Smartspace provides a range of Website Frameworks to make your Smartspace look totally professional. So that you can link to whatever Services or Content you wish, we offer a highly configurable Menu and Content Panel system which can be saved using preset configurations in a couple of minutes or can be built link by link if you want.
Each Framework offers some specific features which can be configured in a variety of ways. The Frameworks Manager provides tools to complete the website build in minutes once the content has been entered and styling done.
Using the power of CSS and the handy Smartspace tools, you have complete control over your website so you can design it how you want it, not how preset templates want you to have it.
General Principles
- Each Framework provides a number of Content Panels which can be included or removed from your website and show on the Home page and sometimes on the general content pages
- Usually each one can be switched on or off
- Each framework has at least one Feature Panel which provides extra configuration including transitions and other special effects
- Each one included has a selection of preset tools, which can be then customised according to individual needs.
- You can replace automated links and content to hand built links in every optional panel.
- There are two Menus which are available in each Framework:
- Top Menu
- This Menu is always available on your website and at the least will show a Home TAB or link, plus, if required, additional automated and custom links.
- Other links can appear automatically in this Menu depending on your configuration and the services you offer.
- This Menu can usually hold up to 7 links and is for basic link items, e.g. Contact or About.
- You can easily replace the text menu links with icons if you prefer.
- Main Menu
- This Menu is usually the spine of the website navigation.
- Drop Down or Fly Out sub menu links can easily be configured in this Menu.
- It is designed to link to your specialised range of Content and Services.
- The number of Menu and Sub Menu items is only limited by the real estate available
- Each menu item and submenu can get specific Content, Products or Services, automatically and can change automatically upon the creation of new content.
- Column Panels
- Frameworks which do not have side columns on the Front page often have columns on the Content and Product pages.
- There are some panels which will change according to the Content shown on the page.
- Create relevant links when creating Content or Products.
- Content Page Panels
- Most frameworks have extra content panels which show exclusively on pages other than the home page
- You can link special information to the content shown to customise your view
- Advanced users can fine tune each Content Panel to suit their specific needs.
- Each website can have multiple frameworks attached to it.
- It is very easy to attach a new framework to a website and to build the website while maintaining your current framework
- The framework wizard enables you to build each panel or menu item step by step guiding you through depending on the selections you make and the panel you are configuring
- There are currently almost 100 widgets available to customise your content within each framework structure
- Each framework creates a dynamic database driven website which can automatically update as you add more content
- You can work on your website offline by using the Hold Page option.
- Show a Hold Page on your website by selecting the Hold Page option when setting Content Settings.
- Upload a custom message image and background if you wish.
- A Contact link is created by the default text or your custom message image.
- Ensure that a valid email address is available in your Trader record, otherwise the link will not work.
- When you Log in, you will see the actual website, but ordinary visitors will see the Hold Page.
Selecting a Framework
- From the Smartspace Home page, click on Manage from the Top Menu, then click Content Manager > Website Frameworks > Select Framework.
- Each framework Action Bar provides a glimpse into the framework
- Click on the action bar to get a more complete summary of the framework
- Moving to the Preview of the framework shows you the basic structure of the framework home page
- It also shows if you have settings saved using the selected framework.
- When you proceed to Save or Update the framework, it takes appropriate action depending on its status, in saving or updating content panels
- You can configure each of the saved panels one by one
- You can add Menu items or Content Page panels as required
- You can easily switch between frameworks
- If you want to create you own Custom Home Page, you can do that as well, ignoring all the preset panels available on the framework
Content Panel Elements
Set up Framework and Content Panel configurations by going to Content Manager > Website Framework > Select Framework and make a selection from the Action Bars available. Once a Framework has been selected, click on the Action Bar to configure.
Content Page Panels and the Main Menu allow you to add a specified number of panels/links
- Panel Title
- EG. The subscription widget uses the title as the text inside the subscription field
- With some widgets, the Title is used as part of the widget
- You can hide this title by clicking the Hide Title box.
- All Content Panels and Menu Items have a title prominently displayed.
- Tick to Activate
- You can set each Panel to either be activated or deactivated.
- Settings for a deactivated Panel remain so that it can be easily reactivated at any time.
- Sometimes, panels must stay activated in which case, you will not be given an option to deactivate
- Mode
- If you select Manual Mode, all the Auto settings on the configuration page are irrelevant.
- You will be provided with the necessary fields to create all the links by hand
- Links made manually will not be lost if you switch to auto mode.
- You can return to the Manual links at any time and activate or deactivate links as required
- If you select Auto mode, you will be presented with the available options to start your automatic configuration
- Content Type
- You must select one of the available types of content that will provide content to the panel or item
- Depending on your selection, it will provide all the widgets that are available for that content type and for that panel
- Auto Source
- The Auto Source selection are all the automated content generators that are available for the selected content type
- When making a selection it provides further configuration selections based on the Auto Source
- This source can be changed in each panel, but you must be aware of the content placed in the panel, suits the purpose
- Category ID
- Depending on the Content source, you can change the Category ID to change the source.
- Auto Change Settings
- Some Panels automatically change Content after a certain period. E.g. a randomly generated "Product of the Week" could be changed to "Product of the Day".
- Periods can range from Change Each View to Change Each Month.
- In Feature Panels, you can also set the type and speed of transitions on the available content and/or images
- Records Returned
- You can determine the number of records automatically returned (if available). Set a number between one and twenty. Remember, setting too may links in a Panel may adversely affect the appearance of the site. Putting to much Content on a site may affect the effectiveness of the site.
- Characters per Record
- You can determine the number of characters, paragraphs or other elements that are automatically returned.
- Date
- You can place a date beside all Articles and Content based Links and Events and Programs. Dates will not apply to Products and Services.
- (This feature is currently NOT supported.)
- More Configuration
- Some panels allow for further configuration of images or text
- In each case, a short instruction is provided to be able to easily complete your panel configuration
Available Widgets
Click here to view details about Content widgets
Click here to view details our Products widgets
Click here to view information on Groups widgets
Click here for details on Custom Contact Forms
Click here for information on Booking, Social, Membership and other widgets
