Using the article type object, articles can be configured - from data fields up to labels, help text and also input restrictions.
Grouping
The grouping of the fields is organized via tabs. Any number of tabs can be created and individually named. The fields can be assigned to the respective tabs. To do this, click on Edit for the field concerned, select the desired tab and save the field.
Creation of fields
If a new field is added to an article type, this field will automatically appear for all articles already created from this type.
Deleting fields
Every field can be deleted - even if there are still articles in the system based on this article type. Just make sure that the field to be deleted has no roles assigned to it.
Important
If the replacement variable of the field to be deleted is in use in article templates, it will not be replaced after deletion and therefore won't work anymore.
Field configuration
Configuration
Under the tab Configuration you can make the basic settings for the article type.
Name
Name (label) of the field. This is displayed in the configuration overview and with the article as field label.
Internal Name
Name that is used by the system as a unique identifier. Is used to create the replacement variable and for access via TAL. The internal name is generated automatically when you enter the name.
Help text
This text is displayed in the article view when the user moves the mouse over the yellow question mark next to the field concerned. If no help text is entered, no question mark is displayed.
Input assistance
If set, it is displayed directly below the input and is intended as a quick input help (e.g. optimal word count, etc)
Category
Category (tab) under which the field is to be sorted.
Mandatory
If activated, the article cannot be saved if this field is empty.
Role
System role that this field should take on. Only one role can be defined when creating a field type. If you edit the field afterwards, all system roles can be assigned (see Roles).
Data type
The data type represents the actual configuration of the field. This determines the type of data that can be saved in the field.
The following field types can be added to an article:
- Single-line entry: Provides a simple, single-line entry
- Multi-line input: Creates an input field for multiline text
- Multi-line input (formatted): Creates a multi-line input, embedded in a WYSIWYG editor
- Multi-line input (HTML editor): Creates a multi-line input (formatted) including a complete HTML editor
- Single selection: Creates a drop-down list
- Multiple selection: Creates a checkbox list
- Image: Creates an image picker
- Image (List): Creates a list of images
- Container: Creates a container picker
- Container (List): Creates a list of containers
- Url: Creates a URL field link list: Creates a list of links
- Values (List): Creates a list of simple values
- Date with time: Creates an input option for date and time with calendar
- Boolean (True/False): Creates a checkbox
- Color: Creates an input field for a color with color picker
Special field types for design and documentation of the article type
- Documentation: Displays the text entered in the default field
- Documentation (HTML): Displays the HTML-formatted text entered in the default field
- Separator: Creates a line to separate the fields
Options
Some data types (single/multiple selection) allow additional options. These can be configured here.
Extended
After saving a new or editing an existing data type for the first time, you will find two additional tabs where additional settings can be made.
Default
Here you can specify a default value with which the field is pre-filled when creating a new article based on this article type. For selections - i.e. fields with a selection option - the value set here is pre-selected.
The documentation represents a special case. The text that is entered here appears as simple text for the articles.
Fallback
Here an existing field can be set as a fallback. Its value is used if the original field Field remains empty.
Important
Depending on the fallback configuration, unwanted events may occur under certain circumstances. In any case, the configuration should be tested extensively before use.
Restrictions
For fields with text input it is possible to define binding restrictions or defaults.
The system provides the following restrictions:
- Character limit: Defines the maximum number of characters that can be entered in the field. HTML tags are also counted here
- Just numbers: Only numbers can be entered in this field
- Individual: It is possible to configure completely individual restrictions. These must be defined using a regular expression.
After a restriction has been created, an error message can be specified and displayed, if the restrictions are violated. In this case the article will not be saved.
If you set several restrictions for a field, all restrictions must be observed when editing.
Important
Restrictions are only possible for the input field types (single-line, multiline). The "Numbers only" restriction is only possible for single-line entries.
Integration
Replacement variable
The variable displayed here can be used in article templates to access the contents of the field.
Roles
Roles are used to tell the system which field should take over which task or function. For example, if you assign the role heading to a field, the system will use the value of this field to fill the replacement variable HEADLINE in article templates. If no value is entered in this field and a fallback is configured, the system would use the value of the fallback for the variable.
This way it is possible to store adapted texts for all display formats or to write optimized headlines for all social networks. But it is also possible to assign all headline roles to a single field, which then represents the headline in all cases (articles, Facebook, PDF, etc).