CORNELL DRUPAL CAMP 2015: One Content Type to Rule Them All
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This document discusses a case study of implementing a single content type called "Any Page" using Drupal. It describes how a single content type can simplify content creation and management by allowing pages to evolve more flexibly compared to having separate content types. The implementation uses Entity Construction Kit to create custom entity types for "Any Block" reusable content blocks and "Option Types" for categorizing blocks and pages. Fields on the "Any Page" content type allow assembling pages by referencing these custom block entities in regions like main content, sidebar, etc. This provides a more flexible and future-proof way to model content versus traditional separate content types for each page variation.
CORNELL DRUPAL CAMP 2015: One Content Type to Rule Them All
- 1. One Content Type to Rule Them All Case study of “Any Page”, a single-content type implementation CORNELL DRUPAL CAMP 2015
- 2. Presenter Will Jackson - New Valley Media Senior Drupal Developer Resident Commerce Consultant System Administrator DevOps Engineer
- 3. New Valley Media Drupal Development and Support On-site/Remote Training Supplemental Staffing Drupal Consulting Services Site Audits & Performance Reviews UI/UX Responsive Enhancements and much more... Company
- 4. Introductions Why single-content type? Our model: Any Page ECK and other construction tips The Future of Drupal Who are you? Site builders, developers, themers, content managers, etc Most content types on a site?
- 6. Problem 1: Content type overload Advantage of Drupal: Add as many content types and fields as needed Disadvantage of Drupal: Add as many content types and fields as you think you need And content types are rigid!
- 7. How many content types are too many?
- 8. Traditional Content Models Focus on “content types.” Assume that unique content type is needed for each page variation. Still connect presentation to architecture. (References: http://pointnorth.io/#content-modeling http://alistapart.com/article/content-modelling-a-master-skill)
- 9. Single-page and long-form pages. Mix of visuals: images, videos, graphics. Editors want to control order of elements. Mix of default and custom sidebar blocks. Problem 2: Design trends
- 10. Single-content type solution: “Any Page”
- 11. Rather than content types, IA focuses on content organization. Complex pages (such as landing pages) can be controlled by editors. Easier flexibility for non-content regions, such as sidebars. Single-content type solutions
- 12. Single content type: Any Page Content model Content type Fields Custom Theming ⇒ Site structure ⇒ Page type tags ⇒ Reusable blocks ⇒ Built-in style options
- 13. Example: Events Content type: Title Date Location Description Type of event Registration form Photo, gallery, video Speakers Handouts Single content type: Title Tag: Event, Types Blocks: Event, Text, Image, Video, Person, Doc Attachments, etc.
- 14. STRUCTURE Entity Construction Kit Entity Reference Inline Entity Form Context, Features Views, View Field Media Automatic Entity Label Any Page: Module magic UX ENHANCEMENTS/PRESENTATION Field Group Multiple Selects Display Suite / Extras Fields Conditional Field Formatter Settings Field Formatter Conditions
- 15. Entity Construction Kit Create/Manage entities and bundles from UI. Manage properties and custom behaviors. Create bundles to share entity configuration. Thousands of compatible modules (Field UI).
- 19. Alternative tagging: Options entity “Options” entity type with two bundles Option Type: parent, such as Page Type Option: child, such as Event, Blog, Product, News, etc. Also used for supporting options in the Any Blocks: Layout Options, Link Style, Image Style, Color Scheme, etc.
- 20. Option fields Label: human-friendly description Machine name: CSS-friendly string Applied as classes to streamline theming Related to Bootstrap classes or variables Example - Block Color Scheme: Label: Purple background / white text Machine name: color_brand_contrast_white
- 21. Option Types in use on Text Block style options
- 22. Any Page node fields Title Tags: Page type, categories Teaser and teaser image Entity reference fields: Main content Left sidebar Right sidebar Content top Content bottom Default globals
- 23. Any Page node fields Title Tags: Page type, categories Teaser and teaser image Entity reference fields: Main content Left sidebar Right sidebar Content top Content bottom Default globals
- 24. Page Type tag is alternative to separate content types. Can be changed as node usage changes. Other functional or presentation tagging can be added as needed.
- 25. Recommend using Teaser because there is no standard Body field to use as a fallback.
- 26. Any Block types Each type based on functionality. Most block types can be used in any field. (AKA page region: main content, sidebar, etc.) Limited field reuse.
- 27. Any Block types Text block Accordion block Contact block Document Attachments block Event block Featured Media block Form block Image (grid / slideshow) Link (menu-style) Location block Product System block (blocks from core and modules) Video block View / List block (blocks from Views)
- 28. Any Block: Text block Administrative Title Display Title (with optional link) Style Options (alignment, padding, color, layout) Body Image Options (style, position, link) Image (base and hover) Links Link style (text or button) Title (optional link) Links
- 29. Created by the Commerce Guys for Commerce Kickstart. Create referenced entities inline without leaving the form. Integrate with any new or pre-existing entity. Streamline content forms Inline Entity Form
- 31. Life cycle of a page 1.Announcement: Text, images 2.Event: Retag. Add Event, Location blocks 3.Report: Retag. Add Video block. 4.Resource: Retag. Add Document Attachment block.
