Social Collaboration in WCM

To create a new blog:

Quick reference links provide additional navigation aids for your visitors. To add such links to your blog overview page:

To post a new entry to your blog:

You can import content into your blog by using the feed importer.

This can be useful for:

• importing an existing blog; for example, from a legacy platform
• creating a community with blog feeds from several people
• using aggregated content from a remote source (might also require changes to your template)

To import blogs from other websites into your blog:

Internet forums provide an area for your site users to discuss issues and ask questions. Individual comments (or posts) are added to conversations (or threads) related to specific topics. This in itself is a valuable source of content.

The forum functionality included in WEM provides:

• A forum listing all current topics.
• Integration with identity management so that visitors can register and use a profile. This is used for authorization to identify participants and provide an email address for notification emails.
• Participants can create new topics.
• Or view and reply to existing conversations.
• They can subscribe to a topic and receive notification emails.
  
• Also search over the entire forum.
• Privileged moderators can monitor the conversations for relevance and adherence to the site's good practice guidelines.

In the following sections Geometrixx is used an an example to illustrate the features available.

A typical forum page will list all topics, for example the Geometrixx Community page:

Add the Forum component to your own page to create a new forum. Using the dialog of this component, you can also make your forum available as a feed.

Users can create new topics using the field provided at the head of the forum:

Clicking in this field will expand the function, so that visitors can enter a subject and message; if required they can also select to be notified of any changes to "their" thread before submitting the new topic.

Clicking on a link to an individual topic will drill down to give an overview of that topic and all the replies.

From here, visitors can post their replies to the topic.

When appropriate the topic can be closed, this prevents further replies being posted.

You can close a topic by:

1. Double-clicking on the forum to open the dialog of the Forum Topic.
2. Use the Settings tab in the dialog to select Closed.
3. Click OK to save.

Pinned topics appear at the top of the list shown in the Forum overview. They can be used to highlight specific topics.

They are sorted by the date of the last reponse and also highlighted.

Pin an individual a topic by:

1. Double-clicking on the forum to open the dialog of the Forum Topic.
2. Use the Settings tab in the dialog to select Pinned.
3. Click OK to save.

You can moderate your forums using the Community console or workflows.

After a user creates a topic with the Notify me of changes checkbox active when posting, they are automatically notified of changes to the topic (new posts).

Other visitors to the topic can also subscribe to notifications using the Subscribe button, which toggles to Unsubscribe as appropriate. Subscription starts a workflow, this creates a subscription for the topic and sends the user a confirmation email. Notification emails are sent when new posts are added to the topic.

Texts for the subscribe and unsubscribe emails can be configured to your requirements:

• /etc/workflow/forum/email/topicsubscribe.txt
  
• /etc/workflow/forum/email/topicsubscribe.txt

Tags in the Forum namespace can be assigned to a topic or post. Tags added to a topic will be shown in the header.

These tags can be managed using the Tagging console.

The standard Forum component includes a Search function, which should be configured to link to a Forum Search component on a separate Search Result Page; for example:

http://localhost:4503/content/geometrixx/en/community/search.html

This offers the visitors options for configuring their search:

The forum posts are saved in CRX, under:
    /content/usergenerated

Various standard components are available as a basis for building your forum.

The Subscribe button is not forum specific, but a definition of a user state toggle button that can be used to define a generic user state.

A wiki is a web site where any users with access can collaborate and edit the web site directly using a simplified markup language. You create and modify wiki topics in a simple markup language within a web browser.

In WEM, a single wiki page is called a topic and a collection of topics is called a wiki space. You can create multiple wiki spaces. Permissions determine who can read or change the content of the wiki space. You can search across a wiki space as well as create topics on the fly. In addition, you can add attachments to wiki topics.

This section describes wiki concepts and describes how to use the provided wiki functionality.

To add a wiki to your website, simply go to the Website Console and copy the Wiki Content (/content/wiki) to the location in your site structure where you want to start the new wiki space.

1. Open the Websites Console.
2. Copy the Wiki Content structure from /content/wiki to where you want to create a wiki.
3. Rename the newly created wiki space by changing its title as appropriate.
4. Open the main page of the newly created wiki. 

