Red Dot TrainingJanuary 14, 2011

Introducing RedDotAllows you to edit pages in the system.Provides greater flexibility and control over

your content.Allows the reuse of content, maintaining a

more up-to-date site.Includes restrictions that help ensure

consistency across the site.

Logging OnLog in with your username and password.

http://red.otc.edu

Getting Familiar with the Home Menu

The “Home” Menu is the RedDot menu located on the left-hand side of the screen.Homepage

Asset ManagerSearchTasksLog Off

HomepageAllows you to get a snapshot on the pages

you’re working on. Provides access to Asset Manager.Manually submit tasks from this page.

Asset ManagerAsset Manager allows you to add files to your

folder that you can link to from your web pages.

SearchSearch for pages.

Is not case sensitive.Is spelling sensitive.

SearchIt’s possible to have multiple choices with the

same name. There are ways to determine which one is the correct option.

TasksYou must submit your tasks to the system in

order for them to appear on the live site when it is published.

Tasks

Log offAfter you’ve made all your edits and

submitted your tasks, you may log off the system.

Understanding the InterfaceEditable regions are denoted by red dots.

Foundation Teaser Text Elements via form Body Content

Open FoundationMake changes at the page level.

Add elements (paragraph text, lists, external lists, etc). Add teaser text that will appear on other pages.Add an image that displays at the top of the page.

Edit Teaser TextClick on the red dot next to Edit Teaser Text

to add text that identifies the purpose of this page.Displayed in a bulleted list on a separate page.

Edit Elements via FormAllows you to edit several elements in one

location.

Add/Remove Body ElementsThis dot is used to add elements to the page.

Connect to existing pages, create new pages, edit page order, and disconnect page from lists.

Content ClassesYour list of content classes will depend on your

permissions.

Popular Content ClassesYou’ll use the following content classes the

most:Links – File Download ListLinks – Large Bulleted Link ListLinks – Small Bulleted Link ListText H3 (Main) Heading and ParagraphText H4 (Sub) Heading and ParagraphFAQs – List of FAQs

Understanding the Text EditorThe RedDot text editor is not a WYSIWYG.Can copy and paste from Microsoft Word.

Will need to reformat bullets, numbers, and apostrophes.

Text Editor LimitationsAllows very basic functions.

Right or left justification – do not center.Choices in bullet styles.Bold or italics; no underlining.Right click does not work. Must use shortcuts

or icons.May create tables and links.

Creating TablesInserting tables is easy but limited.

You can add and remove rows and columns.You cannot control the look of the table.

You can adjust the width percentage. Defaults to 75%.You’ll usually want to increase to 100%.

Creating Tables

Using HyperlinksUse hyperlinks to link to email addresses,

internal document and pages, and external sites.When inserting an email address, always put

mailto in front of the email address. Example: mailto:craftk@otc.edu.

To insert a hyperlink, click the hyperlink icon.

The Insert/Edit Link BoxIf connecting to an

external site or document, paste the url in the href box.

If connecting to an internal page, click the page icon.

If connecting to an internal document, click the image icon.

Best PracticesDetermine the layout of your page prior to

putting it in RedDot.Unless you plan to use teaser text, use the

small bullets.When possible, use two column lists.Chunk your information, which will make it

easier for others to use.Use headings to show a hierarchy.

Best PracticesAvoid ALL CAPS if at all possible. Avoid underlining in the text. People

associate underlined text with links.If you’re going to insert an image in the

space provided, make sure it’s of high quality. We will remove it if it is not.

Questions?If you have any issues with the system,

please send them to the helpdesk at helpdesk@otc.edu. In the subject line, it’s helpful to put WebServices: [Issue].