Content Types

Every piece of content in Ektron is one of the following types.

• HTML content—Content designed to be published on the World Wide Web. See Editing in Ektron.
• XML Smart Forman Ektron-defined Web page that contains XML (hidden from the end user) to display content, and receive, verify, and save user input.s—Online forms, polls, or surveys designed to collect information from site visitors and save it in an XML format. See Working with Smart Forms
• HTML form/survey—Online forms, polls, or surveys designed to collect information from site visitors and save it in an HTML format. See Working with HTML Forms
• DMS Documents—consists of Office documents, managed files, and multimedia files. See Working with Assets in the Document Management System.
• Office documents—Files normally created and edited using Microsoft Office. See Working with Assets in the Document Management System
• Managed files—Files created outside of Ektron, such as PDFs and .jpeg files. You cannot create or edit these files within Ektron—you can only store them. See Managing Assets
• Multimedia—Files that run in a media player, such as sound and movie files. See Managing Multimedia Assets
• Blogs—A blogshort for Web Log is a form of online information sharing and is often set up so a group of people can share their thoughts on a subject. See Working with Blogs
• Web Calendars—Web Calendars keep visitors informed about upcoming events. They can be displayed to all visitors to your website, and any authorized user can add events to a calendar. See Working with Calendars
• Discussion Boards—The Discussion Board feature provides an opportunity for topic discussions on your website. A site or membership user with Add Topic permission creates a topic and posts a starter question. Site visitors can then reply. See Working with Discussion Boards
• Content Imported from SharePoint®—After an Ektron administrator sets up DxH to map SharePoint to Ektron, an end user only needs to place content in a SharePoint folder to update their Ektron-powered website; the content is automatically transferred to the EktronWorkarea. You also can manually import SharePoint content from the Ektron Workarea. See Importing SharePoint Content to Ektron.

Content Properties

• Content Title—The title assigned to the content
• Content ID—The ID number assigned to the content. The ID number is used to retrieve content from a database.
• Content Language—The content’s language
• Status—The current status of the content. See Also: Content Statuses
• Last User to Edit—The last user to edit this content
• Last Edit Date—When the content was last edited
• Start Date—When the content will go live on the website
• End Date—When the content will be removed from the website
• Action on End Date—What happens to the content when its end date and time are reached. See Also: Scheduling Content
• Date Created—When the content was created
• Approval Method—Whether all approvers must sign off on content before it is published. See Also: Setting the Approval Method
• Approvals—Users in the approval chainA series of users or user groups who must approve content before it can be published. for this content. See Also: Approving or Declining Content
• Smart Form Configuration—The Smart Forman Ektron-defined Web page that contains XML (hidden from the end user) to display content, and receive, verify, and save user input. applied to the content. This is typically managed by your system administrator. See Also: Working with Smart Forms
• Template—The template currently assigned to the content. This is typically managed by your system administrator. See Also: Working with Templates
• Path—The folder path to the content’s folder. A slash (\) represents the Content folder.
• Ranking—Ektron's Content Ranking feature lets site visitors rate content on a scale of 1 to 10. If this feature is enabled for the content, the average numerical rating appears. See Also: User-Ranking of Content
• Content Searchable—True appears if the content can be found when someone searches your website. See Also: Making Content Searchable. However, even if content is not searchable, the Workarea Advanced search still finds it. See Also: Using Advanced Search in the Workarea

Content Statuses

• A (Approved)—Through the approval chainA series of users or user groups who must approve content before it can be published. and published on the website. You can:
  • Check content out and save it on your computer
  • Save a copy to your computer
  • Check out the content and edit it
  • Edit the content summary, metadata, schedule, comment, and so on
  • View the content information
  • Delete or submit a request to delete the content.
• O (Checked Out)—Currently being edited. Has not been checked in. You can:
  • If you checked out the content
    • Check it in
    • Save a copy to your computer
    • Edit it
    • Edit the summary, metadata, schedule, comment, and so on
  • If you are an administrator
    • Force a check in
    • Request a check in from the person who checked it out
  • Anyone can view the content information
• I (Checked In)—Checked in for other users to edit. You can:
  • Check content out and save it on your computer
  • Save a copy to your computer
  • Check out the content and edit it
  • Edit the content summary, metadata, schedule, comment, and so on.
  • View the content information
  • Delete or submit a request to delete the content.
  • Publish content or submit it to the approval chainA series of users or user groups who must approve content before it can be published..
• S (Submitted for Approval)—Saved and submitted into the approval chain. You can:
  • Approve and publish content to the website
  • Decline to publish the submitted content
  • Check out the content and edit it
  • View the content information
• M (Marked for Deletion)—Requested for deletion. You can:
  • Approve the deletion request
  • Refuse the deletion request
  • Save a copy to your computer
  • View the content information
• P (Pending Go Live Date)—Approved but the Go Live date hasn’t occurred yet. You can:
  • Check out and edit the content
  • View the content information
• T (Awaiting Completion of Associated Tasks)—Task(s) assigned to content are not complete
• D (Pending Deletion)—Content was created with a future start date then checked in and deleted. This status only remains until the start date is reached. At that point, the content is deleted.

