Using the Content Menu

There are two ways to create content for the Locol system. Content can be created in this part of the system, or content can be pulled from a website using the Locol Item Block plugin.

There are three options to creating a slide. The first option is via graphical files uploaded to the portal. In production, the player agent pulls all the option 1 files onto the player computer. When a Screen Location only has option 1 slides, the screen location can play continuously even if the WiFi access is unavailable.

Using the Content Menu

1. Select Content from the navigation menu.
2. The content list is sorted by create date and in descending order.
3. To sort by Title or by Date in ascending or descending order
   1. Mouse over the Title field, click the upward arrow to sort in ascending order, and click the downward arrow to sort in descending order.
   2. Mouse over the Date field, click the upward arrow to sort in ascending order, and click the downward arrow to sort in descending order.

Creating New Content

1. Click the Add New button next to the title Content.
2. Continue with the content creation by filling in the fields in the Locol Item Block already on the page
3. To add content with the Block, select option 2 and create the content below the Locol Item Block.

The Locol Item Block

The following are the fields within the Locol Item Block

The Selection Section

There are 3 options to easily build rich, eye-catchy content for a playlist.

• Option 1 uses a graphical file or a .mp4 video file for a full-screen display. The file needs to be uploaded to the media library or is already in the media library. With this option, the graphical file is also saved inside the player agent (Raspberry Pi or other computers) so that WiFi access is NOT required for this slide. A Screen Location with only option 1 slides can play continuously even if the WiFi access is unavailable.
  • Two warning messages are possible:
    • Warning: This item is not assigned to any playlist for displaying.
    • Warning: Graphic image or video file has not been uploaded.
  • Once a file is uploaded the ii. warning disappears.
  • Once a playlist is selected from the Select Playlist Block, the i. warning disappears.
• Option 2 uses the Gutenberg block editor to build rich content as a web page. It only has the i. warning message from above. Please the content below the Locol Item Block.
• Option 3 uses a customized layout that is created in the Template menu. This feature is only for the advanced user. See the Template menu section.

The Cover Block Section

• Load the graphic file or mp4 video into the Cover Block when using Option 1.

The Playlist Section

• Content can be assigned to one or multiple playlists.
• To select a playlist, click on the desired playlist.
• To re-select, simply click on another playlist.
• To multi-select, press the Ctrl button on the keyboard and click the desired playlists.

The Animation Section

• This controls the animation effect on content item entry onto the screen. The default is “no animation”
• There are 20 effects to choose from.
• Click on the dropdown box to see the full animation list.
• The animation effect can be seen when previewing the playlist, though not previewing a single content item.
• The default duration of an animation effect is 1 second. Overtype for a different animation duration.

The Content Duration Section

• The default duration of a content item is 8 seconds. This means the content stays on a screen for 8 seconds
• To increase or decrease the duration time, overtype with a new number in the time field

The Start-Time and End-Time Section

• The system runs in the UTC time zone.
• Leave both fields empty to play the item forever (until deleted). Otherwise specify a starting date-time, an ending date-time, or both.

Saving a Content Item

• A Content Item can only be used in production when it is Published.
• To save work before it is ready for production, use Draft mode.

1. The Save Draft button and Publish button are changed to the Update button for a saved Content Item. Click the Update button to save your changes.
2. Click on the Save Draft button to save the Content Item in draft mode. To change the status from draft to published, simply click on the Publish button. To change the status from draft to pending review, click the Edit link next to it, select Pending Review from the dropdown box and click on the OK button to save, or Cancel to exit.
3. Click on the Publish button to publish the Content Item for use. The published date and time are shown. To change the status from published to pending review or draft, click the Edit link next to it, select Pending Review or Draft from the dropdown box and click on the OK button to save, or Cancel to exit.
4. Visibility is set as Public by default. A Content Item needs to be public to be used. Click the Edit link next to it, select Password Protected or Private, and click on the OK button to save, or Cancel to exit.

Searching for Content Items

1. There are several ways to search or filter a Content Item list
   1. Screen Locations are grouped by All, Published, Draft, Pending, and Trash boxes. Each box has a count next to it.

• Wildcard search – key in some keywords in the field below the profile pic and click on the Search Posts button.

• Filtered by create date – click on the All Dates dropdown box, select month and year, and click on the Filter button.

Editing a Content Item

1. Select a Content Item from the Content list and go to the Edit Content page, or
2. Mouse over a Content Item from the Content list, the three links below it:
   • Select Edit link goes to the Edit Content page which has the same result as 1. above.
   • Select the Quick Edit link to pop up the Edit box to easily update the name or its status. Click on the Update button to save or Cancel to exit.
   • Select Trash link moves a screen location to the Trash box. A Content Item cannot be used when it has been trashed.

Deleting a Content Item

1. Follow 2.c. above, or
2. In the Edit Content page and in the Publish box, select the Move to Trash link.

Permanently Deleting a Content Item or Restoring a Content Item

1. A deleted Content Item can be restored from the Trash box or deleted permanently from the portal. Select the Trash link from the Content list.
2. On the trash Content list, mouse over the one and select the Restore link to move it back to the All box.
3. On the trash Content list, mouse over the one or check all by clicking on the checkbox next to Title, select Delete Permanently link to delete these Content Items permanently from the portal; or
4. On the trash Content list, check all by clicking on the checkbox next to Title, then select Restore or Delete Permanently on the Bulk Actions dropdown box and click on the Apply button. Bulk action does not prompt with a confirmation box or a warning message.

Content Items – Bulk Edit Functionality

1. The purpose of the Bulk Edit function is to update multiple Content Items in one shot, similar to the status update or move to trash functions.
2. Search or filter for a group of Content Items, or go to any of the All, Published, Draft, Pending, or Trash boxes by selecting the link on the top.
3. Check all by clicking on the checkbox next to the Title, or click on the checkbox next to a screen location individually, or multi-select by holding the Ctrl button on the keyboard and clicking on the checkbox next to a Content Item
   1. To update the status of the list:
      1. Click on the Bulk Actions dropdown box, select Edit and click on the Apply button.
      2. A pull-down shows two columns, the left column is the list for bulk editing and the right column is the status dropdown box.
      3. On the left column, click on the cross next to a Content Item to take it out of the list before bulk editing.
      4. On the right column, select an action from the Status dropdown box.
      5. Click on the Update button to save or Cancel to exit.
4. To delete the list:
   1. Click on the Bulk Actions dropdown box, select Move to Trash, and click on the Apply button. This moves the list to the Trash box.
   2. To restore or delete permanently from the Trash box, please see 4. in the Permanently Deleting or Restoring a Content Item section above.