Publisher - Creating Articles

Creating Articles in Publisher

Step-by-step guide to creating, editing, formatting, and publishing articles in the Publisher module.

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Access Article Management

Admin Panel Navigation

Admin Panel
└── Modules
    └── Publisher
        └── Articles
            ├── Create New
            ├── Edit
            ├── Delete
            └── Publish

Quickest Path

1. Log in as Administrator
2. Click Modules in admin bar
3. Find Publisher
4. Click Admin link
5. Click Articles in left menu
6. Click Add Article button

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Article Creation Form

Basic Information

When creating a new article, fill in the following sections:

graph TD
    A[Article Creation Form] -->|Step 1| B[Basic Info]
    A -->|Step 2| C[Content]
    A -->|Step 3| D[Images]
    A -->|Step 4| E[Files]
    A -->|Step 5| F[Publishing]
    A -->|Step 6| G[Save]

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Step 1: Basic Information

Required Fields

Article Title

Field: Title
Type: Text input (required)
Max length: 255 characters
Example: "Top 5 Tips for Better Photography"

Guidelines:

• Descriptive and specific
• Include keywords for SEO
• Avoid ALL CAPS
• Keep under 60 characters for best display

Select Category

Field: Category
Type: Dropdown (required)
Options: List of created categories
Example: Photography > Tutorials

Tips:

• Parent and subcategories available
• Pick most relevant category
• Only one category per article
• Can be changed later

Article Subtitle (Optional)

Field: Subtitle
Type: Text input (optional)
Max length: 255 characters
Example: "Learn photography fundamentals in 5 easy steps"

Use for:

• Summary headline
• Teaser text
• Extended title

Article Description

Short Description

Field: Short Description
Type: Textarea (optional)
Max length: 500 characters

Purpose:

• Article preview text
• Displays in category listing
• Used in search results
• Meta description for SEO

Example:

"Discover essential photography techniques that will transform your photos
from ordinary to extraordinary. This comprehensive guide covers composition,
lighting, and exposure settings."

Full Content

Field: Article Body
Type: WYSIWYG Editor (required)
Max length: Unlimited
Format: HTML

The main article content area with rich text editing.

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Step 2: Formatting Content

Using the WYSIWYG Editor

Text Formatting

Bold:           Ctrl+B or click [B] button
Italic:         Ctrl+I or click [I] button
Underline:      Ctrl+U or click [U] button
Strikethrough:  Alt+Shift+D or click [S] button
Subscript:      Ctrl+, (comma)
Superscript:    Ctrl+. (period)

Heading Structure

Create proper document hierarchy:

<h1>Article Title</h1>      <!-- Use once at top -->
<h2>Main Section</h2>        <!-- For major sections -->
<h3>Subsection</h3>          <!-- For subtopics -->
<h4>Sub-subsection</h4>      <!-- For details -->

In Editor:

• Click Format dropdown
• Select heading level (H1-H6)
• Type your heading

Lists

Unordered List (Bullets):

• Point one
• Point two
• Point three

Steps in editor:

1. Click [≡] Bullet list button
2. Type each point
3. Press Enter for next item
4. Press Backspace twice to end list

Ordered List (Numbered):

1. First step
2. Second step
3. Third step

Steps in editor:

1. Click [1.] Numbered list button
2. Type each item
3. Press Enter for next
4. Press Backspace twice to end

Nested Lists:

1. Main point
   a. Sub-point
   b. Sub-point
2. Next point

Steps:

1. Create first list
2. Press Tab to indent
3. Create nested items
4. Press Shift+Tab to outdent

Links

Add Hyperlink:

1. Select text to link
2. Click [🔗] Link button
3. Enter URL: https://example.com
4. Optional: Add title/target
5. Click Insert Link

Remove Link:

1. Click within linked text
2. Click [🔗] Remove Link button

Code & Quotes

Blockquote:

"This is an important quote from an expert"
- Attribution

Steps:

1. Type quote text
2. Click [❝] Blockquote button
3. Text is indented and styled

Code Block:

def hello_world():
    print("Hello, World!")

Steps:

1. Click Format → Code
2. Paste code
3. Select language (optional)
4. Code displays with syntax highlight

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Step 3: Adding Images

Featured Image (Hero Image)

Field: Featured Image / Main Image
Type: Image upload
Format: JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP
Max size: 5 MB
Recommended: 600x400 px

To Upload:

1. Click Upload Image button
2. Select image from computer
3. Crop/resize if needed
4. Click Use This Image

Image Placement:

• Displays at top of article
• Used in category listings
• Shown in archive
• Used for social sharing

Inline Images

Insert images within article text:

1. Position cursor in editor where image should go
2. Click [🖼️] Image button in toolbar
3. Choose upload option:
   • Upload new image
   • Select from gallery
   • Enter image URL
4. Configure:

