This guide will help you learn NetX and provide direction for browsing our extensive knowledge base. If you encounter a term you are not familiar with, check out the NetX glossary.
As you move through this guide, there may be some features and actions you won't be able to use. This access is governed by your user level, as set by your site's administrator.
Galleries
NetX assets are presented in the asset gallery, where you can view asset thumbnails, attribute details, and refine search results.
- Navigation
- Dashboard
- Folders
- Saved searches
- Collections
- Tools
- Selection bar
- Search
- Upload
- User profile
- The gallery
- Quick editor
- Selection actions
Navigation
The top-left hamburger button launches a menu for navigating folders, saved searches, collections, and any tools available to you. Personal settings, including managing your password and user settings, are also accessible here.
Dashboard
The dashboard provides quick access to the latest uploads, commonly used folders, or search terms. To customize your dashboard, use the edit button to the left of the dashboard header.
Folders
Assets are organized into hierarchical Folders, created and managed by users with sufficient privileges.
Folder actions
Right-click on a folder to see available actions, or hover to reveal three-dot action menu. The menu options vary depending on your user level:
- Add a subfolder to the folder.
- Create a PDF with the folder contents.
- Download a zip file of the folder contents.
- Edit the folder name, parent folder, and more.
- List all navigates to a gallery of all assets in the chosen folder in addition to any assets available in its subfolders.
- Share creates a share link with the contents of the folder.
- Upload to the folder.
- Delete the entire folder and its contents. This action cannot be undone.
Saved searches
Frequently performed searches can be saved for quick recall and shared to other users. Unlike collections, saved searches are not static; they are dynamically updated as files are uploaded or asset data is changed to match the search terms.
Collections
Collections are saved selections of assets that can then be shared with other users.
Tools
Features in the Tools tab allow you to manage, view, or create particular data or workflows.
Links
Create or manage any of your existing share links.
Reviews
Any reviews you've created or are participating in will appear here.
Expiring assets
View and manage assets set to expire.
Upload selection
To create a selection from a CSV file (rather than manually through the UI), use the selection uploader tool.
Search
There are a variety of search options available to help you find assets. Once you have performed a search, you can save the search for future use.
Keyword search
Keyword search will find matches based on any attribute values, including folder names and file formats.
Find in
To search assets within a specific folder, open that folder in the gallery and use the Find in option from the Keyword search dropdown.
Advanced search
Using advanced search makes it easy to narrow your search to particular attributes, dates (such as when assets were imported), or file size. Search rules may also be combined for further specificity.
Upload
Uploading assets
Uploading assets requires sufficient privileges. Click the Upload button in the top right, choose a destination folder, and select or drag in files, or drag files directly into a folder gallery to upload there. Users with editing privileges can add metadata during upload.
User profile
Manage your NetX user settings: email, password, profile, personal attribute sets, third-party integrations, theme, help, or sign out.
Edit profile
Update your name, email address, or password using the Edit user profile button from the user menu.
Language
While NetX's default language is English, the user menu allows you to view the application in 4 languages:
- English
- French (Français)
- German (Deustch)
- Japanese (日本語)
Note: language support applies to UI elements such as menus and buttons. NetX does not translate user-created content (e.g., folder names, attribute values.)
Settings
Use the user Settings menu to customize your:
Theme
Choose between Light or Dark mode for the NetX UI; choosing Device setting will adjust NetX's theme to your preferences between devices.
Help
Contact allows you to message your site's administrator from within the application.
If you ever get stuck, click Help center to navigate directly to our documentation.
Sign out
End your session by signing out of the application.
The gallery
Use the gallery to browse assets loaded from folders, collections, and searches. It has controls, actions, and features to help you find what you need quickly.
Gallery controls
Use the Filter and sort sidebar to set your gallery's Sort attribute, Attribute set, gallery view, and any applicable Search filters. Use Select all to add every asset in the gallery to a selection at once.
Sort control
Choose an attribute to sort the gallery by, then set it to ascending or descending order.
Attribute set filter
The attribute set selected for the gallery determines which attributes and values are displayed. Attribute sets can be created by your administrator, or you can create your own based on attributes you use frequently.
Note: Mosaic view doesn't support attribute sets and won't display any attribute values.
Thumbnail slider
Use the thumbnail slider to resize asset thumbnails when viewing the gallery using Card or Curator gallery types.
Gallery views
Mosaic view arranges asset thumbnails by orientation in a tile pattern. It doesn't show attribute data or a thumbnail slider.
Card view shows each asset's thumbnail along with the first attribute in your selected attribute set. Change which attribute shows using the attribute set filter, described above.
Note: If the first attribute in your set has no data for a given asset, no value will display.
Curator view displays a larger asset thumbnail, along with all attributes in your selected attribute set. Note: any attribute field which is empty for a particular asset will display a line with no value.
List view presents assets and their data in a horizontal row. Each row shows a small thumbnail followed by all attribute data for your selected attribute set, with column headers showing the attribute names. The thumbnail slider isn't available in this view.
Gallery actions
The actions menu in the gallery header lets you act on all assets in the gallery without creating a selection first. Available actions depend on context (e.g. folder vs. search), but generally include creating a selection from the whole gallery, download, create PDF, and share.
Search filters
Search filters let you filter which assets display in a gallery. Attributes configured as search filters by your administrator appear along the top of the gallery. Selecting an attribute field shows a dropdown of values that apply to assets in the current gallery, along with how many assets match each value. Selecting a value narrows the gallery to assets with that attribute applied, and filters are cumulative.
Quick edit
The quick edit panel lets you update attribute values for every asset in a selection at once.
Toggle append mode with the Enable append mode (plus) button to add to existing values instead of replacing them. Use the Show values (eye) button to view values as you edit. Use the Delete values (trashcan) button to clear all previously applied values for an attribute.
