IA Builder is a website management solution that has the following features:
- Site structure management
- Classification system management
- System configuration option
- Configurable content input templates
- Configurable webpage templates with functional plugins
- Dynamic webpage configuration and publishing
- Configurable rating manager for content
Site Planner
The Site Planner is a tool that will allow you to create and maintain the structure of the website. You can also configure webpages for each node generated.
The following features are available:
- Pages can be added, re-named, and merged.
- Navigation of the website can be mapped to the site plan
- Can link pages to the classification system
- Webpages for individual pages can be configured.
- Can create pages for future use and hide them from the navigation systems.
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Classification Manager
The Classification Manager allows you to maintain the classification system that is used for categorizing the content contributed and for linking nodes on the website.
The following features are available:
- Up to five classification hierarchies are available in the classification system
- The behavior and structure of each hierarchy is definable
- Categories can be added, renamed, merged, and detailed.
- Navigation of the website can be mapped to the classification system
- Webpages for individual categories can be configured
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Webpage Publisher
The Webpage Publisher is a tool that enables you to easily change the format of any of the webpages on the site, as well as edit content for display on pages, highlight content already contributed to the database, and provide links to other pages.
As well as being a dedicated tool, you can access the Webpage Publisher through the Build button in the Classification Manager and the Site Planner.
Features include:
- The live site can be browsed and a page selected for modification to layout and content
- Plugin Functional Blocks can be configured to alter the dynamic content displayed
- Free Text block can be used to add static text, images, or HTML to pages
- Automated navigation can be configured
- Static pages or ASP code from existing websites can be integrated
- Look and feel of a page can be changed instantly
- Preview of modifications and review of live page options are available
- Live publishing option to save changes to site
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Webpage Template Builder
The Webpage Template Builder is used to establish a set of templates that can be used throughout the website for page and document layout. You have access to a general store of templates. These are available for either publishing to the live site or to modify in order to create another template.
Features available include:
- You can create and maintain templates for your website without HTML knowledge.
- You can customize and lock part of the pages so that they cannot be amended
- You build templates from functional plugins (also called "blocks")
- Plugins can be free-text entry for static text, images, or HTML
- Plugins can be configurable to automatically pick up dynamic content form Publish Port
- Plugins can automate the navigation system
- Plugins can be used to integrate existing sites pages into the IA Builder.
- Preview options are available for customized sections of the templates and the templates them self.
The following list of plugins is available:
- Free Text: This block allows you to enter static free-form text into a block on a webpage, it uses a WYSIWYG Editor for less technical users and for advanced users has a HTML mode that can user can enter HTML code.
- Table: The table block is used to present static content in a table format on the page, you can specify the columns and rows and enter content in to each cell created. Again each cell uses the WYSIWYG/ HTML editor.
- Link (URL Link): If you are using Publish Port for managing your dynamic content you can use this block to create an area on a page for highlighting an individual story. In the configuration you can search for the content, select it and display the title and/or summary on the webpage with a link to the full story.
- Recent Content: On of the key objectives of a website is to present current and up to date information, the recent content block will allow you to configure an area on your webpage(s) that will pick up a definable amount of the most current stores from the Publish Port database. You can select what is to be displayed and where in the classification system it should be sourced. This block will automate the process of keeping you website current thus saving on one of the most time consuming activities in site management.
- Classification Title: On a very large site, it can be a considerable effort to create and maintain titles on each page, this block will allow you allocated an area that will automatically pick up the page name from the site plan or the classification system and display it on the page for your. You can use the style sheet to modify the font and format of this display.
- Classification Dropdown: This block provides you with a space saving way to navigate around the site, it will create a dropdown list on the page that contains a list of the pages that you can navigate to, once an entry is select the system will link to the relevant page.
- Include: In order to integrate with ASP code or static webpages, or indeed part of webpages, you can use the Include Block. It will pick up the specified code and display it on your webpage.
- Navigation: This block allows you to automatically pick up the navigation for your site from the site plan or classification system.
- Excel table block: This block allows you to configure a section of a webpage to automatically pick up and display content from a section of a spreadsheet.
- AutoPublish block: The AutoPublish block allows you to configure a block on a webpage that will create a redirect to a default page and after a specified date and time redirect to a new page.
- Advanced Search (Long and short): These blocks allow you to search the database using a combination of keywords, meta data and the classification system, the display of the results is built in and does not required a separate page.
- Basic Search: Using the IA Builder and Publish Port database, you can set up a search box that will allow simple key word search on the content in the Information Store.
- Basic Search Results: Place this block on a page in order to display the results from a basic search.
- Breadcrumb: A feature that appears on most sites is a breadcrumb trail, this indicates to the website reader what page they are currently on and where in the site structure they are located. This block allows you to position the breadcrumb trail in the desired location.
- Document View: If you are using Publish Port and contributing content, then you will place this block on a page to allow the system to present the body of the content contributed. When a reader of your site clicks on a title of a document they will be automatically brought to this page.
- User Register Link: This block when inserted on a page will provide the reader with a link to a registration page. Once registered, the Registration Manager tool can be used to manage the application.
- User Register: Carrying on from the above block this block will allow the user to insert their details and submit them as an application for registration.
- Login: When you place this block on a page, the user will be given the opportunity to log in by specifying their username and password. This will allow registered users access to the more privileged information on the site.
- Reset Password: This block provides a registered user with a link that will allow them to re-set their password.
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System Configuration
The system will require some system wide configuration; these are detailed in this section.
Features include
- Setting the high-level configuration parameters for the system
- Setting file upload limits
- Setting default templates for the webpages
- Setting date formats and defaults
- Setting the high-level classification parameters
- Setting priority code and access levels
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Rating Manager
The Rating Manager allows you to provide the facility for readers to rate and/or review published content.
The following features are available:
- Allows reader to review and rate published content
- Displays existing reviews/ratings for published content
- Contains configurable labels and images
- Allows you to decide at template level which type of content can be reviewed
