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Brand and Communication Toolkit
 
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The module manager is the place you go to add and edit all different types of Joomla modules. Joomla modules are used to display content and/or media around the main content. We have looked at menu modules, banner image modules, and footer modules, but there are several other modules available for your use. The following are a few that you may want to try:

  • Breadcrumbs – displays the navigation path from the home page to the current page in text below the green horizontal navigation bar
  • Feed Display – RSS, etc. – allows the displaying of a syndicated feed
  • Custom HTML modules – allows you to create your own text boxes with custom HTML code using a WYSIWYG editor
  • Latest News – shows a list of the most recently published and current articles. Some that are shown may have expired even though they are the most  recent.
  • Most Read Content – shows a list of currently published articles which have the highest number of page views.
  • Widgetkit - Creates easy layouts for slideshows, photo galleries and other design elements.
  • www.joomla.org has many modules – but note that Web Communications will need to test the module and IT must evaluate the security of the module  before it can be loaded onto your site. More information on supported extensions may be found on the Extensions page.

Module Positions

Module positions are specific areas in our template designated for displaying a variety of module types. These positions have been designed to make your Joomla site extremely versatile when it comes to displaying what you want, where you want it. When used properly, your site will be easy to navigate and display content in a responsive layout for both desktop and mobile devices.

 

A module titled "Banner" controls the graphic at the top of site home, shown below the UAB logo and horizontal navbar.

Picture of a banner image

The banner image is in a module, so it can be found by accessing Extensions > Module Manager > Banner. If you are making a new header image, click New and select Custom HTML module. The image is inserted in the editor area.

Under Menu Assignments, you will choose where your banner image should be displayed.

Picture of menu assignments

Full width banner position, images will need to be exported from your image editor 1280px - 1920px wide @72dpi. Older layouts of UAB sites used images in the banner area measuring 972px wide. These older, smaller images will look pixelated and blurry if "blown up" to the new, larger size. You will need to generate new versions of your images in this larger specification should you choose to utilize the full-width banner option.

 

Once a menu item is created, you will most likely need to define on what pages the menu is displayed. Display locations and options are controlled by modules. In our example, we created an Area 5 menu and attached it to the Horizontal Menu. If you click on Area 5 on the Horizontal menu, it looks different than Areas 1-4 because the sidebar is not visible.

Example of Area 4 with a sidebar menu:

Picture of a sidebar menu

Example of Area 5 without a sidebar menu:

Picture of a sidebar menu

Using our Area 5 menu example, let's get started enabling a menu module to display the area 5 sidebar menu.

Let's go to Menus > Manage and locate the Area 5 Sidebar menu. Click on the button labeled "add a module for this menu."

Picture of the add module button

In the Module tab, let's start by typing a meaningful Title.  In this example, I am going to title this menu module "Area 5 Sidebar Module" to correspond with my menu name. You may also want to toggle the Show Title to Hide, otherwise the title will appear above your menu.  Click on the Select Position dropdown and choose Sidebar. The position determines where a module will be displayed. Download a PDF of all available positions.

Picture of title toggles

The Menu Assignment tab allow you to choose which pages should display your menu. The Module Assignment drop down box will allow you to choose between four options that work as a selection tool for the tabs representing each menu within your site.  

In our example, I am going to display the menu "Only on the pages selected" and select the "none" option to deselect the default of all selected.

Picture of Menu Assignments

Scroll down to the Area 5 Sidebar menu and place a check all items within the menu.

Picture of sidebar menu selections 

Click on save and preview your new menu!

Additional Menu Module Attributes

  • Position. The position on the page where this module is displayed. Positions are locations on the page where modules can be placed (for example, "left" or "right"). Positions are defined in the template in use for the page.
  • Status. Either the menu module is published (can be seen by public) or unpublished (not viewable).
  • Access. Determines who has access to this item.
  • Ordering. The order to display modules within a position. If the list is sorted by this column, you can change the display order of modules within a position by selecting a position in the Select Position filter and then clicking the arrows or by entering the sequential order and clicking Save Order.
  • Start Publishing/Finish Publishing. Add or remove the menu by date.available template

The footer menu is mandatory and should be shown on each page. The following elements are required for every UAB site. (With the exception of contact information, these links have been populated when your site was delivered.)

Picture of required footer

  1. Accessibility links to a text-only version of the site.

  2. Disclaimer link. UAB Web Policy mandated link. Must be on ALL sites.

  3. UAB Web Pages Policy links to the current UAB Web Policy.

  4. Contact Information. Mandated by UAB Web Policy, this link should point to an e-mail address or a contact information page with information for contacting the site manager or the entity responsible for placing the information on the site. This information is also convenient for your audience.

  5. Copyright.

 

UAB Quicklinks is a dropdown menu found in the top right of every page in your site. This menu links to UAB resources that are updated automatically. Please do not remove or disable the UAB Quicklinks, as this is a standard branding element.

To the left the UAB Quicklinks you can add your own site-specific Department Quicklinks.

Picture of Quicklinks menu

In order to edit the QuickLinks, click on Menus > Dept Quicklinks. You can click on the existing items to edit the items displayed. Click on the New icon to add new menu items. By default, your Quicklinks menu will contain a link to the front page of your website.

  1. Part 8 - Horizontal Navigation Bar
  2. Part 7 - Sidebar Navigation
  3. Part 6 - Articles
  4. Part 5 ‐ Categories

Feedback/Need Help?

Can't find what you need? Do you have suggestions for items to add to our brand and communications toolkit? Email marketing@uab.edu, and we'll connect you with the right Marketing & Communications team member.

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