Selecting assets
The selection bar is the primary way to interact or perform actions on bulk assets. It appears when you've made a selection using the following methods:
- The checkmark button on an individual asset or on an asset's detail page
- Dragging your cursor across the gallery to add multiple assets to a selection at once
- Using the Add all to selection gallery action
- The upload selection action found in the Tools tab
When performing batch actions using the selection bar, remember to click the X to clear your selection before making a new selection.
View all
Clicking View all from the selection bar loads your selected assets into the gallery.
Download
Assets can be downloaded using the Download button on the selection bar. In addition to downloading the original file, you can choose to:
- Download the preview or thumbnail image for an asset
- Download a transformed asset using a repurpose preset
- Create a PDF
- Export attributes
- Export the assets' attribute history
Collect
Create or add to collections using the Collect action on a selection, or via an asset's right-click context menu. A panel opens where you can name and save a new collection, or use the Selected tab to add to an existing one. Once created, you can share a collection with other internal NetX users.
Share
Share links are the primary way to share NetX assets with external recipients. Links support the same download options as a regular download, plus an expiration date, a maximum number of uses, or password protection. Share from a selection, an asset's right-click context menu, or its detail page.
Selection action menu
Additional bulk actions are available from the actions menu button on the right-hand side of the selection bar.
Collect
Create or add to a collection from your selection.
Create PDF
Create a PDF contact sheet to display one or more image assets in a 1x1, 2x2, or 3x3 grid. Add attribute data by selecting an attribute set or choosing attributes individually.
Download
Download your selection.
Edit attributes
Selecting Edit attributes from the actions menu launches the grid editor for spreadsheet-style attribute editing.
Export attributes
Download attribute data for a selection either as part of a regular download, or from a separate Export attributes action in the selection menu.
Find/replace
Use the find and replace action from the selection bar to replace text values for text or text area custom attribute types. All matches for the chosen attribute will be replaced with your new value.
Organize
Add or move assets in your selection between folders with Organize:
Add: Adds all selected assets to the chosen destination folder in addition to their existing folders.
Move: Moves all selected assets to the destination folder, removing the assets from any other existing folder.
Remove from folder: Removes all selected assets from the chosen folder location. Note: This will not remove assets if that is their only folder location, i.e., assets will not be deleted.
Relationships
Linking assets creates a relationship between the selected assets, and related assets appear on each asset's detail page. Use the Relationships action to create new links between selected assets or de-link them from each other.
Repurpose
Repurpose is available for image, video, or audio assets, and each file type has its own repurpose action. If your selection includes more than one file type, you'll choose which type to repurpose. Manual repurposing of image or audio assets requires a single asset selection.
Available to Producer-level users and above.
Resync
Resyncing assets reindexes the asset and regenerates its proxy files such as zooms, previews, and thumbnails.
Review
Use the Review action in the selection bar to add all selected assets to an existing review, or create a new review from your selection.
Share
Share your selected assets.
Asset detail view
As you move through this guide, there may be some features and actions you won't be able to use. This access is governed by your user level, as set by your site's administrator.
You can view all data relating to the asset and perform individual actions on its detail page. Here you can not only view attributes, but also quickly access any folders the asset belongs to, related assets, versions, etc.
- Actions
- Tabs
- Preview controls
- Navigation
Actions
Download
To download the currently viewed asset, use the Download button.
Select
The Select button adds the current asset to a selection.
Share
Use the Share button to share the current asset with external users.
Additional actions
Some actions are not immediately visible but are accessible via the action menu. Available actions depend on your user level and the asset type, and may include:
- Add to selection
- Change thumbnail
- Check in new version
- Check out current version
- Create PDF
- Download
- Expire
- Find assets like this
- Lock asset
- Reimport: fully replaces the current asset with a freshly imported one, preserving custom attribute data, the asset ID, and other edits. Unlike versioning, no record of the prior file is kept.
- Repurpose
- Resync
- Review
- Share
Tabs
Overview
The Overview tab lets you preview image, video, audio, and document files without downloading them. Previews support playback (audio and video), zooming (images), and a full document viewer.
The right pane lets you view and edit custom attributes, file info, and smart labels for the asset.
Attributes
Assets can be tagged with custom attribute values. Users who can't edit these fields can still read them in the gallery and asset detail pages, and search by value directly from the detail page using the magnifying glass button next to each field.
Attribute history
For each attribute that's tracked, the attribute history tab shows a table containing the date of the attribute value change, the user who changed the attribute, and the updated value for each change.
Folders
The Folders tab displays a list of all folders the current asset is a part of, in addition to the full folder path. Clicking an individual folder line loads the folder's contents into the gallery. If your user has sufficient privileges you may be able to edit, add to, or remove the asset from any permitted folder.
Views
Asset views are auxiliary files attached to a primary asset available to users with sufficient privileges. These may include closed caption files, release forms for usage rights, or alternate photography. Views are not included in search results and are only visible on the Views tab in an asset's detail view.
Versions
The Versions tab allows you to replace the current asset file with a different version. Prior versions will be kept and accessible via the Versions tab and may be downloaded, promoted back to the current version, or deleted.
Relationships
The Relationships tab appears when relationships exist between the current asset and other assets.
Reviews
The Review tool lets users collaboratively review, annotate, and approve image assets in a project-based workflow. The Reviews tab lists any (participating) review containing the current asset that you're viewing. Click a review to jump to that asset's place in it.
Embedded metadata
Metadata embedded into the asset file, such as image dimensions, is displayed here.
Usage
A historical record of the asset in NetX, including its import date and any preview/downloads of the asset.
Navigation
If you navigated to an asset from a gallery, the gallery's asset count and the current asset's position show alongside arrows to move between assets. Use the X button to close the detail page.