Page Manager

Contents

1. Introduction
    1.1 Features
    1.2 Assumptions

2. Page Manager overview
    2.1 Clickable links and icons

3. Pages
    3.1 Add a page
    3.2 Basic properties: Edit basic properties of page nn
    3.3 Advanced: Edit advanced properties of page nn
    3.4 Content
    3.5 Delete a page

4. Sections
    4.1 Add a section
    4.2 Basic properties: Edit basic properties of section nn
    4.3 Advanced: Edit advanced properteis of section nn
    4.4 Delete a section

5. Moving areas, sections and pages

6. Locked pages

7. To conclude

1. Introduction

The Page Manager is the heart of Website@School. Here you create pages and sections and add modules to pages. Modules can be text editors with wich you create texts with images, or modules like a guestbook, a sitemap or a calendar. To explain its features, please read this little introduction.

With the Page Manager you manage the website of a school. The website contains Areas. An area is a separate part of the website that, for the website visitor, appears as a site on its own. Examples: the Area of the Board, an Area for the team, several Areas for teachers and their subjects, Areas for grade 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, for the parents committee, for all other workgroups, et cetera.
Areas that are not publicly accessible are Private Areas (also called Intranets). These Areas are only accessible with a username and password. Everyone can have an Intranet, if necessary. In this way a the website of the school can contain dozens of public- and private Areas.

Areas
An Area contains nodes. A node, in computers, representats a basic unit used to build data structures such as linked lists and trees. In website@School nodes can be sections and pages in Areas.
If one compares a site with a harddisk, the Areas resemble the partitions on the disk.

Sections
Sections are distinct parts of an Area. A section can be, for example, School info, Parents, Health Care, Poems, et cetera. Sections can contain sub sections, sub sub-sectons and even much deeper.
To stay in the disk comparison, sections resemble directories or folders on a hard disk.

Pages
Nodes can also be pages. A page needs a module so you can do something with the page.A module is a self-contained component of a system, which has a well-defined interface to the other components. In Website@School a module can be virtually everything. A module can be a text editor to create pages with texts and images, like the 'School Guide' or a poem. A module can also be a Guestbook to fill out by your website visitors, or an e-mail page, a Sitemap, a Forum, et cetera.
To stay in computer terms, a page resembles a file. And a file can be almost anything.

For an overview of the available modules, see the Table of contents, paragraph Modules.

1.1 Features

The general idea of the Page Manager was described above. Below its main features are described in no particular order.

• General: Manage the Areas (Public and Private (Intranets)), sections and pages. Areas, sections and pages can be completely pictural, enabling navigation by analphabeticts, children, visual artists, cartoonists, etcetera.

  NOTICE:
  Areas can be managed, not created or deleted. This is done in the Configuration Manager and is discussed in chapter Configuration Manager, paragraph 3. Areas.

• Sections: Create, edit and delete sections. Set properties of sections: the name of a section, a short description, the location in the tree (set parent section and order in that section), make a section read only or hidden, set embargo-, expiry date and time. Only icons can be used to 'name' sections, thus enabling a completely visual site for analphabetics or young children.
• Pages: Create, edit and delete pages. Set properties on pages: name , short description, change area, location in the tree (set parent section and order in that section), select a module for the page, make the page visible, hidden [1] or under embargo, set embargo- and expiry date and time, use icons to 'name' pages and define height and width, set website-to link to URL, set target of URL.

  [1] NOTICE:
  Hidden does not mean inactive. A hidden page is retrievable, if the URL is known. Selecting embargo and expiry results in inactive pages; i.e. not visible and not retrievable even when the URL is known.

