List Sprocket (deprecated)

Overview 

The List Sprocket allows you to create link lists of selected content either manually or with automated filters. Use this sprocket to highlight articles, events or external content.

Sprocket Attributes 

1. Headline: This is a dynamic text headline that will appear at the top of the sprocket if no headline image is used. Example 01 above shows where the text header appears. If no headline image is used, then the text that you put into the 'Headline' field will appear in the sprocket as a text header.
2. Headline Image: Inserting a Headline Image gives flexibility to visually differentiate the sprocket. The Headline Image, if one is used, replaces the dynamic text headline. The look and feel of the sprocket is determined by the CSS that is controlling the overall look and feel of the site, but you may also visually differentiate your sprockets by inserting a graphical header here. Example 02 above shows what happens if you used a Headline Image in place of the dynamic text headline. In this example, an image has been inserted that has a more graphically interesting headline as part of the image.
   

   NOTE: Keep in mind that the image must be cropped properly for the space this sprocket will be placed into. If you use a headline image, the width should be 300 pixels for the Right Rail and 225 pixels for the Left Rail on the Homepage.
   
   NOTE: This feature is not available for Standard users.

   
   
   
3. Show Issue Date and Section/Blog: Check this option if you want the issue date and section for each link to appear below the title of each item in the list.
4. Description: If you want a description to appear in the sprocket, enter it here.
5. Title: This is the sprocket title that is displayed in the admin. Name your sprocket something that is obvious and descriptive. 
6. Description: Descriptive text that appears only in the admin, but will not appear on your public site. You can use this field to write notes about the sprocket.
7. Usage: This field will indicate where the sprocket is placed within your public site.

Automatic Links

If you choose to automate the links that appear in your list, you will see a set of options like those pictured above.

1. Most Recent: Select the number of links you want to be displayed.
2. Within the last # of days: Check this option to limit the content that appears in the list to a certain number of days since the issue date. leave blank if you do not want a limit.
3. Of Type: Here you can select from various content types to appear.
   
   • Article
   • Event
   • Review
   • Review (Album)
   • Review (Book)
   • Review (Location)
   • Review (Product)
   • Location
4. Section/Subsection/Blog: Select one of these if you want to restrict the results from a  particular section/subsection(s) or blog(s).
5. Tags: Add a further filtering based on tags. Search for and select one or more tags.

Hand-picked Links

Sample Manual Link Table

If you decide to select your links manually, you will see a table like the one pictured above. This where you will add and remove links.  The links that you add will be inserted into the sprocket for placement in your public site.  When you click "Add Link" the "Content Selector" window will appear: The "Content Selector" window is a library of your content.  Here you have the option to choose from all of your pre-existing content, slideshow, locations, and directory listings. You can also insert links to external websites

NOTE: At this time, it is not possible to edit links that you have inserted into a link sprocket. If you make a mistake or simply want to edit a link, you must delete the existing link and add another with the corrected informatiion

Revert to Automatic

This sprocket can also be used in your automated newsletters. Since many newsletters are sent on recurring schedules, you can set the sprocket to revert back to automated settings in order to avoid sending the same list of links too often within a campaign. By setting the reversion date, you are allowing the list to switch back to whatever automated filters you have set for it on a particular date. As a sprocket this option has limited use, but it is quite important in the context of a newsletter.

Content Selector

1. Navigation: With the Content Selector you can link to all content types within your site including links directly to slideshows, locations and external websites.
2. Search Filter: Search by keyword and filter by content type.
3. Highlight: You may choose to highlight certain links. If this option is selected, the description and thumbnail image for this link will appear. For content within your system, the description and thumbnail are inherited from the content type itself. This is very similar to how the description and thumbnail image appears for featured stories. External links may also have a description and thumbnail image, but they must be added at the same time when you select a link through the content selector.

External Links

The Manual List sprocket is the only sprocket where you can add descriptive text and/or thumbnail image to an external link.  As a result, the process for adding an external link is slightly different than selecting an article that already exists in your database.

1. External Link Text: Here you may choose to display text that is easier for your readers to understand than the actual URL. This is the text that will appear as a link on the sprocket. Additionally, this is the link that will appear in the admin. You must input text here.
2. External Link URL: This is the complete URL for the external link. You must include the entire URL.
3. External Link Description: Type in the descriptive text here. This will only be seen by your readers if you select this link to be "highlighted' in the sprocket. Read how to highlight links below.
4. External Link Image: Upload the image you want to use here. The image width for the thumbnail is 75 pixels. This will only be seen by your readers if you select this link to be "highlighted' in the sprocket. Read how to highlight links below.

Reorder Links

Once you have selected links for the Manual List, they can be reordered by simply dragging and dropping.