SKY Index Professional 8.0 FAQ

Below are some tips and techniques for SKY Index v8.0 owners

I've lost my activation information, how can I get it?

How can I activate or deactivate SKY Index on one or more computers?

My client wants all main headings to have an initial cap. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. How do I achieve this?

How Can I double post all entries for a particular main heading?

How can I create main headings from the subheadings of an existing set of entries?

How can I create a new set of entries from an existing set changing only the Main heading?

How can I keep track of both subjects and authors in a combined subject/author index?

Demoting multiple records.

How can I duplicate an index entry, swap the main and subheadings, and then combine the subheading with the main heading separated by a space?

I've lost my activation information, how can I get it?

If you're using version 8.0.12 or higher of SKY Index you can find your activation information by choosing "Help>Manage Activations (deactivate)". This will display the Deactivate dialiog which contains your activation information. You can write it down and put it in a safe place and then close the dialog.

How can I activate or deactivate SKY Index on one or more computers?

Probably the most common support questions we get are questions related to deactivating SKY Index. Below are instructions that describe how to manage your activations which will allow you to solve that problem.

NOTE: When installing SKY Index 8.0 on a new computer you must have an available activation. You’re allowed two activations with a standard license. If you are out of activations you must deactivate one of your already activated computers.

Starting with SKY Index 8.0.12 you can deactivate any activated computer from any other computer that you’ve installed SKY Index on – even it if is not, itself, activated – by choosing Help>Manage activations. There is a button on the resulting dialog for “Deactivate Other” which will allow you to deactivate SKY Index on a computer other than the one you're currently using.

If you don’t have 8.0.12 installed, please choose Help>Check for Updates and follow the instructions to download the most recent update. Please install this update on a computer that is already activated as that will make the process faster and easier because your transaction code and email address will be filled in for you automatically.

You can also download the most recent update from here:

https://www.sky-software.com/Downloads/SetupFiles/si8/download_si8.htm

Deactivating SKY Index

Assuming you've got version 8.0.12 or higher installed, start SKY Index and choose Help>Manage activations. A dialog will appear asking if you wish to deactivate SKY Index on the current computer (Deactivate This) or a different computer (Deactivate Other). If the fields for Transaction Code and Email are not already filled in, you must fill them in to continue.

If you wish to deactivate SKY Index on the current computer, just click "Deactivate This" and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you wish to deactivate SKY Index on a different computer, click "Deactivate Other". This will display a web page that will show you all computers that you've activated SKY Index on. Click the Deactivate link for the computer you no longer wish to use SKY Index on. If you don't know which one is the correct one, just deactivate all activations. You can reactivate the one that you didn't really want to deactivate later. Once you've deactivated the appropriate activation(s). Close the web page and SKY Index and then start SKY Index on the computer that you wish to activate and follow the instructions for activation.

Activating SKY Index

Normally, when you start SKY Index and it isn't already activated, you will automatically be asked to activate the program. If not, choose Help>Activate. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the activation.

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My client wants all main headings to have an initial cap. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. How do I achieve this?

Choose Options>Index.

Click the Heading Style tab.

Check the Initial Cap option.

Click Save. (All main headings will now have the first letter capitalized automatically regardless of how you type the entry.)

For those entries that you need to override this setting, type a colon as the first character. The semicolon will be ignored and the first letter of the heading will not be capitalized.

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How Can I double post all entries for a particular main heading?

Select all records containing the main heading by choosing Edit>Select Heading (F8) while the grid marquee is over the main heading.

Duplicate and Swap all selected entries by choosing Edit>Duplicate & Swap (Ctrl+F4). A Select Field dialog will appear.

Choose Sub1 and click OK.

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How can I create main headings from the subheadings of an existing set of entries?

With the grid marquee over the desired main heading, duplicate and group the main heading by selecting Edit>Duplicate Heading (Ctrl+Shift+F8)

Select all of the grouped entries by choosing Edit>Select All (Ctrl+A)

Shift all  subheadings left by one cell by choosing Edit>Shift Left (F11). You will be asked what heading level to shift left.

Choose Sub1 (the default) and click OK.

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How can I create a new set of entries from an existing set changing only the Main heading?

Example

You want to duplicate this main heading's structure:
    cars
        red 1, 2, 3
        blue, 4, 5, 6

and create the new main heading:
    automobiles
        red 1, 2, 3
        blue, 4, 5, 6

In the Index Pane, select the heading to be duplicated.

Choose Edit>Duplicate (Ctrl+D). The heading and all its subheadings will be duplicated and the main heading will have "_Copy" appended to it.

Press F2 to enter Edit Mode and change copied main heading's text to the desire new main heading text.

Tip: You can also duplicate a subheading and all of its child headings using this same technique.

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How can I keep track of both subjects and authors in a combined subject/author index?

Make sure all of your subject entries are grouped and selected and then mark them using Label 1 (Ctrl+1). Ungroup your entries (Ctrl+Shift+U) NOTE: You can use any of the 9 available labels. We chose label 1 as an example. You can then use the Filter function to view only the subject entries or only the author entries.

To see only subject entries: Set the Filter dialog so that label 1 is check and all other labels are not checked. Select "Labeled Records" and make sure that "Hide selected labels" is NOT checked.

To see only author entries: Change the filter settings so that "Hide selected labels" is checked.

To see all entries: Click the Clear button on the Filter dialog.

NOTE: You can use this same technique to view or hide up to nine different types of index entries using the nine available labels.

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Demoting multiple records

The problem: Sometimes you will have established a compound heading in the form of a phrase, and then you find you need to split it into a heading plus subheading. How do you do this easily if you have already attached a number of locators to the heading?

Example: Let's say you have established the heading "goals at work" and attached half a dozen page references. Now you find that "goals" have cropped up in a different context, so you want to change your earlier entries to the heading "goals" with the subheading "at work".

You want to change:
    goals at work, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

to:
    goals
        at work, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Select the heading 'goals at work' in the Index Pane by clicking on it. (Do not select it in the Grid)

Press F2 to enter Edit Mode.

Place the text caret between words 'goals' and 'at'. Example: goals| at work.

Choose Edit>Demote (F6).

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How can I duplicate an index entry, swap the main and subheadings, and then combine the subheading with the main heading separated by a space?

Select the entry by choosing Edit>Select Entry (F9)

Choose Edit>Duplicate & Swap (Ctrl+F4) - a dialog will appear asking which heading level to swap.

Choose the default level of Sub1 and click OK

Choose Edit>Combine (F7) - a dialog will appear asking which heading level to swap.

Choose the default level of Sub1 and click OK

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