• Greyed out: Publlic Areas, sections and pages you have no access to are greyed out.
• Invisible: Private Areas (Intranets) you have no access to are invisible.
• Bazaar Style Style: Edit style at section and page level. For an explanation, see appendix 4.2 Bazaar Style Style. The techical details are discussed in paragrraph 3.4.1 Bazaar Style Style at area level.
• Bazaar Style Style: Website@Schools implementation of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). With BSS layout can be adapted per Area, section or page.
  For teaching or training purposes BSS changes can be undone and the style sheet reset to its default values.
• Move: Move Areas, sections and pages between Areas and sections. This feature eables easiy manipulation of content and enables to split or merge Areas and sections.
• Tree views: The mode in which the area/section/page tree is shown, can be set to maximal, minimal or customised.
• Module: Attach a module to a node (page). For an overview of the available modules, see the Table of contents, paragraph Modules.
• Locking: Sections or pages that are processed are locked. A locked section or page cannot be processed by other users. If another users tries to access a page in use, a warning message is displayed, telling who is processing the page. Locks are automatically removed when the page is no longer in use by the first user or in 24 hours or less.

  NOTICE:
  If a section is locked, the underlying pages and subsections are NOT locked.

• E-mail alerts: Most actions in the Page Manager result in sending e-mail alerts. This is discussed in chapter Conficturation Manager, paragraph 5. Alerts.

1.2 Assumptions

This chapter elaborates on other chapters. We assume you have read and done the General part of the Table of Contents.

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2. Page Manager overview

To open the Page Manager, please click on the Page Manager icon to enter the Exemplum Primary School dialogue:
pagemanager_overview.png

The Page Manager opens on the Exemplum Primary School Area, i.e. the Home Area. The Home Area is the starting area of the site. For further details, please see the chapter Configuration Maanger, paragraph 3. Areas.

Explanation:

1. Menu pane: Depending on the task you are performing the Menu can have two modes:
   • Area mode: The default mode. Clickable Area names give access to the sections and pages. The underlined Area is the selected Area, visible on the right pane. By clicking on an Area link, the Area is selected for management in the right pane. Areas you have no access to are greyed out (Public Areas) or are invisible (Pravate Areas (INtranets)).

     Areas cannot be created or deleted in the Page Manager. Please refer to chapter Configuration Manager, paragraph 3. Areas.

   • Properties mode: When sections or pages are managed, their basic-, advanced and content properties links are selectable.
2. Work place pane: The right pane of the screen now shows the title of the Area and it's pages and sections in the form of a 'bottom up' tree. All sections and subsections are displayed minimal.
   When pages or sections are created or managed, the workplace is used for that purpose.
3. Add a page: By clicking the link you enter the Add a page dialogue. This option is discussed in paragraph 3. Pages and its subsections.
4. Add a section: By clicking the link you enter the Add a section dialogue. This option is discussed in paragraph 4. Sections.
5. Set tree view: Three clickable links are available to perform the following actions:
   • maximal: Fully expands the tree, showing all underlying sections, subsections and pages.
   • minimal: Collapses the tree as much as possible. Only the root section(s) and page(s) are shown.
   • customised: When certain section(s) were manually opened, whereafter maximal or minimal was selected, customised brings you back to the section(s) you previously had openend.

   Clickable links and icons

   In the list of pages and sections, pages are associated with 6 clickable links: 5 icons and the title of the page. All 6 clickable links can be used to manipulate page properties one way or another. Some of the icons also provide a visual indication of a particular aspect of the page, e.g. is this page the default page or not, or is this page visible, invisible or hidden.
6. Home icon visible: /greyed out: : A visible home icon indicates the default (opening) page within a section or area, i.e what the visitors will see first.
   Greyed out icons on all other pages/sections indicate that these are not the default.
7. Trashcan icon: : By clicking the Trashcan icon you can delete the associated page or section. This is discussed in paragraph 3.5 Deleting pages or paragraph 4.4 Delete sections.
8. Pencil icon : By clicking the Pencil icon you can navigate directly to the Basic properties of a page or section. These options are discussed in paragraphs 3. Pages and 4. Sections.
9. Paper sheet icons: The Paper sheet icons indicate the visibility of a page:

   - Visible : The filled out page indicates that the page is visible for visitors.
   - Invisible : The empty page indicates that the page is not visible for visitors, i.e. hidden.

   NOTICE:
   Hidden does not mean inactive. A hidden page is retrievable, if the URL is known. Selecting embargo and expiry results in inactive pages; i.e. not visible and not retrievable even when the URL is known.

