Content
1. Introduction
2. Connecting the news module to a page
3. Managing the news
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Add category
3.3 Add article
3.4 Edit article
3.5 Managing the news
3.6 Managing the archive
3.7 Configuring the news
The News module of Site@School has the following features:
- Unlimited number of news pages on the site and the 'Protected Area' where the visitors can read the news. For example, each group can have a news page.
- News archive for the site and the 'Protected Area' where the visitors can consult the news archive.
- Management of the news page(s) in the Site@School module manager. Here you can add news, delete news and/or move news to the archive.
- The news module uses the FCK editor. A standard template is available to give your news a standard markup.
- Change the layout of your news page and, if you want, you can add categories to the news and/or delete them.
- An [Edit] function to change the module name and the program name to fit your language.
See the Module manager chapter for details on how to change the names.
NOTICE: When you have an 'out of the box' installation of S@S, and you have also installed the Search Module, searching will initially not work properly for your News section.
This is a feature of S@S because, depending on which page you put the News Module, the Search Module will do its query in your News page. To enable the Search module to also search the News entries, read the Search module chapter of the manual on how to do this simple operation and have your Search also query your News items.
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When you connect the news module to a page you have various options:
The 'Module manager' chapter describes how to connect a module to a page.
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Various facilities can be managed in the news module:
- Define the layout of the news (standard, categories or 2 columns) and create an introduction text.
- Adding and/or deleting news to the news page.
- Making categories for the news and/or deleting them.
- Managing the news archive by moving news to the archive or deleting entries in the archive.
Click on the Module manager icon in the horizontal bar. Next, click on 'News' in the module manager. You will see:
![[ ]](pics/mod_news_open.png)
mod_news_open.png
Explanation:
- Latest headlines: Here you are now and you can manage the news.
- News Archive: Click to manage the archive.
- Configuration: Click to configure the news page.
- Add category: Click to add a new category. You have to start here. See below:
- Go back: To return to the module manager.
Before you can add an article, you have to add a category. Click on 'Add category'. You will see:
![[ ]](pics/mod_news_add_cat.png)
mod_news_add_cat.png
- Title: Here you give a title to the news.
NOTICE: When you want to connect this news to a page, fill in the name of the page. Then go to the page manager and add the page, giving it exactly the same name as you did here. Then choose 'Browse' and choose 'News', then 'Category per page'. Save your work in the page manager.
- Is this category connected to a page: (Y/N) ?: When you want to connect this category to a page of it's own, say 'Yes'. When you want one news page with different categories, say 'No'.
- Introduction text (HTML code): Here you can make an intro text. You can use HTML tags to markup the text.
- Go Back: To undo your work and return to the previous page.
- Save: To save your work and return to the previous page.
When you want to add an article to a category, you click 'Add article' [1].
![[ ]](pics/mod_news_open_2.png)
mod_news_open_2.png
NOTICE: You must first make a category to be able to add an article to it. If not, you get a warning message.
Click on 'Add article'. You will see:
![[ ]](pics/mod_news_add_article.png)
mod_news_add_article.png
Explanation:
- Title: Here you can put the headline of the news article.
- Date: The date of that will be with your news item. This is a free form field so you can also give e.g., 13 March 2004.
- Category: If you have made categories in the previous screen, you can now choose in which category you want your news item.
- Picture here: The news article editor has a standard template to markup your news. You can use this template or delete it. On this place you can insert a picture.
- Text here: See above.
- Public area 0 Protected Area 0 News Archive S@S 0 News Archive Protected area 0 : Set the radio button to your choice.
- Cancel: To cancel your work and return to the previous page.
- Save: To save your work and return to the previous page.
When you want to change the content of a news article, or you want to move an article to the news archive, the PA or the PA archive, you click on its corresponding 'edit' icon. The news editor opens and you can edit your article or move it. See above for details.
When you have added a few categories and an article You will see:
![[ ]](pics/mod_news_manage.png)
mod_news_manage.png
Explanation:
- Trash icon: To delete a category. The category must be empty before it can be deleted.
- Edit icon: To edit a category, i.e. its name, intro text, etc.
- Category: Indicating that the name is a category.
- Date and headline: Date and headline of the news item. It's a link to edit the item.
- Go back: To return to the module manager.
When you click on 'News archive' [2] you enter the News archive:
![[ ]](pics/mod_news_arch.png)
mod_news_arch.png
Explanation:
- Delete icon: Click to delete this news item.
- Edit icon: Click to edit this news item.
- Page icon: Indicating it's a page.
- Date and headline: Date and headline of the news item. It's a link to edit the item.
- (*) Protected area: When there is an asterisk '(*)' behind the news article, the archive is located on the 'Protected Area'. Take care to make an archive page on the protected area.
When you go: Module manager > News > Configuration, You will see:
![[ ]](pics/mod_news_conf.png)
mod_news_conf.png
Explanation:
- Introduction text (HTML code): Here you can put an intro to the news. By using simple HTML tags you can markup the intro text.
- News Archive Introduction text (HTML code): Same for the news archive.
- Text entry field: Put your text here.
- Template: The style of the news. You can choose by category, by one column or by two columns.
NOTICE: When you have chosen to use 'category per page', you also choose category here.
- Cancel: Click to cancel your work and return to the previous page.
- Save: Click to save your work and return to the previous page.
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Author: Dirk Schouten <schoutdi (at) knoware (dot) nl>
Last updated: 2006-04-18