Content Management

An ordinary, static web page contains all of the text necessary for display by a browser. Pages in the School web site are not ordinary. They exist only as separate components stored in a content management system, in this case an open source product called Zope. When a client requests a page, Zope assembles all of the required components dynamically into a single page to send to the client. This allows components to be substituted easily as required. For example the Banner Subtext of the Home page (ecology environment geography ...) is stored in a text variable. A sub-folder may redefine the content of this variable allowing alternative subtexts in different subfolders.

The user text, the information you wish to convey to the reader, is similarly stored in a component. That allows you to concentrate on that text (and any accompanying images) and not worry about the rest of the page. The Editor's tools only provide you with the ability to edit that component, and other components that you need to edit, such as the Section contents.

Example component list:

• The College Banner: The strip across the top of the browser client area containing Science and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh and the Site search form.

• The School Banner: The strip containing School of GeoSciences with an illustrative background image. Any subtext beneath the school name and the background image are replaceable in different branches of the site. There are How To pages on how to change these items.

• The Site menu: The strip beneath the School Banner containing site links.

• The Edit Banner: This is an orange strip that appears for logged in users who have Edit permission and who have selected Edit mode.

• The Section Menu: The left column of every page has a menu of items to be found in this section of the site.

• The User Area: This is the main part of the page where the actual information is presented. Only this area is edited during page preparation or revision.

• The Footer: The strip at the bottom of every page containing Contact and Revision information.