"Form" tab
Input components of the FirstSpirit editing environment
Editorial contents are entered in the FirstSpirit editing environment using input components, for example a Text input field or a Picture selection component. FirstSpirit supports a large number of input components for different types of editorial contents. The input components are used to make entering the contents as convenient as possible for editors.
The input components available to an editor on a page or in a section depend on the Page or Section template. The required input components are integrated in the "Form" area of the template by the template developer.
All input components must be defined within the CMS_MODULE tags. An editor can fill the defined input components with content on each page or in each section based on the corresponding template. The form area of a template can therefore be thought of as being a type of structure or framework which can be filled with individual content for each individual page or each section in the Page Store.
The form area of a template contains pure XML. When the GUI.XML is saved a DTD validation is performed. The file cannot be saved if a violation of the well-shapedness is found. Other errors are only pointed out.
As a page template is only used to hold the static contents of a page only the input components are defined here which:
- are required only once on each page, for example a page title
- which are to always look the same on all pages, such as navigation elements and picture elements
Other input components, for example for text or picture input, are defined in the section templates.
All input components can be used as often as required.
This section of the documentation contains a list of all input components supported by FirstSpirit. The technical tag names are used. However, an explanatory name is shown for each input component by means of a tooltip.
You are provided with a short overview of all possible parameters for each input component, which is directly linked to a detailed explanation of the respective parameter. Mandatory parameters are marked with an asterisk (*). The link to an example is offered to you at the end of the respective summary page. The use of the relevant input component is described in these examples in an exemplary way, whereby as many purposefully combinable parameters as possible have been included.
Furthermore, you can have a precise explanation of the individual parameters displayed on the corresponding detail page.
Further, at the start of each detail page a schematic display of the usual methods of use is listed with the corresponding input component.
Form Area structure
The form area is divided into three in the documentation:
- Input components: All input components are listed here. Input components begin with CMS_INPUT_ and end with the input component type (e.g. NUMBER).
- Data elements: Are used to fill input components with data (e.g. from the Content Store). Data elements begin with CMS_INCLUDE_ and end with the data element type (e.g. CONTENT).
- Design elements: Are used to comment on and group input components. Design elements begin with CMS_ and end with the design element type (e.g. LABEL).