Dreamweaver - nested templates editable blocks objects

Author

nested templates editable blocks objects

oriolmari

2005-09-14, 7:33 pm

I use dreamweaver templates for many of the sites I build. It's a very nice
feature to mantain the layout and specially to allow final users to edit the
content. The main problem I have it's that some of the content placed on the
editable areas should be also be an instance of a template. Let's say, for
example a design with two editable columns that act like slots or placeholders
to add new content. In addition to inserting new HTML I would like to allow
users to add content in this editable region dragging "templated" objects with
editable regions o areas.

Snippets can't be used since the whole pasted code is editable.
Library items could be a solution but they don't allow editable areas
Nested templates couldn't be used since the layout of the child editable areas
it's variable.

I think that a possible implementation could generate a code like this


Editable content starts here


Instance begins here not editable

Here goes the editable content of the inserted instance

Instance ends here not editable


More editable content


Instance begins here not editable

Here goes the editable content of the inserted instance

Instance ends here not editable


Editable Contents ends here


Is there any solution or workarround to achieve this?
If not, It's possible to extend dreamweaver to handle this code?

Thank you very much

Oriol Mar?

Murray *TMM*

2005-09-14, 11:17 pm

> The main problem I have it's that some of the content placed on the
> editable areas should be also be an instance of a template.

Sorry - this makes no sense to me.

> I would like to allow
> users to add content in this editable region dragging "templated" objects
> with
> editable regions o areas.

Can't happen. You cannot drag or insert one template into another template.
You could, however use Library items, or server-side includes like this.

> Library items could be a solution but they don't allow editable areas

I see - that's correct.

> Is there any solution or workarround to achieve this?

There could be, but I'm not sure I understand your problem well enough to
comment on what they might be.

> If not, It's possible to extend dreamweaver to handle this code?

No - definitely not.

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"oriolmari" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:dg9h38$dts$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>I use dreamweaver templates for many of the sites I build. It's a very nice
> feature to mantain the layout and specially to allow final users to edit
> the
> content. The main problem I have it's that some of the content placed on
> the
> editable areas should be also be an instance of a template. Let's say, for
> example a design with two editable columns that act like slots or
> placeholders
> to add new content. In addition to inserting new HTML I would like to
> allow
> users to add content in this editable region dragging "templated" objects
> with
> editable regions o areas.
>
> Snippets can't be used since the whole pasted code is editable.
> Library items could be a solution but they don't allow editable areas
> Nested templates couldn't be used since the layout of the child editable
> areas
> it's variable.
>
> I think that a possible implementation could generate a code like this
>
> 
> Editable content starts here
>
> 
> Instance begins here not editable
> 
> Here goes the editable content of the inserted instance
> 
> Instance ends here not editable
> 
>
> More editable content
>
> 
> Instance begins here not editable
> 
> Here goes the editable content of the inserted instance
> 
> Instance ends here not editable
> 
>
>
> Editable Contents ends here
> 
>
> Is there any solution or workarround to achieve this?
> If not, It's possible to extend dreamweaver to handle this code?
>
> Thank you very much
>
> Oriol Mar?
>

Oriol Marí

2005-09-15, 7:17 pm

>> The main problem I have it's that some of the content placed on the
>
> Sorry - this makes no sense to me.

Why not? it's just the same problem that page templates resolve (protect
code and design, make global updates and allow user to edit the content) but
in a smaller scale.

Nested templates have, in some way, this funcionality but as dependant or
sub templates.

The main problem I have it's that I can only protect and update the global
layout of the site but not specific parts of the content. Let's say, for
example, that I have a general teaser design with an image, title and text
as editable regions or attributes and I want users to freely place these
teasers in editable areas. Having that users could edit the content and I
could keep the control on the design applying global changes.

The only partial solution now it's placing snippets or library items (and
dettach them once inserted) but when there's a redesign I have to edit every
single page. Not a solution at all.

Does this makes you better understand the problem? Any solution?

Thank you

Oriol Marí
[color=darkred]
>
> Can't happen. You cannot drag or insert one template into another
> template. You could, however use Library items, or server-side includes
> like this.
>
>
> I see - that's correct.
>
>
> There could be, but I'm not sure I understand your problem well enough to
> comment on what they might be.
>
>
> No - definitely not.
>
> --
> Murray --- ICQ 71997575
> Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
> (If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
> ==================
> http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
> http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
> http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
> http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
> ==================
>
> "oriolmari" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
> news:dg9h38$dts$1@forums.macromedia.com...

