Serena Collage Tips & Tricks

Creating a List

2009-02-13T15:49:00.009-05:00

When you want to emphasize a group of items in your text, it is useful to seperate them into a list format.

Use numbered lists for items that are in a required order
Use bulleted lists to highlight other unordered information

You can accomplish this in Collage by utilizing the button.

Convert current text into a list:

Highlight the text you want to turn into a list
Click the List button and select the desired list format

To add an item to a list:

Place the cursor at the end of any list item
Press Enter and a new list entry will be created for you

Setting up a new or re-imaged computer to work with Collage

2009-01-22T12:14:00.004-05:00

Occasionally, Marketing and Communications receives calls from Collage users who are suddenly encountering problems with the product. In most cases, these people have received new computers or had the operating systems on their computers reinstalled. Either of those possibilities necessitates the installation of the three plug-ins required by Collage.

ActiveX plug-in
Java Virtual Machine
MSXML 4.0

To see if you need any or all of the above plug-ins, conduct a Collage system check. This Web page runs a system check on your computer, the results of which will reveal which plug-ins you need to install.

If you need the ActiveX or MSXML plug-ins, the procedure below will install both of those items. These steps work on any Windows computer connected to NUNet.

Go to Start Menu > Settings > Control Panel > Add Remove Programs > Add New Programs > Serena Collage Plugin 1.0 and click install.
Quit your browser, start your browser again and log into Collage.

Installing the Java Virtual Machine is a separate process. Before describing how it can be downloaded, it is important to note that the Collage system check will list versions 1.6 and above of the Java Virtual Machine as unsupported. However, Collage will run correctly with those versions installed. The Java Virtual Machine only needs to be installed if your system check says it is not installed, or you have version 1.5.0_05 or earlier.

In order to install the Java Virtual Machine software on your computer, you need what Information Services calls "local administrative privileges," also known as "local admin rights." Local administrative privileges allow you to add programs to your computer. Call the IS Help Desk (373-HELP) to see if you have local administrative privileges. If you do not, the IS representative will guide you through the short process.

Once you have confirmed you have local administrative privileges, you can download and install the Java Virtual Machine. Go to the download page on java.com. The page contains instructions on downloading and installing the software.

After you install the Java Virtual Machine, quit Internet Explorer. The software installation will not finish until you exit the browser.

Now that you have installed the necessary plug-ins, you should be able to use Collage.

The five basic rules for writing Web copy

2008-10-30T10:35:00.002-04:00

write short headlines
use powerful first words
choose plain language
place key information first
bullet long lists

See our Web writing site for more information
http://www.webwriting.neu.edu/how_write_good/reviewing_basic/

Can a deleted asset be recovered?

2008-10-30T10:26:00.000-04:00

Rajiv's answer: Depends on what kind of asset it is and how long it's been deleted. IS performs backups on the system, so it may be possible for their storage/back-up team to recover it.

Naming files and folders on your Web site

2008-10-02T16:52:00.004-04:00

A common question we receive from Web editors is how files and folders should be named in Collage.

Usability studies have shown that visitors to your site will sometimes use a page's URL to figure out your site's structure. Therefore, all folder and file names should provide clear descriptions of their contents.

Additionally, visitors to your site will sometimes need to type a URL. To help these people, file and folder names should be composed of lowercase characters and made as short as possible. This helps prevent typos.

Many of our Collage sites are set to limit the names of files to 20 characters. Even if your site has a higher limit, it is a good idea to try to keep names to less than 20 characters. This guideline applies to Web pages, folders, PDFs and any other files that you may create or upload. It is easier to change the names of files you want to upload before uploading them to Collage.

Source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605a.html.

Remembering that long log-in address...

2008-06-12T09:19:00.004-04:00

Sometimes when Collage users are away from their primary work stations and their bookmarks, they e-mail to ask about the log-in URL.

You no longer have to remember the https://collage01.neu.edu:8443 address since http://www.northeastern.edu/webedit takes you right there.

