$CMS_REF(...)$

Using $CMS_REF(...)$

Within the FirstSpirit editing environment, different object types are located in separate stores. This concept fulfils the Separation of the content, structure and layout of a website. For example, all editorially entered contents are in the Page Store of the project, all media (pictures and files) are in the Media Store, the structure in the Site Store and the display, i.e. the layout of the pages and the contents are in the Template Store.

This concept is consistently pursued, for example when an object from a store is accessed from another store, only references to the object are created. If an editor integrates a picture from the Media Store, for example, into a page of the Page Store via an input component (FS_REFERENCE), only a reference to the picture is saved in the page.

The behaviour in the Template Store is analogous to this: For example, for a picture from the Media Store to be output in the browser, a reference within the Template Store must be resolved to a path with the help of the $CMS_REF(..)$ tag. To this end the tag is output in an <img> tag in the HTML output channel (HTML tab), in the HTML area of the template. The name of the variable to be referenced is given within the brackets, in this case the name of the picture input component, for example

<img src="$CMS_REF(st_picture)$" alt="alternative_text">

$CMS_REF(...)$ resolves a reference to any object node to a path and at the same time ensures that the referenced object is available in the generated status of the project or in the preview.

The instructions $CMS_REF(...)$ and $CMS_VALUE(...)$ should not be nested in each other, e.g. $CMS_REF($CMS_VALUE(...)$)$. Method invocations can also be used in $CMS_REF(...)$, just like for $CMS_VALUE(...)$ in the identifier (see Syntax).

Syntax of $CMS_REF(...)$

The following syntax must be adhered to when using $CMS_REF(...)$:

$CMS_REF(IDENTIFIER,
  abs:VALUE,
  contentId:VALUE,
  index:VALUE,
  lang:"LANGUAGE ABBREVIATION",
  language:"LANGUAGE ABBREVIATION",
  postfix:IDENTIFIER,
  remote:IDENTIFIER,
  res:"RESOLUTION",
  resolution:"RESOLUTION",
  template:IDENTIFIER,
  templateSet:"CHANNEL NAME",
  version:CHANNEL NUMBER
)$

All parameters, apart from the IDENTIFIER are optional.

If you would like to use more than one parameter within the $CMS_REF(...)$ instruction separate them by commas, for example:

$CMS_REF(pageref:"mithras", lang:"EN")$. 

Parameters of $CMS_REF(...)$

$CMS_REF(...)$ has the following parameters:

• IDENTIFIER
• abs
• contentId
• index
• lang / language
• postfix
• remote
• res / resolution
• template
• templateSet
• version

IDENTIFIER

Within $CMS_REF(...)$ the reference name of an object within FirstSpirit is given with the identifier.

If the object is specified manually the identifier consists of two parts:

1. Object type
2. Reference name of the object

The object type depends on the type of an object. The following object types exist:

• File or picture from the Media Store: media
• Page reference or document group from the Site Store: pageref
• Menu level from the Site Store: pagefolder

If the URL of a picture from the Media Store with the reference name “suedsee” is to be determined, the following identifier must be given for $CMS_REF(...)$:

media:"suedsee"

Use pageref to create a link to the specified page reference, for example

<a href="$CMS_REF(pageref:"detail")$">more...</a>

If the page reference specified by pageref is a content projection (page reference basing on a data section) so that more than one page will be rendered, by default the page with the data record with the highest ID will be always returned. Also filters and sortings defined on the tab “Content” will be taken into account.

When using pagefolder, by default the start page reference on the highest level below the specified structure folder (menu level) will always be used.

Alternatively a variable name or even system objects can be given, e.g. the current page (with #global.node) and method invocations can be used on these objects.

abs

As a default, the paths determined by $CMS_REF(...)$ depend on the project property Absolute Links . If this property is activated, $CMS_REF(...)$ returns absolute path details (corresponds to abs:1). If the property is deactivated, it returns relative path details (corresponds to abs:0).

The optional parameter can be used to overwrite the project property for $CMS_REF(...)$ specification. The following details can be given:

Absolute path details are always absolute to the root of the web application. This is in the generation the generation directory (e.g. FIRSTspirit-Server/web/fs4staging/project_1234/2345).

To complete the URL of abs:1 the prefix for absolute paths is used in the schedule management. The given prefix (e.g. http://meinServer) is placed in front of the absolute path details.

