Contents
1 Worth to take into account...
2 Before we begin...
3 Setting up a preset data tag....
4 Example Scenario: Creating a drop-down select tag
5 What happens next
Worth to take into account...
As with anything in the Content Management plug-in, planning can save you a lot trial and error work and will assure that you use the plug-in to its full advantage.
One of the components that deserves some consideration during your planning phase are the "custom and preset tags" which are available in the Content Management plug-in.
Before we begin...
Before we begin, it is useful to explain what custom and preset tags do and how they present themselves. Custom and preset tags are defined in your Admin Area under the Options menu. You can thus define separate custom and preset tags for each of your categories. In the options area you can define the number of custom tags available for that category, and you can also define preset data tags that come default with a new content item made in that category.
What these custom and preset tags do is rather simple. If you have a content item where the same data appear again and again, for example this author has a content page which relates to the users the technical specifications of our starships. Our content pages all require us to type in data about the dimensions of the starships. Using custom and preset tags, you can not only type in the data using the create content fill-in area more easily, but you can also control the rendering on the actual content page so that the content is produced time and again exactly the same. These tags can thus save time and headache trying to maintain the same format again and again with many different editors.
The distinction between 'custom' and 'preset' data tags: In the above example dimension is a tag that should be provided for all content items. In this case you use a 'preset' tag, since the 'dimension' is a 'fixed' part of the element the user needs to fill in while creating a content item. Example: dimension -> 250.
Custom tags provides the ability for the user who creates a content item to not only fill in some additional elements that appear over and over again which have a 'fixed' name value (dimension in this case) but the user also has the ability to provide that name value. Example: somekey -> somevalue. The user can provide both the 'key' and the 'value' part of the additional element.
Preset Tags: The user can provide only the 'value' part of the additional element. The 'key' part is fixed and created by the administrator through the admin area for content.
Custom Tags: The user can provide both the 'key' and the 'value' part of the additional element.
Setting up a preset data tag....
In order to set up your first preset data tags, you will need to choose the category you want to see have these tags. Go to the Options Menu, select which category you wish to update options to and then click on "define default preset tags."
You will find that you can select to "add field". By selecting any of these options, this will define how the data tag will be filled in by your editors when they go to create a content item under that category.
You thus have the option to:
create a one-line text field
create a multi-line text field
create a drop-down select box
create a field that accepts only dates
create a check box
create a radio-button selection field.
As you can see, you have options which will fit the broad range of content that might be selected to be used as a data tag.
In this scenario, let's try and create a drop-down select box.
Example Scenario: Creating a drop-down select tag
Now that you are at the define preset data tags, select the drop-down select box option by clicking on "select" from the add field options list. A new window will open showing you the vast options available.
You are greeted with three items that need to be defined "field name", "choose text" and "options"
The field name is what the field will be called inside the create content fill-in area, and will be on the left side.
The choose text is what the field will show on the right side of the create content fill-in area. It will be the first option you see on the drop-down but it will actually have no inherent value. The author usually simply repeats the name of the field in this particular area, but depending on your needs you may need to do something different.
The options is the different options that will be available in dropdown. For example if you I had chosen that the field name would be "Starship Missions" then the options would be the different types of mission a Starship can embark on, "Defence and Patrol, Strike warship, etc. etc."
You can add as many options as you want, but if you are particularly picky with order, it's better that you write them down on a small piece of paper. There really isn't an easy way to solve mistakes, so it's better to get it right the first time.
When you're done adding all the options, simply click on "Add Preset"
What happens next
With the preset added to the category, you will now have the preset tag available at all times when you create new content items. When you go to your category and create a new item under that category, you will find that the preset tags have been added at the bottom of your fill in area after the options.
When you define the tag, it will now appear on the content page, and it will constantly have the same long when you define the tag in future content pages.
Of course, should you need additional tags, you just need to go back and follow the same procedure to create them. As many of them can co-exist and can have as many different fill-in options as you require.
