Home > Articles

PostNuke Essentials

This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

In this Chapter

  • PostNuke Terminology
  • Working with the Administration System
  • Site Settings
  • Troubleshooting
  • Next

It's time to start making the PostNuke site truly yours by customizing the global website settings. PostNuke includes a central administrative area where you can configure nearly everything about your site, from its name displayed in the browser's title bar to the footer code displayed on every page. But first, you need to understand the naming conventions and terms used throughout PostNuke. Generally, language should not be a barrier to using PostNuke, but you do need to know about a few terminology quirks. In this chapter's upcoming sections, you learn about

  • PostNuke terminology

  • Working with the administration system

  • Site settings

PostNuke Terminology

A number of terms and conventions used with PostNuke can be confusing to a new user of the application. To minimize any problems you might encounter with some of the words, this section covers the most common issues.

Modules and Blocks

You will see the terms modules and blocks universally throughout PostNuke. PostNuke is essentially developed in a modular way and each component of PostNuke is called a module. Many modules do their job unseen, working seamlessly as part of the overall PostNuke system. Some modules interact with users and administrators, and some have what are called blocks. Blocks are smaller components of modules that display module content for your site.

Core modules specifically refer to those components included with the PostNuke package itself. Third-party modules are written by other developers outside of the main PostNuke team and are released separately from PostNuke. Many third-party modules are exceptionally helpful and widely used, and some of them have been incorporated into PostNuke itself, becoming core modules.

International Spellings

It's very important to note that in addition to PostNuke's worldwide usage, the application is also developed internationally. Other language options allow you to change from the English default, but there are currently no dialect choices for English in the default install. English words are just as likely to appear with British spellings as they are with American.

NOTE

PostNuke 0.8, predicted to be available sometime in the later half of 2005, will include a completely reworked pnLanguages module that will centralize the settings for a site and make it much easier to create support for additional languages and dialects.

Themes

PostNuke separates its content from presentation using themes. Many applications now allow this kind of visual customization, and you might also be familiar with the term skin, where "skinning an application" is equivalent to applying a theme to change its appearance. Though some Content Management Systems (CMS) use skin to describe their presentation layer, in PostNuke the standard is theme. PostNuke's themes are made using one or more web files containing Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), PHP code, or both. The creation of PostNuke themes is covered in Chapter 10, "Themes," and Chapter 15, "Customized Themes."

Stories, Articles, and News

Some PostNuke terms are also used interchangeably in what can be an inconsistent or unclear manner. This is likely due to the large number of different developers who have worked on the PostNuke application over the years. The most commonly confused example is the use of stories, articles, and news. All three words refer to items posted and managed through the same tools. For example, when you post information through a form, you have the choice of displaying it on the home page or simply adding it to the site. If you show the item on the home page, it's considered "news." Old news is cycled off the home page over time. Regardless of whether an item is displayed on the home page, it is still part of the collection of permanent "articles."

The term "story" is used in PostNuke to identify the administrative management of news and articles. In PostNuke usage, a site administrator adds or approves a story for the home page news, whereas a general site visitor submits news for the site. In both cases, a given story can also be sidelined as simply an article and never appear on the home page at all. So, a given posting that appears on the home page can, at any point, be referred to as a story, article, or news item. Even old articles are called past news or news stories. There's very little clear distinction. Many have commented upon this issue, and there will hopefully be a more clear usage of those terms in a future release.

Topics, Categories, and Sections

Another sometimes-confusing usage in PostNuke is found with the terms topics, categories, and sections. Topics are a way of grouping news articles. When an article appears, it is usually accompanied by a graphic; the graphic is defined by the topic with which the article is associated. Every article must have a topic. Categories also group articles, but a category is only displayed as text, usually before an article's title. A default category called "Articles," which when chosen essentially means an article is not in any category, is in the general "Articles" pool. Topics and categories have similar names and duties, but topics are what add the icon to an article.

Sections might seem to be related to topics and categories, but they are actually completely separate and should not be a problem after you understand their function. A section is a kind of alternative article, but its format is more for long, multipage documents. These long documents are grouped by section name. General site users cannot submit a section document for inclusion on a site. Section documents are also named articles, but section articles are not connected in any way to news/story articles.

Hacks

And, finally, you will be reading a great deal about PostNuke hacks. A hack in PostNuke is a manual change or rewriting of the PHP code that alters the function of the application. These changes do not carry the negative connotation often associated with hacking. PostNuke is open source, which means its code is legally open to any changes you want to make. PostNuke hacks are often publicized and recommended by other developers and users as a means to extend PostNuke's default capabilities. Popular hacks can be chosen to be included with future releases of PostNuke just like popular third-party modules. Throughout this book, you will discover the custom changes that you too can make to PostNuke's source code to maximize its use.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020