Elaboration requested for using the new Channel Blocks
Thu, 07/05/2009 - 03:32
Hi,
There has been a great amount of augmentation done in the last release (0.19). To my understanding, correct me if I have misunderstood, a channel can now show an edition and channel stories below it. Or to some effect where editions and channel stories can finally co-exist. The desired goal I would like if it is possible is whether to have an edition displayed first, and then the channel stories listed below. This is key if content submission increases from registered users, who I feel would be detrimental to production if given access to post their stories into an edition.
Setting up, editing, and implementing 'editions' I feel is beyond the scope of content submitters such as staff, writers, journalists and so forth. It would create a more streamlined workflow if content could be submitted to a channel and become part of its story listing while the aesthetics of an 'edition' maintain their presence right above.
As of 0.19, is it a choice between either an 'edition' view of the channel, or reverse chronology story listing? Or is there a way to have both? This issue has risen based on the fact that editions are great for the 'home page' effect, while a contstant stream of sumbitted content is great for, well, content.
And with the editons mode, submitted content to a channel goes now where unless it is added to the edition. Please clarify the new features as of 0.19. Thanks.
Thu, 07/05/2009 - 06:16
#2
Composite Layout Issues in Editions
Using the composite layout for editions solves a lot of issues. However I need to display channel stories as teasers in the channel stories block. The attached images show a block called '57and5th' this was configured from the block settings to show 'teasers' and shows nothing except when reverting back to 'title' which is what is shown in the attached image.
The objective is to reduce user manipulation of the 'edition' to show headline teasers. When a story is submitted, it should automatically be part of a channel, in teaser view. I guess this goes back to square one, where the need for a channel description is requirement to display PHP snippets like iframes. If there was a way to display a channel description in PHP, everything would be wonderful.
Or is there a way to get the 'story listings' block to display teasers in the compositie editions scenario. Thanks.
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Fri, 08/05/2009 - 09:17
#3
With ProsePoint 0.19, only channel blocks were changed
Hi Zarrar,
With ProsePoint 0.19, only channel blocks were changed. The operation of a channel (ie. what it displays) for the "main" content area is unchanged.
Yes, channel blocks can now display one of:
- a list of recent stories,
- the current edition,
- a specific past edition, and
- an arbitrary list of stories
Your idea of displaying an edition and a list of stories afterwards isn't available as a block display mode for channel blocks. It seems like a situation of limited applicability, but if you deem it important enough, please file it as a separate wishlist post (so I can track it independently of this post).
> This issue has risen based on the fact that editions are great for
> the 'home page' effect, while a contstant stream of sumbitted content
> is great for, well, content.
Conceivably, you could have a channel operating in scheduled editions mode (for the layout capabilities), and when an edition of that channel is displayed, you can also have the channel block of that channel displayed on the same page (either as a channel block or channel sub-block as part of the composite layout of the edition itself, or as a global channel block separate of the edition ie. in the sidebars).
> And with the editons mode, submitted content to a channel goes now where unless it is added to the edition.
No change here either. Stories 'submitted' to a channel are added into the list of stories for that channel. They don't automatically get added into editions unless an editor user adds them. However, if a story listing for that channel is displayed (through whatever means), then the new story appears (because it is a recent addition).
And then, reading your second and third posts of this topic, I sort of got lost because you are talking about a mixture of things and I couldn't work out accurately what you're asking.
However, I will say that PHP for channel descriptions is a separate topic which we should discuss in a separate post.
Solution.
I think the composite layout of the editions is the solution. It allows edition-centric content to be displayed, and additional options allow 'story' listing blocks and whatever other blocks, nodes, and fields that may be available. As a workaround to using the clunky 'blocks' interface on the blocks page, this solves the problem of having to deal with 700 blocks in one instance of an admin page.
Because it allows the field responsible for displaying channel stories, it is an ideal solution for displaying content with all relevant factors that adhere to standard publishing practices for marketing and advertising. So far so good. Thanks for the great software.
Zarrar Sheikh Media Developer New York, NY