This dialog contains the prompts for setting the Page Content Types assigned to the pages in every section of the active document. To use, select a content type next to the name of each page and click the `Add` button. When complete, click the `OK` button.
Choose `Desktop > Applications > Other > Settings > InDesign > Page creation settings` Then click the `Content Types` tab. Click the `Add` button to define a Page Content Type by adding a name and a description.
If `Content Types` have been defined in the browser interface, then users creating new documents using `BLOX Total CMS > Documents > New...` can select those Page Content Types.
If one is chosen, and a Page Design Snippet has been properly exported using the BLOX Total CMS Plug-in, then it will be automatically placed on the page(s).
When multiple Page Design Snippets exist for a page's Page Content Type with the active Publication Code, a dialog similar to above will be presented. Select the Page Design Snippet that you want placed.
When you select one of the snippets and click the `OK` button, that choice will then be remembered the next time that Page Content Type is used with the active Publication Code.
To always use this option, check the `Do not ask about this Page Content Type` checkbox before clicking the `OK` button. This will prevent the prompt from appearing again for the combination of Page Content Type and Publication Code providing the snippet isn't removed.
This document explains how the newest version of Page Content Snippet placement can be configured for automatic snippet placement to speed page production in Adobe InDesign.
The process has been updated now that all snippets can be stored in the Page Tracker database when they are exported with the BLOX Total CMS Plug-in. The database allows extra information including the applicable publication codes.
To export a snippet with the BLOX Total CMS plug-in for Adobe InDesign, open the Export Snippet dialog and select the snippet type, then fill in the snippet name. You can choose various options, such as maintaining all frames, matching file references, creating labels after export, and keeping non-asset text. After setting up the export, you can organize the snippet into a folder, select publication codes, and choose the placement location for automated production pages.
Page Content Types
Page Content Types have been highly integrated into BLOX Total CMS for many years. Unfortunately, some sites still don't use them. Some features and advantages of Page Content Types are:
Page Content Types allow the `BLOX Total CMS > Documents > Open by Status...` user to quickly see their pages by using the `Content Type` menu
Page Content Types allow Page Design Snippets to be automatically placed. This speeds the creation of landing pages where the pages have a dedicated format.
Page Content Types allows both the Budget View as well as Automated Production view to supplement the Passive Budget making it easier to locate assets for a page.
Page Content Types can feed Live e-Editions to allow the `sections` to appear to readers. This creates quick links to things like Sports, Opinion Pages, Comics, Obituaries, etc.
Page Content Types provide a visual indicator of the type of content that should be on a page. A small, non-printing, label will be placed at the top of the page to indicate what type of content the page should hold.
Enabling Page Content Types
Like many BLOX Total CMS functions, Page Content Types don't use an application setting to enable them. Instead, it uses the existence of defined Content Types in the browser interface as the trigger.
A site's Template Master or system administrator in BLOX Total CMS' browser interface can choose `Desktop > Applications > Other > Settings > InDesign > Page creation settings` as shown below:
Choose `Desktop > Applications > Other > Settings > InDesign > Page creation settings` Then click the `Content Types` tab. Click the `Add` button to define a Page Content Type by adding a name and a description.
If your advertising layout system is feeding the Page Content Types, to get the matching snippets to automatically place, add a Content Type in that dialog for every Content Type used by your advertising system.
Since BLOX Total CMS Content Types need to be lowercase to support BLOX Live e-Editions, the `Type:` field needs to be entered in lowercase. But to match up with your advertising system, you may need to edit the layout system's types to also be lowercase if they aren't already.
Page Content Types are typically Provided by Advertising
Historically, the Advertising or the Composition department determines which types of content are destined for specific pages in an edition. Advertising is frequently sold by which page the advertiser wants their ads placed. As an example, advertisers will request the Obituaries page and not any Sports pages.
Unfortunately, not every advertising system supports passing Page Content Types to BLOX Total CMS. However, if your Ad Layout system supports it and your BLOX Total CMS system doesn't recognize it, please file a support ticket at https://support.bloxdigital.com/ We'll be overjoyed to help you get it operational!
Using the Create Edition Functions and Placing Snippets Automatically
For Advertising Composition staff properly using the Enhanced Mode enabled version of:
BLOX Total CMS > Documents > Advertising > Create Edition from Edition file..., or
BLOX Total CMS > Documents > Advertising > Create Edition from Edition file with Specified Ad Layout Format...
the users should be prompted to verify the Page Content Type with a dialog similar to the following if Content Types are defined in the browser interface as described earlier.
This dialog contains the prompts for setting the Page Content Types assigned to the pages in every section of the active document. To use, select a content type next to the name of each page and click the `Add` button. When complete, click the `OK` button.
That dialog allows those users to confirm the Layout System's choices and accommodate last-minute changes.
If the system is configured to place snippets automatically, that will be triggered with that dialog's closure.
Using BLOX Total CMS > Documents > Advertising > Create Pages...
Following the Enhanced Mode versions of Create Edition... as discussed above, the `Create Pages...` function will not prompt for the application of Page Content Types. It ignores them completely. When the pages are first opened by users, the snippets will not be initially placed. However, the process will automatically be triggered shortly after the documents are opened.