   By clicking the paper sheet icon, you can navigate directly to the Advanced Properties of the page. These options are discussed in paragraphs 3.3 Edit page: advanced properties and 4.3 Edit secton: advanced properties

10. Looking glass/Folder icons:
    - Looking glass : By clicking the Looking glass you can preview a page. The page opens in new small window. To pen the page full screen, right clik on the icon and select "Open Link in New Window" ( in Firefox).

    - Folder icon closed : By clicking the icon, the folder is opened, showing its underlaying content.
    - Folder icon open : By clicking the opened folder you close it.

11. Page/Section name:
    - Clicking the name of the page opens the Content of the chosen module. For example, when a text editor was chosen as module, you enter the text editor. Or, when the guestbook module was chosen, you enter the maagement of the guestbook.
    - Cllicking on the name of the section opens the Basic properties of the section (same as the Pencil icon).

NOTICE:
The icons 8 (Pencil), 9 (Visible/Invisible) and 10 (Page/Section) directly lead to 3 options of editing:
- Pencil: Basic
- Visible/invisible: advanced
- Page/section: content
Thiese direct links can serve as shortcuts, saving you a mouse click.

3. Pages

3.1 Add a page

To add a pgae, click in the Page Manager overview the Add a page link to open the Add a page dialogue:
pagemanager_page_add.png Explanation:

• Name: The name of the page, for example: Welcome.

  NOTICE:
  In this field at least one character must be entered. If a space is entered (for example for a complete visual site), the Page Manager indicates the page as (page/section nn has no name) and in a breadcrumb trail the page is displayed as [nn].

• Description of the page/section: In this field at leas one character must be entered.
  The description is shown when hovering over the page name and in the URL (Universal Resource Locator). For example, when Welcome to our website is entered in this field, this description is visible as:
  http://exemplum.eu/index.php/1/Welcome_to_our_website.html. Do not add the underscores, they are automatically added.
• Parent section:
  pagemanager_page_add_parent_section.png

  The dropdwon menu can be used to put the page at the top of the Area or at the top of a section. The place can be changed later on. If not selected, the new page will be placed at the top of the area.

• Module:
  pagemanager_page_add_module.png

  In the dropdown menu select the module to attach it to this page (node). If the Plain HTML-page (htmlpage) is selected, it depends on the users preference, which text editor will be used (Plain HTML edtiro of F(CK) Editor). This preference is set in the users Basic properties.

• Initial visibility: Three options are available:
  • Visible: Once saved, the page will be visible. An alert will be sent.
  • Hidden: Once saved, the page will not be visible. No e-mail alert will be sent. Hidden is the default option. This is a security feature.

    NOTICE:
    Hidden does not mean inactive. A hidden page is retrievable, if the URL is known. Selecting embargo and expiry result in inactive pages; i.e. not visible and not retrievable even when the URL is known.

  • Embargo: Once saved, the page will not be visible and not retrievalble, even if the URL is known.. No e-mail alert will be sent. To set the embargo- and expiry dates, see paragraph 3.3 Advanced: Edit advanced properties of page nn.
• Save: After saving your work, the newly created page will either appear at the top of the Area or at the top of the chosen section. From there it can be further moved with the Edit basic properties of page nn dialogue, dicussed below.
• Cancel: To cancel your action and return to the Page Manager.

Now basic- and advanced properties can be set. Please see 3.2 Basic properties: Edit basic properties of page nn and 3.3 Advanced: Edit advanced properties of page nn

3.2 Basic properties: Edit basic properties of page nn

Clicking on the Pencil icon of a page opens the Edit basic properties of page nn dialogue:
pagemanager_page_basic.png Explanation:

• Name: The name can be changed. In this field at leas one character must be entered.
• Description of the page/section: The description can be changed. In this field at leas one character must be entered.
• Parent section: Use the drowpdown menu to select the section for this page.
  If not already set when the page was created, it can be set now, if necessary in conjuction with the Order dropdown menu, disussed next.
• Order:
  pagemanager_page_basic_order.png

  In the dropdwon menu select where to put the page in its section.

