How to Manage the New Library – Halocline Helpdesk

Since Halocline 2026.3 you manage your library directly on the desktop: with folders, collections, drag and drop and the public library right beside it. To make it a library in which you and your team quickly find everything again, I've gathered my tips here from many conversations with you.

You'll find the basics on the library here: Desktop Library

1. After the Update: Tidying Up

When you switch to the new library, Halocline creates one collection per tag for your existing content. That's a good starting point, but rarely the structure you want to keep working with.

Create your folders and collections (see Tip 2).
Select several elements at once using the checkboxes.
Drag and drop them into the right collection.
Delete empty collections via the three-dot menu (⋮) > “Delete”.

2. Folders for Topics, Collections for Sets

A folder bundles several collections, a collection holds the actual elements. One setup that has worked well:

Folder “Projects”: one collection per project or hall
Folder “Standards”: collections like “Workbenches”, “Load carriers”, “Shelves”
Folder “Tools & Avatars”: tools and reach-envelope avatars

Here's how to create a collection directly in a new folder:

In the “Local” area, click the plus symbol (+). → The “New collection” window opens.
Select “In new folder” and enter a “Folder name”.
Enter a name under “Collection name” and click “Create”.

Tip: You can export everything that belongs to a project later with one click: right-click the collection > “Export”.

3. One Element, Many Collections: No More Copies

An element can sit in any number of collections at once. So the workbench you use in three projects doesn't have to be imported three times. That saves storage and ensures everyone works with the same version.

4. “Unsorted” Is Your Inbox

Anything not yet assigned to a collection automatically lands in the “Unsorted” collection.

Check “Unsorted” after every import.
Drag new elements straight into their collection.

An empty “Unsorted” collection is the best sign of a well-kept library.

5. Search the Public Library First

Before you build an element yourself: look in the “Public” area. There you'll find the Halocline elements directly in your library, significantly expanded since 2026.3, above all with machines as customizable placeholders. Public collections are protected against accidental changes.

6. Names You Can Find

With the search at the top of the library and sorting by the “Name” column, you'll find elements again quickly, provided the names are unambiguous.

Choose the most common term (“Trolley”, not “RW-02 new”).
Keep it concise: 80 characters maximum.
Agree on a naming scheme as a team, for example “Type Variant Dimension”.

More on this here: Designing Library Elements: Tips and Tricks

7. CAD Assemblies Stay Together

Halocline automatically places assembly exports from the same CAD file in their own collection that carries the name of the CAD file. Move this collection into the right project folder via the three-dot menu (⋮) > “Move”.

8. Your Structure Applies in Layout, Too

You also see folders and collections in Halocline Layout, together with the public library, tools, load carriers and reach-envelope avatars. A good structure on the desktop therefore saves you the search when planning in Layout.

9. Set Rules Once as a Team

The new library pays off most when everyone works the same way. Decide once which folders exist and how elements are named, then share collections with colleagues via “Export”.

Good to know:

Custom load carriers and reach-envelope avatars are only available in Halocline Professional.
A library element can be up to 2 GB in size.
The preview images (thumbnails) are generated after Halocline Layout starts.

Questions about the library? Bring them to the next Helpdesk Call or write to us at helpdesk@halocline.io.