DocumentationAEM as a Cloud ServiceUser Guide

Editing Page Content

Last update: Mon Dec 04 2023 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Once your page is created (either new or as part of a launch or live copy) you can edit the content to make the updates you require.

Content is added using components (appropriate to the content type) that can be dragged onto the page. These can then be edited in place, moved, or deleted.

NOTE
Your account needs the appropriate access rights and permissions to edit pages.
If you encounter any problems we suggest you contact your system administrator.
NOTE
If your page and/or template has been appropriately set up, then you can use responsive layout when editing.
TIP
When in Edit mode, links in your content are visible, but not accessible. Use Preview mode if you want to navigate using the links in your content.
For authoring AEM content for Edge Delivery Services, click here.
Authoring AEM content for Edge Delivery Services

Page Toolbar

The page toolbar offers access to the appropriate functionality, dependent on the page configuration.

Page toolbar

The toolbar offers access to numerous options. Depending on your current context and configuration, some options may not be available.

  • Toggle Side Panel

    This opens/closes the side panel, which holds the Asset Browser, Component Browser, and Content Tree.

    Side Panel toggle

  • Page Information

    Provides access to the Page Information menu including page details and actions that can be taken on the page including viewing and editing page information, viewing page properties, and publishing/unpublishing the page.

    Page Information button

  • Emulator

    Toggles the emulator toolbar, which is used to emulate the look-and-feel of the page on another device. This is automatically toggled in layout mode.

    Emulator button

  • ContextHub

    Opens the ContextHub. Only available in Preview mode.

    Context Hub button

  • Page Title

    This is purely informational.

    Page Title

  • Mode Selector

    Displays the current mode and lets you select another mode such as edit, layout, timewarp, or targeting.

    Mode Selector button

  • Preview

    Enables preview mode. This displays the page as it will appear when published.

    Preview button

  • Annotate

    Lets you add annotations to the page when reviewing a page. After the first annotation, the icon will switch to a number indicating the number of annotations on the page.

    Annotation button

Status Notification

If a page is part of a workflow or multiple workflows, this information is shown in a notification bar at the top of the screen when editing the page.

Workflow notification

NOTE
The status bar is only visible to user accounts with appropriate privileges.

The notification lists the workflow that is running against the page. If the user is involved in the current workflow step, options to affect the workflow status and get more information about the workflow are also available such as:

  • Complete - Opens the Complete Work Item dialog
  • Delegate - Opens the Complete Work Item dialog
  • View details - Opens the Details window of the workflow

Completing and delegating workflow steps via the notification bar works as it does when participating in workflows from the Notification inbox.

If the page is subject to multiple workflows, the number of workflows is displayed at the right end of the notification along with arrow buttons to allow you to scroll through the workflows.

Multiple workflow notifications

Component Placeholder

The component placeholder is an indicator to show where a component is positioned when you drop it - above the component you are currently hovering over.

  • When adding a new component to the page (dragging from the component browser):

    Placeholder when adding a new component to a page

  • When moving an existing component:

    Placeholder when moving an existing component on a page

Inserting a Component

Inserting a Component from the Components Browser

You can add a new component by using the component browser. The component placeholder shows you where the component is positioned:

  1. Make sure that your page is in Edit mode.
  2. Open the component browser.
  3. Drag the required component to the required position.
  4. Edit the component.
NOTE
On a mobile device, the component browser will fill the entire screen. Once you start dragging a component, the browser will close to show the page again so you can place the component.

Inserting a Component from the Paragraph System

You can add a new component by using the Drag components here box of the paragraph system:

  1. Make sure that your page is in Edit mode.

  2. There are two ways to select and add a new component from the paragraph system:

    • Select the Insert Component option (+) from either the toolbar of an existing component or the Drag components here box.

      Insert a component

    • If you are on a desktop device you can double-click the Drag components here box.

    • The Insert New Component dialog open to let you select your required component:

      Insert New Component dialog

  3. The selected component is added to the bottom of the page. Edit the component as required.

Inserting a Component using the Assets Browser

You can also add a new component to the page by dragging an asset from the assets browser. This automatically creates a component of the appropriate type (and containing the asset).

This behavior can be configured for your installation. See Configuring a Paragraph System so that Dragging an Asset Creates a Component Instance for further details.

To create a component by dragging one of the above asset types:

  1. Make sure that your page is in Edit mode.

  2. Open the asset browser.

  3. Drag the required asset to the required position. The component placeholder shows you where the component is positioned.

    A component, appropriate for the asset type, is created at the required location - it contains the selected asset.

  4. Edit the component if necessary.

NOTE
On a mobile device, the asset browser will fill the entire screen. Once you start dragging an asset, the browser will close to show the page again so you can place the asset.

If when browsing the assets you find that you need to make a quick change to an asset, you can start the asset editor directly from the browser by clicking the edit icon next to the asset’s name.

Asset edit button

Component Toolbar

Selecting a component opens the toolbar. This provides access to various actions that can be performed on the component.

The actual actions available to the user are shown as appropriate and not all actions may be described here.

Component Toolbar

  • Edit

    Dependent on the component type, this lets you edit the content of the component. Often a toolbar is provided.

    Edit button

  • Configure

    Dependent on the component type, this lets you edit and configure the properties of the component. Often a dialog is opened.

    Configure button

  • Copy

    This will copy the component to the clipboard. After the paste action, the original component will remain.

    Copy button

  • Cut

    This will copy the component to the clipboard. After the paste action, the original component is removed.

    Cut button

  • Delete

    This will delete the component from the page with your confirmation.

    Delete button

  • Insert component

    This opens the dialog to add a new component.

