Configure the think-cell Library

As an administrator, you can configure the think-cell Library for users in your organization as follows:

• Select predefined library sources that always appear in the library. Standard users can't hide, reorder, or otherwise modify these sources.
• Enable or disable access to the library deployment settings where users with local administrator accounts can edit predefined library sources.
• Enable or disable specific library sources.
• Connect a Brandfolder account to the library and configure the Brandfolder menus.

On Windows, configure the library in group policies (see Group policies) or during installation with command-line parameters (see Installation on Windows).

On Mac, configure the library with the defaults command-line tool (see Installation on macOS) or a device management solution (see Managed deployment on macOS).

think-cell Library sources

The think-cell Library supports the sources in the following table.

Configure predefined library sources

As an administrator, you can configure the think-cell Library to always display certain sources. Standard users can't hide, reorder, or otherwise modify these sources. The predefined sources always appear at the top of the library source list.

If you disable a library source (see Enable or disable specific library sources), users with local administrator accounts can still add the disabled source to the predefined sources in the library deployment settings. However, any changes to the predefined library sources only apply to that user's account, as a preview, unless the user exports and deploys the sources to other users using think-cell configuration parameters. You can Enable or disable access to library deployment settings.

To configure predefined library sources, follow these steps:

1. Arrange predefined sources in the library.
2. Deploy predefined sources.

Arrange predefined sources in the library

To select and order predefined library sources, follow these steps:

1. On your computer, sign in to a local administrator account.
2. In PowerPoint with think-cell installed, on the Insert tab, select Library.
3. Open the library deployment settings: select Configure Library , then select Configure Deployment Settings .

4. Edit the predefined sources.

   • To add a source, select the plus sign (🞡) beside its label.
     • To add slide and image assets via New folder, see Asset folders as predefined library sources.
     • If adding Brandfolder, don't add the API key in the library deployment settings. To distribute an API key to users in your organization, see Add a Brandfolder account to the library.
   • To remove a source, select the X mark (✕) beside its label.
   • To reorder the predefined sources, drag their labels.

   To revert your edits to the predefined sources, select Revert.

5. When you're finished, select Export. A string that encodes your predefined sources is copied to your clipboard.
6. Proceed with the instructions in Deploy predefined sources.

Asset folders as predefined library sources

This section provides generic instructions for adding folders with slide and image assets to the predefined library sources, as well as specific instructions for SharePoint folders.

think-cell doesn't fully support asset folders on Mac. To learn more, see Add asset folders on Mac.

This section contains the following topics:

• Add asset folders to the predefined library sources
• Specify absolute folder paths to predefined sources
• Add SharePoint folders
• Add asset folders on Mac

Add asset folders to the predefined library sources

If you want the think-cell Library to update for all users whenever someone edits a centrally deployed asset folder, add a folder from a network drive or SharePoint (see Add SharePoint folders).

If you don't plan to centrally update an asset folder, or if you plan to update the folder only occasionally, you can add a folder from users' local storage or personal OneDrive.

To add a folder with slide and image assets to the predefined library sources, follow these steps:

1. Open the think-cell Library deployment settings (see Arrange predefined sources in the library, steps 1 to 3).
2. Select New folder. The Select a folder dialog (Windows) or Open dialog (Mac) will open.
3. Specify the folder that you want to add. Users must be able to access the folder through the same absolute path (see Specify absolute folder paths to predefined sources).
   • If the path contains environment variables (Windows) or a tilde (~) (Mac), close the Select a folder dialog (Windows) or Open dialog (Mac). In the think-cell Library dialog, in Folder Path, enter the folder path. Then select Enter.
   • If you don't need to use environment variables (Windows) or a tilde (~) (Mac)—for example, if the folder is on a network drive—you can use the Select a folder dialog (Windows) or Open dialog (Mac) to select the folder that you want.
4. In the think-cell Library dialog, in Label, the library folder label matches the original folder's name. If you want to, you can enter a new folder label.
5. Go to Arrange predefined sources in the library and continue from step 4.

