Variations - Authoring Fragment Content variations-authoring-fragment-content

Variations are a significant feature of Content Fragments in Adobe Expoerience Manager (AEM) as a Cloud Service. This is because they let you create and edit copies of the Master content for use on specific channels and scenarios. IN particular this makes headless content delivery even more flexible.

NOTE
Content Fragments are a Sites feature, but are stored as Assets.
There are two editors for authoring Content Fragments. This section covers the original editor, primarily accessed from the Assets console. See the Sites documentation, Content Fragments - Authoring, for details of the new editor (primarily accessed from the Content Fragments console).

From the Variations tab you can do the following:

Perform a range of other actions depending on the data-type being edited; for example:

CAUTION
After a fragment has been published and/or referenced, AEM displays a warning when an author opens the fragment for editing again. This is to warn that changes to the fragment affect the referenced pages, too.

Authoring your Content authoring-your-content

When you open your content fragment for editing, the Variations tab is open by default. Here you can author the content, for Master or any variations you have. The structured fragment contains fields of various data-types that were defined in the content model.

For example:

full screen editor

You can:

  • Make edits to your content directly in the Variations tab; each data type provides different editing options, for example:

  • Assign Tags to the current variation; the tags can be added, updated, and removed.

    • Tags are powerful when organizing your fragments as they can be used for content classification and taxonomy. Tags can be used for finding content (by tags) and applying bulk operations.

      • Searches for a tag return the fragment, with the tag variation highlighted.
      • Variation tags can also be used to group variations for a specific Content Delivery Network (CDN) profile (for CDN caching), instead of using the variation name.

      For example, you can tag relevant fragments as “Christmas launch” to allow browsing only these as a subset, or to copy them for use with another future launch in a new folder.

    note note
    NOTE
    Tags can also be added (to the Master variation) as part of the Metadata
  • Create and manage variations of the Master content.

NOTE
Depending on definitions in the underlying model, fields can be subject to certain types of Validation.

Full Screen Editor full-screen-editor

When editing a multi-line text field you can open the full screen editor; select within the actual text, then select the following action icon:

full screen editor icon

This opens the full-screen text editor:

full screen editor

The full-screen text editor provides:

Actions actions

The following actions are also available (for all the formats) when the full-screen editor (that is, multi-line text) is open:

Formats formats

The options for editing multi-line text depend on the format selected:

The format can be selected when the full-screen editor.

Rich Text rich-text

Rich text editing lets you format:

  • Bold

  • Italic

  • Underline

  • Alignment: left, center, right

  • Bulleted list

  • Numbered list

  • Indentation: increase, decrease

  • Create/Break hyperlinks

  • Paste Text/from Word

  • Insert a table

  • Paragraph style: Paragraph, Heading 1/2/3

  • Insert asset

  • Open the full-screen editor, where the following formatting options are available:

  • Insert Content Fragment; available when your Multi-line text field is configured with Allow Fragment Reference.

The actions are also accessible from the full-screen editor.

Plain Text plain-text

Plain Text allows for rapid entry of content without formatting or markdown information. You can also open the full-screen editor for further actions.

CAUTION
If you select Plain Text, you might lose any formatting, or markdown, or assets that you inserted in either Rich Text or Markdown.

Markdown markdown

NOTE
For full information, see the Markdown documentation.

This lets you format your text using markdown. You can define:

  • Headings
  • Paragraphs and Line Breaks
  • Links
  • Images
  • Block Quotes
  • Lists
  • Emphasis
  • Code Blocks
  • Backslash Escapes

You can also open the full-screen editor for further actions.

CAUTION
If you switch between Rich Text and Markdown you might experience unexpected effects with Block Quotes and Code Blocks, as these two formats can have differences in how they are handled.

Fragment References fragment-references

If the Content Fragment Model contains Fragment References, your fragment authors may have additional options:

Fragment References

Edit Content Fragment fragment-references-edit-content-fragment

The option Edit Content Fragment opens that fragment in a new editor tab (within the same browser tab).

Selecting the original tab again (for example, Little Pony Inc.) closes this secondary tab (in this case, Adam Smith).

Fragment References

New Content Fragment fragment-references-new-content-fragment

The option New Content Fragment lets you create a fragment. To achieve this, a variation of the create content fragment wizard opens in the editor.

