Panels

Panels are new in 3.0. The panels system has been implemented to make eFiction more configurable and easier to customize. Panels are used in a number of places throughout the site. Each panel is assigned a type. The following types are defined as part of the basic eFiction site:

  • A - Admin panels

  • F - Favorites

  • S - Submissions

  • B - Browse

  • P - Member Profile

  • U - Member Account

  • L - Top 10 Lists

Developers and site administrators also have the option of developing their own types of panels.

To modify the panel order, select a panel type from the drop-down list at the top of the page then use the arrows to move the panels up and down in the list. To change panel from hidden to visible, click on the edit option to the right of the panel name.

Adding a new panel:

  1. Click "Add New Panel".

  2. Enter the name of the panel. This should be one word alpha-numeric name used to identify the panel.

  3. Enter the title of the panel. This will be the text displayed on the site for the panel.

  4. Enter a URL to the panel. If no URL is supplied the script will look for a file with the name of the panel in the default location for that panel type. For instance, for the browse panel named "recent", the script looks in the browse folder for a file named recent.php. You will need to supply a URL for panels located outside the default location or if you name the file differently than the panel. An example of this would be the browse panel for the challenges module, the URL is "modules/challenges/browse.php". The file is both outside the default location (the browse/ folder) and also named differently than the panel. The panel is named "challenges", but the file is named "browse.php". Note: Panels are not interchangable. You cannot use a browse panel for a top ten list panel.

  5. The panel level is used to determine who has access to that panel. This is most applicable to the admin and member account panels. In the admin panels the level is the admin level required to access the panel. In the member account panels, it is used to determine whether or not the visitor must be logged in to see the panel. 0 is for visitor access (registration, lost password, login) and 1 is for member access (everything else).

  6. Check the hidden box of you want this panel to be hidden (not displayed in the list of panels).

  7. Finally, enter the one letter code for the panel type. (See the above list)

  8. Click "Submit".

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