Site areas and site frameworks
Overview
Site areas are used to define a hierarchical site framework. Content items are saved within the site framework to give content structure and context.
The items that make up a site framework
A site framework consists of a single top-level site area containing a set of site areas that contain content items. Although a site framework contains only a single top-level site area, you can create multiple site frameworks for use in a single website.
Site Areas:
Use site areas to build the site framework within which you group content items. The site areas that comprise the site framework can be classified into ancestors, descendants and siblings. The vertical hierarchy of a site framework is split into ancestors and descendants. Depending on where you are within site framework, site areas can act as ancestors and descendants. Site Areas that share the same ancestor are known as siblings.
The relationships between authoring templates and presentation templates are set in site areas.
Site area specific web content is stored in site areas in the form of elements.
Content items:
Use content items to store web page specific content in the form of elements.
You save content items within site areas.
You can save content items within multiple site areas and multiple site frameworks.
Select an authoring template when creating content items. The authoring template determines which elements are available to enter web content into.
The site area a content item is located under, and the content item's authoring template, determines which presentation template to use to display elements stored within a content item.
You use categories and keywords to profile content items that the Web Content Manager application uses to generate further pieces of content such as menus.
When to use site areas and content items
Site areas and content items are similar item-types. They all store web content in the form of elements, but they are used in different ways:- Site areas are used to define different sections within a site framework.
- Content items represent web page specific content and can be used in multiple site areas and multiple site frameworks.
The structure of a website will determine whether a single site framework, or multiple site frameworks are used.
In the following examples, a company sells three different product brands.
Example 1: A single website
In this example, the simplest method to use is a website comprising a single site framework with multiple site areas:- Top site area
- Site area for Brand A
- Content item A1
- Content item A2
- Generic content item
- Site area for Brand B
- Content item B1
- Content item B2
- Generic content item
- Site area for Brand C
- Content item C1
- Content item C2
- Generic content item
- Site area for Brand A
Example 2: Intranet, extranet and website
In this example, a separate site framework is created for an intranet, an extranet and a website. Some content items are used in more than one site framework.| Intranet | Extranet | website |
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