Dialogs Framework Basic Concepts
Dialogs Lists
Updated: 21 Apr 2023
A unique feature of Dialogs is the use of content "Lists" that ensure proper formatting of repetative content, allow content to be used in multiple areas of the same website, and can differentiate content per inbound request. (Internally, Dialogs Lists are stored as MySQL database tables.) Lists add flexibility to how you present your message, create a dynamic user experience, and increase the productivity of content managers. Here's how Lists work:
- A List (technically a database table) can contain a variety of content elements (fields) including headings, body copy, or visual assets. Lists are created by the Dialogs developer. The fields on a list are configured by the developer to match List content. (See Dialogs Lists: Setup and Config for more information.)
- Lists (or individual List items) may be re-used on multiple pages throughout a website. Each appearance of content can have its own unique design or formatting. The developer controls this behavior by creating unique List Templates that define which item(s) to show, the order of the items and the design or layout of all or select portions of the List item data to show. There is no limit to the number of List Templates that can be created. In this manner, a listing of three news items displaying only the headline can show on the home page and a complete listing depicting headline, date and a short summary can display on the "News" page.
- Lists and List Templates are efficient Dialogs structures taking only minutes to create and configure. It is not uncommon for a Dialogs website to have dozens of defined Lists.
- List Templates can control textual content, graphic content, or entire content areas such as banners or badges. Dialogs developers configure Lists and List Templates to:
- store and present multiple "items" of content with a common set of parameters or fields;
- randomize content in specific areas of a page;
- personalize content (based on session or user cookies, for example);
- populate drop-down menus for data entry on other lists (type or category lists for example);
- contain php code for inclusion on a page (for security reasons, direct entry of php code in the Pages List is prohibited).
- List items may be easily tagged so the list items can appear with related content.
- The Pages List has specialized functionality but in other respects behaves like any other List.
Lists should be used to manage content:
- for a series of similarly formatted items of information (like individual blog entries, news releases, job openings, events, promotions, products, services, etc.);
- for information that may be re-used on multiple pages (the most recent FAQ item showing on the home page while ALL of the FAQs show up on the FAQ page, for example);
- when tight presentation control over user entered information is required (to ensure that each press release has a date, title, summary, and body for example).