Not quite sure I get what field you're talking about but using the standard values package you're able to define standard values for the properties etc. you add to document types yourself (not Umbraco specific properties only custom ones.).
Is this what you're after? If so make sure you download version 1.4, which is intended for v4 installations.
Ok, then it's not really possible unless you interact with the document API I suppose...But I'm not sure how to do that I'm afraid.
But what is the difference in the templates that it's possible to select? Can't you just decide to have a default template set so the editor can just change it if they need a specific template for their document instead?
The different templates reflect branding and presentation that are very different.
The challenge faced has to do with the structure of our organization reflected in the taxonomy of the back-office
content tree. One department almost exclusively creates content in one area of the content tree, and a newer department uses another area of the content tree. There are always requests to create various list macros that pull in content from other areas of the site for use in either sidebars, or perhaps blended lists from different areas of the site based on tags, categories, keywords, etc.
One might suggest "why don't you just define a different document type for the new area, and let it have its default template?"
The problem with that is it is much easier to have a base document type (call it "story" or "post" or whatever).
The advantage with having a standard document type is that it seems to be much easier to generate lists from content throughout the site and add new features that are available to most content creators regardless of their department.
I've not seen very many examples of node lists of several different types. I'm sure it's possible, but it just adds another layer of things to keep in mind when creating a macro. For example, if you are searching on a property that the other document doesn't have, then there's extra checks for that in your macro.
I like the idea of the document type not reflecting the department of the organization, but rather, the type of published content, which pretty much is always a "story" or a "post" with common elements. Most often, in times past, when document type were more varied, as soon as some special feature was created for one department, the other department wanted it also, which just result in dual effort. Easier it seems to have FEWER document types.
If there are resources on information organization strategy or opinions on how other large sites organize content on their site in terms of document type definition and content tree hierarchy w/ regards to branches of the organization, I'm interested in that to be sure.
P.S. I figured there was probably a way to do it by overloading some method in the Umbraco core or something. But I haven't done a lot of that. I'm becoming a bit more familiar with customizations like that as I convert to MVC using VS for Umbraco 7, but I'm just getting started really, and still kind of mapping it all out in my understanding.
...And to answer your question about "Can't you just decide to have a default template set so the editor can just change it if they need a specific template?"
Yes, of course. But this would require those who the default template doesn't apply, to change it.
Doesn't it seem ridiculous?
I think the idea behind all of this, is that content producers won't pay attention, and they will publish something under the wrong template. The idea is then, make it impossible for them to do so, by flashing that red error message "You must choose a template".
Yeah I totally get that you want to go for some more generic document types rather than having to manage a lot of different ones. It will just create a monster and make it really hard to maintain the solution.
I'm just thinking that if there is a default template and the site does not look like what the editor wants it to look like then they know that they need to choose another template to get the styling they want. But I guess that also depends on the editors and how their organization is etc.
But if you want to stop publishing and throw a "you need to select a template" message then you should be able to hook into the publishing event and then cancel it if no template has been chosen. Can't remember what the events are called etc. in Umbraco 6+ though but there is some documentation about it here http://our.umbraco.org/documentation/Reference/Events-v6/
Think that's the only way you can do what you want to.
make choosing template a required field possible?
I have a document type that is shared between multiple templates.
On the document type, I see that I can set the default template to "choose"
A node in Umbraco will still publish w/o setting the template (results in a 404).
Is there a way to make choosing the template "required" on the properties tab so that the page will not publish until it is set?
This is on a 4.9.1 Umbraco version.
Hi Jacob
Not quite sure I get what field you're talking about but using the standard values package you're able to define standard values for the properties etc. you add to document types yourself (not Umbraco specific properties only custom ones.).
Is this what you're after? If so make sure you download version 1.4, which is intended for v4 installations.
/Jan
Yeah, I'm talking about an Umbraco specific property (not a property added later) ; name: "template"
Hi jacob
Ok, then it's not really possible unless you interact with the document API I suppose...But I'm not sure how to do that I'm afraid.
But what is the difference in the templates that it's possible to select? Can't you just decide to have a default template set so the editor can just change it if they need a specific template for their document instead?
/Jan
Styles mostly.
The different templates reflect branding and presentation that are very different.
The challenge faced has to do with the structure of our organization reflected in the taxonomy of the back-office content tree. One department almost exclusively creates content in one area of the content tree, and a newer department uses another area of the content tree. There are always requests to create various list macros that pull in content from other areas of the site for use in either sidebars, or perhaps blended lists from different areas of the site based on tags, categories, keywords, etc.
One might suggest "why don't you just define a different document type for the new area, and let it have its default template?"
The problem with that is it is much easier to have a base document type (call it "story" or "post" or whatever). The advantage with having a standard document type is that it seems to be much easier to generate lists from content throughout the site and add new features that are available to most content creators regardless of their department.
I've not seen very many examples of node lists of several different types. I'm sure it's possible, but it just adds another layer of things to keep in mind when creating a macro. For example, if you are searching on a property that the other document doesn't have, then there's extra checks for that in your macro.
I like the idea of the document type not reflecting the department of the organization, but rather, the type of published content, which pretty much is always a "story" or a "post" with common elements. Most often, in times past, when document type were more varied, as soon as some special feature was created for one department, the other department wanted it also, which just result in dual effort. Easier it seems to have FEWER document types.
If there are resources on information organization strategy or opinions on how other large sites organize content on their site in terms of document type definition and content tree hierarchy w/ regards to branches of the organization, I'm interested in that to be sure.
P.S. I figured there was probably a way to do it by overloading some method in the Umbraco core or something. But I haven't done a lot of that. I'm becoming a bit more familiar with customizations like that as I convert to MVC using VS for Umbraco 7, but I'm just getting started really, and still kind of mapping it all out in my understanding.
...And to answer your question about "Can't you just decide to have a default template set so the editor can just change it if they need a specific template?"
Yes, of course. But this would require those who the default template doesn't apply, to change it.
Doesn't it seem ridiculous?
I think the idea behind all of this, is that content producers won't pay attention, and they will publish something under the wrong template. The idea is then, make it impossible for them to do so, by flashing that red error message "You must choose a template".
Hi Jacob
Yeah I totally get that you want to go for some more generic document types rather than having to manage a lot of different ones. It will just create a monster and make it really hard to maintain the solution.
I'm just thinking that if there is a default template and the site does not look like what the editor wants it to look like then they know that they need to choose another template to get the styling they want. But I guess that also depends on the editors and how their organization is etc.
But if you want to stop publishing and throw a "you need to select a template" message then you should be able to hook into the publishing event and then cancel it if no template has been chosen. Can't remember what the events are called etc. in Umbraco 6+ though but there is some documentation about it here http://our.umbraco.org/documentation/Reference/Events-v6/
Think that's the only way you can do what you want to.
Hope this helps.
/Jan
Events. Great. I'll check it out.
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