Client Support

Plone is continually improving and changing to keep in the forefront of web development. As a result of the latest change, Plone 5 functionality is very different from previous Plone versions. Inside this folder we have information regarding editing your website in Plone 5 filed under the Tag 'Plone 5' as well as editing information for websites built on earlier versions of Plone. This information has been filed under the Tag 'Plone 4'. There is also a link to the Plone website for comprehensive documentation on all versions of Plone. Information pertaining to Plone that has not altered through the different versions has been filed under the Tag name 'Plone'. If needed, you can clicking on the 'Filed under' tag (eg Plone 5) to get a complete list of all items filed under that Tag.

The Edit Bar options

Plone 5 has made a significant change to the editing functionality from previous Plone versions. The most significant of these is the new way you edit your content.

Add an Item

Plone CMS websites are one of the easiest websites to maintain. When logged in, the control panel on the left of the website appears allowing the administrator of the site to perform any required task. From here the administrator can perform a myriad of tasks. Here we will look at adding an item.

Plone Content Item Types

There are several different content types in Plone. New content can be added to Plone via the drop down tab 'Add new'. When adding a new item on your website, make sure that you are in the correct location. When you add a new item, the item is added to the folder you are currently inside.

Editing using TinyMCE

Plone uses TinyMCE as the editing tool for the Text area of a page. TinyMCE allows you to edit your text in much the same fashion as other editors.

TinyMCE Format Text

The Plone TinyMCE Format option allows you to edit the page text in much the same way as other editing tools. Highlight the text and select what format you want. The Edit tab offers Cut & Paste options as well as a Find and Replace option.

TinyMCE Table option

Adding a Table using Plone's TinyMCE is easy. Specify the table rows and columns by highlighting the required number on an initial add, or add/remove columns and rows from an existing table.

Link text or an image

The Plone TinyMCE editor Link icons are found on the bottom icon row, just before the 'add an image' icon. There is an 'Unlink Icon' which looks like a broken link in a chain and an unbroken link for the 'Link Icon' functionality.

Add an Image to a Page

Plone gives you several different options for adding an image from various locations. You can add an image from the website (Internal Image), from your computer (Upload), or from an external source (External Image).

Replace an Existing Image

If you need to replace an existing image in Plone 5, you will need to select the appropriate image and click the word 'Edit' that is in the left hand side editing bar, OR click the word 'Contents' in the left hand side edit bar and use the 'actions' edit option for the appropriate image.

Existing Item - Actions and Page Display

On Plone 5 websites, you will find an 'Actions' box at the end of each item in the 'Contents' listing. This drop down menu allows you the option to Cut the item, Move it to the top or bottom of the display, set it as the default page, or edit the item. The Page display at the bottom of the folder list, shows you the number of pages in this folder, and defaults to displaying 15 items per page. You can change this to 30 or 50 items per page if you prefer to view all items on one page.

Functions - Configure columns, Arrange order, Bulk Upload

Plone 5 now allows you greater control over what information you can view on an item. Click on the word 'Contents' to see the appropriate view. The following images show how you can add more information to individual items, rearrange the display order of these items, as well as how to bulk upload images or PDFs etc

Functions - Delete, Rename

Plone 5 functionality for 'Cut' 'Paste' 'Delete' and 'Rename' options all require you to put a 'tick' beside the item or item(s) you wish to perform that function on. The Cut & Paste option can be used to move items anywhere in the site. We recommend that you use the Cut option so the moved item will be tracked to it's new location otherwise you risk visitors getting a 'Document not found' error on bookmarked pages.

Functions - Tags, State

To update/add/remove Tag and State functionality in Plone 5, click on the word 'Contents' in the left side edit bar. Tags are used to link like items together while the State functionality controls who can view the item. If the State is 'Published' or 'Public draft' anyone can view it, if the State is 'Private' only authorised users can view the Item.

Functions - Time Critical and Display Properties

If you require control over the public access of time critical information, Plone allows you to do this via the Properties tab. The Publication & Expiration Date option controls when the item is visible and for what duration. This would be useful for Stock Market releases, Job applications etc. when you need item viewing to be restricted to a certain time period.

Plone Workflow States

Plone restricts access to content via the Workflow State. The default states are Private, Public Draft and Published, however more sates can be added as requested/required.

Plone Documentation

Did you not find an answer to your question? Here is a link to the Plone website documentation library. Select the version of Plone relevant to your website to find an answer to your query. If you are still not sure please contact us. We are happy to help.