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

Chris Owen

Amgueddfa Cymru — National Museum Wales

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

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

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

Amgueddfa Cymru web-site

Intranet

SCAN, other sites

Oriel 1

Gallery touch-screens

CMS Admin

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

Visitor pages

Events & exhibition information

Corporate information

Educational resources

Rhagor

Blogs

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...

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...

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.

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.

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

Use two-character language codes

Naming conventions for files

Naming conventions for database fields

Never embed localised strings in code

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

SQL queries: select title_’.$cms->lang.’ as title

Reduces need to keep referring to language

Avoids potential bugs later

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

Multiple sites, themes

Content blocks system

Can launch lightweight version of CMS

Localisation features

Friendly URLs, unlikely to have broken links

Database-driven stylesheets

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.

Integrated user authentication, groups

Users comments with approval

AJAX features

Plugins - WYSIWYG editing, movie player, captcha, etc.

Useful features - error reporting, emailing, querying, etc.

Architecture

Standard record view

Hierarchy view

Editing

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

Standard CMS site

Media management

Simple workflow features, messaging

WYSIWYG editing

Fine-grained security on resources

XML templates

Datatypes - PHP & JavaScript objects

Manage media

Manage media

Manage media

Metadata sets

Workflow

XML Templates

Datatypes

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

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

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));

<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));

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?

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?