The document discusses the development of a bilingual content management system (CMS) for Amgueddfa Cymru—National Museum Wales, focusing on the need for an easy-to-use platform that integrates existing databases and supports bilingual content. Key features of the CMS include user authentication, content blocks, and flexible data management. The document also outlines future enhancements aimed at increasing user-centric capabilities and collaboration through open-source development.

1. Building a bilingual CMS Chris Owen Amgueddfa Cymru — National Museum Wales

2. Why build a CMS? Immediate need for content updating Integration of existing databases Initial needs were simple Simplicity, easy platform for development Ease of use for content authors Workflow tailored to a bilingual site

3. Some uses of the CMS Amgueddfa Cymru web-site Intranet SCAN, other sites Oriel 1 Gallery touch-screens CMS Admin

4. The web-site Visitor pages Events & exhibition information Corporate information Educational resources Rhagor Blogs

12. How we built the CMS Admin web application came first Created CMS with simple data-structures Added security & workflow to the Admin Added login features to CMS Integrated the two Migrate to more complex data-structures Lots of new features...

13. Bilingual design Treat languages equally? Splash screen versus different domain names? Try to localise URLs Place language switch in consistent location Consider workflow for translation, entering content, etc.

14. Bilingual design Use two-character language codes Naming conventions for files Naming conventions for database fields Never embed localised strings in code

15. Bilingual design SQL queries: select title_’.$cms->lang.’ as title Reduces need to keep referring to language Avoids potential bugs later

16. Amgueddfa CMS Features Multiple sites, themes Content blocks system Can launch lightweight version of CMS Localisation features Friendly URLs, unlikely to have broken links Database-driven stylesheets

17. Amgueddfa CMS Features Integrated user authentication, groups Users comments with approval AJAX features Plugins - WYSIWYG editing, movie player, captcha, etc. Useful features - error reporting, emailing, querying, etc.

18. Architecture

20. Standard record view

21. Hierarchy view

22. Editing

23. Admin features Standard CMS site Media management Simple workflow features, messaging WYSIWYG editing Fine-grained security on resources XML templates Datatypes - PHP & JavaScript objects

24. Manage media

25. Manage media

26. Manage media

27. Metadata sets

28. Workflow

29. XML Templates

30. Datatypes

31. Content blocks PHP objects Localised Called with simple XML tag Can return standard or text versions Flexible calling of blocks in PHP code AJAX features built-in

34. Inserting Blocks <nmgw:media id=”232” class=”right” /> <nmgw:link id=”1”>Link text</nmgw:link> <nmgw:blog:entry id=”10” /> <nmgw:email:link name=”chris.owen”>... $cms->get_block(‘media’, array(‘id’=>232));

35. The future More user-centric features People’s Collection, other collaborations More use of metadata features Ease of use, customised layouts Open up CMS to external groups Open-source Amgueddfa CMS?