Specify absolute folder paths to predefined sources

Users must be able to access folders in the predefined library sources through absolute paths. To centrally specify an absolute path for each user, you can use environment variables on Windows or a tilde (~) on Mac.

See the following examples:

• Windows: Specify C:\Users\USERNAME\Templates as %USERPROFILE%\Templates.
• Mac: Specify /Users/USERNAME/Templates as ~/Templates.

Add SharePoint folders

Windows only

On Windows, you can add folders in SharePoint to the predefined library sources. Whenever someone edits the folder, these edits appear in the think-cell Library.

On Mac, you can add folders in SharePoint to the predefined library sources, but the library won't update when someone edits the folder. If you want the library to update whenever someone edits the folder, see Add folders to the predefined sources on Mac via a network drive.

To add a SharePoint folder to the predefined library sources, follow these steps:

1. Make sure that the SharePoint folder is synced to all users' computers. For example, if the folder is in a SharePoint library on a team site, configure the the library to sync automatically (see Configure team site libraries to sync automatically).
2. Open the think-cell Library deployment settings (see Arrange predefined sources in the library, steps 1 to 3).
3. Select New folder. The Select a folder dialog will open. Close this dialog.
4. In the think-cell Library dialog, in Folder Path, enter the folder path. Then select Enter.
   
   Users must be able to access the folder through the same absolute path (see Specify absolute folder paths to predefined sources). If you've synced a SharePoint library using the example in step 1, the path to the library will be %USERPROFILE%\SHAREPOINT_NAME\TEAM_SITE_NAME - LIBRARY_NAME.
5. Go to Arrange predefined sources in the library and continue from step 4.

Add asset folders on Mac

If you want the library to update whenever someone edits the asset folder, see Add folders to the predefined sources on Mac via a network drive.

If you don't plan to update an asset folder, or if you plan to update the folder only occasionally, see Add folders to the predefined sources on Mac via local storage.

Add folders to the predefined sources on Mac via a network drive

If you want the library on Mac to update whenever someone edits an asset folder, add the folder to the predefined sources via a network drive.

1. Add the folder to a network drive, with the following criteria:
   • The network drive is shared across Windows and Mac (see Connect your Mac to shared computers and servers).
   • The folder is shared with a Windows computer where someone regularly uses think-cell.
2. On Windows, add the asset folder to the library (see Add assets to the library).
3. In the asset folder, you should now see a subfolder called .tcidx. If you don't see .tcidx, ensure that hidden files are visible in File Explorer.
4. On Mac, add the asset folder to the predefined sources (see Add asset folders to the predefined library sources).

Add folders to the predefined sources on Mac via local storage

If you don't plan to update an asset folder, or if you plan to update the folder only occasionally, you can add the folder to the predefined sources via local storage.

1. On Windows, make sure that the asset folder isn't synced to a cloud storage provider such as OneDrive, otherwise the index files may not appear in the folder.
2. Add the folder to the library (see Add assets to the library).
3. In the asset folder, you should now see a subfolder called .tcidx. If you don't see .tcidx, ensure that hidden files are visible in File Explorer.
4. Copy the asset folder with the index files to users' local storage on Mac.
5. On Mac, add the asset folder to the predefined sources (see Add asset folders to the predefined library sources).

Deploy predefined sources

After you generate the string that encodes your predefined sources (see Arrange predefined sources in the library), add the string to your configuration parameters. To do so, proceed with the following instructions for Windows or Mac.

If you don't add the string, your saved changes to the predefined sources apply to your account only.

 LIBRARY=PREDEFINED_SOURCES 

 LIBRARY="" 

 sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.office.plist com.think-cell.settings.library -string PREDEFINED_SOURCES 

<dict>
	<key>com.think-cell.settings.library</key>
  	<string>PREDEFINED_SOURCES</string>
</dict> 

Enable or disable access to library deployment settings

Users with local administrative rights can access library deployment settings, which allow them to create a list of predefined sources (see Configure predefined library sources). As an administrator, you can enable or disable access to library deployment settings for users with local administrative rights. Standard users can't access library deployment settings.

