Is it possible to have a URL picker as a macro data type? We would like to have the ability to either pick a content node, media node or specify a URL as a single macro property and the access the property in the macro partial. Many thanks in advance.
It's not possible to use it like that out of the box. It would require some development - Richard Soeteman did once blog about how to do it but I'm not sure if the method is still the same, since a lot has happened with the underlying API's etc. since 2010 where the post is from - But surely it can be done, just not sure if it's still the same approach from a code point of view - Anyway the blog post can be found here http://www.richardsoeteman.net/2010/01/04/CreateACustomMacroParameterType.aspx
May I ask what your scenario for using the url picker as a macro parameter is?
Jan - I apologize for the delay. I appreciate the info. we have literally close to hundreds of Call To Action (CTA) boxes that we are placing in a new site we are developing. We insert these using macros since we have lots of responsive elements very dependent on styles and need to make this easy for content editors to create and place. right now we're stuck with the content picker but would love to use the url picker (we already have tons of properties in some of our macros).. see some snapshots below to help illustrate and many thanks for the feedback and please let us know what you thoughts may be on this... many thanks in advance!
Wow...Don't think I have ever seen so many parameters on a macro...I can imagine that your editors get a little confused now and then.
But I'm thinking...
Why don't you guys make a "Shared content" repository where you can build the different boxes needed and then allow the editors to pick them from there? Then you at least don't get into this parameter hell, which seems to be confusing for everyone involved.
You can structure your shared content area into folder if you need different CTA boxes. By doing that you can keep a cleaner structure.
But this is of course a lot of work since you need to redo the backoffice structure in your content area and you will need to change renderings etc. So I don't know if it's an option. But making the Url picker available won't solve the UX issue imho opinion :) - But perhaps it can make things a bit lighter and in the current state it might be the better option depending how much the client is willing to spend on UX improvements.
The benefit from using a shared content repository is that content can easily be reused on different websites/pages as opposed to a macro where you need to fill out all the parameters each time, unlsess you're HTML savy enough to figure out how to copy/paste them from page to page.
Jan - good ideas... here's what I'm now thinking... create two doc types: CTA Container and CTA Item... CTA Container will just basically be a placeholder in various areas of the site that specific editors have access and only allow CTA Items to be created under it. CTA Item will contain the individual properties of a single CTA box but instead of the being in a macro be the doc type properties also including the URL Picker which give the functionality we want and totally simplifies the creation/editing process... sorting, hide from navigation and all the typically doc type properties will exist and then macro can be created that basically have one parameter: content picker (that will point to the CTA Container folder and iterate through it's visible children and/or a macro with a multiple content picker that can pick multiple CTA items and iterate through the selected visible items... having CTA Containers in separate areas will also only allow editor to access their own CTA boxes from within their user account content start node areas as well...
what do you think? sounds like a plan to me! thank you so much for your help!
I think that sounds like a viable way of doing it indeed.
If a need to use a CTA box outside the scope of a rich text editor that is also possible using this approach.
Depending on how you want to structure your CTA's I would probably make a repository folder or something so you can have a setup like this
Repo folder (Document type alias RepoFolder - Created once and when it's created the checkbox in "allow in root" is removed so only one instance is ever created)
- CTA folder
- CTA item 1
- CTA item 2
- CTA folder
- CTA folder
- CTA item 1
- CTA item 2
- Etc.
- CTA folder
- CTA folder
- Etc.
URL picker as a macro data type
Is it possible to have a URL picker as a macro data type? We would like to have the ability to either pick a content node, media node or specify a URL as a single macro property and the access the property in the macro partial. Many thanks in advance.
Hi John
It's not possible to use it like that out of the box. It would require some development - Richard Soeteman did once blog about how to do it but I'm not sure if the method is still the same, since a lot has happened with the underlying API's etc. since 2010 where the post is from - But surely it can be done, just not sure if it's still the same approach from a code point of view - Anyway the blog post can be found here http://www.richardsoeteman.net/2010/01/04/CreateACustomMacroParameterType.aspx
May I ask what your scenario for using the url picker as a macro parameter is?
/Jan
Jan - I apologize for the delay. I appreciate the info. we have literally close to hundreds of Call To Action (CTA) boxes that we are placing in a new site we are developing. We insert these using macros since we have lots of responsive elements very dependent on styles and need to make this easy for content editors to create and place. right now we're stuck with the content picker but would love to use the url picker (we already have tons of properties in some of our macros).. see some snapshots below to help illustrate and many thanks for the feedback and please let us know what you thoughts may be on this... many thanks in advance!
Hi John
Wow...Don't think I have ever seen so many parameters on a macro...I can imagine that your editors get a little confused now and then.
But I'm thinking...
Why don't you guys make a "Shared content" repository where you can build the different boxes needed and then allow the editors to pick them from there? Then you at least don't get into this parameter hell, which seems to be confusing for everyone involved.
You can structure your shared content area into folder if you need different CTA boxes. By doing that you can keep a cleaner structure.
But this is of course a lot of work since you need to redo the backoffice structure in your content area and you will need to change renderings etc. So I don't know if it's an option. But making the Url picker available won't solve the UX issue imho opinion :) - But perhaps it can make things a bit lighter and in the current state it might be the better option depending how much the client is willing to spend on UX improvements.
The benefit from using a shared content repository is that content can easily be reused on different websites/pages as opposed to a macro where you need to fill out all the parameters each time, unlsess you're HTML savy enough to figure out how to copy/paste them from page to page.
Just my 2 cents :)
/Jan
Jan - good ideas... here's what I'm now thinking... create two doc types: CTA Container and CTA Item... CTA Container will just basically be a placeholder in various areas of the site that specific editors have access and only allow CTA Items to be created under it. CTA Item will contain the individual properties of a single CTA box but instead of the being in a macro be the doc type properties also including the URL Picker which give the functionality we want and totally simplifies the creation/editing process... sorting, hide from navigation and all the typically doc type properties will exist and then macro can be created that basically have one parameter: content picker (that will point to the CTA Container folder and iterate through it's visible children and/or a macro with a multiple content picker that can pick multiple CTA items and iterate through the selected visible items... having CTA Containers in separate areas will also only allow editor to access their own CTA boxes from within their user account content start node areas as well...
what do you think? sounds like a plan to me! thank you so much for your help!
Hi John
I think that sounds like a viable way of doing it indeed.
If a need to use a CTA box outside the scope of a rich text editor that is also possible using this approach.
Depending on how you want to structure your CTA's I would probably make a repository folder or something so you can have a setup like this
Repo folder (Document type alias RepoFolder - Created once and when it's created the checkbox in "allow in root" is removed so only one instance is ever created) - CTA folder - CTA item 1 - CTA item 2 - CTA folder - CTA folder - CTA item 1 - CTA item 2 - Etc. - CTA folder - CTA folder - Etc.
Hope this input helps.
/Jan
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