creating content boxes

Monday 06 March 2006 11:53:26 am

Hi Brian,

I'm not that familiar with the default ez setup, so it might be an easy way to do it there.
Maybe the factbox-tag in an xml-field can do the trick? (See comment under http://ez.no/doc/ez_publish/technical_manual/3_6/reference/xml_tags)

My approach has been to make a custom content class, containgin varous attributes depending on my needs:
- Title (textline)
- Text (xml)
- Show on all children/grandchildren etc. as well (checkbox)
- etc.

This can aslo be made by customizing an existing content class.

To make the box I create a Box-object/node under the page I want it to appear on, containing the box content.
In pagelayout.tpl I create the appropriate template code to fetch Box-nodes and display them, depending on witch page (node_id) is being shown. (Yes, I know. This is the hard part if your unfamiliar with the template language)

Has someone else an other approach? I would be glad to know, because my way has too many fetches/databasecalls to be optimal.

Roy

Thursday 16 March 2006 11:47:43 pm

Do you mean to make an override for each folder-node? I think it be cumbersome to make a new template-file and override for each folder? And if you want to change the appearence of folders in general you'd have to edit several templatefiles. Or do I misunderstand your point?

I agree that it would be best to put the funcionality in a toolbar of some kind. But I think that the creation and control of the boxes should be handeled 100% from within the admin-view. Then its easier to set rights and teach non-techs to use it.

My approach let you make a box just by creating a box object under the folder you want it to appear on. That way you can easily make more boxes, delete boxes, or change content in the same way you'd publish "regular" content. You can additionally make the same box appear on several folders, just by adding locations (standard ez-functionality).

Does it make sense, or am I answering a quesion you didn't ask :-)

Roy