3 Editing Web Pages in Contributor

3.1 About Editing Web Pages in Contributor

As a contributor, you are responsible for updating portions of your organization's Web site. More specifically, you edit parts on the web pages that the site designer has enabled for editing by site contributors (the 'contribution regions'). When the designer sets up the site, he or she may create just one contribution region or several contribution regions on each page. Within the area, the site designer can enable or disable numerous editing options. As such, your experience editing the web page entirely depends on how the designer set it up.

Editing a contribution region is quite simple. You browse to a web page, enter contribution mode (see "Contribution Mode"), and click the editing option within the contribution graphic next to the area you want to edit. When you edit a contribution region, you are actually editing a file on the content server that is assigned to that area:

• Contributor data file: an XML file generated by Site Studio Contributor that is viewed and edited using the Contributor application.

• Native document: any file created by a third-party application (such as Microsoft Word), which is then converted into a web page (for example, using Dynamic Converter).

Any of these file types can be assigned to a contribution region, and depending on how your site was set up (again, by the designer), you may be working with just one of them or any combination. The main difference for you, as the contributor, is that when you edit a contribution region, the Contributor editor opens for contributor data files, and a third-party application (for example, Microsoft Word) opens for native documents.

3.2 Contribution Mode

Contribution mode is a way of viewing a web page so that you can see what parts of the page you, as the contributor, can edit. Before you can view a page in contribution mode, you must know which pages you are responsible for editing. You should learn this from the site designer or site manager within your organization. You may even be notified by an automated e-mail message using Content Server's workflow features (the message contains a link to the page that must be reviewed or edited).

Once you identify the page (or pages) that must be edited, you can then switch to contribution mode, and start editing the page. You enter contribution mode for a web page by pressing a special key combination while viewing the web page in a web browser. The default key combination is Ctrl+Shift+F5, but the site administrator may have set up a different combination.

When you press the assigned key combination, you may be prompted for your login credentials (user name and password) to connect to the content server that the Web site resides on. After you log on, you see two changes in your web browser: the page now has a Contribution Mode bar at the top (Figure 3-1) with one or more options for the web page as a whole, and the page includes one or more contribution graphics close to each of the contribution regions (that is, the areas on the web page that can be edited) (Figure 3-2).

Please note that the web page you see in contribution mode may look quite different from the one currently on the Web site. As a contributor, you see the latest saved version on the content server, whereas site consumers see the latest released version, and these may be different (for example, the released web page may not yet include changes to the currently saved page while it is going through a workflow process).

Figure 3-1 Contribution Mode Bar

Description of "Figure 3-1 Contribution Mode Bar"

Figure 3-2 Contribution Graphic

Description of "Figure 3-2 Contribution Graphic"

The contribution graphic shows (from left to right) the name of the contribution region, an edit icon (for data files only), and a menu icon. If you hover your mouse cursor over a contribution graphic, its associated contribution region is marked in a yellow box. This is the content that can be edited using the selected contribution graphic.

To edit the selected contribution region, click its edit icon, or click the menu icon and choose the Edit option. The Contributor editor then launches in a browser popup window, and you can start editing the content in that region (see "Contributor Editor Window"). Please note that this browser popup window may be suppressed by popup-blocking software, so you must configure that software to allow pop-ups on your site. Also, when the Contributor editor opens, the web browser displaying the original web page becomes temporarily unavailable. You can return to the web browser when you close the Contributor editor.

Considerations

Please note the following regarding contribution mode:

• The options available in the contribution graphic depend on your access privileges. If you do not have permission to edit a contribution region, its associated contribution graphic will not have any edit options. This is a security choice by the site designer or network administrator.

• The Contributor editor may show more editable data elements than are actually displayed in the contribution region being edited. This is because the current display definition for the contribution region may have been set up to use only a portion of the data file associated with it. The other information may be used elsewhere on the Web site, so editing that information may affect other pages on the site.

• The contribution graphic may also include a workflow icon (Figure 3-3). For more information, see "Using Workflows on a Web Site".