Currently, with the newer method described in this document, the Advertising/Composition folks can select one snippet for the page and the Page Designer/Layout artist could select a different one if no exact matches are found. We determined the page designer or layout artist should have the final say on the Page Design snippet starting the page's construction.
Using BLOX Total CMS > Documents > New... with a supplied Page Content Type
Whenever a user creates a new document using the dialog below, they can select a Page Content Type to apply.
If `Content Types` have been defined in the browser interface, then users creating new documents using `BLOX Total CMS > Documents > New...` can select those Page Content Types.
If one is chosen, and a Page Design Snippet has been properly exported using the BLOX Total CMS Plug-in, then it will be automatically placed on the page(s).
That, as well as the Create Edition process, will trigger the placement of snippets according to the outline below.
Note: The `Snippet:` menu is described lower in this document.
How Snippets are Selected to be Automatically Placed
Assuming that a page has an assigned Page Content Type, Page Design Snippets are automatically placed if the following qualifications are met:
The Page Content Type is defined in the browser interface. Note, some advertising systems will trigger the application of a temporary Page Content Type. But it if isn't defined in the `Page creation settings` it won't trigger the application of the matching snippetA one time use of the BLOX Total CMS Plug-in's Export Snippet function Export a `Page Design` snippet with the following requirements:
The `Snippet Name:` must contain the full name of the Page Content Type
There is a preference given to those snippets whose name starts with a Page Content Type as opposed to just containing it. For example, if the Page Content Type is `sports` preference will be given to a snippet named `sports-prep` over `prep sports`.
The `Publication Codes` must be explicitly checked for all publications where it can be used. You cannot leave these blank or the snippet will be ignored during the Automatic Placement process.
Snippets are selected using the following hierarchy:
If the Page Design snippet's name is an exact case-sensitive match for the Page Content Type it will be placed without any dialog.
If all of the Page Design Snippets for the given publication code have a single match with the name of the applied Page Content Type, it will be placed without any dialog.
If multiple matches exist for the name of the Page Content Type, the user will be presented with a dialog of options. Some additional logic is used to determine which snippet is preselected in the dialog. Preference is given to those whose name starts with the Page Content Type and those with shorter names.
Choices when Multiple Page Design Snippets match the Page Content Type
As #3. state above, when multiple matches exist, the user will get prompted. That prompt appears similar to the dialog below:
When multiple Page Design Snippets exist for a page's Page Content Type with the active Publication Code, a dialog similar to above will be pr…
When multiple Page Design Snippets with the active Publication Code exist for the page's Page Content Type, a dialog similar to the above will be presented. Select the Page Design Snippet that you want placed.
When you select one of the radio buttons and click the `OK` button, that will become the default choice for the next time that Page Content Type is used with the active Publication Code.
To always use this option, check the `Do not ask about this Page Content Type` checkbox before clicking the `OK` button.
The legacy `BLOX Total CMS > Place Page Design Snippet >` menus will eventually be removed.
Using BLOX Total CMS > Documents > New... with a chosen Snippet
When the using `BLOX Total CMS > Documents > New...` there has been a `Snippet:` menu for many years. In the past, that menu was displayed and filled with snippets from the legacy Pub Code folder. When Page Design Snippets have been exported with the BLOX Total CMS Plug-in and with Publication Codes explicitly defined, this menu will instead be populated with the new snippets. This happens on a publication-by-publication basis. This allows you to Export Snippets one publication at a time, if you wish.
As before, if the chosen snippet's name is an exact match for a Page Content Type, the page will be marked with that type and thus it can drive Passive Budgeting.
The legacy BLOX Total CMS > Documents > Advertising > Split Document... does not prompt
There are only minimally valid reasons to continue to use the `Split Document` feature. Generally, if you're seeing it you should choose `BLOX Total CMS > Documents > Advertising > Enhanced Mode`. Enhanced Mode disables `Split Document` and enables the faster and more reliable `Create Pages`.
In addition, this legacy method doesn't automatically prompt for Page Content Types nor auto place them. Thus, it's the worst of all worlds.
If you're on the Advertising / Composition team, turn on Enhanced Mode. If you have concerns, please file a support ticket at https://support.bloxdigital.com/
Distributed Production Users Opening Pages
Updated Snippets produced via the `BLOX Total CMS Plug-in` for Adobe InDesign are automatically available to the Remote Distributed Production users the next time they log in or use `BLOX Total CMS > Update and Reset > Snippets for Automated Production`
No remote installation or syncing of the legacy Publication Code organized Page Design Snippets is necessary. For manual placing, they should use the `BLOX Total CMS Plug-in`. But for the automatic placing of the Page Content Type Snippets. They only need client 5.73 or newer.
Manually Applying Page Content Types
The BLOX Total CMS client for Adobe InDesign also has functions to set the Page Content Type on a page-by-page basis or for every page of the unsplit _BU backup document for the edition.
BLOX Total CMS > Page Content Types > Update from Page Tracker
As of 2024.08.16, only the `Document Page Content Types...` automatically places the related Page Design snippet. The other functions will be updated as time allows.
