Improvements in content editors and new opportunities on the Ab.core site

All the time we are creating more content on our websites: news, events, screencast, videos and all the time we re-cycle further the content that we create. This makes it necessary to have a speedy way of inserting this content and of re-using it.

This is what this up-dating of the ab core site is all about: Basically we have introduced two new delimiters on the web editor that will let us incorporate new elements on to the web pages.

1. In the first place, Video and Scripts: This option lets us enter the Embed codes of your preferred video service such as YouTube, Metacafe or AlternativeChannel.tv. It can also be used to enter Scripts such as the snippets of Iwith.org. . This means that our websites can be fed the content of other websites without a problem: on our templates there are now micro-templates specially designed either to insert a video or, alternatively, a script or a code that calls up information located on another website. (snippets are an example of scripts).
2. These innovations will let us more easily incorporate Autocontent onto our website: With this option we can introduce content already existing on our website, for example an item of news an event etc., onto our front page or onto any other page of our website. To carry out this function you will have to change the template. On it will be a space or a micro-template designed especially for the autocontent. Let us suppose that we want to put the latest news on our web page: A micro template will fix the elements of this item that appear on the front page, such as the date of the item, the lead, the title and the photograph. And it can also ensure that they appear on the front page according to date of appearance. All these criteria will be pre-defined by us. Then, with just a click we’ll have our front page plus content.

The micro-template is pre-programmed, so to speak. So when the page editor asks to create or modify an autocontent space using a micro-template, the editor will ask him/her what notice or event, or other item of the web, they wish to use, with what micro-template they want to format it etc., and with this information it will enter the content on to the page following the pre-established format - and all with just a click, with no need to copy everything out again.

But it is important to remember: To be able to use these functions you must modify the pages and/or the templates that we are going to use with the editor. Below, with your web designers in mind, we will briefly explain how these improvements work in detail. If you have any queries or want to make a comment on how best to take advantage of these options, don’t hesitate to contact us.



Aclaration For Designers: Templates

Video & Scripts:

So that the web page editor can detect an area as being video and scripts content, we have to identify it in a special way. Basically it involves a DIV type marker, with an ID that begins with iwithvideo- followed by the name that you wish to give it.

<div id="iwithvideo-video1">CONTENT DEFAULT</div>

The editor will now display in the “Edit” drop-down menu an entry video 1 in the Video and Scripts group.

AutoContent:



With Autocontent there are more variables: the page designer can choose whether the marked space will always carry a “item” and also whether to delimit which micro-template must be used in that space....or leave the decision to the user editor.



We have created two micro-templates for each service, one called default with a format very similar to the blog format, and the other called simple. There is also a micro-template with all the usable fields visible only to those who have permission from the site Designer.

You must place the micro-templates you create in your directory.

or if they have a language content

Where LANG is the local language code (en US, es ES, ca ES,…. ) and SERVICE the service code (news, events,…)


While we wait for your opinions, comments and improvement suggestions, we will carry on adding services to the autocontent organiser and start working on migration for the newsletter service.

We welcome your comments.