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A tutorial presented by MATRF

| Complied & Designed by Sean Callot & Daniel T. Richards

Inside Youll Find...

Getting Started ................ 2 Your Workspace ................ 3 Your First Page .................. 4 Your Edit Screen ............... 5 System Information .......... 6 Basic Content ................... 7 Images ............................... 9 Batch File Upload ............ 11 Blocks ............................... 12 More Tools ........................ 13 The Left Nav ..................... 14 Publishing Procedures .... 16 Publishing ......................... 17

Getting Started
Be sure to check these side boxes for helpful hints, tips, and tricks. (And a joke or two occasionally.)

A brief introduction to Cascade

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Cascade Server Content Management System. This program is an internet-based content management system designed to allow users to update their websites from any computer with internet access. Cascade has a relatively low learning curve, and all Cascade contributors are required to attend basic orientation to the system. However, this tutorial covers all the basics and will help you become more proficient with this new system.

How do I access Cascade?

Visit http://cascade.clemson.edu from any computer with internet access. Log in using your Clemson University employee ID. The log in screen should look like this: Two muffins are baking in an oven. One muffin says to the other, Man, its hot in here. The other muffin replies, Whoa! A talking muffin!

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Your Workspace
After you successfully log in, you will see this space: This is the (light) blue toolbar. These are the tabs.

Getting familiar with the Cascade interface

Your root folder will appear here.

This area is the folder hierarchy. Its always important to double check which folder youre working in. Placing files in the wrong folder could be troublesome for other users.

This area is your dashboard.

The folder hierarchy shows you the different levels of folders. Folders and documents that are in line with each other are on the same level. Each time a folder or document is indented to the right, it is one level lower. You can add levels by creating folders within folders within folders etc. Find the folder you want to work in and click on it once to open it. This is your root folder. It contains all the files within your specific website.

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Your First Page

Creating an Index page for your site

The main page of any website is called the index page. Additionally, it must be named index in order for web browsers like Internet Explorer and Firefox to understand that its your homepage. To create the index page for your new site:

Sometimes when you click on New, the drop down menu will simply say Loading. If this happens, wait a few seconds and click New again.

1. Make sure youre in the correct root folder. 2. Click New in the blue toolbar near the top of Cascade. 3. Move the mouse down to highlight Clemson. 4. Move the mouse to the right to highlight the page layout you want. A. In the above example, I chose a Left Column layout. B. Within the Left Column menu, you have three options (explained below). 5. Continue to the next section to learn how to make important edits to your newly created index page. P.S. - Use these same steps to create subsequent pages and folders in your site.

What do the different page options mean?

Left Column pages Left Nav is your basic page with the navigation on the left side and nothing on the right side. Left Nav Departmental is for department sites. Left Nav Program is for program sites. Three Column pages You have all the same options except that instead of just a left navigation, these pages include a right side area (a spotlight area) for content that is separate from your main content space. Full page has no navigation, just room for content across the page. Its generally not a good idea to it, but you may, occasionally, have the need. Do not use Right Column at the bottom of the menu.

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Insert Special Character

Cut

Your Edit Screen

Getting familiar with the Edit options

After creating a new page, you should see this screen in your Dashboard area:

Subscript

Copy

Superscript Bold Italics Underline Strikethrough Left Justify Center Justify

Paste

Find & Replace

Spell Check

Unordered List

Ordered List

Outdent

Indent

Right Justify Full Justify

Undo

You are currently in Edit mode. When using this interface, you can change any of the editable regions of your webpage. This includes the Display Name (the name in the left navigation), Title (the name at the top of the page), Author (the name of the entire website), and all of your content. Before you insert content, though, make sure to change your system options. Learn how on the next page. Create a Link

Redo Styles (Dont use)

Delete a Link

Create an Anchor

Help

Erase Formatting

Insert an Image Format options (Pre-set by Clemson, but you can still use them if youd like)

Edit HTML

Insert Table

Clean Up Messy HTML

Insert Horizontal Rule

Turn Off / Turn On Invisible Guides

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System Information
Naming examples: Pretend youre the web curator for the Clemson University Shakespeare site. Your web address, established by the Office of Web Services, is www.clemson.edu/caah/shakespeare That address will automatically display the index file in your root folder. If you want to create a page about performances, you would probably want to give it a System Name of performances. In that case, the web address will be www.clemson.edu/caah/shakespeare/ performances.html