To create a content fragment:

  1. Navigating to, and selecting the required folder.

  2. Selecting Next.

  3. Specifying properties; for example, Title.

  4. Selecting Create.

  5. Finally:

    1. Done:

      • returns (to the original fragment)
      • references the new fragment
    2. Open:

      • references the new fragment
      • opens the new fragment for editing in a new browser tab

Viewing Key Statistics viewing-key-statistics

When the full-screen editor is open, the action Text Statistics displays a range of information about the text.

For example:

statistics

Uploading Content uploading-content

To ease the process of authoring content fragments, you can upload text, prepared in an external editor, and add it directly to the fragment.

Summarizing Text summarizing-text

Summarizing text is designed to help users reduce the length of their text to a predefined number of words, while keeping the key points and overall meaning.

NOTE
On a more technical level, the system keeps the sentences which it rates as providing the best ratio of information density and uniqueness according to specific algorithms.
CAUTION
The content fragment must have a valid language folder (ISO Code) as an ancestor; this is used to determine the language model to be used.
For example, en/ as in the following path:
/content/dam/my-brand/en/path-down/my-content-fragment
CAUTION
English is available out-of-the-box.
Other languages are available as Language Model Packages from Software Distribution:
  1. Select Master or the required variation.

  2. Open the full-screen editor.

  3. Select Summarize text from the toolbar.

    summarization

  4. Specify the target number of words and select Start:

  5. The original text is displayed side-by-side with the proposed summarization:

    • Any sentences to be eliminated are highlighted in red, with strike-through.
    • Click any highlighted sentence so you can keep it in the summarized content.
    • Click any non-highlighted sentence so you can have it eliminated.
  6. Select Summarize to confirm the changes.

  7. The original text is displayed side-by-side with the proposed summarization:

    • Any sentences to be eliminated are highlighted in red, with strike-through.
    • Click any highlighted sentence so you can keep it in the summarized content.
    • Click any non-highlighted sentence so you can have it eliminated.
    • The summarization statistics are shown: Actual and Target-
    • You can Preview the changes.

    summarization comparison

Annotating a Content Fragment annotating-a-content-fragment

To annotate a fragment:

  1. Select Master or the required variation.

  2. Open the full-screen editor.

  3. The Annotate icon is available in the top toolbar. You can select some text if necessary.

    annotate

  4. A dialog box opens. Here you can enter your annotation.

    annotate

  5. Select Apply on the dialog.

    annotate

    If the annotation was applied to the selected text, then that text remains highlighted.

    annotate

  6. Close the full-screen editor, annotations are still highlighted. If selected, a dialog box opens so that you can edit the annotation further.

  7. Select Save.

  8. Close the full-screen editor, annotations are still highlighted. If selected, a dialog box opens so that you can edit the annotation further.

    annotate

Viewing, Editing, Deleting Annotations viewing-editing-deleting-annotations

Annotations:

  • They are indicated by the highlight on the text, in both full-screen and normal mode of the editor. Full details of an annotation can then be viewed, edited, and/or deleted, by clicking the highlighted text, which reopens the dialog box.

    note note
    NOTE
    A drop-down selector is provided if multiple annotations have been applied to one piece of text.
  • When you delete the entire text to which the annotation was applied, the annotation is deleted as well.

  • It can be listed, and deleted, by selecting the Annotations tab in the fragment editor.

    annotations

  • It can be viewed, and deleted, in the Timeline for the selected fragment.

Inserting Assets into your Fragment inserting-assets-into-your-fragment

To ease the process of authoring content fragments, you can add Assets (images) directly to the fragment.

They are added to the paragraph sequence of the fragment without any formatting; formatting can be done when the fragment is used/referenced on a page.

CAUTION
These assets cannot be moved or deleted on a referencing page, this must be done in the fragment editor.
However, formatting of the asset (for example, size) must be done in the page editor. The representation of the asset in the fragment editor is purely for authoring the content flow.
NOTE
There are various methods of adding images to the fragment and/or page.
  1. Position the cursor where you want to add the image.

  2. Use the Insert Asset icon to open the search dialog.

    insert asset icon

  3. In the dialog box, you can either navigate to the required asset in DAM, or search for the asset in DAM.

    When located, select the required asset by clicking the thumbnail.

  4. Use Select to add the asset to the paragraph system of your content fragment at the current location.

    note caution
    CAUTION
    After adding an asset, if you change the format to:
    • Plain Text: the asset is lost from the fragment.
    • Markdown: the asset is not visible, but is still there when you return to Rich Text.

