This background is for site bulders and the site administrator.

Background:

• An isolated/hidden section is one that the most visitors are not expected to see.  In order to view pages the visitor must enter a user name and password.   An additional use is to create a semi-independent site which, because it is hidden, need not be under the close control of the main site administrator.  Note: this requires multiple editors be enabled for the site.    There are two parts to this isolating a "mini-site" this way: creating separate content section and media and isolating the section from the rest of the site.
  
  • Creating the content section and separate folder.  This is useful even if the Section will appear as part of the site.
  • "Hiding: the section just means making sure it is not connected directly to the menu system.  It can be referenced on a page which explains that this area is restricted to '...' (i.e., whatever group should see it).
• A brief review of terms:
  • This help refers to people of visit the site as Visitors.  People who can change the site are referred to as Users. 
  • The content system is divided into Sections.  Each section can be edited assigned to a  Division.  Only members of that  Division can edit it.  If it is assigned to no division (i.e., 'none' is the Owning Division) then members of any division can edit it.
  • Users are assigned to a division.  The member's of the special division 'Central Admin.' can edit all sections, everyone else can only edit sections explicitly assigned either to their division or 'none'.
  • Media in folders can be used by those who are given permission to read that folder's media.  Certain users can add/modify or remove media in one or more folders.  
  • Visitors can be required to log in (i.e., enter a user name and password) before seeing certain pages.  These visitors can Members of  one or more Access Groups.  Once a visitor Logs in they will be able to see any page to which any group they belong to has permission.  When a visitor leaves they need to be cold to close all browser windows so that the next visitor on that same computer will not be able to re-use their permissions.  

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Steps to Create an Isolated Section, one which will be managed independently of the rest of the site.

• Create a Division to own the section. Click on 'Division' and enter a new Division Name (e.g., MusicLtd).
• Create a new "section  to be owned by that division.   Click on 'Sections' and enter the new Section Name (e.g., "95 - Music Ministers" and assigned ownership to the Music_Ltd division)
• Create one or more users who will belong to that Division.  Click on 'Users' and enter a new User Name and select type Admin and the new Division (e.g., new user 'musticM' password: 'Fsharp'
    is Admin in Music_Ltd division).  Repeat if more than one editor is needed. You can move a user from one division to another.  However, this will change their permissions.  If they have a page locked for editing, an administrator in the appropriate division will have to take over editing that page.
• Create a new media Folder for the Division to use and give the users write permission. Click on Folders and create a folder or sub folder.  Then use the Permission  radio button to switch to the permissions mode and turn on Write permission for the new users.  You may want to give them Read permissions for other media directory (e.g., 'Music_Ministry_Info ' and gave modification permissions to Admin and 'musicM')
• Warning: ensure that these users can not alter any other pages.  This means that all sections must be assigned to a Division not just theirs.
  • When you create the first restricted users, check each of the existing sections and ensure that it is owned by a Division (i.e., Owning Division is something other than 'none' ).
  • The user 'Admin' may have to create a new division with no members (e.g., 'Restricted') and assign any orphan Sections to that division if only the Central Admin users will be editing that section. 
• The next steps require an Access Group and members be created.   Create an access Group by clicking on the Group button and entering a new name   (e.g., create a access Group 'M.Ministers').

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Access Groups and Members

• Each page can be marked as being owned by an Access Group.  A Member is a special kind of visitor, i.e., a visitor who is assigned to one or more Access Groups.
• Each access Member can be given access to one or more Access Groups.  Note:
  
  • Several visitors can be given the same name and password.  They will all have access to the same set of pages.  The system considers them to be one "member".
  • Several visitors can be given unique names and be assigned separate passwords and given access to the same access Group pages.  
• Since the user 'Admin' must assign/revoke each access Member grouping sometimes simplifies matter.   However, if visitor needs to have access revoked then all visitors who are using the same name and password will have to be given at least a new password when the password is reset.  Also, even if the site is configured to send a password to a "Member"  shared "Member" names should not have an email address since it will go only to that one email address, not all the visitors who use the same "Member" name.
• Causion: the user names used to access the content/media management have nothing to do with the page Access "Member" names and passwords.  They can be the same or different.  Also, if a page editor is not given a access member name and password they will not be able to see their work unless they make the page publicly viewable.

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Hiding Sections

• If you want a page or pages to appear in the table of contents but still require an access name and password be entered before they can be viewed.
  • Create the page normally but Restricted To box select the Access Group to who the page will be restricted.  Note: you should restrict both the top level and any subordinate pages which require access.   
  • The pages will still appear in the Table of Contents, but clicking on the link will generate an access request unless the visitor has already signed in somewhere on the site. 
• If you want all the pages not to appear in the table of contents they should be in a separate section the user 'Admin' created above.
  
  • On each of the pages, the Restricted To box needs to have the appropriate Access Group selected.
  • As in all sections, the first page should have a Display Priority of 1-1.  This will ensure that the link to the page will not be broken by an editor accidentally removing the page.
  • On a publicly visible page, set a link to the top page top level page.  It is advisable that an explanation be provided on that page indicating that the link is to a restricted section so that visitor's do not get frustrated.

Using the hidden section

• Since the section is restricted, the site owner may allow the users of that section more freedom in putting up and removing material.  
  • Visitors who are members of the correct Access Group can see any of the pages and by extension any media referenced by those pages.  
  • If several visitors have Admin permission in that Division the normal rules about coordinating work apply. 
  • It is recommended that versioning be turned on so that pages can be locked during edits.
• Images, documents, etc. will be updated via the Mange Media button.  Normally, these users will be able to add/replace/delete media from the one media folder assigned to them.  They can view those other folders where they have Read permission but not change their contents.
• It is possible to configure the system so that members of one Division cannot see the pages being maintained by users in another Division.  If this is the case the restricted users will only see their section under Manage Pages.  

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