After you create a wiki space you can edit the main topic (or any new topics you may have created).

To modify a wiki topic:

1. In the Websites Console, navigate to the page where you have started your wiki.
2. Click the Edit tab and edit the wiki page, using the wiki syntax for simple formatting.
   
   • You can switch between Wysiwyg and Wiki text edit mode by clicking Convert to Wysiwyg/WIKI-text in Advanced Operations. Both edit modes provide formatting shortcuts.
     
   • Optionally, in the topic title field you can enter a new name for the topic. If you do not type a name, the title will automatically be used as topic name for this wiki page.
3. Click Save to persist your changes or, to save the page without notifying subscribed users of the change, click Quiet Save. Click Preview to see what your page looks like before saving (all changes are saved in the wiki page's history).
   

After you create a wiki space you can also create new topics by either:

• linking when modifying wiki topics. See Wiki Syntax for ways to create links.
• using the Create Topic option; this will prompt for the topic name.

You can delete wiki topics and spaces by either entirely removing them from the system or archiving them in the attic.

To delete a wiki topic or space:

1. Navigate to the wiki topic that you want to delete.
2. Click the Edit tab.
3. Below the textarea, under Advanced Operations, click Delete. WEM requests confirmation that you want to delete and recommends that you archive the topic in the attic.
4. To move the topic to the attic, click Delete. To delete the page entirely, clear the Attic check box and click Delete. You can also click Cancel to keep the topic.

To rename or move a wiki topic:

1. Navigate to the wiki topic that you want to rename or move.
2. Click the Edit tab.
3. Below the textarea, under Advanced Operations, click Move/Rename.
4. To change the name of the topic, type a new name in the New Name field.
5. To move a topic, select a new parent from the New Topic Parent list. To move subtopics with the main topic, select the Move subtopics check box.
6. Click Rename to make the change. If you make a mistake, you can click Reset to revert to current settings or click Cancel to close the Rename page.

To modify topic properties:

1. Navigate to the wiki topic that you want to modify properties for.
2. Click the Edit tab.
3. Below the textarea, under Advanced Operations, click Edit topic properties.
4. Make changes to the topic properties and click Apply to save them or Cancel to ignore them. See Environment Variables for information on how to use and include environment variables in topic pages.

To add an attachment to a topic:

1. Navigate to the wiki topic that you want to attach files to.
2. Click the Attachments tab.
3. Click Browse to upload a local file.
   • If you want the attachments to be listed on the topic page, select the check box in Display Options.
   • If you want to create a link to the attached file, select the check box in the Attach new file.
4. Click Upload to upload the attachment.

To view changes made to a particular wiki topic:

1. Navigate to the wiki topic that you want to view the history for.
2. Click the History tab. WEM displays any changes that were made to the topic and saved.
   

To subscribe to a topic whenever changes are made:

1. Navigate to the wiki topic you want to subscribe to.
2. Click the History tab.
3. Click the subscribe to this topic link. If you are subscribed to a topic, the link changes to unsubscribe from this topic. Click the link to unsubscribe.

To add a new calendar you can add an instance of the Calendar component to your existing page (ensure that the calendar component has been enabled in Design mode; it will appear under Calendar in the sidekick, from here you can drag it to create an instance at the required position).

When creating an event in a calendar you specify the start and finish days; and optionally, the specific times too.

To create an event:

To modify an event:

1. In the calendar, click on the event you want to modify. The Edit event window opens.

2. Make your changes and click Save.

   If you are editing an event that has been set to repeat at intervals you will be asked to confirm whether you want to update all occurrences, or just the current instance:

   

To delete an event you also use the Edit event dialog:

1. In the calendar, click on the event you want to delete. The Edit event window opens.

2. Click Delete.
   You will be asked to confirm the deletion, and in the case of a recurring event you will be asked whether you want to delete the series or only the current instance.
   

To navigate through the calendar month by month, click the left and right arrows above the calendar. To move directly to today, click the Today link.

