By Charlie Holder — Mar 14, 2024 11:00 AM
The ease of content creation and management is vital for web developers and webmasters especially now that web governance is even more important than before.
At the 2024 Cascade CMS User Conference, Vince Ruppert, a seasoned web developer from the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, delivered a compelling presentation that resonated with this theme.
His talk, "Controlling WYSIWYG Content," was a session on best practices and a deep dive into optimizing content management in Cascade CMS, making it a pivotal learning experience for web professionals.
As the most attended CUC24 presentation, with a 5-star rating, Vince received reviews and feedback such as:
"Vincent, this presentation was SO HELPFUL. The tips covered will immediately improve our site."
Embracing the Power of Cascade CMS
Cascade CMS stands out in the web content management space for its robustness, flexibility, and user-friendly interface.
Cascade CMS is able to cater to the needs of web developers and webmasters who aim for efficiency, consistency, and quality in web content management.
Vince's presentation underscored how Cascade CMS's WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor is a central tool, providing an intuitive platform for content creators to craft their messages without getting entangled in the complexities of HTML coding.
The WYSIWYG Challenge
Vince pinpointed a common scenario:
The messiness that often infiltrates WYSIWYG fields.
These fields, while user-friendly, can become a double-edged sword, potentially leading to bloated, non-compliant HTML that jeopardizes website performance and accessibility.
His insights were precious for web developers and webmasters in attendance, constantly seeking ways to balance creative freedom with code integrity.
Strategic Solutions for Clean Content
Cascade CMS's WYSIWYG editor already handles rogue tags and styles from Microsoft Word while also offering options to exclude the most common HTML tags.
However, Vince highlighted additional strategic tools that exist for those who desire more boundaries and control.
TinyMCE's valid_elements Configuration
A standout feature of Cascade CMS's WYSIWYG editor is its integration with TinyMCE, allowing precise control over the HTML elements users can employ.
Vince illustrated how configuring TinyMCE's valid_elements is crucial in maintaining a clean content slate, preventing the insertion of unwanted tags and attributes, and ensuring that the content aligns with modern web standards.
Custom CSS for Real-time Feedback
Vince advocated for using custom CSS within the WYSIWYG editor, a technique that serves dual purposes:
Enhancing the user interface and providing immediate visual feedback.
This approach helps guide end users away from deprecated HTML usage and steering them towards best practices, thereby instantaneously elevating the quality of the content.
Employing Velocity for Additional Content Clean-up
The application of Velocity, a powerful template engine, was presented as a transformative solution for further content refinement.
Vince demonstrated how people can use Velocity to sanitize and reformat the HTML output from WYSIWYG fields automatically for things like tokens or pseudo-tags.
This approach ensures that the published content is clean and optimized for web standards.
Practical Demonstrations and Best Practices
Through practical demonstrations, Vince brought to light the dramatic transformations that can be achieved by implementing these strategies.
He showcased before-and-after HTML examples, illustrating the effectiveness of these tools in converting cluttered code into streamlined, compliant HTML.
Moreover, Vince shared best practices tailored for web developers, emphasizing the importance of ongoing content audits, continuous learning, and collaboration between developers and content creators.
Cascade CMS: A Hub for Developer Empowerment
The presentation seamlessly tied back to the overarching theme of Cascade CMS as an empowering tool for web developers and webmasters.
Vince's session was a testament to how Cascade CMS is not merely a content management system but a platform that fosters quality, efficiency, and innovation in web development.
His expert insights highlighted the CMS's adaptability to the evolving demands of web development, showcasing its capability to uphold high standards of web content quality while providing a user-friendly environment for content creators.
Conclusion: Enhancing Web Development with Cascade CMS
Vince Ruppert's standout presentation at the 2024 Cascade CMS User Conference was a deep dive into the art and science of optimizing web content. His expert guidance, focused on controlling WYSIWYG content, resonated with web developers and webmasters, offering them a blueprint for leveraging Cascade CMS to its full potential.
The session showed the path to marrying technical robustness with user-friendly content creation, ensuring that web professionals can uphold the integrity of their digital landscapes while enabling creativity and ease of use.
The insights shared reflected Cascade CMS's commitment to empowering web professionals with the tools, knowledge, and support needed to excel in the dynamic world of web development.
Vince's presentation highlighted the capabilities of Cascade CMS and reinforced its position as an indispensable ally for web developers and webmasters aiming to craft exceptional digital experiences.
Ready to elevate your website with Hannon Hill's enterprise content management system, Cascade CMS?
Schedule a discovery call today to unlock expert strategies for unparalleled web content management!