Contents
1 Worth to take into account... 2 Before we begin... 3 Setting up a preset data tag.... 4 Example Scenario: Creating a drop-down select tag 5 What happens next Worth to take into account... As with anything in the Content Management plug-in, planning can save you a lot trial and error work and will assure that you use the plug-in to its full advantage.
One of the components that deserves some consideration during your planning phase are the "custom and preset tags" which are available in the Content Management plug-in.
Before we begin... Before we begin, it is useful to explain what custom and preset tags do and how they present themselves. Custom and preset tags are defined in your Admin Area under the Options menu. You can thus define separate custom and preset tags for each of your categories. In the options area you can define the number of custom tags available for that category, and you can also define preset data tags that come default with a new content item made in that category.
What these custom and preset tags do is rather simple. If you have a content item where the same data appear again and again, for example this author has a content page which relates to the users the technical specifications of our starships. Our content pages all require us to type in data about the dimensions of the starships. Using custom and preset tags, you can not only type in the data using the create content fill-in area more easily, but you can also control the rendering on the actual content page so that the content is produced time and again exactly the same. These tags can thus save time and headache trying to maintain the same format again and again with many different editors.
The distinction between 'custom' and 'preset' data tags: In the above example dimension is a tag that should be provided for all content items. In this case you use a 'preset' tag, since the 'dimension' is a 'fixed' part of the element the user needs to fill in while creating a content item. Example: dimension -> 250.
Custom tags provides the ability for the user who creates a content item to not only fill in some additional elements that appear over and over again which have a 'fixed' name value (dimension in this case) but the user also has the ability to provide that name value. Example: somekey -> somevalue. The user can provide both the 'key' and the 'value' part of the additional element.
Preset Tags: The user can provide only the 'value' part of the additional element. The 'key' part is fixed and created by the administrator through the admin area for content.
Custom Tags: The user can provide both the 'key' and the 'value' part of the additional element.
Setting up a preset data tag.... In order to set up your first preset data tags, you will need to choose the category you want to see have these tags. Go to the Options Menu, select which category you wish to update options to and then click on "define default preset tags."
You will find that you can select to "add field". By selecting any of these options, this will define how the data tag will be filled in by your editors when they go to create a content item under that category.
You thus have the option to:
create a one-line text field create a multi-line text field create a drop-down select box create a field that accepts only dates create a check box create a radio-button selection field. As you can see, you have options which will fit the broad range of content that might be selected to be used as a data tag.
In this scenario, let's try and create a drop-down select box.
Example Scenario: Creating a drop-down select tag Now that you are at the define preset data tags, select the drop-down select box option by clicking on "select" from the add field options list. A new window will open showing you the vast options available.
You are greeted with three items that need to be defined "field name", "choose text" and "options"
The field name is what the field will be called inside the create content fill-in area, and will be on the left side.
The choose text is what the field will show on the right side of the create content fill-in area. It will be the first option you see on the drop-down but it will actually have no inherent value. The author usually simply repeats the name of the field in this particular area, but depending on your needs you may need to do something different.
The options is the different options that will be available in dropdown. For example if you I had chosen that the field name would be "Starship Missions" then the options would be the different types of mission a Starship can embark on, "Defence and Patrol, Strike warship, etc. etc."
You can add as many options as you want, but if you are particularly picky with order, it's better that you write them down on a small piece of paper. There really isn't an easy way to solve mistakes, so it's better to get it right the first time.
When you're done adding all the options, simply click on "Add Preset"
What happens next With the preset added to the category, you will now have the preset tag available at all times when you create new content items. When you go to your category and create a new item under that category, you will find that the preset tags have been added at the bottom of your fill in area after the options.
When you define the tag, it will now appear on the content page, and it will constantly have the same long when you define the tag in future content pages.
Of course, should you need additional tags, you just need to go back and follow the same procedure to create them. As many of them can co-exist and can have as many different fill-in options as you require.