  Figure 3-3 Workflow Icon

  
  

• There may be sections of the site that appear only in contribution mode. As such, you must enter contribution mode first to view those sections.

3.3 Editing the Content in a Contribution Region

As a contributor, you browse to a web page containing a contribution region (or regions), enter a combination of keystrokes to switch to contribution mode, and then click the contribution graphic beside each contribution region to edit that content. When you edit the content in a contribution region, you are editing the file (contributor data file or native document) associated with that contribution region.

To edit the content in a contribution region, perform these tasks:

1. Open the web page to edit (a page containing one or more contribution regions).

2. Enter the required keyboard command to view the page in contribution mode (see "Contribution Mode"). The default is Ctrl+Shift+F5, but your site designer or manager may have changed this.

   Note:

   Contact your site administrator if you are not sure what key combination to use to activate contribution mode.

3. Enter your login credentials (if prompted) to log onto the site as a contributor.

   The page displays in contribution mode.

4. Click the edit icon (shown with a pencil) in the contribution graphic beside the contribution region to edit. Either of two things will happen:

   • If a contributor data file is assigned to the contribution region, the Contributor editor opens (see "Contributor Editor Window").

   • If a native document is assigned to the contribution region, a third-party application opens (for example, Microsoft Word for .doc files).

   You can also click the menu icon and choose Edit.

   Note:

   The edit features in the contribution graphic are not available if there is no contributor data file or native document currently assigned to the contribution region (see "Assigning Content to a Contribution Region").

5. Edit the content in its respective application. If you are editing in Contributor, you can use the toolbars to modify the content (see "Element Toolbars"). You can also use right-click menus in the editing area to see context-specific options.

3.4 Assigning Content to a Contribution Region

When you browse to a web page containing a contribution region, you can begin editing the content right away using Contributor (for contributor data files) or a third-party application (for native documents).

There may be times, however, when the contribution region has no content assigned to it yet; it is essentially "empty." This typically happens if the site designer decides to leave it up to contributors to create the initial content for a web page. You, as the contributor, must then assign a content file to the contribution region so that you can edit it in Contributor or a third-party application.

To assign content to a contribution region, perform the following tasks:

1. Open the web page containing the contribution region you want to assign content to.

2. Enter the required keyboard command to view the page in contribution mode (see "Contribution Mode"). The default is Ctrl+Shift+F5, but your site designer or manager may have changed this.

   Note:

   Contact your site administrator if you are not sure what key combination to use to activate contribution mode.

3. Enter your login credentials (if prompted) to log onto the site as a contributor.

   The page displays in contribution mode.

4. Click the menu icon in the contribution graphic close to the contribution region, and choose Switch Content from the menu.

   Note:

   If the menu does not have a Switch Content option, the site designer has chosen not to allow contributors to change the content file assigned to a contribution region.

   The Switch Content wizard is launched (see "Switch Content Wizard").

   Note:

   You can step through the wizard faster by clicking the blue arrow to the left of the option you want to use. This automatically selects the option and moves the wizard to the next step.

5. Depending on how the site designer set up the contribution region, you may first be prompted to select the region definition or subtemplate that the region content should be based on. If you are not prompted, you can skip this step and proceed with the next one.

   If you select a region definition from the list, you associate the contribution region directly with a contributor data file or native document (to be selected in the next wizard step). Its contents display in the contribution region in accordance with the selected region definition and its associated region template. The site designer controls what region definitions are available for the contribution region.

   If you select a subtemplate from the list, you associate the contribution region with a subtemplate that defines what the region will look like and typically divides it into several smaller contribution regions (each of which needs separate content assigned to it). The site designer controls what subtemplates are available for the contribution region.

   The site designer can give you more information about what impact each region definition and/or subtemplate has on the web page in terms of information usage, layout, formatting, and the like. The names of the available region definitions and subtemplates may also provide some indication regarding what they do. Contact your site designer if you need any assistance in this area.

   Click Next to continue.

