Target
Digest
A Target is a system-asset available in the Global Area used to represent a site or subsite, and it is how a web site is defined. When used system-wide in the Global Area, Targets brings together a combination of output types (HTML, XML, PDF, etc.), templates (used to define the ‘look and feel’ with blocks and styleshseets), a Base Folder (the core asset repository), and publishing locations (webs servers, etc.). In order to begin creating a new website, a target must first be created.
In versions of Cascade 5.x and previous, the system used Targets as the organizing principle around which sites were based. With the release of Cascade Server 6.0, targets have been deprecated in favor of the system's new Sites feature. If you are using a version of Cascade previous to 6.0 and would like more information about Targets please visit our past versions Target page.
*Please Note - In order to ensure backwards compatibility, Targets will still be available in the Global Area of the system (i.e. - the way you view Cascade now). However, because it is now recommended to organize content using Site objects, whenever in a particular site in Cascade, Targets will not be available and users will instead only have access to "Site"-related objects, assets, and configurations.
Concept
More Insight into the removal of Targets when in the context of a Site
With the release of Cascade 6.0, one of the main goals was to eliminate confusion surrounding the use of Targets as the organizing principle around which sites are based. Now, with the addition of Sites, there is a top-level system object by which to organize all content related to sites and sub-sites within an organization. Sites also allow for the decoupling of Templates and Page Configurations (i.e. presentation and format) of content from the Destinations to which this content is published. In addition, Templates can now be reused with multiple page configurations and output types within sites, rather than being explicitly tied to a single Target.Migrated Target Properties
- Destinations - belong to Sites and exist in Containers like all other Administration components.
- Output type/extension - moved to the Page Configuration level
- CSS classes/file - moved to the Site level
- Serialization type - moved to the Page Configuration level
- Remove target base folder from publish path - removed; no longer necessary with Sites.
- Include path of target - no longer possible without Targets
Benefits and Limitations of Target Removal
Benefits:
- Decoupling of templates/page configurations (presentation/format) of content and Destinations to which that content is published.
- Templates are no longer explicitly tied to one Target and instead can now be reused within sites.
Limitations:
Without Targets in Sites it is no longer possible to:
- have different page outputs of the same Page publish to different directories on the same server
- have different page outputs of the same Page publish to different Destinations
- prepend the Target path to the path of the asset on the remote server
Using Targets in the Global Area
A target is both a relational and a functional entity; it ties things together, and it binds content to its Destination(s). In most cases, one target will be created to represent a website, with sub-targets (children of the master target) created for the different templates within that site (HTML, XML, handheld, etc.). By defining a base folder (the folder that contains all of the site’s content), the master Target ties together the entire site – all of the sub-targets and their templates. In versions of Cascade Server 6.0 and newer, Targets are only accessible as an administrative component when within the Global Area:
Technical
Creating a Target in the Global Area
To create a new target:
- Go to the Administration area and select ‘Targets and Destinations’
- .
- Click ‘New Target’.
- Complete the following fields under the ‘General’ tab:
Name – Will typically be the same as its corresponding asset folder.
Parent Target – If this is a sub-target, select the appropriate parent from the chooser.
Base Folder – Select the corresponding asset folder.
Output File Extension – Typical extensions are .html, .htm, .asp, etc.
CSS Classes – Associate specific classes with this site.
CSS File – Associate a specific style sheet with this site.
Type of Data – Determines output format of content.
XML Declaration – Determines whether XML Declaration is included in published files. The XML Declaration is the <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> processing instruction that appears at the top of XML and XHTML documents.- Checked (turned on): Verifies that published Pages include the XML Declaration at the top
- Unchecked (turned off): Does nothing. *Note - with the addition of Cascade Server 6.0.1, the "Include XML declaration" option on targets and page configurations will no longer remove an XML delcaration if the option is turned off.
Path – Determines whether target path is included in publishing, and allows for removal of base folder path from published files.
Scheduled Publishing – Determines a schedule for automatic publishing; does not interfere with manual publishing. See Scheduled Publishing concept for more information.
- Click ‘Submit’ to save the new target.
Cross-Site Relationships
For more information on Cross-Site relationships for Targets, check out our Cross-Site relationship rules page.