This article contains information about cloning the following website items:
What's inside this article:
- About cloning website items
- Open the Editor screen
- Manage versions
- Modify cloned widgets
- Retrieve a sharing link
About cloning website items
How does cloning work?
Cloning lets you create a duplicate version of any website item. The layout and widgets on the clone match the original at the time of creation. You can freely adjust the layout and widgets on the clone, without impacting the original version. However, while a widget on the clone has not been modified, it will continue to inherit all updates from the original version of the widget.
Once you are happy with the updates, set the clone as the active version.
What are the benefits of cloning?
Cloning lets you update a website item privately, without impacting the original version. This is ideal if you need to make significant changes to the content and / or layout. Another benefit is that you can share a link for the clone with colleagues to gather feedback before publishing the updates.
If I modify widgets on the clone, will my changes appear on the original version?
No. When you add, modify, or delete widgets on the clone, the changes are never applied on the original version.
For detailed information, go to Modify cloned widgets.
If I modify widgets on the original version, will my changes appear on the clone?
Maybe. The following conditions apply when you modify widgets on the original version:
- If the equivalent widget on the clone has not been modified, it inherits all updates from the original version.
- If the equivalent widget on the clone has been modified, it does not inherit updates from the original version.
For detailed information, go to Modify cloned widgets.
Can I change the layout of the clone?
Yes. You can use Layout builder to adjust the layout of the clone. When you add, move, or delete layout blocks, the changes only apply on the clone.
Moving layout blocks does not affect the behavior of cloned widgets. So after you move a block that contains a cloned widget, the widget will continue to inherit updates from the original version.
What is the maximum number of versions?
By default, Pangea CMS permits a maximum of two versions for each website item. Contact us to increase the number of permitted versions for your website.
Open the Editor screen
To open the Editor screen for your chosen website item:
- Go to Sections in the top menu and select the relevant type of website item.
- Select the specific item you want to manage.
The Editor screen opens.
Manage versions
You can check the current versions that exist for the website item in the Versions drop-down menu. Use the drop-down menu to select the version you want to edit.
The current active version is marked with the Active badge. This version is visible on the public website if the website item is published.
The following options are available:
Create a clone
To create a new clone:
- Ensure the version you want to clone is selected in the drop-down menu.
- Hit the Clone selected version icon.
- Under Version Title, add a name to identify the version in Pangea CMS. The title is not visible on the public website. You can change the title later if needed. Hit Clone to confirm.
The Editor screen for the clone opens.
For information about the conditions for modifying widgets on a clone, go to the following section:
Change the active version
The active version is visible on the public website if the website item is published.
To change the active version:
- Ensure the version you want to set as active is selected in the drop-down menu.
- Hit the Set selected version active icon.
The selected version is now active.
Change the title of a version
To change the title of a version:
- Ensure the version you want to rename is selected in the drop-down menu.
- Hit the Edit selected version icon.
- Enter the new title in the Version Title box, and select Save.
The new title is now applied.
Delete a version
To delete an existing version:
- Ensure the version you want to delete is selected in the drop-down menu.
- Hit the Delete selected version icon, then select Delete to confirm the action.
The selected version is now deleted and cannot be restored.
Modify cloned widgets
The following conditions apply for modifying widgets on a clone:
- Widgets that have not been modified via the clone are treated as cloned. Cloned widgets inherit all updates from the original version.
- Widgets that have been modified via the clone are treated as independent. Independent widgets do not inherit updates from the original version.
Via the Editor screen for a clone, you can verify if each widget is currently cloned or independent. If a widget is cloned, you see the Cloned label (widget A below). If you do not see this label, the widget is independent (widget B below).
Go to ≡ (three lines) > Edit to modify a widget. For cloned widgets, you see a message explaining that the widget will become independent after it is modified. Hit Continue to proceed.
Retrieve a sharing link
You can retrieve a sharing link for a clone and send it to colleagues. This allows colleagues to conveniently review changes without navigating through Pangea CMS. The link can also be shared with collegues who do not have access to Pangea CMS.
To retrieve the sharing link for a clone:
- Under Versions, use the drop-down menu to select the version you want to share.
- Hit the Live site button.
- The sharing link is available in the address bar.
The link is valid for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes have passed, you can generate another link by following the steps above.