Other Content Information

• Properties tab—View the content’s properties
• Content tab—Display and edit content.
• Summary tab—Edit content’s summary; Writing a Summary for Content
• Metadata tab—Edit content’s metadata; Working with Metadata
• Alias tab—View and edit the content item’s primary alias, or View all secondary aliases; Creating a Manual URL Alias
• Comment tab—View comments on changes made when editing content. This comment also appears on the View Content and Content History screens. Use it to help distinguish one version from another.
• Tasks tab—Add or edit tasks for this content; Assigning and Managing Tasks
• Web Alerts tab—Add or edit Web Alerts for this content; Sending Web Alert Emails to Subscribers
• Templates tab—The template currently assigned to the content; Working with Templates
• Category tab—Any taxonomya content-level categorization system that uses one-to-many relationships (such as Ronald Reagan is to Actor, Governor, and President) to create a scalable organization of content. A taxonomy lets your site visitors navigate content independent of the folder structure. categories currently assigned to the content. Only appears if at least one Taxonomy is applied to the folder in which the content resides; Organizing Content with Taxonomies
• Edit—Open content for editing; Working with Ektron Content
• —View older versions of content; restore older version; Managing Versions of Content
• —Toggle display between published and staged versions
• —Compare current and earlier versions of content; Managing Versions of Content
• —Delete content; Deleting Content
• —View and edit permissions for content; Setting Permissions for Content
• —View and possibly edit the content's approval chain; Creating an Approval Chain For Content
• —Find all content with Quicklinks to this content; Link Checking Before Deleting
• —Attach a task to content; Creating a Task
• —View Analytics for this content; Viewing Page-Level Analytics from the Workarea
• —Displays the content item's rating and reviews, messages, and flags; MessageBoardserver controla server control uses API language to interact with the CMS and Framework UI to display the output. A server control can be dragged and dropped onto a Web form and then modified.; Defining Flags for Content
• —View and edit content's Content Searchable check box and flagging definitions; Making Content Searchable; Defining Flags for Content
• —Go back to previous menu
• —Determines if content will be included when an .xlf file is created; Marking Translation Statuses
• —Copy content to XLIFF files that can be submitted to a translation agency; Working with Multi-Language Content
• View (language)—If you can view content in more than one language, select a language from the drop-down list.
• Add-select language—Lets you copy current content into a new item and translate it to selected language; Working with Ektron Content

Permissions for Moving/Copying Content

Permissions for moving or copying content are defined as follows:

• members of the Administrators user group
• a user with Add, Edit, and Delete permissions for the source and destination folders
• a user is a member of a group with those permissions
• a user assigned in the Roles > Folder Specific > Folder User Admins screen
• a user assigned in the Roles > Folder Specific > Move or Copy screen

Effects of Moving/Copying Content

When content is moved or copied, the following changes are made.

• The content inherits permissions, the approval chain, and the default template from the new folder.
• The content’s Quicklink is moved or copied in the library to the destination folder. However, the Quicklink remains the same (that is, the default template doesn’t change). You can update this by editing the Quicklink.

  NOTE: If the Link Management setting in the web.config file is set to true, you do not need to update the quicklink. Link Management automatically finds the correct template based on the current folder.

• If the new folder already contains content with the same title, Ektron appends a number to the title to make it unique. For example: ASP.NET Unleashed(2).
• Library image paths inside the content remain the same.
• If a destination folder has required metadata that the pasted content lacks, the paste action is not affected. But, the next time a user edits that content, the user must complete the required metadata before the user can save the edits.
• If the content’s template is a Smart Form, it remains assigned even if the Smart Form is not assigned to the new folder.

Link Checking Before Deleting

NOTE: It is good practice to check for broken quicklinks before deleting content.

Use the link checker button to locate all content with a link to the current content. The identified content that will include a “dead” link after you delete the current content. So, remove or change the obsolete links before deleting.

1. Navigate to the folder that contains the content.
2. Click the content and choose View Properties. The View Content screen appears.
3. Click Link Search (). A screen displays each content item with a link to the current content.
4. Click the linked content to access the View Content screen for the selected content.
5. Remove or change the Quicklink.

