Creating Text Blocks

Introduction

This tutorial will explain how to add a Text Block directly to your Warehouse. Text Blocks added to your Warehouse are stored there permanently, and can then be placed on any of your Web pages.

Step 1 - Click "Add Text Block"

Mouse over the "Dashboard" tab, located in the menu at the top of your Digital Bell Dashboard. From the drop-down menu, click the "Add Text Block" link. Clicking this link will forward you to the "Add Text Block" form.

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Step 2 - Complete the Form

The form's sections are detailed below. While completing the form, note that the "Title Information" and "Content" sections are required, while the "Properties" and "Affiliations" sections are optional. 

Title Information

  • Title:  The title of your Text Block.

  • Name:  This field will auto-complete based on the title you have entered.

    The "Name" is the internal designator of your Text Block, and is used when adding existing Text Blocks to a page, as described in the final step of this tutorial.

Content

  • Content:  Use this field to enter the main body of text. The WYSIWYG toolbar, located directly above the field, can be used to format your text, add links or images, create tables, and more.

    See Using the WYSIWYG Toolbar for more information on the features and options available to you.

    See Adding Images for information on adding images to your content.

Properties

  • URL:  This field is used in conjunction with the "Image" field, below. If you are adding an image to the "Properties" section, entering a URL in this field will turn the image into a link.

  • Image:  Images attached in the "Properties" section will appear differently,  depending on the "Layout" option selected in the "Settings" menu. By default, the image should appear offset, to the left of the Text Block's content. The attached image can also be turned into a clickable link, directing visitors to the address entered into the above "URL" field.

Affiliations

  • Labels:  Attach any appropriate labels to your Text Block in this section. Clicking on the name of a Label Type will expand its section, allowing you to tick the check boxes for the individual Labels. For more information, see Labels.

 

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Optional - Text Block Settings

Once you have added a Text Block to your page, you can customize its look by clicking the "Settings" link, located on the right side of your Text Block Group's blue heading. Clicking this link will display a list of options, which are detailed below.

If your website is using Digital Bell version 4.3.0 or higher, some "Settings" options will be hidden, and do not appear unless one of the already visible options is changed. For example, the "Sort Order" option will remain hidden unless you have changed the "Sort By" setting from it's default. Once the default "Sort By" setting has been changed, the "Sort Order" option will become available. This feature keeps your "Settings" window from becoming cluttered with unnecessary options. 

Note, to display an image attached in the Properties section, the "Display Image" option must be manually set to "Yes."

Template Placement

Main Body: This is the default option, and displays your Text Block in the main body of your page.

Sidebar: Select this option if you want to display your Text Block in the left or right sidebar of your page, offset from the main body of content.

Sort By

Drag Order: This is the default option, and allows you to choose the order in which your Text Blocks are displayed, by clicking and dragging them within the Text Block Group.

Date Updated: This automatiicaly displays your Text Blocks in the order they were created/updated.

Layout

The default setting will display your text, and any images inserted into the "Content" section of your Text Block, without any special formatting. The remaining options are intended to be used with an image inserted into the "Properties" section of your text block. These settings each display the "Properties" image in a different manner, and may add special formatting to the text, as described below.

Default: This is the standard layout, with no special formatting applied.

Table of Contents: This setting adds a horizontal rule beneath your Text Block's title, and any image attached in the properties section will be displayed to the left of the title.

Profile: This option creates a light gray background behind the Text Block, with a thin dark gray border. An image attached in the properties section will be displayed to the left of the title.

Image Blocks: This setting is used in conjunction with an image attached in the properties section, and the "featured" image size option. When combined, these settings will produce a narrow column of text, with an image above and centered with the text. For an in-depth tutorial on using this layout, see Creating Image Blocks.

Sort Order (Note: For Digital Bell version 4.3.0+, this option will not appear unless "Date Updated" has already been selected as the "Sort By" option.)

This option is used in conjunction with the "Date Updated" sorting option in "Sort By."

Ascending: This will display your Text Blocks in newest-oldest order.

Descending: This will display your Text Blocks in oldest-newest order.

Display Image

Yes: If you have attached an image in the properties section, it will be displayed according to your chosen layout.

No: Choosing this option will hide any image attached in the properties section.

Image Size

These options determine the size/resolution of an image attached in the properties section. Standard resolutions are listed below.

Thumbnail: 100 x 50

Profile: 150 x 150

Medium Square: 200 x 200

Featured: 600 x 400

Display: 325 x 162

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Finish - Adding your Text Block to a Page

Once you have completed the form, click the "Submit" button to create your Text Block. Once a Text Block has been submitted, it will automatically be stored in your Warehouse.

To add an existing Text Block to a page, begin by editing the page's content. This can be done by, first, clicking the "Pages" link at the top of your Digital Bell Dashboard, then locating the appropriate page from the list and clicking the Edit button (pencil icon).

From the page's content editor, click the  "Text Blocks" link, located in the right margin, under the "Add Content" heading. This will create a new Text Block Group on your page.

Next, click the "+Existing Text Blocks" button, located on the bottom of your new Text Block Group. This will bring up the Text Block selection window, which consists of two panes, and a preview window.

Locate the appropriate Text Block by entering its title in the search box, and pressing the "Enter" key. This will display a list of results that match the entered title.

Click the arrow to the right of the appropriate title (or titles) to select the Text Block. This can be repeated for each Text Block you would like to add to the Text Block Group. Once the appropriate Text Blocks have been selected, click the "Submit' button to add them to your page.

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