Quick start with external content

External Content quick start guide

This article assumes that you have installed the "FileSystem Connector" module (http://public.silverstripe.com.au/open/modules/filesystem-connector/), which provides access to content from a filesystem path.

FileSystemContentSource::$base_path - Set a filesystem path that is the root path for any connector created (eg Folder Path is relative to the path entered here)

Browse to http://localhost/external-content/admin and login
Create a new FileSystemContentSource from the tree on the left menu. Set the following field values:
- name - File System Content
- Folder Path - The folder to retrieve content from (in the form /path/to/content)
Once saved, you will need to reload the External Content page for content to start coming through the connector

Navigate to the "Site Content" tab
Create a new 'External Content Page' in your site tree
Change the External Content Source value to the source created earlier
Save and view the page on the frontend; its url should look something like http://localhost/extcon/view?ID=1 or similar
You can also link to external content directly in the WYSIWYG content areas by selecting "External Content" as the "Link To" option when the Insert Link toolbar is displayed

And viewed on the frontend in a custom template

First, make sure you have an empty folder called "Incoming" created in the "Files & Images" section
Navigate back to the External Content section, and expand the "File System Content" node created earlier.
Navigate to a folder that contains some files and click on its name, then click on the Migrate tab.
Select the "Incoming" folder, then click the "Include Selected Item in Migration" option.
Click the Migrate button down the bottom. An alert box will shortly appear when the migrate is complete.
Navigate to the "Files and Images" section and click the "Incoming" folder.
The uploaded files should appear in the right hand listing when you select the imported folder

Select files to import

The imported files