Deleting Content from a Web Page

1. Sign in and browse to the content you want to delete.
2. From the access point (), choose Delete. The View Content screen appears.
3. Click Delete (). A confirmation message appears.
4. Click OK.

Deleting Content from the Workarea

1. Navigate to the folder that contains content you want to delete.
2. Hover the cursor over the triangle () and choose Delete. A confirmation message appears.
3. Click OK.

Deleting Several Content Items in a Folder

On the View Contents of Folder screen, you can delete several content items at once.

1. Navigate to the folder that contains the content you want to delete.
2. Choose Delete > Content. The Delete Contents screen appears.
3. Check the boxes of content items you want to delete.
4. Click Delete Content. A confirmation message appears.
5. Click OK.

Automatically Creating a Summary

Ektron automatically generates a summary for new content if none exists when it is first published. If the summary is blank, Ektron copies the first 40 words of content to the summary. After the content is published, you can update or delete the summary. If you delete a summary, it remains blank and is not automatically generated again.

By default, content summaries are automatic generated. To disable that:

• For HTML content—open siteroot/web.config > change value of ek_enableContentAutoSummary to false
• For DMS assetan external file, such as a Microsoft Word document or image, stored in Ektron. It can be managed like native Ektron content.s—open C:\Program Files (x86)\Ektron\EktronWindowsService40\Ektron.ASM.EktronServices40.exe.config > change value of GenerateAutoSummary to zero (0)

If a membership user edits content and wants to update the summary, the user checks the Auto Generate New Summary field on the membership editing screen, and the first 40 words of the content are automatically copied into the summary.

There is no limit on the number of times a membership user can automatically generate a new summary.

Creating or Editing a Summary

1. Navigate to the folder in which you want to create or edit the content.
2. In the View Content screen, choose New > {type of content} or open the View menu next to existing content and choose Edit. The Edit content screen appears.
3. Insert a Title and content, if needed.
4. Click the Summary tab.
5. Enter a summary for the content. The summary can include images, files, and hyperlinks.
6. When done, click the appropriate button.

You can only edit the summary of content that is published, checked in, or checked out by you. When you enter or edit existing content’s summary, its status changes to checked out. After you create or edit the summary, click Check-In to check the content in. From that point, you need to submit or publish it.

• Site visitor

  

• Logged in user with read-only permission

  

• Logged-in user with edit permissions

  

NOTE: You can determine the appearance of the menu shown above. See Working with Ektron Content.

Making a Folder Private

NOTE: You can only set content to private when inheritance is broken. See Also: Inheriting Permissions

1. In the Workarea, navigate to the folder that you want to make private.
2. Choose View > Properties.
3. Click View Permissions ().
4. If necessary, uncheck the box that says Allow this object to inherit permissions. (You must disable inheritance before you can make the content private.)
5. Check the box that says The content in this folder is private and can only be viewed by authorized users and members. A confirmation message appears.
6. Click OK. All content in the folder is now private. As new content is added, it is automatically set to private.

Making Content Private

1. In the Workarea, navigate to the folder that contains the content you want to make private.
2. Click the content item you want to make private.
3. Click View Permissions ().
4. If necessary, uncheck the box that says Allow this object to inherit permissions. (Inheritance must be disabled before you can make the content private.)
5. Check the box that says This content is private and is NOT viewable on the public website. A confirmation message appears.
6. Click OK. The content is now private.

Making Assets Private

If assetan external file, such as a Microsoft Word document or image, stored in Ektron. It can be managed like native Ektron content.s are set to private, they are handled like other private content with one important exception: unless you follow the procedure described below, anyone can access an asset by typing the URL of the asset into the browser’s address field.

If a user attempts to access the asset in any other way (such as, linking to it from a Web page), the regular methods of making content private work. See Making a Folder Private and Making Content Private.

To make assets private even if someone types their URL into the browser’s address field:

NOTE: If site users receive a 404 Page Not Found error when trying to view private assets, make sure you have completed all steps below.

1. Open your website’s web.config file, located in the site root folder.
2. Make sure the following line is uncommented.

   <remove verb="GET,HEAD,POST" path="*"/>

3. Comment out the 8 lines indicated below.

   <httpHandlers>
   <remove verb="GET,HEAD,POST" path="*"/>
   <add verb="HEAD,OPTIONS,PROPFIND,PUT,LOCK,UNLOCK,MOVE,COPY,GETLIB,
     PROPPATCH,MKCOL,DELETE,(GETSOURCE),(HEADSOURCE),(POSTSOURCE)" 
     path="*" type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>
   <!--
   <add verb="GET,POST" path="*.doc" 
     type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>
   <add verb="GET,POST" path="*.docx" 
     type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>
   <add verb="GET,POST" path="*.xls" 
     type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>
   <add verb="GET,POST" path="*.xlsx" 
     type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>
   <add verb="GET,POST" path="*.ppt" 
     type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>
   <add verb="GET,POST" path="*.pptx" 
     type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>
   <add verb="GET,POST" path="*.vsd" 
     type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>
   <add verb="GET,POST" path="*.vsdx" 
     type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>
   -->

   Eight add verb statements in the middle are commented out.

