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3.8. Adding and Deleting Pages

To add, delete and edit pages in Bistro, you will use the Page Manager. Access the Page Manager through the Site Content icon on the main menu bar, then click the link for the Page Manager which will open the module's main page (see below).

Deleting an Existing Page

From this main page, you can delete any existing page on your site as follows:

  1. select the page you wish to delete (check the box to the left of the page name)
  2. click [Delete], the button furthest to the right, above your list of pages.
  3. To prevent accidental deletion of pages, you will be prompted to confirm.
  4. You may also delete multiple pages at once by selecting them all before clicking [Delete].

Opening an Existing Page (to view or edit)

To open an existing page for editing, you have a few options.

  1. check the box to the left of the item you wish to open and then click [Open];
  2. click on the page icon in between the checkbox and the name of the page, or
  3. click on the hyperlinked name of the page itself.

With any of these methods, your page will open into the page editing screen where you can edit it as described in the Add a Page section which follows.

Adding a New Page

To add a page to your website, from the Page Manager main page, click [New].  This will open the page editing screen where you will create your page.

  1. Begin by entering the title of your page in the Page Title: text field directly below the page header.
  2. Enter the content of your page in the large white editing box in the centre of the screen.
  3. Use the various editing buttons across the top of the editing area to format your content. As you hold your cursor over each button a text box will appear with a brief description of the function of that button. These various function buttons allow you to insert images, media files, and hyperlinks as well as to format your text for size, colour and font.
  4. Complete your page by using any desired shortcuts and additional information fields which are described below.

Note: A more detailed description of the editing functions in Bistro can be found in sections 3.9.1. Using the WYSIWYG editing toolbar in Standard Mode and 3.9.2. Using the WYSIWYG Editing Toolbar in Advanced Mode.

 

As you become more familiar with Bistro, you will find that the platform has a few useful shortcuts built in to help you make the most of your website.

Linking to Other Pages on Your Site

A quick way to insert hyperlinks to other pages within your site is to use the Insert a link: drop down list directly below the main editing area. Every page on your site is automatically added to this drop down list (once it is saved), offering a quick and easy way to add internal page links on your site. To do so,

  1. highlight the text you would like to link within your editing area
  2. select the page you would like to link it to from the Insert a Link drop down list below the editing area.
  3. Once you have selected the page, click the [Insert Link] button to the right of the drop down list.

Adding AutoStuff™

Another powerful shortcut that is built into Bistro is called Autostuff. When you use the Insert AutoStuff feature, you are actually inserting a data field that will automatically update certain information, when your website loads.

For example, if your Bistro installation includes an Event Calendar Module and you want the page you are creating to include a reference to the next three calendar events; you can insert the AutoStuff statement [SUMMARIES OF NEXT 3 EVENTS] anywhere you want within the content of your page. When a site visitor views that page, they will see links to the next three upcoming events. As events are added to the calendar, the page will update automatically to display the next three chronological events.

This means that you can add content in many places on your site that only has to be updated or changed in one location. The drop down list of available Autostuff is updated automatically based on the modules currently installed on your site and is accessible from all modules that include content editing capability.

To enter an AutoStuff tag:

  1. click where you would like it inserted within the editing area,
  2. select the appropriate AutoStuff tag from the drop down list to the right of the AutoStuff field,
  3. click the [Insert Tag] button to the right of the AutoStuff drop down list.

You will find a list with explanations of all module related AutoStuff tags in section 9.3. AutoStuffTM Entries

Showing a Sub Menu

If your website design supports submenus, you can also easily add a defined submenu to the page you have created by selecting it from the Show a sub menu drop down list. Note: if you have not yet created your submenu structure, you can do so using the menu manager, and then return to your new page to add the appropriate sub menu.

Creating Custom URLs

The typical URLs that websites generate automatically are not user friendly. In many cases, they make it more difficult for search engines to properly index your website pages. Bistro allows you to easily create an easy to recognize, custom URL for each page on your site, to do so simply type your custom URL into the Create a custom URL: text field just below Insert AutoStuff.

Entering Additional Information about Your Page

There is one final area that you can edit when adding a page to your website. At the very bottom the page editing screen is a blue bar entitled, Additional Information. When you click on this bar it opens up an area where you can add some extra information about your page.

  1. You can select which folder your page belongs in. As your website becomes more complex and the number of pages increases, you will find it much easier to manage if you include some organizational folders to help you sort your pages. This portion of the page editing screen allows you to assign your new page to a previously created folder by selecting it from the drop down list called Folders:. For more information about adding and deleting folders, review section 3.7. Adding and Deleting Folders
  2. You can also assign keywords and a customized page description in this area of your page editor. The Keywords and Page Description you enter in this area will describe the content of this specific page more clearly for visiting search engines. If you leave these areas blank, the default keywords/description for your website will be used. Customizing them for each page, however, increases the chances that search engines will link to your website for relevant information.

Previewing Your Page

Once you have finished creating and formatting the content of your new page, you will want to preview it to make sure the HTML is rendering it the way you want it to appear. To preview your page, click the [Preview] button on the right side of your screen, just below the main (white) content editing area

Saving Your Page

When you are happy with the content of your page, remember to click [Save] to capture the details of your new page. Your action will be confirmed and you can continue editing your pages or use a different Bistro module by clicking on the appropriate option.