If Collage isn't functioning correctly...

2008-06-10T15:07:00.002-04:00

Every so often an e-mail comes in describing a problem when using Collage: the drop-down menus do not work. For instance, when the user clicks to change from "Deploy Folders" mode to "Contribution" mode nothing happens.

This is usually because Collage is missing a plug-in, or more specifically an "ActiveX Control."

Here's how you can get the plug-in on any Windows-based computer on the Northeastern network:

Go to Start Menu > Settings > Control Panel > Add Remove Programs > Add New
Programs > Serena Collage Plugin 1.0 and click install.

Quit your browser, start your browser again and log in again to Collage.

The menus will work fine now that the plug-in is installed.

Differences between the Content > Contribution and Content > Deploy Folders views

2008-05-20T15:15:00.001-04:00

In Serena Collage, most of the work involved in editing files takes place in the Content > Contribution view. Similar work can also be accomplished in the Content > Deploy Folders view. However, your editing capabilities are affected by the view you select.

Some tasks can only be performed in the Contribution view, while others are only accessible through the Deploy Folders view. The list of tasks below shows some situations where you might have to switch from one view to the other.

Creating files

You must be in the Content > Contribution view to create new files.

In the Content > Deploy Folders view, clicking the New button only enables the creation of a blank HTML file or the uploading of a file from your hard drive.

Changing file names

In the Content > Contribution view, file names cannot be changed.

To change the name of a file, select Content > Deploy Folders and edit the file's properties.

Approving multiple files at one time

In the Content > Contribution view, only one file can be approved at a time.

To approve multiple files at once, switch to the Content > Deploy Folders view.

Approving a site structure

When editing and checking in a site structure, you normally use the Site tab. However, to approve a site structure, you must switch to the Content > Deploy Folders view and approve the site structure inside the site_structures folder.

The site_structures folder is not available in the Content > Contribution view.

Changing a file name in Serena Collage

2008-05-07T09:45:00.009-04:00

Changing file names is an issue that occasionally crops up with Collage users around campus.

When changing a file name, the important thing to remember is that this action cannot be performed in the Content > Contribution view, which is where most site editors perform most of their tasks. Instead, a file name is changed in the Content > Deploy Folders view.

Thus, the first step in changing a file name is selecting Content > Deploy Folders.

Next, navigate through the folders until you see the file that needs a different name. In the image below, the file named arst.xml needs to be changed.

Once you see the file, you must check the file out and edit its properties. In the Content > Deploy folders view, the easiest way to do this is by clicking on the file icon to the left of the file name.

This will open the file's properties window.

Click the Check Out icon to make the File Name field editable. Then, enter the new file name. Leave the file extension, which in this case is ".xml".

Click the Check In icon to apply the name change. Click OK in the next two popup windows, and then close the properties window.

Remember, you must approve the file before deploying it for the change to take effect.

Rollbacks can save the day

2008-04-30T16:42:00.006-04:00

Collage keeps track of every move you make, so if you make an error or ever want to go back to a previous version of a file, it is a very simple process. To view the version history of any Collage asset (web page, photo, PDF, etc.) be sure to be in Contribution mode and select the checkbox next to the asset name:

Then click the Versions button at the top of file list:

You will see the entire version history of the asset, including who made changes, the time and who approved the changes. You can select any version and preview it. If you want to "roll back" to a previous version just select the previous version and click the "Roll back" button. You will be asked to confirm that you want to roll back. Once you verify the rollback, you will see that there is a new version (simply a duplicate of the version you selected).

Be sure to approve the rollback like you would any other change to an asset.

Links that open in a new window

2008-04-11T17:24:00.004-04:00

We frequently get asked if it's possible in Collage to make links that when clicked open a new browser window. Sometimes if you are making a link to an external site (like the Mail Services site might link to the postal rates at usps.com) you might want the link to open in a new window so that users don't totally navigate away from your site. (Your site would still be open in the window below the new window.)