Alternatively the prefix can also be given in a template. To this end the $CMS_SET(...)$ must be used to set the value of the system object #global.urlCreator.urlPrefix accordingly:

$CMS_SET(#global.urlCreator.urlPrefix,"http://meinServer")$

This prefix is then used for all the following $CMS_REF(...)$ invocations.

contentId

The contentId parameter can be used to determine the URL for the given data record.

As a value the parameter contentId expects the ID of a data record.

The object with the identifier given for $CMS_REF(...)$ must be a content projection (page reference basing on a page with data section).

When the parameter contentId is to be reflected in the URL, the value on the tab “Content” of the content projection for “Number of entries per page” must be 1 (i.e. only one data record will be represented on each page).

Example:

$CMS_REF(pageref:"data_source", contentId:374)$

In the example the page reference data_source is a content projection. Here the data record with the ID 374 is to be taken into account to determine the URL.

The result is roughly as follows:

/preview/1/site/DE/current/2/3/contentId=374

Using the parameter template the search for the data record can be restricted to a special table template.

index

The index parameter can be used to determine the URL for a specific sub-page, e.g. a content projection.

As a value the parameter index expects the number of the required sub-page. The sub-page counting begins with 0.

Example:

$CMS_REF(pageref:"data_source", index:3)$

In the example the page reference data_source is a content projection. The 4th sub-page generated by the projection (index = 3) is to be taken into account to determine the URL.

The result is roughly as follows:

/preview/1/site/DE/current/2/3/contentId=374

lang / language

When the optional attribute lang or language is given, the given project language is additionally taken into account in the resolution of a reference. If the parameter is omitted the current languages (preview and generation) are used for the resolution.

Use of the parameter is reasonable for language-dependent pictures and files or for a required language change.

A valid language abbreviation for the project must be given in double inverted commas as the value for the attribute, (e.g. lang="DE").

$CMS_REF(media:"suedsee", lang:"EN")$

postfix

In the case of theme-based sub-areas of the Site or Media Store it sometimes happens that all objects of a sub-area contain the same suffix (e.g. _d).

An example of a theme-based area is a teaser picture, which is to look different depending on the menu item. The reference name for the picture for this purpose could contain the common name component “teaser” and have a different suffix for each menu item. Further, there could be a “fallback picture” which does not contain the suffix.

The reference determination for use of the option parameter postfix is as follows:

1. First an attempt is made to find an object with the reference name and the given postfix (IDENTIFIER + postfix).
2. If no object is found an attempt is made to find an object without the given postfix (IDENTIFIER).

Either a fixed value enclosed in double inverted commas can be given for the parameter or alternatively a variable name (e.g. from the Site Store).

Example:

$CMS_REF(media:"suedsee", postfix:"_A")$

In this case an attempt is first made to find a picture or file in the Media Store with the reference name suedsee_A. If a picture or file is not found an attempt is made to determine a picture or a file with the reference name suedsee.

Numerical Specification should not be selected for the suffix (e.g. _1) as otherwise overlapping can occur with the automatic unification of reference names. E.g. if a page reference is created in the Site Store with the reference name meineReferenz and if a page reference with the same name already exists a suffix is appended to the reference name in the form _GANZZAHL (integer).

remote

Using the parameter remote links pointing to Remote projects can be generated (information about how to configure Remote projects or Remote media see page Remote access or documentation about the functionality FirstSpirit Remote-Media).

A valid licence for the Remote media access is required to be able to use the parameter remote.

As a value the parameter expects the Symbolic name assigned in the configuration of the Remote project (in the project properties).

Example:

$CMS_REF(pageref:"pagereference_test", remote:"remoteproject")$

In this example the page reference with the UID pagereference_test from the Remote project with the Symbolic identifier remoteproject will be resolved.

References to Remote projects are output analogously to those to the current local project, for example:

<a href="$CMS_REF(lt_reference_remote)$" title="$CMS_VALUE(lt_comment)$">$CMS_VALUE(lt_text)$</a>

In this example a link to the page reference selected by the input component lt_reference_remote will be generated. If the input component provides remote access (e.g. FS_REFERENCE with <PROJECTS> / <REMOTE>) and if the user selected a page reference of the remote project, this will simply be output by means of $CMS_REF(lt_reference_remote)$. (See also Chapter Link templates.)

res / resolution

If, for the resolution of the reference of a picture from the Media Store a resolution other than the original resolution is to be used (resolution with the identifier ORIGINAL) the parameter res or resolution is to be given.