- 32. Performance Complex configurations may be resource intensive. Commerce Additional customization required for contrib displays Search Contributed Module Limitations Technical considerations
- 33. Review Advantages of a single content type Content that evolves to what you need Simplify the process for content editors Condense Content Types Solve the problem of “a content type for everything”
- 34. Questions Are there any questions? @willjackson00
- 35. Demonstration
- 36. SCREENSHOTS
- 37. Two custom entity types Any Page uses two custom entity types: Any Block and Option Type
- 38. Related: Item Sets used in block Special Purpose Parent Bundle (no blocks) Container block “Workhorse” Any Block bundles Any Block: parent bundle Text Block: multi-purpose “workhorse” also includes image and links Accordion Block: primary field is multi-field Accordion Item Set. Multi-Block Wrapper: allows other blocks to be displayed in one row. SEO Description: not available as block; used separately.
- 39. Any Block properties Administrative Title (instead of Title) for easier labeling All bundles have separate Display Title field
- 40. Main content field Create or reuse entities in this region. All blocks are displayed in a vertical stack.
- 41. Left sidebar field Create or reuse entities in this region. All blocks are displayed in a vertical stack. Option to override default display settings on Global sidebar blocks.
- 42. Right sidebar field Create or reuse entities in this region. All blocks are displayed in a vertical stack.
- 43. Content top field Display options for blocks displayed in Content Top region. Create or reuse entities in this region.
- 44. Content bottom field Display options for blocks displayed in Content Bottom region. Create or reuse entities in this region.
Editor's Notes
- #3: Add details on background. Will, can you add yours?
- #4: Add details on background. Will, can you add yours?
- #5: Add details on background. Will, can you add yours?
- #7: Question for attendees: Prize for most?
- #10: Design trend toward long, parallax scrolling pages. How can we provide editorial control? Sometimes that page calls for a single image, other times a gallery or slideshow, other times a video. How can we provide flexibility for building these pages? Editors don’t want to be stuck in a box or with static displays. They want to be able to reorder elements on the page. Editors also want more control over sidebar blocks. Drupal’s block configuration makes this difficult, even when using context instead.
- #12: IA focuses on content organization, which means fewer one-off pages fall through the cracks. Designs are becoming more complex, with mixture of images and content blocks. Clients want granular control over sidebars
- #13: Key differences between Any Page and content type for each presentation type -- content models focus on site structure rather than content types, which allows laser-focus on user needs. Instead of content types, use page type tags. Instead of an unending list of fields, implement reusable blocks.
- #14: Conventional content type: starting adding fields. And even after adding fields, typically locked into a static layout. Single content type: Core fields, then flexible blocks. Event block includes date/time and location. Reusable, can be reordered.
- #15: WILL: Can you flesh out this list? List modules in order of importance.
- #16: WILL: Can you provide an overview of ECK, how it works, etc. Add supporting slides as needed.
- #17: WILL: Can you provide an overview of ECK, how it works, etc. Add supporting slides as needed.
- #18: WILL: Can you provide an overview of ECK, how it works, etc. Add supporting slides as needed.
- #19: WILL: Can you provide an overview of ECK, how it works, etc. Add supporting slides as needed.
- #20: Before we talk about fields in the Any Page content type, let’s look at a supporting entity type: Options
- #21: Before we talk about fields in the Any Page content type, let’s look at a supporting entity type: Options
- #23: Core fields on Any Page content type: title, tags (using Options entity reference), teaser and teaser image. Then the meat of Any Page: entity reference fields. Our structure is based on the regions in our standard page template.
- #24: Core fields on Any Page content type: title, tags (using Options entity reference), teaser and teaser image. Then the meat of Any Page: entity reference fields. Our structure is based on the regions in our standard page template.
- #25: Tags instead of page types. Allow multiple page type tags.
- #26: Teaser: recommend requiring since there’s no body field to use as fallback for teaser.
- #27: Now, we’ll turn our attention to the Any Blocks, the entities that are referenced in the Entity Reference fields.
- #28: Except for Text block, each is focused on a single bit of functionality.
- #29: Add features on text block, the workhorse of Any Page.
- #30: WILL: can you add details on how it works, considerations in use, configuration, etc? Feel free to add supporting slides.
- #31: WILL: can you add details on how it works, considerations in use, configuration, etc? Feel free to add supporting slides.
- #33: WILL: can you add information on technical considerations, such as performance, search, commerce, data integrity
- #36: Anypage Demo: http://bcns:[email protected]/ Any Page content type Review Entity reference fields Note default fields for sidebars and content top Briefly review display Introduce two entity types Any Block bundles Review Any Text block: show fields groups, usability for content editor, layout and styling options for each group Review Any Text display: use of Display Suite, different display modes available for regions and/or views