Site Object Hierarchy

Figure shows the hierarchy of site objects that are used to create and manage a Site Studio Web site.

Object Hierarchy of Web Sites

Description of Object Hierarchy of Web Sites

Page templates are at the top of the hierarchy. They provide the framework for the pages in a Web site within which the site content is displayed. In addition to standard HTML layout and formatting code, they contain site-wide images and other assets, and tags for fragments and/or placeholders. Page templates are stored and managed on the content server. See Page Templates for more information.

Fragments are chunks of code that can be added to a page template to enhance its functionality. Site Studio comes with several predefined fragments (for example, for dynamic navigation aids), but you can also create your own fragments. A page template may contain multiple fragments. Fragments are stored in fragment libraries. See Fragments for more information.

A placeholder is no more than an insertion point (a tag) on a page template to identify where there is a contribution region (that is, editable area) on the web page. What that contribution region contains and what it looks like is defined using region templates and region definitions. A page template may contain multiple placeholders. There are no files associated with placeholders; that is, there are no "placeholder files" on the content server. Placeholders are controlled by placeholder definitions, which specify what content can go in the contribution region and how it is displayed, as well the actions available to contributors (for example, switching content or modifying metadata). A placeholder contains either one subtemplate or one region template. See Placeholders and Placeholder Definitions for more information.

A subtemplate is a partial HTML file (that is, without a head and body section) that provides a mechanism to divide a placeholder on a page template into further smaller, reusable areas with their own placeholder(s). There is a circular relationship between placeholders and subtemplate; that is, a placeholder may contain a subtemplate, which, in turn, may include one or more placeholders. Subtemplates are stored and managed on the content server. See Subtemplates for more information.

A region template is a partial HTML file (that is, without a head and body section) that defines the layout and look-and-feel of the data in a contribution region (marked on a page template using a placeholder tag). Region templates are controlled by region definitions, which define what kind of content can go in the region template. They also specify the content creation and switching options available to contributors for the contribution region, and set default metadata for content files associated with the region. Both region templates and region definitions are stored and managed as separate assets on the content server. A region template may have one or more references to elements. See Region Templates and Region Definitions for more information.

Elements are the smallest chunks of reusable information in a Site Studio Web site. They are referenced in region templates, which causes their data to be pulled into the region template using the layout and presentation defined in the template. A region template may contain multiple element references. There are no files associated with elements as such; that is, there are no "element files" on the content server. Groups of elements are arranged in region definitions, which specify site content types. Elements are controlled by element definitions, which specify the editing experience available to contributors for an element type. Specifically, they set the available editing features in the Contributor editor when a contributor is editing elements in a contributor data file. See Elements and Element Definitions for more information.

Figure shows an example of a site object hierarchy.

Example of Site Object Hierarchy

Description of Example of Site Object Hierarchy

In Figure, there is a placeholder (that is, an editable contribution region on a page template) that has two region templates available to it (as specified in the placeholder definition). Region template A shows a limited data view, with just the title and a brief introductory text. Region template B presents a more elaborate data view, with the title, subtitle, body text, and an image. Either can be used for the placeholder, depending on the site context. Both region templates are associated with a region definition that has elements for each of the reusable chunks of information (Title, Subtitle, Intro_Text, Body_Text, and Image). Each of these elements is associated with an element definition.

The Title and Subtitle elements are of the same type (text only), but they have different element definitions, which means that the editing features available to contributors are different. The Intro_Text and Body_Text elements are both WYSIWYG elements, which typically means that contributors have a broad array of editing options available to them when editing these elements (for example, the ability to add tables or use advanced text formatting). The editing experience for contributors is the same for these elements.

One or more contributor data files are associated with the region definition, and ultimately with the contribution region. Their structure matches that of the region definition. They contain the same elements: Title, Subtitle, Intro_Text, Body_Text, and Image. When a contributor decides to edit the content in a contribution region, its associated contributor data file is loaded into the Contributor editor, which provides one editing area for each element in the data file. The editing features available in each area are set by the element definition.