When you create a project based on Stationery in ePublisher Express, ePublisher copies the manifest file used by the Stationery you specify for the project and places a copy of the Stationery manifest file in the project folder for the new ePublisher Express project. The manifest file is a record of all of the files associated with the Stationery file, including all of the files listed in the following project folders:

For more information about project folders, see Project Folder Structure.

Any time the Stationery designer performs one of the following actions in the Stationery Formats, Targets, or Files folder, ePublisher updates the Stationery manifest file:

When you open an existing ePublisher Express project, ePublisher compares the ePublisher Express project manifest file to manifest file of the Stationery associated with the ePublisher Express project and determines if there are differences between the manifest file.

If the Stationery designer has updated, removed, or added any files to the Formats, Targets, and Files folder in the Stationery since the last time you opened your ePublisher Express project, ePublisher detects these differences and prompts you to synchronize your ePublisher Express project with the Stationery file. When you synchronize your ePublisher Express project with the Stationery file, ePublisher copies the Stationery’s updated manifest file over to your ePublisher Express project file and adds, removes, and updates files in the Formats, Targets, and Files folders for your project as appropriate.

For example, assume that the Stationery designer updated the Stationery you use for one of your projects by adding a new Page.asp file. When the Stationery designer makes this change, ePublisher updates the Stationery manifest file with the change. After the Stationery designer makes this change, the next time you open up your ePublisher Express project that uses the changed Stationery, ePublisher Express recognizes that the ePublisher Express project manifest file is different than the Stationery project file and prompts you to synchronize your project to your Stationery file. When you synchronize your project, ePublisher adds the new Page.asp file to your project folders.