The dotCMS platform has undergone an upgrade. This tipsheet will help to update you on some of the changes you will see when you login.

The majority of the system is exactly the same as before with some minor changes to appearance and enhancement of how the system works. Changes that may affect the work you do are covered below. 

Please report any issues you are experiencing post-upgrade to webadmin@anr.msu.edu. 

Pages Area

Locking of Pages

There is a different way to lock a page for editing. The Edit, Preview and Live tabs have been moved from the right to the left-hand side of the page, and there is now the addition of a padlock symbol.

1. To edit a page, click on the EDIT tab. This will automatically lock your page.

2. If you do not make any changes to the content on the page, you will need to unlock it. Click on the padlock symbol.

3. If you do make changes to the content on the page, you will also need to Save or Save/Publish your page. These buttons are also located in a new location. Click on the triple vertical dots button in the upper right-hand corner of the page, and make your selection.

4. If you Save your page, you will also need to select the padlock button to unlock your page as well. Save/Publish will automatically unlock the page.

Add Content to a Page

If you want to add content to a page there is a new plus (+) button.

5. To add content to a page, click on the plus (+) button.
6. Select the Content button.

7. From the Content window, select the type of content you want to create via the plus (+) button, such as Content Generic. Then, you can continue to perform the usual steps to create the content for the page.

Save/Publish Images and Documents

There are a couple new steps for uploading an image/document to a site in the Upload file(s) window.

8. Once an image/document has been selected for upload, select the drop down at the bottom of the Upload file(s) window and choose the option to Save/Publish. NOTE: Do not select Save. Your image/document will be saved in the backend of the site unpublished. If you Publish the page the image/document has been added it the system will not automatically Publish the files and they will appear as broken on the live site.
9. Select Execute.

Content Area

Creating New Content

The Content area remains mostly the same as before, except for a new a new location for the Add New Content, Import Content and Export buttons.

10. To create new content, click on the Triple Vertical Dots button in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
11. Select Add New Content. Then, you can continue to perform the usual steps to create the content.

Save or Save/Publish Content

There is an additional step that needs to be taken when you Save or Save/Publish content.

12. After selecting the Save or Save/Publish button, the content window will stay open.
13. If you Save the content, select Release Lock.
14. Select the X button to close the window.

15. If you Save/Publish the content, select the X button to close the window. The content will have been locked automatically.