Overview

This Administration Menu item allows the administrator to set the 'look and feel' of the website as a whole.  It defines the default settings for the website.

Sections

Website Details 

This area defines the 'static' data about your website.  That is, who you are. 

Title: Sets the overall title for the Website. This usually does not appear on any page, but forms part of the [meta]^†data about your website

Copyright:  Who does the copyright belong to? To insert a © symbol use the code '©'  The copyright will be used whenever the website refers to it.

Logo: Click the  to upload your company logo.  This will normally be placed in the top left corner of the web page header.  Make sure it fits nicely (i.e not too big, or too small!)

Body Background: Obsolete.  Replaced by the skin background image.

 Skins and Containers

This section defines the 'look and feel' of your website.  Whilst each page or module can have its own skin these settings provide the 'master' view

Portal Skin:  For Portal read Site.  This is the 'master view' of your website.  By default we provide a simple but effective skin as shown above. 

Portal Container: Unless you have customised your skin dramatically and OctEportal has told you to set this value it can safely be ignored 

Admin Skin:  The look and feel when you are carrying out administrative functions.  Normally this will not show things like Basket and Checkout, as these are not needed at such a point

Admin Container: Unless you have customised your skin dramatically and OctEportal has told you to set this value it can safely be ignored 

Default Pages 

Home page: This is the page which will be displayed when users type in your website URL without specifying a page

Login Page:  If you have created a page specifically for logging in select this page from the list

User Page: Used for directing new users to a specific point when registering

Search Results Page: It is good practice to put your search results on a separate page, to which users can come back when checking the results.  Define the page here.  Note: there must be a search module on the page.

Product Display Page:  If you sell products you may want to display selected products on a specific page.  Define it here.

Search Engines

Al pages have their own individual search description and keywords.  However, if you forget, the words and description entered here will provide default values

Users

If you allow users to register with your site - e.g. returning customers, forum members, etc.  you can define how they register with your site.  The options are:

None: does not allow users to register.  Useful if you have a set of pre-defined users, or you just want access for administration.

Private:  Users can register, but the application will be screened by an administrator. If the application is authorized, they will receive notification of your access to the portal environment.

Public:  users can register and no verification takes place

Verified: Users will be sent a verification code by email once they have registered, which they then enter when they first login.

 Statistics

You can collect statistics about your website by siging up for one of the statistical services.  Currently OctEportal supports Stat Counter andGoogle Analytics. 

Sign up, select the provider and enter your code.  If you want to stop collecting statistics for a period tick the 'No Statistics' box.

Meta Tags

Occasionally you may need to verify your site with another provider, or provide additional information.  Use this box to enter the Tag.  Just copy and paste the provided tag directly into the box.

Financial

If you are using the basket and checkout moules, then you will be displaying prices and collecting money.  OctEportal can handle one currency only.  Select the currency you will be paid in most of the time.  ALL payments will then be made in this currency.  If you have a paypal user name for your company you can enter it here

Hosting Details

This section displays those modules which are related to ECommerce.  It is for information only.  If you need one of the modules in which the check box does not contain a tick, it is not available and you will need to contact OctEportal for access.

^† Meta data is data which describes other data.  For example: 'CreationDate' will describe when the page or site was created.