Use Manual mode to create a widget

What's inside this article:

• Basic information
• Use Manual mode
• Promote content pages
• Create a custom item
• Set the position of an item
• Create a custom teaser
• Remove an item

Basic information

Manual mode is available for creating the following widget types in Pangea CMS:

• Breaking news
• Content
• FactCheck
• Multimedia
• Poll
• Slide-in

When Manual mode is enabled, the widget can include up to 20 individual items. Each item is selected manually on the widget edit page in Pangea CMS. You can set the position for each item. You can also choose from the following item types:

• Content: A link to any content page on your website. For each content page that is promoted on the widget, you can either use the automatic teaser or create a custom teaser.
• Custom: A link to any URL (including external websites). For each custom item on the widget, you need to define the headline, image, and URL.

After publication, the widget content behaves as follows:

• No item is removed from the widget, unless it is removed manually.
• Every item stays in its set position, unless it is moved manually.

To remove, replace, or move an item, you need to make the change manually from the widget edit page.

Use Manual mode

To enable Manual mode, go to the Content section of the widget edit page and select the Manual tab.

The following options are available:

• Promote content pages
• Create a custom item

Promote content pages

The widget can promote one or more content pages. For example, the widget might promote a collection of Article pages on a particular topic.

To select one or more content pages to promote on the widget:

1. Select Add manual content.

   

2. Search for and select each content page you want to promote. After selecting all the content pages, select Save.

   

For information about how to search for content in Pangea CMS, see the following article:

• Run a content search

Create a custom item

In Manual mode, you might add a custom item to the widget. A custom item is a link to any URL. This is useful for links to:

• Pages on external sites (such as social media accounts)
• Pages on the current site that are not content pages (such as Section pages)
• Content pages from external sites under the same entity.

Follow these steps:

1. Select Add manual content.
2. Select + Add placeholder.

You can then add the elements to include in the custom item. For example, you might add the Title (or headline) and a Horizontal image. You should only add the elements that will be visible on the current widget.

Under Link, define the URL for the link. The following options are available:

• Link to Category: A link to a Category page on the current site.
• Link to Section: A link to a Section page on the current site.
• Link to Infopage: A link to an Infopage on the current site.
• Link to Special page: A link to a Special page on the current site.
• Manual link: A link to any other URL (including pages on external sites).

For all options except Manual link, the link will open in the same window. For a Manual link, the following options are available under Link option:

• Open in same window: Always use this option for links to the same site.
• Open in new tab: You might use this option for links to external sites.

Set the position of an item

To set the position of an item, use the drop-down menu in the bottom-left corner of the item box. For example, if you select 1, the item will be positioned first (at the top of the widget).

Create a custom teaser

The widget displays a simple preview (or teaser) for each promoted content page. In most cases, the elements in the teaser (such as the title and image) are defined automatically, according to the metadata for the page.

In Manual mode, you might create a custom teaser for any content page that is promoted on the widget. Your custom teaser is displayed on the current widget only.

For example, you might:

• Select an eye-catching image or Loop video to display on the widget instead of the Main visual for the content page.
• Create a short, engaging headline to display on the widget instead of the general Title for the content page.

Follow these steps:

1. Select Add teaser / Edit teaser in the item box.

   

2. Add the custom element(s) that you want to display in the teaser. The remaining elements will be defined automatically, according to the metadata for the page. You should only add the elements that will be visible on the current widget. When you are ready, select Update widget teaser.

   

For more detailed information, see the following article:

• Customize a widget teaser

Remove an item

To remove an item from the widget, select the trash button in the item box.