Flexible Page Layout in Plinkit
Sometimes a 3-column layout just isn't enough.
(click on images for larger view)
By default, Plinkit uses Plone's out-of-the-box, 3-column layout
which overall suits the needs of most library websites (see image on the right). In this layout, a single content item (such as a Page, Event, or News Item) is displayed in the center area, known as the "content well".
However, some library staff like the option of having more control
over their page layout and that's where one particular add-on Product
steps in: CMFContentPanels. This add-on enables any page to have
multiple columns and rows in the main "content well" of a page (see image below).
The one caveat to CMFContentPanels is that the user interface in
creating and managing individual panels is a little rough around the
edges. However, once you get used to the visual cues, it becomes a
breeze to add new panels or to rearrange existing ones. Here are screen
shots from two different sites making use of "panels" in a page -- as you can see, layouts can become very intricate:
While most Plinkit library content editors have mostly used only Pages in panels, it is possible to use a panel to embed videos, RSS feeds, and to re-use Plinkit's existing news or events listings in a panel. And for those Plinkit Administrators who are comfortable working with TAL, it's even possible to come up with new panel types.