CQ Calendars provide views to determine how you, and the visitors to your website, see the calendars and events presented.

The Month and Agenda views are activated and available on the calendar when using CQ out of the box.

Clicking Month displays the month view:

If there are too many events to be shown for a single day, then this will be indicated:

Clicking Agenda displays the agenda view:

You can select the timezone, date and time formats and also the day you want as the start of the week:

At any time after you have created a calendar, you can customize certain aspects of the appearance:

To define when events on the calendar can be edited:

You can filter events to see only those events containing a specific string. The filter will be enforced when you navigate through the months.

For example, to see only those items that have the word "Staff" in them:

The Query Builder can be used (once activated for the calendar) for more detailed searches than are possible with the filter.

For more information see the Dam Asset Share.

You can import an ics file to include events from another calendar (this is a one-off action, see Importing an External Calendar for full integration).

For example, to import an event with the following details:

The Calendar Export Link component can be selected from sidekick and allows you to create a link to the entire content of a calendar component - both the calendar's own and any subscribed content.

There are two types of link:

• ICS file download
  This can be used for a one-time download; for example, when importing content into Outlook or iCal.
• Webcal link
  This is recognized by most browsers and opens the default calendar application (for example, Outlook or iCal) for subscription. Typically, the calendar application can be configured to regularly check the CQ calendar for updates.
  

• Link Title
  Specify the text you want used for the link.
  If empty the text Export Calendar is used for the link.
• Link Type
  You can choose from:
  • Download ICS file (http://)
    
  • Webcal subscription (webcal://)
    
• Calendar component
  Specify the path to the page holding the required calendar component; this is typically a
      page path + /jcr:content/par/calendar
  if the calendar lies in the paragraph system "par" on that page.
  Or leave empty to use the calendar on the current page (in the same paragraph system).
  

There are two examples of such links on the Geometrixx page, http://localhost:4502/cf#/content/geometrixx/en/events.feed:

• Subscribe to calendar
• Download Calendar as ICS

As with all CQ pages a calendar page is available as feeds that can be subscribed to. For example, the Geometrixx page, can be accessed as either:

• Atom feed
  http://localhost:4503/content/geometrixx/en/events.feed
• RSS feed
  http://localhost:4503/content/geometrixx/en/events.feed.rss.xml
  

For example, the Atom Feed:

As well as creating events within a calendar you can create a single event directly on a page. A calendar can then subscribe to the page (or to the subtree holding this, and other, events). The event(s) will then be automatically shown in the calendar. 

This allows you to link pages holding detailed information about events with a calendar providing the overview.

The Edit event dialog is based on a CQ Form (cq:Form).

A standard event form is provided out-of-the-box, but if required you can copy this to create a form customized to your own specifications.

To select the form to use when creating or viewing events:

Open the required form with either the Event edit form or Event view form links as appropriate:

Here you can add, move or delete the Event Form components:

This component adds the basic fields that are always required for any event. These fields ensure that an event contains the minimum information required for ICS export.

This component provides the link for downloading a single event as ICS. By editing this component you can add the link Title. 

This component can be used on a event form (only visible on an existing event that has been saved).

Although available under the Form section of sidekick (as opposed to the Event Form section), this component is often used with events.

You can configure various parameters for an instance of this component (double-click), but you must set the Element Name to ./url.

This component allows you to input information about the person organizing the event:

This component allows the user to place the event into a "Push" Workflow:

A "Push" workflow is used when a calendar has an event that should appear in a separate calendar, but does not have write access to the that calendar.

As there is not write access to the other calendar, a workflow is used to send a request for the event to be accepted into the other calendar. After the event is accepted any changes will be automatically synchronized.

For example, a university might have one main calendar holding all common events, with each department having their own individual calendars holding both department specific events and common events (by subscribing to the main calendar). If a "common" event is created in a department calendar the workflow can be used to request that it be accepted by the main calendar.

Double-click the component instance to configure:

• Title, to appear on the event form
• Button label, to appear on the event form; leave empty to use the default title "Start Workflow"
• Workflow Model, specify a workflow model (that has a subscription process step)
• Target Calendars, specify the target calendars

You can create workflows for processing events; an example is the Calendar Event Promotion workflow:

This component provides the fields necessary to define events that repeat at regular intervals:

The individual fields are dependent on the period selected by the author.