4. Make sure the following line is uncommented.

   <add verb="GET,HEAD,POST" path="*" 
     type="Ektron.ASM.EkHttpDavHandler.EkDavHttpHandlerFactory"/>

5. Save web.config.

Setting a Start Date

1. Edit a content item and click the Schedule tab.
2. Click Add () next to the Start Date field.
   —Image—

   

3. A calendar pops up. Select the date and time when this version of the content will become visible on the website.
   —Image—

   

4. Click Done. The date and time appear in the Start Date field.

   NOTE: When you select a time for content to go live, that time depends on the server’s system clock. If the clock is incorrect, the content will not go live at the intended time.

   After you save the content, it appears on the Content Pending Start Date report, which tracks content with a future start date. See Also: Content Pending Start Date Report

   After you set a go-live date and the content completes the approval chainA series of users or user groups who must approve content before it can be published., the following scenarios may occur:

   • Setting the Go-Live Date on New Content

     When you set a go-live date on new content, it becomes viewable on the specified date and time as long as it completes the approval chain. If a site visitor accesses the page that contains the content before then, only the template appears.

     If a logged-in Ektron user browses your website, the user sees a gray border around the content until the date specified. If the user clicks within the gray border, the user can use the Preview option to see the new content.

   • Setting the Go-live Date on Existing Content

     When you set a go-live date for changes to existing content, and it completes the approval chain, a logged-in Ektron user sees a gray border around the content until the date specified.

     When you view content on the website, you see the previously published version. When the go-live date occurs, the new content replaces the previous version, and its status changes to Active.

Setting an End Date

1. Edit a content item and click the Schedule tab.
2. Click Add () next to the End Date field.
   —Image—

   

3. A calendar pops up. Select the date and time when this version of the content will become unavailable on the website. To archive immediately, choose a past date.
   —Image—

   

4. Click Done. The date and time appear in the End Date field.

When content reaches its end date, it appears on the Expired Content report. See Also: Content to Expire Report

If your choice means the content will not appear on the website, you should have another content item ready to replace it. If not, the template appears without the content.

Setting Archive Options

Use content’s archive options to determine what happens upon reaching its end date/time. To be eligible for any option, the content must reach its end date/time, progress through its approval chainA series of users or user groups who must approve content before it can be published., and be published. Until those events occur, the content remains visible within its Workarea content folder and on the site.

Viewing Content History

• To access content history from the Workarea, click on a piece on content. The View Content Screen appears. Then click View History ().
• To access content history from a Web page, click the access point () and choose View History.
  —Image—

  

  The window displays the following information for each version.

  • a Compare column lets you compare Web traffic analytics data between any 2 published versions.
  • Ektron assigns a unique number to each saved version of a content block.
  • an arrow indicates a published version. Versions without an arrow indicate content that was checked-in.
  • date and time version was checked in or published
  • content title
  • last user who edited content
  • comments entered by user to describe the changes

To view any version, click its title to display the Content History window for that content.

There are 3 view modes.

• Diff—Compares published version of content to staged version
• Published—Displays currently published version
• Staged—Displays the staged version of content.

Comparing Versions of Content

If content can be compared with another version, the View Difference button () appears in the content history area or the Web page view.

NOTE: The first time you use the View Content Difference screen on a client machine, you are prompted to install the differences tool. When the installation program completes, close and reopen the View Content Difference feature.

There are varying versions of this procedure. Consult your system administrator to determine the correct procedure for you.

Restoring a Previous Version

NOTE: The ability to restore content is a permission granted by the system administrator. If you do not see Restore on the View Content History screen, you do not have permission to do so.

1. Open the folder that contains the content.
2. Click the content item.
3. Click History ().
4. Select an historical version that you want to restore.

   IMPORTANT: Ektron recommends restoring a Checked In version of content, because this restores all content attributes. If you restore a published version, metadata is not restored.
   To learn how to recognize checked-in content on the View Content History screen, see Managing Versions of Content.

5. Click Restore. The content history window closes, and you return to the View Content page or the Web page, with the content in a checked in status.

   If desired, check out the content to make additional changes. Select the workflow to perform on the content. When the historical version is approved, it is published to the website.

Removing Applied XSLT

You can only remove an applied XSLT when viewing historical versions of XML content. If you remove the applied XSLT, you can view the content without the irrelevant XML tags.