   Image Size:
   - Width: 300-600 px
   - Height: Auto (maintains ratio)
   - Alignment: Left/Center/Right

5. Click Insert Image

Wrap Text Around Image:

In editor after inserting:

<!-- Image floats left, text wraps around -->
<img src="image.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 10px;">

Image Gallery

Create multi-image gallery:

1. Click Gallery button (if available)
2. Upload multiple images:
   • Single click: Add one
   • Drag & drop: Add multiple
3. Arrange order by dragging
4. Set captions for each image
5. Click Create Gallery

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Step 4: Attaching Files

Add File Attachments

Field: File Attachments
Type: File upload (multiple allowed)
Supported: PDF, DOC, XLS, ZIP, etc.
Max per file: 10 MB
Max per article: 5 files

To Attach:

1. Click Add File button
2. Select file from computer
3. Optional: Add file description
4. Click Attach File
5. Repeat for multiple files

File Examples:

• PDF guides
• Excel spreadsheets
• Word documents
• ZIP archives
• Source code

Manage Attached Files

Edit File:

1. Click file name
2. Edit description
3. Click Save

Delete File:

1. Find file in list
2. Click [×] Delete icon
3. Confirm deletion

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Step 5: Publishing & Status

Article Status

Field: Status
Type: Dropdown
Options:
  - Draft: Not published, only author sees
  - Pending: Waiting for approval
  - Published: Live on site
  - Archived: Old content
  - Unpublished: Was published, now hidden

Status Workflow:

graph LR
    A[Draft] -->|Author saves| B[Draft]
    B -->|Submit| C[Pending Review]
    C -->|Editor approves| D[Published]
    D -->|Author unpublishes| E[Unpublished]
    C -->|Editor rejects| F[Draft]

Publishing Options

Publish Immediately

Status: Published
Start Date: Today (auto-filled)
End Date: (leave blank for no expiration)

Schedule for Later

Status: Scheduled
Start Date: Future date/time
Example: February 15, 2024 at 9:00 AM

The article will automatically publish at specified time.

Set Expiration

Enable Expiration: Yes
Expiration Date: Future date
Action: Archive/Hide/Delete
Example: April 1, 2024 (article auto-archives)

Visibility Options

Show Article:
  - Display on front page: Yes/No
  - Show in category: Yes/No
  - Include in search: Yes/No
  - Include in recent articles: Yes/No

Featured Article:
  - Mark as featured: Yes/No
  - Featured section position: (number)

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Step 6: SEO & Metadata

SEO Settings

Field: SEO Settings (Expand section)

Meta Description

Field: Meta Description
Type: Text (160 characters recommended)
Used by: Search engines, social media

Example:
"Learn photography fundamentals in 5 easy steps.
Discover composition, lighting, and exposure techniques."

Meta Keywords

Field: Meta Keywords
Type: Comma-separated list
Max: 5-10 keywords

Example: Photography, Tutorial, Composition, Lighting, Exposure

URL Slug

Field: URL Slug (auto-generated from title)
Type: Text
Format: lowercase, hyphens, no spaces

Auto: "top-5-tips-for-better-photography"
Edit: Change before publishing

Open Graph Tags

Auto-generated from article info:

• Title
• Description
• Featured image
• Article URL
• Publication date

Used by Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, etc.

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Step 7: Comments & Interaction

Comment Settings

Allow Comments:
  - Enable: Yes/No
  - Default: Inherit from preferences
  - Override: Specific to this article

Moderate Comments:
  - Require approval: Yes/No
  - Default: Inherit from preferences

Rating Settings

Allow Ratings:
  - Enable: Yes/No
  - Scale: 5 stars (default)
  - Show average: Yes/No
  - Show count: Yes/No

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Step 8: Advanced Options

Author & Byline

Field: Author
Type: Dropdown
Default: Current user
Options: All users with author permission

Display:
  - Show author name: Yes/No
  - Show author bio: Yes/No
  - Show author avatar: Yes/No

Edit Lock

Field: Edit Lock
Purpose: Prevent accidental changes

Lock Article:
  - Locked: Yes/No
  - Lock reason: "Final version"
  - Unlock date: (optional)

Revision History

Auto-saved versions of article:

View Revisions:
  - Click "Revision History"
  - Shows all saved versions
  - Compare versions
  - Restore previous version

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Saving & Publishing

Save Workflow

graph TD
    A[Start Article] -->|Save as Draft| B[Draft Saved]
    B -->|Continue editing| C[Save again]
    C -->|Ready to publish| D[Change Status to Published]
    D -->|Click Save| E[Live on Site]

Save Article

Auto-save:

• Triggered every 60 seconds
• Saves as draft automatically
• Shows “Last saved: 2 minutes ago”

Manual Save:

• Click Save & Continue to keep editing
• Click Save & View to see published version
• Click Save to save and close