Changing the file name and other system info

Before you make major edits, its a good idea to change your system information. To do so, click on System in the darker blue bar. The first option is System Name. This is the name that will appear as the web addressunless you name it index in which case the web address will be your home page address. If youre confused, see the side bar to the left for more information. Be sure to use all lowercase letters. Also, no spaces. Once youve entered a System Name (index in this case), make sure the Parent Folder is correct. This is where you want your page to reside. Finally, make sure Publish and Index have check marks by them. If you dont want to include this page when publishing, then do not check it. The same goes for indexing. For the most part, youre going to want to check both. When youre finished, your screen should look similar to this:

Indexing refers to the process of establishing links within your site. Only in very rare instances will you want to turn it off. Basically, youll want to turn it off when you dont want a page or a folder to appear in the left hand navigation on your published website. Well talk more about this in the section on images. If youre done with the page for now, be sure to click the Submit button at the bottom of the screen. If youre not done and would like to learn more about editing content, click on the Content button in the dark blue bar and read on.

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Basic Content

Inserting basic information and linking

The basic editing interface works a lot like Microsoft Word or any number of editing products. Take a closer look:

If youre going to be copying and pasting information, make sure you use the keyboard commands instead of right-clicking with the mouse. For some reason, certain Internet browsers do not function properly when copying and pasting with the mouse buttons. To copy using the keyboard: CTRL+C (Command+C on Macs) To paste using the keyboard: CTRL+V (Command+V on Macs)

How do I insert basic content?

Click in the large white area and type, paste, or otherwise insert information.

How do I create a link?

1. Highlight the text (or click on the image) that you want to make a link. 2. Click on the link icon: 3. This interface will appear:

4. If youre linking to a page or document within your root folder, use the Internal tab. If youre looking to a page outside of your root folder, use the External tab. Well cover external linking in a moment. For now, click on the Internal tab. Linking continued on the next page

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Linking continued 5. Select the blue page icon near the top of the linking interface: 6. A new interface will appear:

7. Fine the page or document youre looking for using the mini-hierarchy on the left. 8. Once youve found the page or document you want to link to, click Confirm. 9. Now that youre back in the main linking interface, click Insert.

How do I insert a link to a page outside of my website?

Changing the Target will effect how the external link opens. Same Window means that the link will appear in the browser window currently open. New Window means that the browser will open a window to display the link, leaving the prior page open as well. 3. Type the web address into the Link field. 4. Click Insert. Now that you have linking down, lets move on to images. Were done editing at the moment, so click Submit to keep your changes. IMPORTANT: Always click Submit at the bottom when youre done making edits. 1. Click on the linking icon. 2. When the linking interface appears, click on the External tab:

= Your best friend MATRF Cascade Manual 8

Images
Why do golfers always wear two polo shirts? In case they get a hole in one.

Uploading, inserting, and using Alt tags

Before you upload any images, its a good idea to have an images folder.

How do I create a new folder?

Its the same basic steps as creating a new page: 1. Make sure youre in the correct root folder.

2. Click New in the blue toolbar near the top of Cascade. 3. Move the mouse down to highlight Clemson. 4. Move the mouse to the right and down to highlight Folder. 5. Insert a system name (all lowercase, no spaces). 6. Uncheck Indexing (otherwise it will show up in your left navigation) 6. Click Submit.

How do I put images in my images folder?

1. Click New in the blue toolbar near the top of Cascade. 2. Move the mouse down to highlight Clemson. 3. Move the mouse to the right and down to highlight File. 4. A new interface will appear:

Images continued on the next page

MATRF Cascade Manual

Images continued 5. Click Browse and find the image on your computer. 6. Once youve found the image, you can give it a new system name or let the image name be the new system name (the second option is easier). 7. Click Submit. The image should now be in your images folder. P.S. - Use these same steps to upload any type of file into any folder.

How do I insert the image in a webpage?

