Teaching the core concepts
Every Exponential course, for editors, administrators or developers, rests on the same dozen ideas. Learners who get them early understand everything after faster; learners who miss them ask the same question in every module. This page gives trainers one plain sentence per concept, a picture that works in a classroom, and a one-hour session that teaches them all. The definitions follow the glossary.
The concepts
| Concept | In one sentence | A picture for the classroom | Where learners see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content class | The definition of a kind of content (for example Article) as a list of attributes | A blank form | Setup > Classes (administrators) |
| Attribute | One field of a content class, typed by a datatype (text, image, relation) | One box on the form | The fields of the edit form |
| Content object | One piece of content, an instance of a class, with versions and translations | A filled-in form | Any item you open |
| Node | One place of a content object in the content tree, with a parent, a sort order and a visibility | A shortcut in a folder: the same document can have several | The tree in Content structure |
| Version and draft | Every edit makes a new version; a draft becomes the published version when it is published | Numbered copies of a document; only one is on the notice board | Manage versions on an item |
| Translation | A language version of a content object | The same form filled in in another language | The language list next to Edit |
| Section | A label on content that selects a design and permissions | A colored sticker on a folder | The Details tab of an item |
| Role and policy | A role is a named set of policies (permissions), assigned to users and groups | A key ring; each key opens one kind of door | Users > Roles and policies |
| Siteaccess | One way of reaching the site (by URL, host or port) with its own settings and design, such as site and admin | Several doors into the same building | The address bar: /admin, the editor host |
| Design and template | A design is a set of templates, styles and images; a template is a .tpl file that draws part of a page | The print layout of a magazine | The public site's look |
| Extension | A package that adds or changes features without changing the kernel | An add-on module for a machine | Setup > Extensions |
| INI settings | Settings files in blocks of Key=Value, read in order, a later file winning: defaults, siteaccess, extensions, override | Factory settings, then local adjustments on top | settings/, exp:ini |
Two distinctions trip learners up most often; say them twice:
- Object and node. The object is the content; a node is where it appears. Moving a node moves the content's place, not the content. Adding a location gives the same object a second node.
- Version status and object state. Draft, published and archived are statuses of a version. An object state (for example "Not locked") is a label from an object state group that policies can test.
A one-hour session
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 0:00 | The form picture: draw a blank form (class), its boxes (attributes), a filled-in copy (object) |
| 0:10 | Learners open Content structure, open an article, press Edit and name three attributes of its class |
| 0:20 | Object and node: open an item's Locations tab; explain the shortcut picture |
| 0:25 | Versions: learners edit and publish a test item twice and open Manage versions |
| 0:35 | Sections, roles and policies: the sticker and the key ring; open Users > Roles and policies and read one role as sentences |
| 0:45 | Siteaccesses: open the public site and the administration side by side; same content, different doors |
| 0:50 | Designs, extensions and INI in two minutes each (for administrators and developers) |
| 0:55 | The quiz below |
For editors, stop after 0:45 and use the last 15 minutes for questions. For developers, extend 0:50 into a
look at settings/site.ini and php bin/php/console exp:ini (exp:ini).
Hands-on exercise
On a training installation, as an administrator:
- Open Content structure and open any article.
- Press Edit, write down the names of the fields (attributes), then press Discard draft and confirm.
- On the article's page, open the tab Details and find its node ID, object ID and section.
- Open Users > Roles and policies, open the role Editor, and read its first three policies as sentences.
- Open the public site in a second tab and find the same article. Compare the address in both tabs: which part names the siteaccess?
Expected result: learners can name three attributes, two IDs and a section of one item, say what one policy of the Editor role allows, and point at the siteaccess part of an address.
Quiz
- What is the difference between a content class and a content object?
- An article appears in two places of the tree. How many objects and how many nodes are there?
- Is "draft" an object state?
- What does a role do before it is assigned?
- Name two siteaccesses of a standard installation.
Answers
- The class is the definition (the blank form); the object is one piece of content made from it (a filled-in form).
- One object, two nodes.
- No. Draft is a status of a version; object states are labels from an object state group (glossary).
- Nothing; a role gives access only when it is assigned to users or groups (Roles and policies).
- For example
siteandadmin(and the editor siteaccess on new installations).
Further reading
- Glossary: every term with a link to the page that teaches it.
- The content model and editing content
- Getting started and A tour of the administration
Related pages
- Trainers: start here
- Course catalogue
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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