Subscribing will automatically show the target content in the current calendar. You can subscribe to:

• another CQ calendar
• a CQ event
• a subtree; any calendars or events within the tree will be included

To configure the subscriptions:

You can connect to the feed provided by an external calendar so that events are regularly imported into your CQ WCM calendar. This uses the CQ Feed Importer, which polls the external calendar at regular intervals.

Calendar URLs are generally available within a calendar's settings. Check the documentation for your calendar application for more information. You can import either a public calendar or a private calendar. If you want to import a private calendar, you need access to the private ics URL. 

To import events from another calendar:

You can customize your event form to include the Event Push Workflow field. This allows you to "push" the event in question into another calendar by means of a workflow.

For example, a university might have one main calendar holding all common events, with each department having their own individual calendars holding both department specific events and common events (by subscribing to the main calendar). If a "common" event is created in a department calendar the workflow can be used to request that it be accepted by the main calendar.

To configure your calendar for use with a workflow:

1. Create a new page and create a Calendar there.
2. Edit the calendar and subscribe to a second calendar; for example the Geometrixx page Events (/content/geometrixx/en/events.html).
   
3. Edit the calendar and create a new events form. Ensure that this event form is assigned to your calendar.
   
4. Edit this form and add the Event Push Workflow field. 
5. Configure the Event Push Workflow field:
   • Title, assign your own title.
   • Button label, assign your own label.
   • Workflow Model, select the workflow that can be used for this event form. For example, the Calendar Event Promotion workflow.
   • Target Calendar, assign the calendar to which the event will be sent.
6. Save all changes.

To use a workflow with your calendar (for example, the default workflow):

1. Create an event in the calendar configured above.
2. After inputting the event details, select the required workflow in the Event Push Workflow field. 
3. Click Start Workflow. A message will confirm that the event has been placed in the workflow for processing..
   
4. Click OK to save.
   The appropriate person will now be assigned the Moderation step in the workflow.

Comments and ratings are a standard method of collecting feedback from your customers about how they value specific products and services.

To enable comments on a page:

Comments look as follows on a page:

To enable ratings on a page:

Ratings (with Comments) look as follows on a page:

The Community console can be used to moderate user generated content. This is content entered by your community of users by means of comments (including those within ratings) and forum posts.

• Any changes made with the Community console on the author environment will be automatically, and immediately, replicated to the publish environment.
  
• Any changes made by members of the community to comments and posts on the publish environment will be reverse replicated to author and shown there.

The messages are nested according to page, then indented by thread; the following shows the Geometrixx Community (forum) page as an example:

Clicking the Context for an individual post will open the appropriate page.

Alternatively, a range of actions are available in either the toolbar, or the context menu (usually the right mouse button). You can apply the following actions to a specific post:

• View
  Specify the type of messages to be viewed in the console. Choose from All, Spam, Not Spam, Pending, Approved or Denied. The view selected will be sticky.
  
• Approve
  An approved message is listed as OK in the Status column. This action is used to approve a message; for example if set with another status, such as denied, pending or spam.
  After approval it will be shown on the publish environment.
  
• Deny
  This action means that a post is not displayed on the publish environment, for example if it does not comply with your guidelines for forum usage. On the author environment it is marked as denied.
• Pending
  When a social collaboration feature has been defined as moderated, any new post is set with the status Pending until it has been explicitly approved or denied. While pending the post is not shown on the publish environment and on the page of the author environment it is marked as needing moderation.
  After approval or denial, the Pending action can be used to return a message to the pending status.
• Reply
  This allows you to reply to a comment directly from the community console. The page will be updated on both author and publish.
• Spam
  Setting a message as spam means that it will not be visible on the publish environment. In the author environment it will be marked as spam.
• Not Spam
  This removes the spam markers and returns the message to a normal status.
• Delete
  This will delete the topic or post.