1. Click on the webpage you want to edit. 2. When the page appears in your dashboard, click the Edit tab. This brings you back to the edit mode we were working in earlier. 3. When the edit mode loads, click on the image icon: 4. This interface will appear:

Its bad web etiquette to externally link to images on other websites. Doing so uses up resources where the image is located. (So, this manual does not cover external image linking.)

The Alternate Text serves two functions: 1. It will appear if the image is unable to load, letting the viewer know an image was supposed to go there. 2. It gets read by screen reading programs that help handicapped users navigate the Internet. 5. Click on the square orange icon to choose your image. 6. A new interface will appear. Its identical to the linking interface. Find your file using the mini-hierarchy on the left side. 7. Once youve found your file, click Confirm. 8. You can now change some of the attributes of your image, but you MUST insert an Alternate Text. It should be a brief description of the image. 9. When youre done editing the attributes and inserting the Alt text, click Insert. Your image should now appear in the content area of your page.

How do I delete an image?

Click on the image you want to delete and press the Delete key.

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Batch File Upload

Uploading multiple files at one time

Sometimes it will be beneficial to upload several files at one time instead of individually. In this case, youll want to do a Batch File Upload. Before you can do anything in Cascade, youll have to ready your files on your computer by putting them in a ZIP archive. Many computers will be different. The following instructions are for computers in the MATRF lab.

How do I make a ZIP archive in the MATRF?

1. Collect all the files you want to upload in one folder. 2. Highlight them all. (Click on the first one, hold CTRL, and type A.) 3. Right click on the highlighted items and choose Add to Archive. 4. Change the Archive Format to ZIP. 5. Click OK. Now youre ready to upload your ZIP archive to Cascade.

How do I upload a ZIP archive to Cascade?

1. Click on the folder where you want the uploaded files to reside.

Dont worry about file name conflicts. Cascade will automatically change file names that conflict by adding a number like (2) to the end of the newest file.

5. Click on Tools in the blue toolbar. 6. Move your mouse down to Import. 7. Move your mouse to the right to Zip Archive. 8. A new interface will appear that will ask you to browse for your archive. 9. Browse for the archive on your computer. 10. Once youve found it, click Submit. The files will automatically unpack in the folder your chose.

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Blocks

Feature, Footer, and Head

Blocks are optional sections of your webpage that you may use to improve its look and layout. There are four basic blocks you can use: FEATURE, FOOTER, HEAD, and RIGHTNAV. (The HEAD block is the only one that isnt immediately visible.)

FEATURE block You are not required to use any of these blocks. (Although, we would suggest at least using the FOOTER block to let people know your contact information.) Whether or not you use them, there are a few things you should know: FEATURE: In order to completely eliminate this block, you have to edit its HTML. Do so by entering Edit mode and clicking on the HTML button. Erase everything inside and type the following: <!-- --> RIGHTNAV: In order to use this block, you must have already chosen a Three Column layout for your page. It will not work otherwise. FOOTER block RIGHTNAV block

How do I edit a blocks content?

Editing a block is just like editing a page. 1. Click on the block you want to edit. 2. Click on the Edit tab in your dashboard. 3. Use any of the available tools to edit your blocks content.

What is the HEAD block?

The HEAD block is used to place Cascading Style Sheets.

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More Tools

Additional basic Cascade functions

How do I copy a page or file within Cascade?
1. Click on the page or file you want to copy. 2. In the dashboard, click on the Copy tab. 3. The interface should look like this:

3. Enter a new system name if youre copying the page or file within the same folder. If youre putting it in a different folder, you are not required to give it another name. 4. Click on the yellow folder by the title Parent Folder. 5. Choose where you want your file to reside. 6. Click confirm. 7. Once youve chosen the Parent Folder, click Submit. If you delete a published page, make sure you have Un-publish Content checked. If you dont, the page may remain live.

How do I delete a page or file within Cascade?

1. Click on the file or page you want to delete. 2. In the dashboard, click on the Delete tab. 3. The interface should look like this:

4. The warnings let you know whether or not a page or file is published and/or if it linked to another page. 5. Confirm that its OK to delete the page or file. 6. Click Submit.