6. If you selected a subtemplate in the previous step, you can skip this step and proceed with the next one.

   If you selected a region definition in the previous step or if the previous step did not apply, you are prompted to choose the type of content file that will be used for the contribution region. The available content file types depend on what the site designer has chosen to make available. Select an option:

   • To use a new contributor data file, select New Contributor data file. You are taken to a content check-in form, where you can provide the metadata for the contributor data file and check the file into the content server. The file is empty until you (or another contributor) edits it in the Contributor editor.

   • To use a new native document, select New native file and choose the file format. (The site designer decides what file formats are available.) You are taken to a content check-in form, where you can provide the metadata for the native document and check the file into the content server. All required metadata fields are marked red. The file is empty until you (or another contributor) edits it in its native application.

   • To use an existing file on the content server, select Existing file from server. You are taken to a search results page, which lists all items on the content server that you can choose from. (The criteria for the search query are defined by the site designer.) Select the file you want to use by clicking its associated Select button.

   • To use an existing file on your computer, select Existing local file. You are taken to a content check-in form, where you can provide the metadata for the file and check the file into the content server. All required metadata fields are marked red. Use the Browse button next to the Primary File field to navigate to the file on your computer you want to use and select it.

   • To remove the existing association of a content file with the contribution region, select None. This means that the contribution region no longer has a content file assigned to it.

7. Click Finish to return to the web page.

You can now edit the file you assigned to the contribution region (see "Editing the Content in a Contribution Region").

3.5 Switching the Content Assigned to a Contribution Region

The site designer may allow contributors to switch the content file assigned to a particular contribution region on a web page. The designer decides what kinds of content files you can assign: a new contributor data file or native document, an existing file on the content server, and/or an existing file on your local computer. The site designer may also limit the file formats of native documents that can be assigned (for example, only Microsoft Word documents). In addition, the designer may allow the association of a content file with a contribution region to be removed altogether.

To switch the content assigned to a contribution region, perform the following tasks:

1. Open the web page containing the contribution region for which you want to switch the assigned content file.

2. Enter the required keyboard command to view the page in contribution mode (see "Contribution Mode"). The default is Ctrl+Shift+F5, but your site designer or manager may have changed this.

   Note:

   Contact your site administrator if you are not sure what key combination to use to activate contribution mode.

3. Enter your login credentials (if prompted) to log onto the site as a contributor.

   The page displays in contribution mode.

4. Click the menu icon in the contribution graphic close to the contribution region, and choose Switch Content from the menu.

   Note:

   If the menu does not have a Switch Content option, the site designer has chosen not to allow contributors to change the content file assigned to a contribution region.

   The Switch Content wizard is launched (see "Switch Content Wizard").

   Note:

   You can step through the wizard faster by clicking the blue arrow to the left of the option you want to use. This automatically selects the option and moves the wizard to the next step.

5. Depending on how the site designer set up the contribution region, you may first be prompted to select the region definition or subtemplate that the region content should be based on. If you are not prompted, you can skip this step and proceed with the next one.

   If you select a region definition from the list, you associate the contribution region directly with a contributor data file or native document (to be selected in the next wizard step). Its contents display in the contribution region in accordance with the selected region definition and its associated region template. The site designer controls what region definitions are available for the contribution region.

   If you select a subtemplate from the list, you associate the contribution region with a subtemplate that defines what the region looks like and typically divides it into several smaller contribution regions (each of which needs separate content assigned to it). The site designer controls what subtemplates are available for the contribution region.

   The site designer can give you more information about what impact each region definition and/or subtemplate has on the web page in terms of information usage, layout, formatting, and the like. The names of the available region definitions and subtemplates may also provide some indication regarding what they do. Contact your site designer if you need any assistance in this area.

   Click Next to continue.

6. If you selected a subtemplate in the previous step, you can skip this step and proceed with the next one.

   If you selected a region definition in the previous step or if the previous step did not apply, you are prompted to choose the type of content file that will be used for the contribution region. The available content file types depend on what the site designer has chosen to make available. Select an option:

   • To use a new contributor data file, select New Contributor data file. You are taken to a content check-in form, where you can provide the metadata for the contributor data file and check the file into the content server. The file is empty until you (or another contributor) edits it in the Contributor editor.