To enable or disable access to library deployment settings, use the following configuration parameters.

DISABLELIBRARYADMINMODE=1

DISABLELIBRARYADMINMODE=0

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.office.plist com.think-cell.settings.DisableLibraryAdminMode -bool true

<dict>
	<key>com.think-cell.settings.DisableLibraryAdminMode</key>
	<true/>
</dict>

Enable or disable specific library sources

As an administrator, you can enable or disable library sources for users in your organization. Standard users can't use or see disabled library sources. However, users with local administrative rights can see disabled sources in the library deployment settings (see Configure predefined library sources).

You cannot disable New folder (see Add your slide and image assets to the library).

To enable or disable library sources, use the following configuration parameters.

STOCKIMAGESDISABLEBRANDFOLDER=1

STOCKIMAGESDISABLEBRANDFOLDER=0

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.office.plist com.think-cell.settings.stockimages -dict-add DisableBrandfolder -bool true

<dict>
	<key>com.think-cell.settings.stockimages</key>
	<dict>
		<key>DisableBrandfolder</key>
		<true/>
	</dict>
</dict>

Configure Brandfolder

Brandfolder is a digital asset management platform. Users and administrators can add a Brandfolder account to the think-cell Library. When an administrator adds a Brandfolder account to the library for users in their organization, users can't add a different Brandfolder account. Administrators can configure the Brandfolder library menus.

Add a Brandfolder account to the library

To add a Brandfolder account to the library, follow these steps:

1. Retrieve a Brandfolder API key.
2. Add a Brandfolder API key to the library.

Retrieve a Brandfolder API key

To retrieve the API key from your Brandfolder account, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to Brandfolder.
2. Go to Integrations and find your API key. Copy the key to your clipboard.

Add a Brandfolder API key to the library

To add the Brandfolder API key to the library, use the following configuration parameters.

STOCKIMAGESBRANDFOLDERAPIKEY=BRANDFOLDER_API_KEY 

STOCKIMAGESBRANDFOLDERAPIKEY=""

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.office.plist com.think-cell.settings.stockimages -dict-add BrandfolderAPIKey -string BRANDFOLDER_API_KEY

<dict>
	<key>com.think-cell.settings.stockimages</key>
  	<dict>
  		<key>BrandfolderAPIKey</key>
    		<string>BRANDFOLDER_API_KEY</string>
	</dict>
</dict>

Configure Brandfolder library menus

You can configure the Brandfolder menus in the library as follows:

• By default, if the Brandfolder account that you added to the library contains only one Brandfolder, the Brandfolder menu has only one option. In this case, you can hide the Brandfolder menu. If the account contains more than one Brandfolder, the menu will appear regardless.
• In the Collection and Section menus, show or hide the All option.
• Hide the Collection or Section menus.

STOCKIMAGESHIDESINGLEBRANDFOLDER=1 STOCKIMAGESHIDEBRANDFOLDERCOLLECTIONS=1 STOCKIMAGESHIDEBRANDFOLDERSECTIONS=2

STOCKIMAGESHIDESINGLEBRANDFOLDER=0 STOCKIMAGESHIDEBRANDFOLDERCOLLECTIONS=0 STOCKIMAGESHIDEBRANDFOLDERSECTIONS=0

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.office.plist com.think-cell.settings.stockimages -dict-add HideSingleBrandfolder -bool true HideBrandfolderCollections -int 1 HideBrandfolderSections -int 2

<dict>
	<key>com.think-cell.settings.stockimages</key>
	<dict>
		<key>HideSingleBrandfolder</key>
		<true/>
		<key>HideBrandfolderCollections</key>
		<integer>1</integer>
		<key>HideBrandfolderSections</key>
		<integer>2</integer>
	</dict>
</dict>