how to use Extended properties for entries

[johnny-hunter]

Hello there:

This is my first time to post a question in this forum. And I am very new to serendipity.
I did do a search in the forum about "Extended properties for entries" plugin, seem my question is too basic to have an answer.

I've installed the plugin and I know I can set custom fields to my likes, however, where do I define the field's value? Say, I am here to define a field, img, and its value should be some image file in the media library, how should I take advantage of the plugin?

Should it be img=path_to_the_file,...?

Thank you for your clarification!
John

[yellowled]

I've installed the plugin and I know I can set custom fields to my likes, however, where do I define the field's value?

In the plugin's configuration (which you reach by clicking on the plugin's title under “Configure plugins”) is a textarea where you can enter a comma-seperated list of names for custom fields. There are also some instructions as to how to use the fields you defined in your template files. (Note that they can not be used in an entry's or page's content area, just in template files.)

YL

[johnny-hunter]

thanks Yellowled. But I guess I didn't make myself understonnd: I knew where to enter the fields, problem is that I don't know how to use it. I did read the comment above the text area, still it appeared obscured to me. Just be mindful I am really new to php, not to say serendipity.

Say, I entered "img" and wanted to associate it with a image file's path, how do i do that? Do I have to modify entries.tpl to set the value?

Thanks for the help
John

[yellowled]

I knew where to enter the fields, problem is that I don't know how to use it.

After entering custom fields in the plugin's config, you'll find a textarea including a ”pick from media db” button for each custom field at the very bottom of the entry editor (new entry or edit entry in the menu). There you can enter text values or pick an image from the media db, the custom fields are very flexible in terms of content. You'll need to save the entry if you changed something there.

Whatever you enter here will be stored in a variable which you can emit in your .tpl files.

YL

[Don Chambers]

Let's say you want to create a custom entry property named "MyImage". So in the configuration of the Extended Properties for Entries plugin, you add this property/field name (MyImage).

Each entry will have this property. You can select the image from your media library via the "media" button next to the field, or you can directly enter the path to the image yourself.

To use the value in your entries.tpl file will look something like this:

Code: Select all

{$entry.properties.ep_MyImage}

You can find a complete explanation here: http://www.s9y.org/78.html in the section labeled ""Custom Fields".

Having said all this, I know you are using my Kinetic template. Kinetic utilizes extended property fields for images. You can find a brief tutorial on it here.

[johnny-hunter]

Thanks a lot to Don and Yellowled. Yes, I've read those articles, I can now add the image to one of my entries. But what I intended to do was to create a the gallery sliders on my frontpage, like Don did for his kinetic site.

In managed styles-> "Options for featured content gallery box." I can set the home category and a blank box did appear on the page, I don't know, however, how to proceed beyond this point.

John

[Don Chambers]

In managed styles-> "Options for featured content gallery box." I can set the home category and a blank box did appear on the page, I don't know, however, how to proceed beyond this point.

I need to update the tutorials for Kinetic - the featured content slider feature is more recent than the tutorials.

[Don Chambers]

See this post for instructions on using Kinetic's featured content gallery. Reply to that post if you have any further questions and I will try my best to reply quickly.

[johnny-hunter]

Thanks a bunch Don. I noticed the screenshot in your post, in the dropdown for "category to retrieve", "Featured Content Gallery" is selected. I don't have this category in my configuration page, I guess it's a built-in category that I might have missed out? So far I still not able to figure it out.
John

[Don Chambers]

Thanks a bunch Don. I noticed the screenshot in your post, in the dropdown for "category to retrieve", "Featured Content Gallery" is selected. I don't have this category in my configuration page, I guess it's a built-in category that I might have missed out? So far I still not able to figure it out.
John

No - it is not a built-in category... it is merely the name I chose for that category. You can create whatever category name you want, then assign that category to the featured content gallery. Names like, Featured, News, Home, Top Stories, whatever you want.... just create a category that you want to use for your Featured Content Gallery. Assign that category in the template's configuration page. Entries you assign to that category will then appear in the Gallery. There is a template option to determine how many of the most recent entries will appear, and obviously each should have an image.