This page will take you through the process of adding a new Post to your Web site. Posts are the individual pieces of content that populate a Post Type, such as news articles, calendar events, or blog entries. Ensure you have an existing Post Type before beginning this tutorial.

 

Step 1 - Click the "Posts" Tab

Begin by clicking the tab labeled "Posts," located in the menu at the top of any HillTop page. This will bring you to the Posts section, which lists your existing Post Types in seperate boxes. 

Next, click the link labeled "+Add a new post," below the header of the appropriate Post Type (ex. "Press Releases").

 

Step 2 - Complete the Form

Once you click the link, you will be taken to the form for creating a new post, as seen in the images below. The form is divided into six sections, each with their own fields and options. This step will detail those sections.

Depending on your User permissions, some sections may not appear. This is a feature of HillTop, and will not prevent you from creating a new Post. Also, note that all fields marked with an asterisk (*) are necessary for submitting the form.

1. 

In the opening section, you will title your post, enter the content, add optional images, select the publication date, and determine whether visitors can view this post. Each subsection is explained in detail below.

*Title: This will be the title of your new post. It will appear both in the Post Browser, which provides a listing of your Posts, and at the top of the individual post itself.

*Date: These fields set the date, or date range, for your post. Clicking in a field will create a pop-up calendar tool, which allows you to choose a date by clicking on the appropriate day of the month.

For Posts such as news articles, blog entries, single day calendar events, etc., you will enter the creation/publication date in the first field, and the second field will auto-fill with a copy of that date. For calendar event entries that span multiple days, you will use the respecive fields for the start and end dates of your event.

If you are creating a calendar entry that occurs at a specific time of day, uncheck the box labeled "All Day?" to add the time of the event.

Image: This field allows you to add an image to your post, for posts that will be featured in the homepage carousel. You can select an existing image from your warehouse, or upload a new image from your computer. Clicking on the box labeled "No image" will remove any added images. 

Content: This field will contain the main content of your Post. You would enter your press release, news article, or latest blog entry into this field. This is also where you would enter the description for your calendar events. The WYSIWYG toolbar at the top of the text box is used to format your content.

Abstract: The abstract is a short summary of the content in your new Post. 

Note: The content of this field may or may not appear on the site, depending on how the site has been configured.

Published?: These Yes/No radio buttons determine whether your post is currently viewable by the site's visitors.

2.

The Feature Groups section allows you to "feature" selected posts. For example, the "Homepage" feature group allows you to add the post to the carousel/slider on the homepage.

Homepage: Selecting this Feature Group will add the post to the homepage carousel. Use the "From" and "To" fields to select a date range during which the post will be "featured." Leaving the "To" field blank will feature the post indefinitely. 

Note: If a picture is not attached in the "Image" section, a default image will be shown in the carousel. 

3.

The Display Options section is used to set an internal Post designator, add an optional subtitle or by line, and create embargos.

*Name: This field will auto-complete based on the title - no input is necessary. This field is used as an internal designation for the post, and will appear only in the post's URL (not in the post itself).

If you would like to add a custom name, use a simple, unique, and memorable name. Note, spaces and special characters (&, %, $, etc.) are not allowed in this field.

Subtitle: This field allows you to enter an optional subtitle for your Post. Note, not all Web sites are designed to use the "Subtitle" field. If you would like this functionality added, please contact [email protected].

By Line: This field allows you to enter the Post author's name, which will be displayed in an optional by line. Note, not all Web sites are designed to use the "By Line" field. If you would like this functionality added, please contact [email protected].

Do Not Display Before: This feature allows you to create posts that remain unpublished, but will automatically become viewable to visitors at a date and time of your choosing. For example, you could use this option in combination with Feature Groups to display a Post pertaining to a sporting event directly on your homepage, on the day of the event.

Do Not Display After: This feature allows you to set a limit on how long your post will be viewable by visitors. As in the above example, using this option would allow you to automatically remove a post referencing a future sporting event, once that event has taken place.

4.

If used on the site, you can automatically embed a YouTube video by entering the video's URL in this field. The URL can be copied directly from your browser's address bar, or from the "Share" section. To copy from the "Share" section, click the "Share" button below the video to view the the shortened youtu.be address.

Note: Depending on the website, this may either supercede the "Content" section with the chosen YouTube video, or embed the video at the bottom of the post.

5.

The Related Content section allows you to attach files, such as .pdf or .doc files. You can also use this section to associate other related Posts to the Post you are creating.

Files: Here you can select a file from your Warehouse or upload one from your computer to attach to your Post. Files attached to your Post can be dowloaded by your Web page visitors.

Posts: Here you can choose existing Posts to associate with your new Post. Choose a Post by using the search box and entering the post's name. After selecting a Post, it will then appear in the Preview window. Once you have ensured the correct Post has been selected, click the link labeled "Add to selection."

When you associate existing Posts, the manner in which they will be displayed is dependent upon your Web site's specific layout. For example, depending on your layout, the associated Posts may display as links under your newly created Post, or they may be displayed as links in the sidebar of your Web page. If you would like to change the way in which your associated Posts display, contact [email protected].

6.

Image Options is an optional section, dependant upon whether you have attached an image to your new Post.

Show on detail view?: If you have attached an image to your Post, this setting gives you the option of showing the image along with the full content of the post, or only having it displayed in the homepage carousel.

7.

The optional Access section allows you to add permissions for other Users, or User Groups, to have editorial access or full ownership of your new Post.

*Permissions: By clicking in the "Add People or Groups" text box, you can search for and give another User or User Group access to your Post. Selecting "Editor" will allow the User or Group to make changes to the Post, while selecting "Owner" gives the User or Group permission to delete the page, in addition to making changes to existing content.

 

Finish - Click Submit

When you have finished completeing all of the necessary sections, click the "Submit" button to create your Post.

To edit your Post, return to your Posts Directory, and click the "View the list of posts" link for the appropriate Post Type, then click the "Edit" button (pencil icon) to the left of the Post title.