Inserting a Content Fragment into your Fragment inserting-content-fragment-into-your-fragment

To ease the process of authoring content fragments, you can also add another Content Fragment to your fragment.

They are added as a reference in your current location in your fragment.

NOTE
This option is available when your Multi-line text is configured with Allow Fragment Reference.
CAUTION
These assets cannot be moved or deleted on a referencing page, this must be done in the fragment editor.
However, formatting of the asset (for example, size) must be done in the page editor. The representation of the asset in the fragment editor is purely for authoring the content flow.
NOTE
There are various methods of adding images to the fragment and/or page.
  1. Position the cursor where you want to add the fragment.

  2. Use the Insert Content Fragment icon to open the search dialog.

    insert Content Fragment icon

  3. In the dialog box, you can either navigate to the required fragment in the Assets folder, or search for the fragment.

    When located, select the required fragment by clicking the thumbnail.

  4. Use Select to add a reference to the selected Content Fragment to your current content fragment (at the current location).

    note caution
    CAUTION
    After adding a reference to another fragment, if you change the format to:
    • Plain Text: the reference is lost from the fragment.
    • Markdown: the reference remains.

Inheritance inheritance

Inheritance is the mechanism where content can be automatically pushed from one fragment to another. Inherited fields, and variations, can be the product of Multi-Site Management.

You can cancel (then re-enable) the inheritance. Depending on the context, this can be available for a variation, or an individual field, if the fragment is part of a live copy.

A Content Fragment showing inheritance relationship

For example:

  • Cancel Inheritance

    Cancel Inheritance button

  • Re-enable Inheritance (if inheritance is already canceled)

    Re-Enable Inheritance button

Managing Variations managing-variations

Creating a Variation creating-a-variation

Variations let you take the Master content and vary it according to purpose (if necessary).

To create a variation:

  1. Open your fragment and ensure that the side panel is visible.

  2. Select Variations from the icon bar in the side panel.

  3. Select Create Variation.

  4. A dialog box opens so you can specify the Title and Description for the new variation.

  5. Select Add; the fragment Master is copied to the new variation, which is now open for editing.

    note note
    NOTE
    When creating a variation it is always the Master that is copied, not the variation that is open.
    note note
    NOTE
    When you create a variation, all Tags currently assigned to the Master variation are copied to your new variation.

Editing a Variation editing-a-variation

You can change the variation content after either:

  • Creating your variation.
  • Opening an existing fragment, then selecting the required variation from the side panel.

editing a variation

Renaming a Variation renaming-a-variation

  1. Open your fragment and select Variations from the side panel.

  2. Select the required variation.

  3. Select Rename from the Actions drop-down.

  4. Enter the new Title and/or Description in the resulting dialog box.

  5. Confirm the Rename action.

NOTE
This only affects the variation Title.

Deleting a Variation deleting-a-variation

  1. Open your fragment and select Variations from the side panel.

  2. Select the required variation.

  3. Select Delete from the Actions drop-down.

  4. Confirm the Delete action in the dialog.

NOTE
You cannot delete Master.

Synchronizing with Master synchronizing-with-master

Master is a part of a content fragment and, by definition, that it holds the master copy of the content. Whereas variations hold the individual updated and tailored versions of that content. When the Master is updated, it is possible that these changes are also relevant to the variations and, therefore, must be propagated to them.

When editing a variation, you have access to the action for synchronizing the current element of the variation with Master. This lets you automatically copy changes made to Master to the required variation.

CAUTION
Synchronization is only available to copy changes from Master to the variation.
Only the current element of the variation is synchronized.
Synchronization only works on the Multi-line text data-type.
Transferring changes from a variation to Master is not available as an option.
  1. Open your content fragment in the fragment editor. Ensure that the Master has been edited.

  2. Select a specific variation, then the appropriate synchronization action from either:

    • the Actions drop-down selector - Sync current element with master

      synchronizing with master

    • the toolbar of the full-screen editor - Sync with master

      synchronizing with master

  3. Master and the variation are shown side-by-side:

    • green indicates that content was added (to the variation)
    • red indicates that content was removed (from the variation)
    • blue indicates replaced text

    synchronizing with master

  4. Select Synchronize, the variation is updated and shown.

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