  NOTICE:
  The above two options enable you to move the page to all places in the Area. If you want to move the page outside the Area, see paragraph 3.3 Advanced under Area.

• Module: If absolutely necessary another module can be chosen here.

  NOTICE:
  When changing to another module ALL data in the old module will be lost. Maybe it's a better idea to move this page to an archive or make it inactive.

• Save: To save your results. After saving your results, the page will appear at the chosen place.
• Cancel: To cancel your action and return to the page manager main screen.

3.3 Advanced: Edit advanced properties of page nn

Clicking on the page Visible/Invisible icon of a page opens the Edit advanced properties of page nn dialogue:

pagemanager_page_advanced-top.png
pagemanager_page_advanced-bottom.png Explanation:

• Readonly [  ] Make the page/section readonly: Checking this option makes the page readonly. That is, it's impossible to change its properties, nor delete the page. This is a feature. For example, when you have created HTML code, the FCK editor sometimes ruins your carefully created code when editing that page. By making a page readonly, you have to think twice. Why did you make this page readonly?
• Area:
  pagemanager_page_advanced_area.png

  In this dropdown menu you can select another Area for this page. The page will be moved to the top of the tree in the chosen area and can be further moved with the Edit basic properties of page nn dialogue, by using the Parent section and Order dropdown menus.

• Icon pathname: In stead of a page name, an icon can be selected as page name. Do not forget to put spaces in the Name and Descrition fields.

  Tis is a useful feature for sites for analphabetics or kindergartens. It's thus possible to create a completely visual Area and navigate via icons. The file path can be formed in three ways:

  • From the CMS program folder:, For example
    program/graphics/waslogo-284x71.png. No leading slash!
  • From CMS data folder: Use the Fileroot program as prefix for the path to the logo, for example:
    file.php/areas/grade8/pupils-284x71.jpg. A slash after file.php!
  • From an URL: For example
    http://district1.exemplum.eu/graphics/schools/school17.png.
• Icon width: Speciefies the width of the icon in pixels.
• Icon height: Specifies the height of the icon in pixels.
• Target: The target attribute can be used to let the browser open a document in a frame with a specific name, or if the name does not exist, in a new frame. A target is entered in this field as _blank or _top.
• URL: An URL (Universal Resource Locator) can be specified. Clicking on the page name on the site brings the visitor directly to the specified website location.
• Hidden [  ] Hide the page/section: To hide the page, check this option.

  NOTICE:
  Hidden does not mean inactive. A hidden page is retrievable, if the URL is known. Selecting embargo and expiry result in inactive pages; i.e. not visible and not retrievable.

• Embargo: Set the date and time on which the page will become visible and retrievable. The date/time format must be:
  yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss. Notice the space between date and time.
• Expiry: Set the date and time on which the page will become invisible and no longer retrievable, even if the URL is known. The date/time format must be:
  yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss. Notice the space between date and time.

  NOTICE:
  An illustration of expiry and embargo can be found in the demonstration data, in three different pages in the section 'School Info'.

• Extra style at page/section level: The Bazaar Style Style features are discussed in the chapter Configuration Manager, paragraph 3.4.1 Bazaar Style Style at area level and paragraph 3.4.2 Bazaar Style Style at page level.
• Save: To save your results. After saving you will be returned to the page manager main screen.
• Cancel: To cancel your action and return to the page manager main screen.

3.4 Content

Clicking the Content link gives access to the configuration options of the earlier chosen module. Below are some examples.
pagemanager_page_content_FCK-editor.png

The chosen module was the Plain HTML-page (htmlpage). In this case this user has set the FCK editor as her default editor in her Basic properties.

pagemanager_page_content_plain-HTML-page.png

The chosen module was the Plain HTML-page (htmlpage). In this case this user has set the Plain editor as her default editor in her Basic properties.

pagemanager_page_content_sitemap.png

When adding the page, the Sitemap module was chosen in the Module dropdown menu.

Management of modules can be found in their chapters, please see the Table of contents, under Modules.

3.5 Delete a page

Clicking on the Trashcan icon opens the Confirm delete of page nn Page Name (Page description) dialogue:
pagemanager_page_delete.png

Your last chance to decide. Are you sure? Sometimes it's better to create an inactive Archinve section to store once carefully created content.

