Managing Your Section Layouts

To manage your Sections, log into your Metro Publisher work site as an Admin or Editor and click on the "Sections" tab. Find the section you'd like to edit and click the "Edit" button. While the newest Section Editor allows both Admins and Editors to manage Sections, only Admins can create new Sections.

• What is a Section Layout?
• Managing Section Layouts
• Settings for Content and Searches

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Creating an Automated Homepage Layout

 

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Creating an Easy Section Layout

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What is a Section Layout?

Layouts are just different configurations of Sprockets for your Sections which can be saved as drafts. Only one layout may be live at one time for each Section.

Example: Two different homepage layouts

One way publishers can utilize different layouts would be, for example, major news days. You could create a layout where the top stories are in a large Carousel Sprocket (above right) which you might use for a news day where there is a major story you'd like to highlight at the top pf the page. For normal news days, you might want to show a Slider Sprocket (above left) with more than one story above the fold.

With more than one layout for the Homepage at the ready, editors can switch the Homepage's layout in reaction to changes in the the news of the day.

There are many possibilities for how this feature can be used.

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Managing Section Layouts

All Section pages, including the Homepage can be found within the "Sections" tab. To begin editing a Section, click the "Edit" button.

Layout Overview Table

On the Section edit page, there is a table that displays the various layouts that have already been created for this Section.  

Example: Table Displaying Current Layout Versions

1. Title – Layouts have unique titles. Give your layouts titles that describe their usage. This will help keep things organized.
2. State – Displays whether a layout is live, scheduled, or in draft mode.
3. Issued – Displays the issue date of the live page and any layouts in draft mode that are scheduled to go live.
4. Edit/Delete – Click these to edit or delete a layout.
5. New Layout – Click this button to create a new layout for this Section. Give your layouts titles that describe their usage. This will help keep things organized.

 

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Managing Sprockets Within Section Layouts

Once you have created a new layout, you'll need to insert Sprockets in order organize the grid and populate content for the section page. One major feature of the new Section Editor is a responsive grid system for the layout of the Section pages which functions because of a series of new responsive Sprockets designed specifically for this use.

Read more about the display options for Sprockets.

 

Layout Edit Page Inheriting Sprockets

When you first arrive at the edit page for a new layout, you will see a default setup with Sprockets being "inherited" from the parent Section. This default setting is to make the initial work configuring your Section pages easier.

For Subsections, the parent is the Section to which it is assigned. For Sections, the parent is the Homepage. The Homepage is the top most level in the hierarchy of your website and, therefore, is the parent to everything.

You can leave it as is or customize the layout for this page.

Example: Layout in its default state – inheriting sprockets from its parent.

1. Layout Title – Internal title used only within your work site. Does not display on public pages.
2. Issued – Issue date for this layout page. Functions like issue date on content – defines date/time that this layout will appear live. Use this feature to schedule a future go live date/time for your layouts.
3. Inherit Sprockets from Parent – Default state for new layouts. Sprockets cannot be edited when inherited from parent. To customize your layout, uncheck this option.

 

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To customize your layout, uncheck the option to "Inherit Sprockets from Parent." You'll then see the Layout Editor in an empty state.

Example: Empty Layout Editor

1. Add Sprocket – Adds new or existing Sprockets. Sprockets are responsive and will automatically fill the space into which they are inserted.
2. Add Container – Adds a wrapping Container to group Sprockets together. This can be useful to ensure that certain Sprockets stay grouped at mobile sizes.

Now, add Sprockets or Containers to set up the grid for this Section.

 

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Layout Edit Page with Customized Layout

Once you've added Sprockets, you'll see a variety of edit options.

Example: Layout Editor with Several Sprockets and Containers

1. Trash Icon – Removes Sprocket. Sprocket is NOT deleted, just removed from this position in the layout. 
   
2. Width Adjustment Tool – Adjusts width of the Sprocket or Container.
3. Drag and Drop Icon – Moves Sprockets and Containers by dragging and dropping.
4. Pencil Icon – Opens Sprocket Editor.

Please note that the containers aren't divided into 1/6th each as the blocks for width adjustment may indicate. They are a user interface tool to avoid overwhelming users with percentages.

Below is the specific sizing in percentages:

1 block selected = 25% (1/4)

2 blocks selected = 33% (1/3)

3 blocks selected = 50% (1/2)

4 blocks selected = 66% (2/3)

5 blocks selected = 75% (3/4)

6 blocks selected = 100%

Therefore, a combination of 1 block, 3 blocks, and 2 blocks, for example, calculates into 25%+50%+33%.

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Settings for Content & Searches

The Section Editor has separate settings found below the layout area that are for Sprockets that you would like to display on Content pages, including Event Searches and Location Searches, within that Section.

Please note: Topics Pages inherit right rail Content Sprockets from the Homepage/Root Section only.

 

Example: Article Setting Options

1. Inherit Sprockets from Parent – Refers to Content Sprockets only, which are different from any right rail Sprockets you may add on your Section landing pages. Default state for new layouts. Sprockets cannot be edited when inherited from parent. To customize your Sprockets, uncheck this option.
2. Content Sprockets – Drag and drop to rearrange order after adding Sprockets manually.
3. Edit/Remove – Edit button opens the Sprocket Editor. Remove button removes the Sprocket from the right rail on Content. The Sprocket is NOT deleted, just removed from this position in the layout.

Sprocket Placement on Content

There are now four specific placements for Sprockets on content pages – the right rail, above content, within content, and below content.

All of these are static placements except for the Sprockets within content. Sprockets within the flow of content repeat at a certain specified interval depending on the length of the article.

• Specify the number of words between Sprockets embedded within content. This defines how often Sprockets will appear within the flow of a story.
• If you place a single Sprocket within the flow of the content, it will repeat every X number of words.
• If you place more than one Sprocket within the flow, those sprockets will appear in order every X number of words until the last Sprocket is reached, then repeat.