# XML editor integration with the workbench

To edit a file using the XML editor, right-click the file in the Navigator view, and click Open With > XML Editor. Because the editor that is last used to open a file becomes the default editor for that particular file, the XML editor will remain the default XML editor for that file unless you explicitly change it.

The Resource perspective is designed to facilitate XML development, so it contains certain views (such as the Outline and Properties view) that are advantageous to XML editor users. If, however, you prefer to work in a different perspective, that does not provide these views by default, you can add them by clicking Window > Show View and selecting the appropriate view.

Outline view
  The Outline view provides a node-level outline, or roadmap of an XML file. This view is especially useful for navigating complex documents, because when you select an element in the Outline view, the corresponding nodes in the Source and Properties views are also identified as the "active" node. In addition, the Outline view is synchronized with the workbench Properties view, so that the selected element's attributes and their values are displayed in the Properties view (but not the Outline view). You can also use the Outline view to insert and delete elements.
Properties view
  The Property column in the Properties view contains a list of attributes, and the Value column contains the editable values of those attributes. Attributes that are already included in the selected or "active" tag are displayed with their values. In addition, if the document contains a reference to a DTD or schema, then the attributes that are allowed for that tag are also displayed. When you select the value column of a property, you are provided with an editing option.

  The pop-up menu in the Properties view contains the following options: undo, cut, copy, paste, delete, and select all. The options that are available at a given time depend on where the cursor is located when the pop-up menu is displayed. To see the pop-up menu options, the property value field must be active. (select the property, then select its value.)

  Use the Restore Default Value toolbar button to change any value back to its default setting.

  Once you are in the Properties view, you can modify other property values for specific attributes. To edit another tag using the Properties view, you can select the desired node in the workbench Outline view, or select an attribute in the Design or Source view of the XML editor.

Parent topic: XML editor

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