Explanation:

• Delete: To delete the page. After deleting you will be directed to the Page Manager main screen.
• Cancel: To cancel your apparently unwise action and return to the page manager main screen.

NOTICE:
Deleting pages does not delete the associated files. Deleting files is discussed in the File Managerchapter, paragraph 4. Delete files and folders

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4. Sections

Sections are added, edited and deleted in exactly the same way as pages. Since sections can only contain pages, their only differ in that they lack the dropdown menu to add a module and the options to add a target and an URL.
For explanations, please refer to 3. Pages because in this paragraph we keep it short and do it with pictures.

4.1 Add a section

Clicking the Add a section link opens the Add a section dialogue:
pagemanager_section_add.png

For the explanantion, please see 3.1 Add a page.

4.2 Basic properties: Edit basic properties of section n

Clicking on the name or the pencil icon of the newly created section opens the Edit basic properties of section nn dialogue:
pagemanager_section_basic.png

For the explanantion, please see 3.2 Basic properties: Edit basic properties of page nn.

4.3 Advanced: Edit advanced properties of section n

Clicking the 'visible/invisible page' icon, opns the Edit advance properties of section nn dialogue:

pagemanager_section_advanced-top.png
pagemanager_section_advanced-bottom.png

For the explanantion, please see 3.3 Advanced: Edit advanced properties of page nn.

4.4 Delete a section

A section can be immediately deleted when it has pages in it. The pages will also be immediately deleted.
A section cannot be deleted if it contains non-empty subsection(s). These sections first have to be deleted before the parent section can be deleted. This is a security feature.

Clicking on the Trashcan icon opens the Confirm delete of sctton nn Section Name (Description of the section) dialogue:

pagemanager_section_delete_with_pages.png Explanation:
Your last chance to decide. Are you sure? Is this section really useless?

• Delete: To delete the section and pages in it. After deleting you will be directed to the Page Manager main screen.
• Cancel: To cancel your apparently unwise action and return to the page manager main screen.

Trying to delete a section that contains non-empty section(s):
pagemanager_section_delete_non_empty_subsection.png

The directory contents of both 'School Info' and 'News' can be seen. You first have to delete the underlying section(s) before you can delete the 'Nees' section.

NOTICE:
Deleting a section with pages that are processed (i.e. in use and thus locked), will delete the the empty sections and pages in it, but not delete the parent section and the locked page(s). You will get an error message.
You first have to unlock the section or page before you can delete it. For details on locking and unlocking pages, see paragraph 6. Locked pages.

NOTICE:
Deleting sections and pages does not delete the associated files. Deleting files is discussed in the File Managerchapter, paragraph 4. Delete files and folders

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5. Moving pages, sections, Areas

The content of Areas (Public and Private (Intranets)), i.e. ssections and pages can be moved with the basic and advanced properties of pages and sections.
It is not possible to change a Public Area into a Private one and vice versa. This is a security feature.

NOTICE:
Please bear in mind that (as example) images in pages, are possibly stored in their Area directories or subdirectories. Moving the content of an Area to another area will most probably result in broken links.

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6. Locked pages

When a user tries to access a page that is already processed by another user, a message is displayed:
pagemanager_locked_page.png

When you see this message, Skype or hop on the bike to start a real life converstion with your colleague on the content of the page.

The page stays locked until the lock is released. This can happen in several ways:

• By pressing the [Save] or [Cancel] button.
• By terminating the session, i.e. properly logging out.
• By waiting for the expiration of the lock. When a page is processed and stays open for 30 minutes, the lock is released.
• Every night all eventually or accidentally locked pages and sections are unlocked. This is a feature.

NOTICE:
Do NOT exit your browser by clicking the 'close' icon (the 'X') in the upper right corner of your browser, or by selecting Exit in the broswers Menu. In both ways the file stays locked and the lock will expire after 30 minutes or at night.

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7. To conclude

No conclusions so far.

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Author: Dirk Schouten <schoutdi (at) knoware (dot) nl>

Last updated: 2012-03-22