Adding a Web Page
Each site has two starter files called either "start3col.html" or "start2col.html" based on the layout that you prefer. One uses the left side menu, the other does not. You can see both layouts here: http://www.umb.edu/it/web/template/sitearchitecture3.html. You will use either one as the basis from which to generate your new pages or any existing page within the same directory. The steps are as follows:
- Make the connection to your site
- Enter the Edit mode
- Type, in the address window, the full path for either the start2col or start3col file. The url will be your main site appended by /start2col.html or /start3col.html as in: http://mirror.www.umb.edu/yoursiteaddress/start3col.html
- With your page now open select "New Page"
- Choose "Copy of Current Page"
- Enter the copy for the title bar of your web page prefacing it with: "UMass Boston:" and click OK.This information is not visible on the actual page; it is what appears in the "title bar" of the web browser and is independent of the filename. You can choose to use more descriptive names for your pages such as: "Grant Procedures". Be consistent throughout your site, if you preface web names with "UMass Boston:..." do so on all pages.
- Edit the copy in the new page
- Click Publish and name the file using short descriptive names with NO spaces, ampersands or special characters see: http://www.umb.edu/it/web/template/filenames.html. Note: be sure to add the .html extension.
- Choose where you want the page to reside. If you are creating a new directory, be sure to remember the name of that directory for future access. See http://www.umb.edu/it/web/template/addfolder.html.
- Select "Publish"
Note: The new template takes into account access of pages from multiple places, namely the top site navigation (in the light blue bar) and the left side menus that should be directory/folder based (see diagram in http://www.umb.edu/it/web/template/sitearchitecture.html). All files in one directory will share one series of links; and all files in another directory would share another series of links. When possible, it's best to have those menus also linked from the top navigation bar which will require assistance from Webservices.
Hierarchy of Information: Sometimes a page's content is of lower importance than other pages and need not be available from the left side menu. This would be considered a "low priority" page and can be accessible from a simple hyperlink in the body of your page. This type of page will not be accessible globally. Be mindful when adding new pages of the hierarchical status of your pages in relation to your site. If the page is hierarchically important, you should place it in the left side menu (see http://mirror.www.umb.edu/it/web/template/editmenu.html). This process, however, only adds the link on the left side. If the page is worthy of full global navigation, notify webservices via our online request form, and we can add the page to the site navigation area (the lower horizontal navigation bar) which, for the most part, is not editable by site owners.