Configuration-Set
Digest
A configuration set is a collection of one or more configurations that can be used to help create one or more pages. In order to be used to create a page, a configuration must be a part of a configuration set. Configuration sets that include multiple configurations are typically used when multiple outputs are required, such as HTML, XML, or printer friendly. To make large numbers of configurations manageable, Cascade uses Configuration Sets to group a number of configurations, along with their respective targets, templates, and block and stylesheet assignments.
Concept
Configuration sets allow users to efficiently create, manage, and edit large numbers of pages that share certain characteristics. For example:
User A has 100 pages that all need the same five configurations. Without configuration sets, User A would have to create, manage, and edit 500 different configurations (100 pages x 5 configurations).
User A also needs to change a page region assignment for the HTML configuration across all 100 pages. Without configuration sets, this would have to be done 100 times (one for each page with that configuration).
With configurations sets, however, User A is able to define the five configurations at the configuration set level, and each page that uses that configurations set inherits the configuration and page region assignments.
Also, note that configuration sets can be overridden at the page level for special circumstances (usually changing a block or stylesheet assignment). This does not affect the assignment of the page to the configuration set, and these changes can be "reverted," which removes the customization and defaults of the configuration back to that of the configuration set.
Technical
Creating a Configuration Set
When creating a new configuration set, you must also create one or more configurations. More may be added later, but configurations cannot be reused from other sets.
To create a new Configuration Set:
- In the Administration area, select ‘Configuration Sets’ from the left navigation area.
- Navigate to the desired container, or create a new container to hold the new configuration set.
- Click New Configuration Set.
- In the General pane, complete the following:
- Name – Enter a descriptive name for your configuration set.
- Parent Container – This value will already be set to the current container, but it can be changed, if desired, by clicking the chooser icon.
- In the Configurations pane
- Select a Template and give a Name to your new configuration. Click ‘Add this new configuration’.
- You will then be forwarded to the configuration page, which allows you to assign blocks and stylesheets to the various template regions, assign an overall stylesheet, and determine whether this should be the Default Configuration.
- You may add more configurations by repeating the same steps at the bottom of the frame.
- Click Submit to save your new configuration set.
Assigning at the Configuration Set Level
Configuration sets inherit assignments from the template level. They can be overridden at the page level for special circumstances (usually changing a block or stylesheet assignment that was made at the template level). This does not affect the assignment of the page to the configuration set, and these changes can be "reverted," which removes the customization and defaults of the configuration back to that of the configuration set.
If a specific group of pages within the site all use the same blocks, it’s best to set up a configuration set for that group. Pages in the system inherit all region information from their configuration sets. For example, an organization’s Press Release section of their website may have a default region that is laid out very differently from their About Us section. They may use two different configuration sets that inherit the same template to manage those sections. Each configuration set will have its own unique block/stylesheet assignment designed to meet the needs of their respective sections.
How to Assign:
- Navigate to an asset, and select the ‘Edit’ tab.
- In the System pane, select the Configuration Set chooser and navigate to the desired configurations set.
- If editing an existing configuration, the template will already be selected, and all of the currently defined regions appear, including file chooser icons to select blocks and stylesheets for each region. If adding a new configuration, select a Target/Template from the file chooser, and all currently defined regions for that template will appear.
- If the selected template has blocks or stylesheets already assigned to various regions, these will appear alongside the region names.
- To assign a block or stylesheet, click on the appropriate file chooser icon, and select the desired block or stylesheet from the pop-up asset menu. Any currently assigned blocks or stylesheets may be overridden by clicking on the delete icon, or by selecting a new file from the chooser.
- Click ‘Submit’ to save your changes. These assignments will be replicated throughout any page based on this template, but can be overridden at the page level.