This article explains how to upload files from your desktop to workspaces in CoLab.

There are several locations within CoLab where you can initiate a file upload.

There is an upload widget directly on your CoLab home page, under the welcome message. You can drag a file (or group of files) here to initiate an upload, or click on the widget to select files for upload.

After files have been added, you will need to choose the destination by clicking on "Select workspace" button.

After selecting a workspace, you can click the submit arrow (⬆️) to finalise the upload.

The upload widget is also available on each workspace's home page. As you are already in a workspace, there will be no need to select a workspace before finalising the upload.

Within a workspace, open the Drive menu and click "+" button, followed by 'Upload file'.

You can also upload a file directly into an existing workspace folder. Right click any file folder and select Upload File to Folder.

In either case, the Upload Files modal will appear. You can add as many files as you wish for uploading. You also have the option to just upload the files, or upload and request a review at same time.

CoLab supports uploading parent level assemblies. To upload a parent level assembly, select or drag and drop the parent level assembly, any supporting subassemblies and all child part files into whichever upload method you chose above. CoLab will automatically identify the file it believes to be the parent file.

If uploading via an upload widget, the file name of the parent file will be shown in the widget, along with a 'Parent' label.

If uploading via the workspace drive, the parent file will be listed at the top of the upload screen, with the additional child files listed under 'Reference Files'.

When you have confirmed the correct parent assembly file has been identified, finalise the upload with the upload button. The parent assembly file will be the only file that appears in the workspace drive, and it will contain all the data from the subassemblies and child parts.

If the system has identified the wrong file as the parent, you can easily choose a different parent file. How to do so depends on the upload method you chose.

Uploading via homepage widget

If you are uploading via the upload widget, you can click the "pencil" icon to bring up the file upload modal.

This will allow you to remove a parent by clicking on the "X" to the right, or directly assign a different file as the parent by clicking the 'Assign as parent' icon next to the desired file.

Alternatively, you can click on the "break link" icon to deselect the parent file and list all files separately in the widget.

This will still allow you to choose a new parent file by clicking on "Select parent" in the footer of the field, or by selecting the "Assign as parent" button beside the individual file.

Uploading via drive

If you are uploading an assembly via the drive, you can change the parent file by clicking on the options button (three dots) beside the parent file. Alternatively, you can directly assign a different file as the parent by clicking the 'Assign as parent' icon next to the desired file.

CoLab can detect if you are attempting to upload what may be a new version of an existing file, rather than a new unique file.

Uploading via homepage widget

If you are uploading via a homepage widget, this check will be run automatically. If any matching files are detected, there will be a "Matching files" indicator at the bottom of the upload box.

Clicking on this indicator will bring up an explanation of what the system is detecting, and an option to upload the file as a revision, instead of a new file.

Uploading via drive

If you are uploading a file via the drive, you can manually run this check, by clicking on the "Suggest file matches" button.

This will prompt a check for existing files. If a match is found, you will be prompted to upload the new file as a revision of the matched file.