To see this in action, check out how this link to usps.com opens in a new window. Just close the new window and you'll see this blog again.

To set this up in Collage is very simple. When you are making an external link you will see there is an option for "Target." By deafult it is set to "Current Window." Just switch it to "New Window" and your link will pop open a new window when clicked.

Always be sure to check in your files and approve your changes before deploying, or you will see no change!

Working with tables

2008-03-25T12:37:00.002-04:00

You can insert your own tables and also save custom tables for future repurposing. The steps are outlined below:

1. Insert a table by clicking on the Table icon and selecting "Insert Table"

2. Set the number of columns and rows (can add rows/columns or change settings later)

3. Be sure to enter tablebody in the class field so Collage will use the correct style (font and size) for your table.

4. Click OK to insert the table

5. Now you can work with the table and enter data

6. You can select the table by clicking on it (or use tab key from within a field) and then go back to the Table icon to edit the table setting (or add/delete rows, etc.)

7. To save a table setup for future use, go to the Source tab and select all of the table code (starting with <table and ending with /table>, copy the selected text

8. Go to the Project tab and select Contribution Setup

9. Select "Standard Document" from the Document Type list.

10. Select the "Standard Document.ddf" file.

11. Click on "Body Text"

12. Click on "Define Reusable Content"

13. Click on "New"

14. Name the code snippet and then paste the table code you have copied

15. Click "Apply"

16. Check in the ddf and approve

17. Table code will now be available in all Body Text fields via the "Content" icon

Avoid the never ending list

2008-03-25T10:16:00.003-04:00

Many users have complained that they can't end a list once they start one. When you click on the "List" icon in the header menu, you can easily add an ordered or unordered list to your page. When you click the "Return" key it prompts you to add another item to the list. Usually two quick clicks of the Return key will end the list and return your cursor to the left margin. However, if you ever get "stuck in a list" and pressing the Return key continues to give you a new list-item prompt, simply click the "Outdent" icon in the header menu and you will be out of the list.

Clearing all formatting

2008-03-05T15:11:00.001-05:00

When you are working in the Collage editor you may sometimes have unwanted bold, italics or other formatted text. Sometimes selecting a bold word, phrase or paragraph and clicking the Bold icon fails to unbold the text. You can clear any formatted text by selecting it (you can use the select-all command, ctrl-a on the PC, to select all your text) and then clicking the "Clear Formatting" link at the bottom right corner of the editor window.

Search to save time

2008-03-05T13:44:00.007-05:00

Note: You must have Deploy Folders access to do this. (You should be able to see "Deploy Folders" under the Content tab.)

If you have been working on a bunch of files in various folders, you'll find that it's very tedious and annoying to have to go hunting for files that need to be checked in or approved. Collage has a handy search function that will allow you to find all files that are checked out or that need to be approved.

Go to the Content tab and switch to the the Search area.

Select the checkbox next to "User" to see who has what files checked out. The default user is you ("current user"), but you may also search for "any user" or a specific user. Clicking the Search button will show you all the files that are checked out.

To check in all the files at once, select the checkbox above the checkboxes for the individual file names. This will select all the files in the list and then you can click the Check In icon to check the files in.

Finding all the files that need to be approved is a similar process. In the Search area, deselect the "User" checkbox and select the "Approval" checkbox. (If you have them both selected, it will search for files that are checked out AND not approved.)

Search for "latest is not approved" and click the Search button. To approve all the files at once, select the checkbox above the checkboxes for the individual file names. This will select all the files in the list and then you can click the Approve icon to approve all the files.

Welcome...

2008-03-05T13:29:00.005-05:00

I was attempting to figure out a way to best present this information and after struggling a bit trying to add it to the Collage training site, I decided to make a blog.

This way you can subscribe to the RSS feed to be notified every time a new tip is added. Also, this system will make it easy for anyone on the Creative Services team to add a tip and for anyone in the Collage user community to comment on the content.