Bitrix Site Manager

Creating and editing an information block

In this section

  • Context bar
  • Form fields
  • Information block
  • Properties
  • RSS
  • Access
  • Controls
  • Example of creating a news information block
    •

    This form is used to create and edit information blocks of the selected type. You can create information block types on the module settings page.

    Context bar

    Button Description
    List of information blocks Opens a form displaying a list of information blocks of the type to which the edited block belongs. 

    Table of block properties

    "Information block" tab
    Field Description
    ID The information block ID.
    Modified The date and time the information block was last modified.
    Active Toggles the block active state.
    Symbolic code The information block mnemonic code. Consists of the Roman letters. Underscores allowed.

    The mnemonic code consists of the Roman letters (and digits) which should be meaningful to an administrator. For example, the symbolic code of the Company News information block could be company_news. The symbolic code can be used by developers to select or exclude information from a specific information block.
    Sites Site(s) on which the block is allowed to display.
    Name* The name of the block.
    Sort index* The sort index denotes the information block display order. Generally, blocks are displayed individually, but sometimes you may want to display all blocks on a single page (e.g. on the main page). The less sort index a block has, the higher it is displayed on a page.
    Element view page The address of a public page which is used to display the block elements. The following macros are allowed in the path:
    • #SITE_DIR# - the site root folder (from the site settings);
    • #SERVER_NAME# - the site url(from the site settings);
    • #IBLOCK_ID# - the information block ID.
    Section view page The address of a public page which is used to display elements of a block section. This field is only available if the Use tree view to classify section elements option is enabled for the corresponding information block type.

    The following macros are allowed in the path:
    • #SITE_DIR# - the site root folder (from the site settings);
    • #SERVER_NAME# - the site url(from the site settings);
    • #IBLOCK_ID# - the information block ID;
    • #ID# - the ID of an information block section;
    • #EXTERNAL_ID# - the external ID of an information block section.
    You can insert a required macro by clicking

    Value of this field is used by the Search module for building links, and with visual components in the public section.
    Detailed view page The address of a public page which is used to display the element detailed view. This field is only displayed if the property Contains sections is activated for the corresponding information block type.

    The following macros are allowed in the path:
    • #SITE_DIR# - the site root folder (from the site settings);
    • #SERVER_NAME# - the site url(from the site settings);
    • #IBLOCK_ID# - the information block ID;
    • #ID# - the ID of an information block element;
    • #EXTERNAL_ID# - the external ID of an information block element.
    Index sections for the Search module Specifies whether the information block sections are to be indexed by the Search module.

    To add existing sections to the search index, fill in the Section view page field and allow section indexing. Next, re-index the site completely.

    To exclude the required section from the index, disable section indexing (uncheck this field) and then re-index the site completely.
    Index elements for the Search module Specifies whether the information block elements are to be indexed by the Search module.

    To add existing sections to the search index, fill in the Detailed view page field and allow element indexing. Then, re-index the site completely.

    To exclude the required element from the index, disable element indexing (uncheck this field) and then re-index the site completely.
    Description
    Image An image associated with this block.
    Text / HTML Defines how the block content is created and displayed.
    Use visual editor If checked, activates toolbars with text formatting options for the HTML format.
    "Properties" tab

    A set of properties can be assigned to an information block. You can set values of these properties when adding a new element to the information block. For example: on your site, you may want to place articles about your company that had been published in mass media earlier. All these articles can be accumulated in the information block Publications. The following two properties can be assigned to this block: Author and Source. In this case, when adding an article, you will have to fill in the two new fields: Author and Source.

    Field Description
    IDProperty ID.
    NameName of the property.
    ActiveActive state denotes the property is permitted to be used when adding elements.
    Type Property type (text, number, list etc.)
    • Text - a property is a single line text;
    • Number - a property is a number;
    • List - the property value can be selected from a list;
    • File - a property is a file (image, document etc).
    • Link to sections - this property allows to link elements of this information block to sections of another block;
    • Link to elements - allows to link elements of this information block to other elements.
    Each property type has its own set of parameters which can be defined in the Property details form.
    Mult.Indicates a multiple property.

    This means that more than one value can be assigned to a property. Number of input fields can be set in the property details form (click the corresponding Modify button).
    SortThe property sort weight. Defines the property position in lists.
    Code The mnemonic code. Can contain Roman letters and digits but cannot start from a digit.
    EditClick this button to open the Property details form.
    Delete If checked, the property will be deleted upon clicking Save.
    "RSS" tab

    This tab contains settings that are followed when exporting the information block data to RSS.

    Field Description
    Allow dynamic RSS export If checked, the system will export RSS directly to the HTTP stream bypassing file creation.
    Valid (hours) The period of time during which the RSS remains valid.
    Allow export to RSS file If checked, the RSS file will be created regardless of the option Allow dynamic RSS export.
    Number of elements exported to RSS file The number of block elements exported to RSS file. A value of -1 forces all elements to be exported.
    Export last days The number of last days for which to export information to RSS file. A value of -1 forces all elements to be exported
    Allow Yandex format Check this option to export files compatible with the Yandex catalog exchange format.
    RSS export fields assignment
    Field Description
    RSS field Field in an RSS file to export into.
    Field template The information block field to export from.
    "Access" tab

    This tab controls the user access to this information block.

    Field Description
    [user group] Defines the user group access permission to manage the information block.
    • read - allows viewing the information block elements in the public section;
    • workflow - allows editing elements via the workflow;
    • write - allows editing parameters of information block sections and elements;
    • deny - denies any access to the information block;
    • full access - same as write, but also allows to edit permissions of other user groups.

    Controls

    Button Description
    Save Applies changes performed on this page and switches to the list of information blocks.
    Apply Applies changes performed on this page without switching to the list of information blocks.
    Cancel Cancels current changes and restores parameters to their original values.

    Example of creating a news block

    Perform the following operations to create a new information block News.

    1. Open the News information block type editing page (Content -> News).
    2. Click Add information block.
    3. Check the Record active box to make the section visible to visitors.
    4. Specify the section symbolic code (company_news).
    5. Select the site to display news of this section (English).
    6. Type in the section name (Company news).
    7. Set the sort index.
    8. Set the values of the fields Page with list of elements, Section view page and Detailed view page. For the news to display correctly, you have to set the following URL's:
      • Page with list of elements: #SITE_DIR#/about/news.php?ID=#IBLOCK_ID#
      • Section view page: #SITE_DIR#/about/news_list.php?ID=#ID#
      • Page with detailed view: #SITE_DIR#/about/news_detail.php?ID=#ID#
    9. Allow the information block contents to be indexed.
    10. Set user group access permissions.
    11. Click Add to save changes.
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