Administering System Branding

Compatible Branding Themes

Use the following table to determine which branding theme style type (family) is compatible with a specified theme.

Classic Components

Fluid Components

PeopleTools Options

The branding application class generates the portal headers, footers, and other aspects of the branding theme. The default branding application class is PTBR_BRANDING:Branding. If this delivered application class does not fully support your requirements, you can create your own by extending the delivered application class.

Defining Macros

Use the Macro page to specify custom values for delivered macros. Some macros are used in the fluid banner only (displayed on fluid pages only) while other macros are used in both the fluid banner and in the header for classic pages. Therefore, when you make an update to a macro that is shared both by the fluid banner and by the header for classic pages, you will make updates to the look of all of your pages simultaneously. Prior to updating any macros, you can use the download to Excel button on the grid to export the grid contents to an Excel spreadsheet. You can examine and analyze the macros to determine which ones to modify.

Image: Macro Page

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Macro page.

To customize the value for a delivered macro, change the value of the Macro Content field only.

Enabling a Custom Macro Set

To enable a custom macro set, you must assemble and apply a custom branding theme. Moreover, your custom branding theme must incorporate:

• A custom theme style sheet for classic components that has been cloned from PT_BRAND_CLASSIC_TEMPLTE_FLUID.

• A custom override style sheet for fluid components that has been cloned from PT_BRAND_FLUID_TEMPLATE_856.

• (Optional) A custom header definition cloned from DEFAULT_HEADER_FLUID.

To enable your custom macro set:

1. In Application Designer, open the PT_BRAND_CLASSIC_TEMPLTE_FLUID style sheet.

2. Save the style sheet as a cloned copy with a new name—for example, MY_PT_BRAND_CLASSIC_TEMP_FLUID.

3. In Application Designer, open the PT_BRAND_FLUID_TEMPLATE_856 style sheet.

4. Save the style sheet as a cloned copy with a new name—for example, MY_BRAND_FLUID_TEMPLATE_856.

5. In the browser, go to the Theme Macro Set page:

   1. Select the PT_DEFAULT_MACROSET_856 macro set.

      Note: Do not select the PT_DEFAULT_MACROSET_855 macro set, which is retained for backwards compatibility.

   2. Copy and save the macro set as MY_MACROSET_856.

6. (Optional) In the browser, go to the Define Headers and Footers page:

   1. Open the DEFAULT_HEADER_FLUID definition.

   2. Save the header as a cloned copy with a new name—for example, MY_HEADER_FLUID.

7. In the browser, go to the Assemble Themes page:

   1. Open the DEFAULT_THEME_FLUID theme definition.

   2. Save the branding theme as a cloned copy with a new name—for example, MY_THEME_FLUID.

8. Update this custom branding theme to include the following:

   • (Optional) Homepage Header: Your custom header definition.

   • Macro Set: Your custom macro set.

   • Classic Components – Theme Style Sheet: Your custom style sheet for classic components.

   • Fluid Components – Global Override Style Sheet: Your custom style sheet for fluid components.

   Image: Assemble Themes page for a custom branding theme

   This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Assemble Themes page for a custom branding theme. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

   

9. Apply your custom branding theme either system-wide on the Branding System Options page or selectively by portal or by user attribute on the Assign Branding Themes page.

Updating a Custom Macro Set Created Prior to PeopleTools 8.56

If you created a custom macro set prior to PeopleTools 8.56 and you want to brand contextual fluid dashboards (see Understanding Contextual Fluid Dashboards), then you need to add the new macros delivered in PeopleTools 8.56 to your existing custom macro set. Alternatively, you could re-apply your branding to a cloned copy of the PT_DEFAULT_MACROSET_856 macro set as described in the preceding section, “Enabling a Custom Macro Set.”

Add the new macros delivered in PeopleTools 8.56 listed in the following table to your existing custom macro set. The default macro content values are provided for your information.

Preview Section

Expand the Preview section to review the look of the current header or footer definition. The preview is updated after changes are made to any of the elements or style classes used in the definition. Tab out of any changed field or element to see the updated preview.

Image: Preview Section

This example illustrates the preview of a header definition.

Element Properties

Use the Element Properties group box to review and set properties of the element selected in the tree.

Image: Element Properties Group Box

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Element Properties group box.

Additional Options Page

Image: Additional Options Page

This example illustrates some of the fields and controls that can be found on the Additional Options page.

The fields displayed on the Additional Options page are controlled by the application class definition that supports this element type and will vary depending on the element type.

Classic Components

Fluid Components

Use the Fluid Components group box to register a base style sheet and theme style sheet pair for a specific node. Alternatively, you can use the Register Fluid Theme Style Sheet Mappings page to perform this registration, which will ensure that the pair is mapped correctly. See Generating Theme Style Sheets for Fluid Components. The rows in the Theme Style Sheet Mappings grid specify a mapping of a theme style sheet to a base style sheet only; the grid does not specify that this base style sheet is in use. The base style sheet is assigned at the system level on the Branding System Options page, or at the component or page level through PeopleCode. Then, when the base style sheet is loaded by the system into the generated HTML, any mapped theme style sheet is loaded immediately after it.

User Attribute Based Theme Assignments

Use the User Attribute Based Theme Assignments grid to override theme assignments, custom tabs, and default homepage tabs by user attribute. In PeopleTools, two user attribute types are delivered: by role or by permission list. You can use this grid to override the portal settings for the theme, skin, custom tabs collection, default custom tab, and default fluid homepage.

When you assign branding themes by user attribute, you also assign a priority sequence number to each attribute. The priority number dictates each attribute’s precedence in determining which theme will be displayed for each user. If a user has two or more attributes with a branding theme assignment, the attribute with the higher priority applies with 1 being the highest priority, 2 being the next highest priority, and so on. If a user has none of the attributes used in theme assignments, the portal-wide settings apply.

Image: User Attribute Based Theme Assignments Grid - Attribute Tab

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Attribute tab of the User Attribute Based Theme Assignments grid.

Image: User Attribute Based Theme Assignments Grid - Theme Tab

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Theme tab of the User Attribute Based Theme Assignments grid.

Image: User Attribute Based Theme Assignments Grid - Custom Tabs & Fluid Homepages Tab

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Custom Tabs & Fluid Homepages tab of the User Attribute Based Theme Assignments grid.

Setting the Default Homepage to be the Opposite of the System-Wide Setting

System-wide personalization settings specify the default homepage type (fluid or classic) for all users. Fluid is set as the default homepage type for desktop and laptop (HPPC), and for tablet users (HPTABLET). (See Setting Device Homepage Defaults for more information on these system-wide settings.)

To set the default homepage to be the opposite of the system-wide setting for a specific group of users:

1. Create a navigation collection for custom homepage tabs.

   For example, when the system-wide personalization settings specify fluid as the default homepage type, include classic content references in the navigation collection.

2. Create a portal-specific branding theme assignment using the Assign Branding Themes page.

3. Create a user attribute based assignment in the User Attribute Based Theme Assignments grid:

   1. Specify the user group by role or permission list.

   2. Specify the custom homepage tabs navigation collection.

   3. Select a specific item from this navigation collection as the default custom tab.

      For example, select one of the classic content references.

      Important! Selecting a default custom tab is an essential step. Otherwise, users will still see the default homepage type as specified by the system-wide settings.