   • To use a new native document, select New native file and choose the file format. (The site designer decides what file formats are available.) You are taken to a content check-in form, where you can provide the metadata for the native document and check the file into the content server. All required metadata fields are marked red. The file is empty until you (or another contributor) edits it in its native application.

   • To use an existing file on the content server, select Existing file from server. You are taken to a search results page, which lists all items on the content server that you can choose from. (The criteria for the search query are defined by the site designer.) Select the file you want to use by clicking its associated Select button.

   • To use an existing file on your computer, select Existing local file. You are taken to a content check-in form, where you can provide the metadata for the file and check the file into the content server. All required metadata fields are marked red. Use the Browse button next to the Primary File field to navigate to the file on your computer you want to use and select it.

   • To remove the existing association of a content file with the contribution region, select None. This means that the contribution region no longer has a content file assigned to it.

7. Click Finish to return to the web page.

You can now edit the file you assigned to the contribution region (see "Editing the Content in a Contribution Region").

3.6 Removing Content from a Contribution Region

The site designer may allow contributors to switch the content file assigned to a particular contribution region on a web page. The designer decides what kinds of content files you can assign: a new contributor data file or native document, an existing file on the content server, and/or an existing file on your local computer.

To remove the content assigned to a contribution region, perform the following tasks:

1. Open the web page containing the contribution region for which you want to switch the assigned content file.

2. Enter the required keyboard command to view the page in contribution mode (see "Contribution Mode"). The default is Ctrl+Shift+F5, but your site designer or manager may have changed this.

   Note:

   Contact your site administrator if you are not sure what key combination to use to activate contribution mode.

3. Enter your login credentials (if prompted) to log onto the site as a contributor.

   The page displays in contribution mode.

4. Click the menu icon in the contribution graphic close to the contribution region, and choose Remove Content from the menu.

   Note:

   If the menu does not have a Remove Content option, the site designer has chosen not to allow contributors to remove the content file assigned to a contribution region.

5. A pop-up dialog asks you to confirm if you want to remove the content associated with the region. Click OK to remove the association to the content file.

6. The page will refresh, displaying the remaining content while remaining in contribution mode.

3.7 Assigning a Template to a Contribution Region

A contribution region typically has a region template assigned to it, which defines how the information is presented on the web page. The site designer may allow contributors to switch the template of a contribution region. If that is the case, the contributor graphic menu includes an option to that effect.

To switch the template assigned to a contribution region, perform the following tasks:

1. Open the web page containing the contribution region you want to assign a template to.

2. Enter the required keyboard command to view the page in contribution mode (see "Contribution Mode"). The default is Ctrl+Shift+F5, but your site designer or manager may have changed this.

   Note:

   Contact your site administrator if you are not sure what key combination to use to activate contribution mode.

3. Enter your login credentials (if prompted) to log onto the site as a contributor.

   The page displays in contribution mode.

4. Click the menu icon in the contribution graphic beside the contribution region, and choose Switch Region Template from the menu.

   The Switch Region Template dialog is launched (see "Switch Region Template Dialog").

5. Select a region template for the contribution region. The site designer controls what templates you can choose from.

   The site designer can give you more information about what impact each region template has on the web page in terms of information usage, layout, formatting, and the like. The names of the available region templates may also provide some indication regarding what they do. Contact your site designer if you need any assistance in this area.

6. Click OK to return to the web page.

3.8 Resetting a Web Page in Contributor

As you edit a contribution region, you can choose to reset all of the changes you have made since opening the contribution region for editing. This also resets any changed metadata, if the metadata was available for editing.

To reset the changes you made to a web page in Contributor, click the reset icon (Figure 3-4) in the editor window (see "Contributor Editor Window"). The contribution region is reloaded and returns to the state it was in before being edited (more precisely, the moment the page was updated last).

Figure 3-4 Reset Icon

3.9 Updating a Web Page in Contributor

When you are done editing and you have previewed what the page will look like (see "Previewing a Web Page"), then you are ready to close the editor and update the web page, so its contents are displayed on the Web site.

