Use Manual mode to create a widget

What's inside this article:

• Basic information
• Use Manual mode
• Add a content page
• Add a custom item
• Set the position of an item
• Build a custom teaser
• Remove an item

Basic information

Manual mode give you full control over the widget content. This option 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 by a web editor on the widget edit page. The position for each item is also set manually. Manual mode allows the following item types:

• Content: A link to a content page on your website. For each content page, you can use the automatic teaser or build a custom teaser.
• Custom: A link to any URL (including external pages). For each custom item, you need to manually define the headline, image, and URL.

As time passes, the widget content will remain unchanged, unless it is manually updated.

Use Manual mode

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

You can add the following item types:

• Content page
• Custom item

Add a content page

The widget can provide links to one or more content pages. For example, the widget might share 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

Add 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 your own site that are not content pages (such as Section pages)
• Content pages from partner sites under the same entity.

Follow these steps:

1. Select Add manual content / Edit manual content.
2. Select + Add custom item.

You can then build your custom item. For example, you might add a headline and a horizontal image. You should only add elements that are supported on the current widget layout.

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

• Link to Category: A link to a Category page on your own site.
• Link to Section: A link to a Section page on your own site.
• Link to Infopage: A link to an Infopage on your own site.
• Link to Special page: A link to a Special page on your own site.
• Manual link: A link to any URL (including external webpages).

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 your own 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).

Build a custom teaser

The widget displays a simple teaser for each promoted story. In most cases, the elements that you see in the teaser (such as the title and image) are defined automatically, according to the metadata for the story.

In Manual mode, you might build a custom teaser for any story that is promoted on the widget. Your custom teaser will be shown on the current widget only.

For example, you might:

• Select an eye-catching image or loop video to show on the widget instead of the Main visual for the story.
• Create a short, engaging headline to show on the widget instead of the general title for the story.

Follow these steps:

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

   

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

   

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.