Automatically update components in the Cloud

[JayM]

I have researched and found a few topics about this already, and my understanding is that it is not possible, but I might just ask to see if there’s any new update on this from Axure.

• Having a components library that can be updated automatically in all the files that it has been placed, once the original component is updated.

In my previous company we could easily do this with Figma, but now I’m stuck with Axure and I can’t find a way to achieve this. It’s super frustrating. The purpose of a components library is to make it easier for all designers to reuse components, and if there’s an update to any of them, it automatically updates all files. Simple.

Anyone has any news about this? Thanks!

[Tanya_Axure]

Hey @JayM, I see how this behavior might be annoying, and we have an existing feature request for it. I’ve added information about your inquiry to this feature request as well. Currently our product team is working hard to turn our feature requests into reality, and I will post additionally once we know more about this one.

[axureboutique.com]

If you are using a widget from the library, it will not automatically update.
But if you are using Components, if you choose Place anywhere, it can be automatically updated. If you want to use widgets from the widget library but want them to automatically update, you can make the widget a component

[JayM]

Thanks for your reply.

I’ve tried that without success.

Here are my steps:

• In the library file I create a component, then add it to a widgets page (left panel).
• Save and refresh the file, I see the new item in the widgets library.
• Open a new document, drag the widget from the library.
• Open the library file, make changes to the component. Save.
• Go back to the document, the widget added to the page doesn’t update.
• The widget in the libraries panel does update. If I drag it again to the page, it shows the updated version (but it’s not instant, sometimes takes a few tries opening and closing the file).

Of course, if I create a component within the same file, it does update everywhere. What I’m trying to achieve is having this library in Axure Cloud shared with my team. Once the file is updated, all components in everyone’s designs is updated. I was told by Axure it’s not possible.

[axureboutique.com]

(*Put Important thing first: There is another method that can be used by multiple people and solve your problem, which is to create a Team Project and then create all components in Components pane to simulate a widget Library. By updating the Components (Check in & out) in the Team project to allow multiple people to use the same Components, your updates to the Components will be reflected on all component instances.
This means that you use the Components Pane and all its components in an RP file as your widget library)

I understand your requirements. If you want multiple people to use a widget library, changes to widgets or components in the widget library will not be updated to all Axure RP pages that use thses widgets or components.

The method I and you mentioned above for creating components in all RPLIB pages is also not feasible. Because all RP file page instances that use this widgets library will not be auto updated.

You need to delete all instances and auto created components used in the pages of the RP file. Then save and exit the RP file and enter again to add the widgets. The new added widgets will be new.

This seems to be because once the RP page loads widgets from the widgets library, and these widgets added have components, it will automatically create these components for the RP file. The changes you made to the original RPLIB file will not be updated to these components and its instances.

So we still look forward to Axure’s update: Once changes are made to the components in the RPLIB file, they will be updated in all RP files that use this RPLIB. This approach is more suitable for multi person collaborative projects. (This is indeed a major and important update!)

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If you are solo designer for a project, you can skip using the Widget Library and directly use Components. This way, updates to all components will be reflected on all instances.

There is another method that can be used by multiple people and solve your problem, which is to create a Team Project and then create all components in Components pane to simulate a widget Library. By updating the Components (Check in & out) in the Team project to allow multiple people to use the same Components, your updates to the Components will be reflected on all component instances.
This means that you use the Components Pane and all its components in an RP file as your widget library

[JayM]

Thanks for your reply. I’ll give it a go using components only.

[Stiggy]

I am also struggling with this (and was in the Axure 8 era, so not holding my breath for auto updating of RP files on library updates).

Thanks for your reply. For now I am working as a solo designer on a project, so perhaps it’s best to ditch the RPLIB idea and go with components only? But components live in a RP file right? So on each new RP file I create -> no components. Unless I copy/import them from a previous design file, but then you have a copy and a maintenance nightmare again.

[axureboutique.com]

Since you are designing as a solo designer, you can use RP file instead of using the widget library.

You can save your RP files in one place specifically for use as a component library.

If you have created a new project and want to use the component library, you can import the components from this RP file.

If you want to update the component library from the new created project, you can use the import from RP file feature to import components from the RP file. Then select import New Component or Update Component you selected.

Since you designed it alone, saving and mantaining the file locally is not too troublesome.

[JayM]

I can confirm this solution at the bottom of the post doesn’t work either.

Steps to reproduce:

• Create Library in Team Project (Axure Cloud)
• Team member started a new file, loaded the library
• Open components panel, it’s empty. Pulls a widget from library, sees component in the panel
• I updated the component in the library file (check out/in)
• Axure on team’s member computer shows a spinning animation, takes a while on this
• Component added to the page is not updated
• Library panel “blinks” so it looks like it was updated
• Pulls the same widget into the page, while dragging the widget I can see the widget is updated (semi transparent image preview while dragging)
• Drops on the page, widget is not updated
• Close the file, open again, nothing is updated
• Drag the same widget to the page, not updated (but still see the updated component on the preview image)

Don’t know what else we can do or what we are doing wrong.

Would be happy to jump on a call if anyone wants to help.

Thanks!

------ Solution
There is another method that can be used by multiple people and solve your problem, which is to create a Team Project and then create all components in Components pane to simulate a widget Library. By updating the Components (Check in & out) in the Team project to allow multiple people to use the same Components, your updates to the Components will be reflected on all component instances.
This means that you use the Components Pane and all its components in an RP file as your widget library

[axureboutique.com]

By the way, if you are working as a team, the same principle applies to maintaining this component library. Create a team project specifically for this component library and save it locally(RPTEAM Format).

If you need to create a new Team project and use the components in the future, directly import the local RPTEAM file.

If you want to update this component library, for example, if you want to import the updated components of the Team Project. You can use the Import from RP file feature, select the RPTEAM file you want to import, and import the components from it. Then you send all the updates to the team project.

In conclusion, you can maintain this component library in the cloud

[axureboutique.com]

• Create Library in Team Project (Axure Cloud)
• Team member started a new file, loaded the library
• Open components panel, it’s empty. Pulls a widget from library, sees component in the panel
• I updated the component in the library file (check out/in)

It seems that this is different from what I said. Instead of creating a Team library, create a Team project.

Instead of using a Library pane, make all widgets into Components and use them directly as Widgets

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Update:
I tried it again and the method mentioned above does indeed work properly. I’ll take a screenshots for you later.

[axureboutique.com]

Update:

1. Firstly, I created a Team project(not a Team library) and saved two copies, one for me and one for my colleague. This is the interface for my account, and you can see that Page 1 is an instance of Button Component

2.Then I changed the component to red and increased its width, check in all to the team project.

3.Then my colleague opened the file he saved and saw the original blue button

4. Then, he selected the Get All Changes option in the menu bar, and the blue component and page instance became red. Changes take effect!

You will create all widgets into the component pane (organized through folders). Then, by updating it through Team Project, maintenance of this library can be achieved.

[JayM]

Appreciate your efforts here, thank you!

I’ll try this with my team today, I assume this only works for one file, right? and the components from this file cannot be shared across multiple files?

[axureboutique.com]

To use components, please abandon the traditional idea of Axure widget library. Use a Team project file as the component Library and make a copy of that for different team members to use.