To update a web page in Contributor, click the save icon (Figure 3-5) in the editor window (see "Contributor Editor Window"). You return to the web page in Contribution mode, where you can edit another contribution region or exit Contribution mode.

Figure 3-5 Update Icon

3.10 Previewing a Web Page

You can preview the page you are working on while you are still in the Contributor editor so that you can see what the web page will look like in a web browser before updating it (which commits your changes to the Web site).

To preview a web page in Contributor, click the preview icon (Figure 3-6) in the editor window (see "Contributor Editor Window"). This opens a browser window showing what the current web page will look like to site visitors. To return to your work, close the preview window.

Figure 3-6 Preview Icon

3.11 Comparing Different Versions of a Web Page

This section coves the following topics:

• "About Comparing Web Pages"

• "Comparing Contributor Data Files"

• "Comparing Web Pages"

• "Color-Coded Differences"

3.11.4 Color-Coded Differences

Site Studio Contributor uses green and red color-coding to indicate differences between two versions of contributor data files or web pages. The differences are always marked relative to the current state.

Figure 3-8 Differences in Color-Coding

Description of "Figure 3-8 Differences in Color-Coding"

Text that has been removed appears in red, strike-through formatting. Text that has been added appears in green, blocked formatting. Text that has not changed remains black.

3.12 Working With Other Media Formats

In addition to adding and editing text, graphics, hyperlinks, and lists, you might also work with other media formats, such as video, audio, and multimedia. To accommodate this, the site designer may set up a custom interface that is accessible from within Contributor.

The custom interface can easily vary from one web page to another and one Web site to another. As such, you may need to consult with the site designer and/or manager to find out how you should use the custom interface to add content. The designer may have provided instructions in the interface itself so that you can follow the instructions from there.

3.13 Marking a Web Page for Immediate Publication

When you update a web page in Contributor, its associated content file (contributor data file or native document) is updated on the content server. Depending on how the Web site is set up, visitors to the site may see the changes immediately or it may not be until the next publication cycle that the changes appear on the site.

One way that a Site Studio Web site can be deployed is using the Site Studio Publisher utility. This utility essentially gathers all files associated with a complete Web site on the content server, builds a static copy of the site (including all navigation and the like), and then copies this static site to a "live" location where the site is accessible to visitors (for example, on a web server).

Depending on the size of the Web site, this process may take quite a while, and this is why the full site is often published only periodically (say, once daily). This does mean that some time may pass before a changed web page is reflected on the "live" site. As a contributor, you may not want to wait until the next publication cycle for a changed web page to appear on the site, especially if you corrected errors on a page. To accommodate for this, Site Studio Publisher has a "publish now" feature, which enables it to search for files on the content server that are marked for immediate publication and then publish only those files. This is a much quicker process, since it does not involve deploying the entire site, but only a limited number of files. This can therefore be done at very short intervals (say, every few minutes).

As a contributor working with Site Studio Contributor, you can take advantage of this "publish now" feature. You can mark a web page for immediate publication, so Site Studio Publisher can pick up that page and put it on the "live" site very quickly, without having to wait for a full site deployment.

To mark a web page for publication in Contributor, open the page in contribution mode (see "Contribution Mode") and click Publish Now in the contribution mode bar. This marks the associated contributor data file or native document on the content server for immediate publication, and its updated contents appear on the "live" site very quickly.

Contact your site designer of site manager if you need assistance in this area.

3.14 Using Workflows on a Web Site

In addition to contributing content to a Web site, you may also be responsible for reviewing and approving content before it is published on the site. This may be done using a workflow process. With Site Studio Contributor, you can create a workflow using the existing workflow capabilities provided by Content Server.

If you are familiar with Content Server workflows, then you will be able to quickly adjust to the process for your Web site. A workflow can be set up for every file that you add to, or edit on, a Web site. Most commonly, you will be reviewing and approving contributor data files and native documents because those files constitute the bulk of the content on the Web site.

For more information, see Chapter 12, "Working With Workflows".