Publish Article

1. Set Status: Published
2. Set Start Date: Now (or future date)
3. Click Save or Publish
4. Confirmation message appears
5. Article is live (or scheduled)

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Editing Existing Articles

Access Article Editor

1. Go to Admin → Publisher → Articles
2. Find article in list
3. Click Edit icon/button
4. Make changes
5. Click Save

Bulk Edit

Edit multiple articles at once:

1. Go to Articles list
2. Select articles (checkboxes)
3. Choose "Bulk Edit" from dropdown
4. Change selected field
5. Click "Update All"

Available for:
  - Status
  - Category
  - Featured (Yes/No)
  - Author

Preview Article

Before publishing:

1. Click Preview button
2. View as readers will see
3. Check formatting
4. Test links
5. Return to editor to adjust

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Article Management

View All Articles

Articles List View:

Admin → Publisher → Articles

Columns:
  - Title
  - Category
  - Author
  - Status
  - Created date
  - Modified date
  - Actions (Edit, Delete, Preview)

Sorting:
  - By title (A-Z)
  - By date (newest/oldest)
  - By status (Published/Draft)
  - By category

Filter Articles

Filter Options:
  - By category
  - By status
  - By author
  - By date range
  - Search by title

Example: Show all "Draft" articles by "John" in "News" category

Delete Article

Soft Delete (Recommended):

1. Change Status: Unpublished
2. Click Save
3. Article hidden but not deleted
4. Can be restored later

Hard Delete:

1. Select article in list
2. Click Delete button
3. Confirm deletion
4. Article removed permanently

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Content Best Practices

Writing Quality Articles

Structure:
  ✓ Compelling title
  ✓ Clear subtitle/description
  ✓ Engaging opening paragraph
  ✓ Logical sections with headers
  ✓ Supporting visuals
  ✓ Conclusion/summary
  ✓ Call-to-action

Length:
  - Blog posts: 500-2000 words
  - News: 300-800 words
  - Guides: 2000-5000 words
  - Minimum: 300 words

SEO Optimization

Title Optimization:
  ✓ Include primary keyword
  ✓ Keep under 60 characters
  ✓ Put keyword near beginning
  ✓ Be descriptive and specific

Content Optimization:
  ✓ Use headings (H1, H2, H3)
  ✓ Include keyword in heading
  ✓ Use bold for important terms
  ✓ Add descriptive links
  ✓ Include images with alt text

Meta Description:
  ✓ Include primary keyword
  ✓ 155-160 characters
  ✓ Action-oriented
  ✓ Unique per article

Formatting Tips

Readability:
  ✓ Short paragraphs (2-4 sentences)
  ✓ Bullet points for lists
  ✓ Subheadings every 300 words
  ✓ Generous whitespace
  ✓ Line breaks between sections

Visual Appeal:
  ✓ Featured image at top
  ✓ Inline images in content
  ✓ Alt text on all images
  ✓ Code blocks for technical
  ✓ Blockquotes for emphasis

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Keyboard Shortcuts

Editor Shortcuts

Bold:               Ctrl+B
Italic:             Ctrl+I
Underline:          Ctrl+U
Link:               Ctrl+K
Save Draft:         Ctrl+S

Text Shortcuts

-- →  (dash to em dash)
... → … (three dots to ellipsis)
(c) → © (copyright)
(r) → ® (registered)
(tm) → ™ (trademark)

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Common Tasks

Copy Article

1. Open article
2. Click Duplicate or Clone button
3. Article copied as draft
4. Edit title and content
5. Publish

Schedule Article

1. Create article
2. Set Start Date: Future date/time
3. Set Status: Published
4. Click Save
5. Article publishes automatically

Batch Publishing

1. Create articles as drafts
2. Set publish dates
3. Articles auto-publish at scheduled times
4. Monitor from “Scheduled” view

Move Between Categories

1. Edit article
2. Change Category dropdown
3. Click Save
4. Article appears in new category

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Troubleshooting

Problem: Can’t save article

Solution:

1. Check form for required fields
2. Verify category is selected
3. Check PHP memory limit
4. Try saving as draft first
5. Clear browser cache

Problem: Images not displaying

Solution:

1. Verify image upload succeeded
2. Check image file format (JPG, PNG)
3. Verify image path in database
4. Check upload directory permissions
5. Try re-uploading image

Problem: Editor toolbar not showing

Solution:

1. Clear browser cache
2. Try different browser
3. Disable browser extensions
4. Check JavaScript console for errors
5. Verify editor plugin installed

Problem: Article not publishing

Solution:

1. Verify Status = "Published"
2. Check Start Date is today or earlier
3. Verify permissions allow publishing
4. Check category is published
5. Clear module cache

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Related Guides

• Configuration Guide
• Category Management
• Permission Setup
• Custom Templates

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Next Steps

• Create your first Article
• Set up Categories
• Configure Permissions
• Review Template Customization

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