Murray *TMM*

2005-09-15, 7:17 pm

> Why not?

Just the way it was worded, I guess.

> it's just the same problem that page templates resolve (protect
> code and design, make global updates and allow user to edit the content)
> but
> in a smaller scale.

I understand templates well.

> Having that users could edit the content and I
> could keep the control on the design applying global changes.

This is a perfect application for server-side includes. Have you
investigated them?

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"Oriol Marí" <oriol@whads.com> wrote in message
news:dgbj9n$erf$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>
> Why not? it's just the same problem that page templates resolve (protect
> code and design, make global updates and allow user to edit the content)
> but
> in a smaller scale.
>
> Nested templates have, in some way, this funcionality but as dependant or
> sub templates.
>
> The main problem I have it's that I can only protect and update the global
> layout of the site but not specific parts of the content. Let's say, for
> example, that I have a general teaser design with an image, title and text
> as editable regions or attributes and I want users to freely place these
> teasers in editable areas. Having that users could edit the content and I
> could keep the control on the design applying global changes.
>
> The only partial solution now it's placing snippets or library items (and
> dettach them once inserted) but when there's a redesign I have to edit
> every
> single page. Not a solution at all.
>
> Does this makes you better understand the problem? Any solution?
>
> Thank you
>
> Oriol Marí
>
>
>
>

Oriol Marí

2005-09-15, 7:19 pm

>> it's just the same problem that page templates resolve (protect
>
> I understand templates well.

I understand you understand templates well. You seem offended by my
explanation. What I'm trying to do is not explain how templates work but to
solve a serious problem I have. I'm not very fluent in english. I'm trying
to do my best.

>
> This is a perfect application for server-side includes. Have you
> investigated them?

Yes, but there some important drawbacks.

1.- SSI can not have editable regions
2.- SSI couldn't be edited on the same page

So I see no diferences between SSI and Library Items for the problems I try
to solve.

I'm investigating also dreamweaver translators to protect some parts of the
inserted code to be edited. I've seen that Contribute add-ons for Paypal and
Google work this way. You can configure / modify them via wizards but you
cannot modify the generated design. What do you think of this aprroach to
have editable / configurable blocks?

The generated code by the translator could be something like

<MM.begin lock ...>This is not editable<MM:endlock>This is
editable<MM:beginlock ...>This is not editable<MM:endlock>

What do you think?

Thank you

Oriol Marí

> --
> Murray --- ICQ 71997575
> Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
> (If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
> ==================
> http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
> http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
> http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
> http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
> ==================
>
> "Oriol Marí" <oriol@whads.com> wrote in message
> news:dgbj9n$erf$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>
>

Murray *TMM*

2005-09-15, 7:19 pm

> I understand you understand templates well. You seem offended by my
> explanation.

Not at all - I just want to make sure I understand what you want.

> 1.- SSI can not have editable regions

True enough. Let's assume a template has an editable region. On a child
page from this template, the other users can:

a) drop a SSI
b) add some page specific content
c) drop another SSI

Why would that not work?

But please understand that I am still mostly guessing about what exactly
would make this not work if, in fact, it wouldn't.

> What do you think?

Sorry - I don't have a clue. You would need to find a way to correspond
with someone more deeply into the inner workings of DW than I.

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"Oriol Marí" <oriol@whads.com> wrote in message
news:dgbqpk$q4o$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>
> I understand you understand templates well. You seem offended by my
> explanation. What I'm trying to do is not explain how templates work but
> to solve a serious problem I have. I'm not very fluent in english. I'm
> trying to do my best.
>
>
> Yes, but there some important drawbacks.
>
> 1.- SSI can not have editable regions
> 2.- SSI couldn't be edited on the same page
>
> So I see no diferences between SSI and Library Items for the problems I
> try to solve.
>
> I'm investigating also dreamweaver translators to protect some parts of
> the inserted code to be edited. I've seen that Contribute add-ons for
> Paypal and Google work this way. You can configure / modify them via
> wizards but you cannot modify the generated design. What do you think of
> this aprroach to have editable / configurable blocks?
>
> The generated code by the translator could be something like
>
> <MM.begin lock ...>This is not editable<MM:endlock>This is
> editable<MM:beginlock ...>This is not editable<MM:endlock>
>
> What do you think?
>
> Thank you
>
> Oriol Marí
>
>
>
>