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The Left Nav

Information about the left-hand navigation

You may have noticed that Cascade automatically creates your left-hand navigation based on the folders and pages you create. Heres how it works: Cascade will create a corresponding navigation link for each folder or page within your root folder that has Indexing checked in the system options. This is what a folder hierarchy and its corresponding navigation look like: Root folder

Top level (A) Second level (B) Third level (C) (A) (B) (C)

In order for the sub-links to appear properly, each folder should have its own index page and at least one other page.

Cascade will generate up to three levels of sub-links. The top level links (A) are your main links. They should be the most broad. The second level links (B) are specific categories beneath one top level link. The third level links (C) are the most specific categories beneath one of your second level links. You might also notice that the folders and pages in the hierarchy are not in the same order as the links on the published page. Cascade will automatically keep the hierarchy in alphabetical order and the links in order that you created the pages or folders. Left Nav continued on the next page

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Left Nav continued

How do I change the order of the Left Nav links?

1. Click on the root folder (or the folder where you want to reorder the links). 2. This interface should appear in your dashboard: The order of pages / folders that do not have Indexing checked does not matter since they will not show up anyway.

Pages / Folders

Order

Moving Tools

3. Use the Moving Tools under the Action bar to move your pages. A. Move to the top: B. Move up one space: C. Move down one space: D. Move to the bottom: E. Enter Edit mode: F. Delete this page:

How does the Left Nav affect the blocks?

If you put blocks in your root folder, they will apply to all of the pages in your site. You may have different blocks for different pages and folders. Say, for instance, you wanted to have a different FEATURE on your homepage than any other page. To do so: 1. Put a FEATURE block in your root folder that contains the content you want on the homepage. 2. Put a FEATURE block in every subsequent folder that contains the content you want on those pages. 3. Even if you dont want a FEATURE block on any other page, remember that you must put one there anyway (see p. 12) otherwise the block in the root folder will affect all the subsequent pages. A. Remember that an empty block must contain the HTML: <!-- -->

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Publishing Procedures
Guidelines before you actually publish
What kind of vegetable did Gus eat at the bowling alley? A-spare-a-gus! Before you will have access to publish your site, you must have completed several important steps: 1. Cascade Training (which youve probably already completed if youre reading this). 2. Sent an email to Dr. Tharon Howard (tharon@clemson.edu) and Jeannie Davis (eugenia@clemson.edu) letting them know you completed Cascade Training. 2. Met with a MATRF staff member about your site. 3. Sent an email to Dr. Tharon Howard and Jeannie Davis asking for publishing rights to the Development Server. 4. Published your site to the Development Server to make sure everything functions properly. (Youll learn how to do this in a moment.) 5. Received permission from your Department Chair / Program Director / etc. to publish the site to the Production and Backup Servers. 6. Sent an email to Dr. Tharon Howard and Jeannie Davis asking for publishing rights to the Production and Backup Servers. If youve completed these six steps, then youre ready to publish. Continue on to the next section to learn how.

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Publishing

How to publish a site to the multiple servers

Once youre ready to publish, we suggest you always publish to the Development Server first to make sure that everything on your website functions properly.

How do I publish to the Development Server?

1. Click on the root folder (or the page / folder you want to publish). 2. Click on the Publish tab in the dashboard. 3. This interface should appear: The Publish Report option is simply for your record. If it is checked, Cascade will send a report to your dashboard home. Some users find the messages annoying and never check the box.

4. Uncheck Clemson/HTML/Production Backup. 5. Uncheck Clemson/HTML/Production Server. 6. Make sure the Publish button near the bottom is selected. 7. Click Submit. A green bar will appear at the top of the page if you successfully publish.

How do I login to the Development Server to view my site?

1. Go to wwwdev.clemson.edu 2. Login with your employee ID. 3. Go to the address where your site is located.

How do I make my site visible to everyone?

Your site must be published to the Production Server and the Production Backup in order for everyone to view it. In order to do so: 1. Click on your root folder. 2. Click on the Publish tab in the dashboard. 3. When the Publish interface appears, make sure all servers are checked. 4. Make sure the Publish button near the bottom is selected. 5. Click Submit.

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