Layouts

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To get to the Layouts screen, log in as an administrator, click Settings, and then select Layouts from the Look & Feel menu.

What Are Layouts?

Layouts are special pages that contain XML, Layout Commands and JavaScript to define how content will be displayed on your site. The Layout of a site is responsible for displaying the requested page, its comments and attachments, and providing site navigation. Layouts differ from style sheets in that Layouts provide the HTML structure of the site, while style sheets define CSS formatting rules.

The Layouts screen lists Layout pages found on your site. Layout pages are managed like other pages on your site. They are edited using the same Edit screen, have the same security options, they are versioned, and they can have attachments. There are a few characteristics that make a page a Layout:

1. Layouts must have the MIME Type set to the "EditMe Layout" option. You can set the MIME type for a page by clicking Page Properties on the Edit screen.
2. Layouts should be edited in plain text mode. The rich text editor cannot be used to edit Layouts.
3. Layouts must be complete and valid XML documents.  Read the XML article at Wikipedia for an explanation of "valid" XML.
4. In order to be dynamic, Layouts must include Layout Commands. See Layout Development for more information.

To get started creating a new Layout, we strongly suggest that you start with one of the layouts provided in a Skin. This will provide examples of how to accomplish common layout tasks.

Managing Layouts

The Default Layout

Your site can contain multiple Layout pages, but only one is considered the "default". The current default layout is marked with a "Current Default" label. The default layout will be used for any page on your site that does not over-ride the default layout by specifying a layout in Page Properties. You can change the default layout by selecting the "Make Default" action for the layout you want to apply. Be sure to test any layout before making it the default.

Editing a Layout 

To edit a layout, simply choose the Edit action. The page editor will appear in plain text mode. When you save, you will be returned to the Layouts screen. 

Testing Layout Changes

You will want to test changes to a layout before applying it to your site. There are two ways to do this. First, you can choose the "Test with Page" action for the layout you want to test. A pop-up will prompt you for a page name to test with. This will open a new browser window displaying the specified page using the modified layout. Alternatively, you can set a single page's Layout property in Page Properties to a specific layout and view that page.

You can also choose the View Unprocessed action to see the layout in a browser window as-is. None of the Layout Commands are processed when a layout is viewed this way.

Layout Page Commands

You can use the Attachments, Versions, Copy and Rename actions for a layout to perform these commands on a layout just as you would a normal EditMe page.

Layout Security

You can set the Page Security setting in Page Properties for a Layout page as you like. This will control visitors ability to view the layout directly. Note that using a Layout for a specific page or as the site's Default layout will make the processed layout take on the security settings of the page being viewed. Any sensitive information included in a Layout must be secured by logic in the Layout itself.

Legacy XSL Layouts

EditMe used to use XSL to define Layouts. If your site still uses an XSL Layout, your Site Settings menu will take you to the old Layouts page. From there, you can continue to manage your XSL Layout. See Legacy XSL Layouts for help using the old Layouts screen. See Upgrading to new JavaScript Layouts for help upgrading your site from XSL layouts to the new JavaScript layouts.