Automattic Kismet (Akismet) is a spam filtering service for user generated feedback that combines information about spam captured on participating pages with rules and checks to block future spam.

To view your current settings for the Akismet key:

To ensure that your configuration is safe for upgrade (or re-installation during testing) it is recommended that you make the actual configuration in the repository.

Individual visitors to your website can only be identified when you allow them to log in. There are various reasons why you may want to provide a login capability:

• Social Collaboration
  When communicating, the visitors need to be able identify each other.
• Closed User Groups
  You may need to limit access to your website (or sections of it) to specific visitors.
• Personalization
  Allowing visitors to configure certains aspects of how they access your website.

Log in (and out) functionality is provided by an account with a Profile, which holds additional information about the registered visitor (user). The actual processes for registration and authorization may differ:

• Self-registration from the website
  For social collaboration you might allow visitors to register without authorizing each individual profile.
  
• Request for registration from the website
  For a closed user group you might allow visitors to request registration, but enforce authorization by means of a workflow.
• Register each account from the author environment
  If you have a small number of profiles, which will need authorization anyway, you may decide to register each directly.

To allow visitors to register, a series of components and forms can be used to collect the required identification information, then the additional (often optional) profile information. After they have registered, they should also be able to check and update, the details that they have submitted.

Additional functionality can be configured or developed:

• Configure any reverse replication that is required.
• Allow a user to remove their profile, by developing a form together with a workflow.

A form can be used to collect the registration information, then generate the new account and profile.

For example, users can request a new profile, using the Geometrixx page
    http://localhost:4502/content/geometrixx/en/toolbar/account/accountrequest.html

Submitting the request will take the user to a Thank You page, after which they will receive an email.

The email contains a link to the page for confirming the request by registering details for the new profile; for example, using the Geometrixx page
    http://localhost:4502/content/geometrixx/en/toolbar/account/register.html

Completion of the registration will be confirmed:

The new account is also visible in the Users console.

The login component can be used to collect the login information, then activate the login process.

This provides the visitor with the standard fields of Username and Password, with a Login button to activate the login process when the data has been supplied.

For example, users can either log in, or create a new account, using the Sign In option on the Geometrixx toolbar, which uses the page:

    http://localhost:4502/content/geometrixx/en/toolbar/account/login.html

As there is a login mechanism, a logout mechanism is also required. This is available as the Sign Out option in Geometrixx.

Depending on your registration form the visitor may have registered information in their profile. They should be able to view and/or update this at a later stage. This can be done with a similar form; for example, in Geometrixx:
    http://localhost:4502/content/geometrixx/en/toolbar/profiles/view.html

To see the details of your profile click on My Profile in the top right corner of any page; for example with the admin account:
    http://localhost:4502/home/users/a/admin/profile.form.html/content/geometrixx/en/toolbar/profiles/view.html

You can view another profile using the clickstream cloud (on the author environment and with sufficient privileges):

You can add fields to the profile definition. For example to add a "Favorite Color" field to the Geometrixx profile:

There are a number of use cases that require knowing whether a user (or rather their profile) is in a specific state or not. 

This involves defining an appropriate property in the user profile in a way that:

• is visible and accessible to the user
• defines two states for each property
• allows toggling between the two states defined

This is done with:

• State Providers
  To manage the two states of a specific property and the transitions between the two.
  
• Workflows
  To manage actions related to the states.
• The User State Toggle Button
  A button that allows the user to toggle between the two states.

Multiple states can be defined; for example in Geometrixx these include:

• subscribing (or unsubscribing) to notifications on newsletters or comment threads
  
• adding and removing a connection to a friend
  

A state provider manages the current state of the property in question, together with the transitions between the two possible states.

State providers are implemented as components, so can be customized for your project. In Geomerixx these include:

• Un-/Subscribe Forum Topic
• Add/Remove Friend

State providers manage a profile property and its states.

A workflow is needed to implement the actions related to the states. For example, when subscribing for notifications, the workflow will handle the actual subscription action; when unsubscribing from notifications, the workflow will handle removing the user from the subscription list.

A range of profile components are also available for defining the profile requirements for your site.