Welcome to the Commercial Interiors Library (CIL) Catalog Manager. This is the updated version of the Catalog Manager you already know in Spec, CIL for CET and Workspace. Built directly into Spec 9.0 and soon all other CIL applications, CIL - Catalog Manager replaces the standalone Notify application for downloading, installing, and managing manufacturer catalogs — bringing a streamlined experience with real-time download progress, file size visibility, enhanced data sync, and enterprise list import/export.

Please note that while this is available in Experimental Mode of Spec, Notify remains available as a fallback during the testing period. If you encounter issues with this version of Catalog Manager, you can continue using Notify while reporting your findings to the team. 

Enabling Experimental Mode in Spec

CIL - Catalog Manager is gated behind Experimental Mode, a new setting in Spec 9.0 that gives you access to new features. You must enable this setting before CIL - Catalog Manager will appear.

1. Open the Spec from a windows search or the Desktop Icon and verify that you are updated to the 9.0 version. You can find the version number under the About icon on the Help tab.

   

    

2. Click the Tools Tab and then the Settings Icon to open the Settings dialog. 

   

    

3. Check the box next to Experimental Mode to enable it and click OK to apply.

   

    

4. Open the Catalog Manager.

   

    

Understanding the CIL Interface

There are some key differences in the areas of the CIL - Catalog Manager from its previous version. 

Ribbon Toolbar

File

You can find an updated Settings dialog under the File menu where you can still set your time for automatic updates. By default, CIL Catalog Manager will also Start automatically with Windows. If this is unchecked, the CIL Catalog Manager will need to be started manually, by opening the Catalog Manager, for the updates to run.

At any time, the CIL Catalog Manager can be turned off by clicking under this File menu. 

The CIL Catalog Manager state can also be controlled from the Hidden Icons tray on your computer by right clicking on the icon and selecting Open or Exit. 

Home

A simplified Home tab provides the following:

Refresh - Refreshes the enterprise list.

Advanced - Switches to Advanced Mode to view enterprise tiles as well as their Current catalogs and Legacy catalogs. Each row shows the catalogs status and availability. Clicking the Active checkbox for a catalog will activate it — or, if it’s not yet installed, add it to the Download Queue automatically.

Basic - Switches to Basic mode to view the enterprise tiles only, not individual catalog details.

Sort By - Sorts the enterprise tiles by Installed sate, Active status, or Alphabet.

Start Download - Starts any downloads in the queue.

Download Queue - Displays all queued, in-progress, and completed downloads. Shows real-time progress, current status, and provides queue controls (start, pause/resume, clear). Right click on a line to Clear All items or Remove an item from the Queue.

Help

Additional tools are provided on the Help tab to reset data, import/export enterprise lists, access logging tools, and view About information.

Enterprise Tiles

These show the main list of manufacturers, visible in both Basic Mode and the left panel of Advanced Mode. Each tile displays the enterprise name, its install status, active/inactive state, and the installed file size. Clicking a tile in Advanced Mode loads detailed catalog information in the right panel.

Each tile displays its current status through visual indicators.

• Blue Checkmark (upper right corner) - The catalog is currently active and available for use in Spec.
• Green Checkmark (lower right corner) - The catalog is installed on your machine but not currently active.
• No Checkmark - The catalog is available but has not been downloaded or installed yet.

When Updates are needed, the number of catalogs needing updates will be shown in the lower right corner and the text "Queued - Waiting for "Start Download" will be shown.

When an enterprise is installed, left click the tile to activate or deactivate it. A right click on an activated enterprise tile will deactivate it. A right click on a deactivated tile will uninstall or remove the download. The following prompt will be provided for confirmation.

Downloading Your First Catalog

Once CIL - Catalog Manager is open, follow these steps to install and activate a manufacturer catalog:

1. Scroll to find and select an enterprise tile or use the letters to quickly navigate alphabetically. 

    

2. Click on the tile for the manufacturer you want to install (left or right click will both function the same). If the catalog is not yet installed (as indicated by the green checkmark), CIL will automatically add it to the Download Queue.

   

    

3. Open the Download Queue from the icon on the Home tab and review the downloads pending.

   

    

4. Click the Start Downloads button on the Home tab. You’ll see real-time progress for each download. Wait for the installation to complete before using the catalogs in Spec.

   

    

5. Once a catalog is installed, the enterprise will be automatically activated for you. You can toggle catalogs on and off from the tile list in Basic Mode, or use the catalog checkboxes in Advanced Mode.

   

    

6. Close CIL - Catalog Manager to save your active catalog selections. The app will minimize to the system tray while it applies your changes.

Activate or Deactivate Catalogs

In Basic mode: 

1. Scroll to find and select an enterprise tile or use the letters to quickly navigate alphabetically. Tiles with a green checkmark are already installed. 
2. Click the tile to make it active. 

3. Activation is confirmed with the blue checkmark. 

   

In Advanced mode: 

1. Scroll to find and select an enterprise tile or use the letters to quickly navigate alphabetically. 
2. Use the checkboxes to activate or deactivate specific catalogs.

3. Click Close to confirm your changes.

   

When changes are made to the catalogs' status or updates are ready to be activated, the Catalog Information panel will display the following message. Click to refresh and update the catalogs shown. 

Remove Enterprise Data

To remove enterprise data and uninstall the catalogs, first deactivate the enterprise (either with a left or right click on the tile), then right click on the tile once deactivated. A prompt will ask for confirmation of the uninstall. 

In Advanced mode, click Remove Manufacture Data.

Import or Export Installed Enterprises

This feature lets you export a “template” of your installed manufacturers so another user can quickly replicate your setup. Go to the Help tab and select Export Enterprises to generate a JSON file. To install from a template, select Import Enterprise IDs and choose a previously exported JSON file.

Firewall & IT Requirements

CIL - Catalog Manager communicates over standard HTTPS (port 443). Share the following with your IT team to ensure CIL can connect successfully. This is a significant simplification over Notify’s requirements — CIL does not use Notify’s WCF localhost service or ports (127.0.0.1:8730/8731).

Required Domains

Core — Catalog Operations (Required)

Authentication (Required for Login/Session)

If Spec already connects and authenticates successfully, these domains are already accessible and no changes are needed.

Optional (Non-Critical)

These domains are not required for core catalog operations. Blocking them may produce non-critical errors in the UI but will not prevent CIL from functioning.

IT Notes Summary

• Allow outbound DNS and HTTPS 443 to the domains listed above.
• CIL - Catalog Manager does not use Notify’s WCF localhost service or ports. There is no dependency on 127.0.0.1:8730/8731. This is the most significant change and should make CIL - Catalog Manager much easier to configure out of the box.
• If Spec is currently authenticating successfully, the authentication domains are already accessible.