A valid identifier of a resolution in the project, enclosed in double inverted commas, is to be given as the parameter value (e.g. SCALED).

$CMS_REF(media:"suedsee", res:"SCALED")$

Using the instruction $CMS_REF(...)$ not only pictures from the same project (“target project”) can be referenced but also from remote projects. (In this case the attribute remote must be given.) When referencing pictures from remote projects it must be taken into account that remote and target projects can have different resolutions.

If the template developer specifies a special resolution by using res or resolution which does not exist in the remote project requesting a preview or generating can cause errors. The medium is displayed in the original resolution in this case.

If there are different resolutions in remote and target project with the same name (e.g. target project: resolution “thumbnail” with width 10 px, remote project: resolution “thumbnail” with width 50 px) only the resolutions of that project are evaluated the medium is selected from. If a picture from a remote Media Store is selected, only resolutions which have been configured for the remote project are used. If a picture from the locale Media Store is selected, the resolutions of the target project will be used.

Example:

• the target project has got a resolution “thumbnail” (width 10 px)
• the remote project A has got a resolution “thumbnail” (width 50 px)
• the remote project B has got a resolution “thumbnail” (width 75 px)

In the target project then

• a medium deriving from the locale Media Store of the target project with the resolution “thumbnail” will be displayed with a width of 10 px,
• a medium deriving from the remote Media Store of remote project A with the resolution “thumbnail” will be displayed with a width of 50 px,
• a medium deriving from the remote Media Store of remote project B with the resolution “thumbnail” will be displayed with a width of 75 px.

It is therefore advisable, when using remote projects, to define a specific resolution parameter res or resolution within templates if the resolution in target and remote projects are identical or if it is definitely sure which Media Store the selected media come from, e.g. if the selection has been restricted before by

...
 <PROJECTS>
         <REMOTE name="remoteproject">
            <SOURCES>
                 <FOLDER name="root" store="mediastore"/>
            </SOURCES>
         </REMOTE>
 </PROJECTS>
...

(see for example FS_REFERENCE).

template

The parameter template provides the possibility to confine the parameter contentId and must be given together with this parameter. With template the search, accomplished by contentId, can be narrowed to a specific table template by specifying the UID of this table template, if e.g. two table templates represent the same data record. The use of template is e.g. reasonable to link a data record in a specific representation / layout, e.g. in a detailed view.

As a value the parameter template expects the UID of a table template.

The search is started in this case from a structure folder (object type pagefolder). Here, always the start page reference which lies on the highest level below the specified structure folder (menu level) will be returned. This start page reference must be a content projection if the definition of contentId is expected to have an impact.

If you would like another page reference than the start page reference to be respected you should use the parameter template.
Example:

$CMS_REF(pagefolder:"root", contentId:322, template:"products.product_group")$  

n this example a page of a content projection is searched for, beginning at the root node of the Site Store, which is rendering the data record with the ID 322 on the basis of the table template products.product_group.

templateSet

If more than one presentation channel is defined in a project it may, e.g. be useful or required to switch between two channels of a page (display of a print version).

This is done using the optional parameter templateSet.

The value of templateSet must be given as a valid identifier of a presentation channel in the project, enclosed in double inverted commas.

version

The optional parameter version corresponds to the parameter templateSet, however the number of the presentation channel is given as the value.

The presentation channel numbering in a project begins with 0, i.e. the first presentation channel has the number 0, the second has the number 1 etc.

Examples of $CMS_REF(...)$

Several examples of use of the instruction within templates are shown in the following. The examples are intended to clearly show the specific effect of the instruction and provide help for the template developer when creating their own templates.

The examples displayed here must be adjusted for use within a project! For example, variable names must be changed to the specific variable names of the project in which the instruction is to be used.

1st Example: Display of a print version

Code example:

$CMS_REF(#global.node, templateSet:"print")$

Description:

By specifying #global.node the currently generate page reference (preview, deployment, etc.) is determined.
By specifying print for the parameter templateSet, the URL for the generated page reference is to be resolved in the presentation channel with the identifier print.

Output:

e.g. ../../de_1/suedsee.html

2nd Example: Picture with another resolution

Code example:

$CMS_REF(media:"suedsee", res:"100_HOCH")$

Description:

Instead of the original resolution of the picture suedsee, the reference to the picture is to be determined with the resolution 100_HOCH. The resolution 100_HOCH scales the picture to a height of 100 pixels.

Output:

e.g. ../../media/suedsee_100_HOCH.png