pages, specifying the path for each:
Repeat as required.
To add pages and/or branches to a launch they must be within a site; i.e. below a common top-level root.
If a site contains language roots below the top level, the pages and branches for a launch must be below a common language root.
For each entry you can specify whether to:
Include subpages:
Proceed with Next.
In the Properties step of the wizard you can specify:
Launch Title: The name of the Launch. The name should be meaningful for authors.
with existing content: the original content will be used to create the launch.
use a new template to replace the page: See Create Launch with New Template for more details.
Inherit source page live data: Select this option to automatically update the content of launch pages when the source pages change. This option achieves this by making the launch a live copy.
By default, this option is selected.
Launch Date: The date and time when the launch copy is to be activated (dependent on the Production Ready flag; see Launches - the Order of Events).
Use Create to complete the process and create your new launch. The confirmation dialog will ask whether you want to open the launch immediately.
If you return the console (with Done) you can see (and access) your launch from either:
When creating a launch you can select whether to use a new template:
using a new template to replace the page
This option is only available when creating a launch from the Sites console. It is not available when creating a launch from the Launches console.
Selecting this will:
As a different template is used the new page will be empty. Due to the different page structure no content will be copied over.
This mechanism can be used to change the template of an existing page - though the loss of content must be considered.
Creating a nested launch (launch within a launch) gives you the ability to create a launch from an existing launch so that authors can take advantage of changes already made, rather than having to make the same changes multiple times for each launch.
See also Promoting a Nested Launch.
Creating a nested launch from the Launches console is basically the same as creating any other form of launch, with the exception that you need to navigate to the launches branch /content/launches
:
In the Launches console select Create.
Select Add Pages, then navigate to the launches branch by specifying /content/launches
in the filter. Select the required launch and confirm with Select:
Proceed with Next and complete the Properties as with any other launch.
To create a nested launch from the Sites console - based on an existing launch:
Access the Launch from References (Sites console) to show the available actions.
Select Create launch to open the wizard (as the source has already been selected it will skip the Select Source step).
Enter the Launch Title and any other required details (as with a normal launch).
Use Create to complete the process and create your new launch. The confirmation dialog will ask whether you want to open the launch immediately.
If you select Done, you are returned to the References rail of the Sites console, if you select the appropriate page your new launch is shown.
You can delete a launch from the launches console:
Deleting a launch will remove the launch itself and all descendant nested launches.