[opencms-dev] open questions about XML content

[Alexander Kandzior]

	I'm consolidating a number of questions I posted last week with the
hope of learning some answers... 

	1) From the example posted on the mailing list, XML content uses the
template-element property to determine its display page. However, if I have
multiple types of content in a single directory, how can I direct one type
to display with one page and another to display with a different page? Is
the use of template-elements hard coded? 

* Currently you can't mix differnet XML content types in one directory and
attach the "template-elements" to the folder. If you want to have multiple
XM Lcontent types in one folder, you must attach "template-elements" to each
file manually.

	2) Create a content schema, create several items based on the
schema, then add more fields to the schema. New items of that type will have
the new fields. Editing older items will not show the new fields. Is there
any way to automatically bring older items up-to-date with a modified
schema? 

* No. Currently not.

	3) Can default values be assigned to properties of
directories/content when they are created? Is it possible to set this up
programmatically? For example, always set the template-element property of a
new directory to X or always set the custom property of a type of content to
Y

* There's no easy way to do this, i assume it's possible with some changes
in the core. 

	4) Is it possible to setup dropdown selections in form-based
content? 

* Not yet. Howerver, this in on our TODO list. More precisly, currently each
XML content type (e.g. String) has exaclty onw widget (the "String widget").
This will be extended to multiple widgets per content type, so is will be
possoble to have a "DropDown Widget", a "Textarea widget" etc. all filling a
XML content String value. 

	5) Is it possible to setup validation on form-based content? For
example, values range or formatting. 

* Not yet. This is also on our TODO list. Currently validation is done in
XML schema so there's some validation, but you can't cahnge this. There will
be an API for setting up content specific vaildation programatically through
a XML content handler.

Best Regards,
Alex.

Alexander Kandzior
Alkacon Software - The OpenCms Experts
http://www.alkacon.com