Moving from classic web development to a CMS like Umbraco:
- A CMS allows editing of content directly in the browser rather than uploading files, and stores content in a database rather than HTML files.
- With a CMS, the URL contains a key to the associated database record rather than directly linking to files.
- For development, you interact with the CMS interface rather than directly editing files, abstracting the underlying technical details.
2. Umbraco is a Content Management System
A CMS is an application(s) that makes it easy
to publish, edit, and manage web based
content.
Typically, a CMS is a web application that
allows editing of the content inside the
browser.
This is an alternative to creating files on your
local computer, then uploading them to the
hosting provider.
3. Classic web sites used collection of HTML
files to store content.
An index.htm or default.htm file would
placed in the root of your www folder.
Each HTML file would contain part of the
completely rendered page.
The URL correlates directly to the file system.
Example - Mysite.com/ContentPage1.htm
4. The web application parses the URL to
determine the action needed
The URL will a contain a ‘key’ to a record in
the database
The method used by the web application may
be unique or may implement a popular
pattern.
Example Umbraco URL
▪ MyUmbracoSite.com/MyPage
5. For general development in a CMS, you don’t
need to understand how it accesses the
content.
You just need to know how to use the CMS to
develop content.
Common Example of Abstraction
Using a key in a car
You don’t need to understand how to wire the
ignition up.
The keyhole is a standard interface.
6. A flexible open-source content management
system developed on the .NET framework
http://umbraco.com/videoplayer.aspx?videoURL=
/assets/umbracotv/introduction/tour/tour.flv
7. Deployment options
Many hosting providers have an Umbraco installation
script available in the hosting interface.
Install locally and publish the files to the remote
server.
▪ In this case, using WebMatrix is an easy way to
install, develop, and deploy your Umbraco installation
▪ http://www.microsoft.com/web/post/installing-umbraco-
with-webmatrix
You can also install Umbraco on Azure
▪ http://umbraco.com/azure
9. You may be required to install other dependencies
during the installation of WebMatrix.
10. If the installation fails, try installing again.
Network issues, for example, can cause a temporary installation issue.
If you continue to get a failed install, investigate the components
that failed to install.
22. At this point the site should be installed and configured.
If you encountered any fatal errors during the configuration, delete the site in
WebMatrix and start over.
Click ‘Preview your new website’ to access the ‘Front End’ (the public facing part)
23. If everything went well, you should see something like this.
The first time you access the page, you may see the ‘customize skin’ popup
appear.
Adjust the settings and click OK
You may be able to do some limited content development from the front
end, but we will use the back end.
24. Access the Back Office area of your site by using “/Umbraco/” after your root url
Example - http://localhost:1605/Umbraco/
The back office is used by the site contributors for developing and managing –
Content
Media
Users/Members
Permissions
Content Types
And other settings
25. Use the ‘Sections’ module to navigate the
Back Office.
Content
▪ Manage the pages or content on the site
▪ Specific permissions can be set on individual content
nodes
Media
▪ Manage the media available in the properties or
configuration items for the content
Users
▪ Manage the Back Office Users
Settings
▪ Manage style sheets, templates, JavaScript, and
media/document types
Developer
▪ Manage data types, macros, scripts, and packages
Members
▪ Manage the members (users) of the public facing site
26. You can change properties for a content item by selecting it in the content
navigator.
Using the tree view to represent the content structure is similar to the way we
typically navigate a computer file system.
The tabs and properties that you see are defined in the content type.
The content tab may contain a rich text editor for modifying the HTML on the
page.
27. Right click tree view nodes
to access a context menu
If you choose ‘create’ a new
node will be created as a
child of the selected node.
Choosing ‘sort’ allows you to
sort the children of the
selected node
28. A document type is like the
foundation of a node on your site.
A document type defines the
properties and tabs available to a
template.
You can define which templates
can use this document type, and
the default template that will be
used.
Setting the ‘structure’ allows you
to restrict where this document
type can be created.
For example –
Suppose you create a document
type of ‘Book Collection’.
You create another document type
of ‘Book’.
You can configure the ‘Book
Collection’ type to only allow
children of type ‘Book’
29. A template defines how a ‘Document Type’ is rendered.
There is support for nested master pages.
A new content node can use any ‘allowed’ template for the
selected document type.
30. A new template can use an existing template as a master.
In the Starterkit templates, both default templates (for the ‘Homepage’
and ‘Textpage’ document types) use the ‘Starterkit Master’ as the
master.
Changes to this template effect all content using this template.
The Umbraco Item tag (<umbraco:item>) references a property
(bodyText) defined in the document type that uses this template.
31. This was a brief overview of a basic Umbraco installation
and configuration. Explore these sites to learn more.
http://our.umbraco.org/documentation
http://umbraco.com/help-and-support/video-tutorials
Also, these topics will take you far in Umbraco
development
CSS
▪ http://w3schools.com/css/default.asp
HTML
▪ http://w3schools.com/html/default.asp
ASP.NET Master Pages
▪ http://w3schools.com/aspnet/aspnet_masterpages.asp
ASP.NET User Controls (building plug-ins for Umbraco)
▪ http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/y6wb1a0e.aspx
32. Jeremy Branham
Blog
▪ http://JeremyBranham.Wordpress.com
Linked In
▪ http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremybranham
Twitter
▪ @Jeremy_Branham
Fort Worth .NET User’s Group
http://FWDNUG.com