    Insert button

  • Paste

    This will paste the component from the clipboard to the page. Whether the original remains, depends on whether you used copy or cut.

    • You can paste to the same page or to a different page.
    • The pasted item is pasted above the item where you select the paste action.
    • The Pate action will only be shown if there is content on the clipboard.

    Paste button

    note note
    NOTE
    If you paste to a different page that was already open before the cut/copy operation, you must refresh the page to see the pasted content.

  • Group

    This lets you select multiple components at once. The same can be achieved on a desktop device by a Control+Click or Command+Click.

    Group button

  • Parent

    This lets you select the parent component of the selected component.

    Parent button

  • Layout

    This lets you modify the layout of the selected component. This only applies to the selected component and does not activate the Layout mode for the entire page.

    Layout button

  • Convert to an experience fragment variation

    This lets you create an experience fragment from the selected component or add it to an existing experience fragment.

    Convert to Experience Fragment button

Edit Content

There are two methods of adding and/or editing content in components:

Component Edit Dialog

You can open a component to edit the content using the Edit (pencil) icon of the component toolbar.

The exact edit options will depend on the component. For some components all actions will only be available in full screen mode. For example:

  • Text component

    Toolbar of the text component

  • Image component

    Toolbar of the image component

    note note
    NOTE
    Editing does not work on an empty image component.
    You must drag or upload an image to the component before you can start to edit it.

  • Image component - full screen

    Entering full screen mode for the image component allows for more space to edit the image and showing extra editing options such as Launch Map and Reset Zoom. In addition, full screen allows for crop presets to be selected.

    Image Component's full screen mode

  • Components constructed from more than one basic component first ask you to confirm which set of edit options you want:

Drag and Drop Assets into Component

For specific component types (such as images) you can drag-and-drop assets from the asset browser directly into the component to update the content.

Edit Content in Full Screen Mode

For all components the full screen mode can be accessed with (and exited from):

Full Screen button

For example, the Text component:

Text component in full screen

NOTE
For some components, the full screen mode will have more options available than the basic in-place editor.

Moving a Component

To move a paragraph component:

  1. Select the paragraph to be moved with either select-and-hold or click-and-hold.

  2. Drag the paragraph to the new location. AEM indicates where the paragraph can be deposited. Drop it in your desired location.

    Moving a component

  3. Your paragraph is moved.

TIP
You can also use Cut and Paste to move a component.

Edit Component Layout

Instead of repeatedly switching from edit to layout mode to adjust a component, you can select the Layout action for a component to change that component’s layout and save time by not having to leave the edit mode.

  1. When in Edit mode of the sites console, selecting a component reveals the component’s toolbar.

    The component toolbar of a page component

    Select the Layout action to adjust the layout of the component.

    The Layout button of the component toolbar

  2. Once the Layout action is selected:

    • The resizing handles for the component display.
    • The emulator toolbar is shown at the top of the screen.
    • Layout actions instead of the standard edit actions show on the component toolbar.

    A component in layout mode

    You can now modify the layout of the component as you would in layout mode.

  3. After making the necessary layout changes, click the Close button in the component action menu to stop modifying the layout of the component. The component’s toolbar returns to its normal edit state.

    The component toolbar of a page component

TIP
The Layout action is limited in scope to the selected component. For example, if you are editing the layout of one component and then click another component, the standard edit toolbar (not the layout toolbar) displays for the newly selected component and the resizing handles and the emulator toolbar disappear.
If you need to edit the overall layout of the page, affecting multiple components, switch to the layout mode.

Inherited Components

Inheritance is the mechanism where content can be automatically pushed from one component to another. Inherited components can be the product of various scenarios, including:

You can cancel (then re-enable) the inheritance. Depending on the component, this can be available from the component toolbar, if the component is on a page that is part of a live copy or launch (based on a live copy).

A component toolbar showing inheritance relationship

For example:

  • Cancel Inheritance

    Cancel Inheritance button

  • Re-enable Inheritance (if inheritance is already cancelled)

    Re-Enable Inheritance button

  • Rollout action is also available in the blueprint or Live Copy source

    Rollout button

Editing the Page Template

You can easily switch to the template editor by selecting Edit Template in the Page Information menu.

You can easily see which template the page is based on when selecting the page in either Column view or List view.

Live Copy Status

The Live Copy Status page mode allows you a quick overview of the live copy status and which components are/are not inherited:

  • Green border: Inherited
  • Pink border: Inheritance has been cancelled

For example:

Example of live copy status being displayed

Adding Annotations

Annotations allow reviewers and other authors to provide feedback on your content. They are often used for review and validation purposes.

Previewing Pages

There are two options for previewing a page:

TIP
  • Links in the content are visible, but not accessible in Edit mode.
  • Use either of the preview options if you want to navigate using your links.
  • Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-M to switch between preview and the last selected mode.
NOTE
The WCM Mode cookie is set for both preview options.

Preview Mode

When editing content you can preview the page using the preview mode. This mode:

  • Hides various edit mechanisms to give you a quick view of how the page will appear on publish.
  • Lets you use links to navigate.
  • Does not refresh the page content.

When authoring, the preview mode is available using the icon at the top right of the page editor:

Preview button

View as Published

The View as Published option is available from the Page Information menu. This opens the page in a new tab, refreshes the content and shows the page exactly as it will appear in the publish environment.

Locking a Page

AEM lets you lock a page, so that no one else can edit the contents. This locking is useful when you are making numerous edits to one specific page, or when you need to freeze a page for a short while.

A page can be locked from either:

  • Sites console

    1. Select the page with selection mode.

    2. Select the lock icon.

      Lock button

  • Page Editor

    1. Select the Page Information icon to open the menu.
    2. Select the Lock Page option.

Once locked the console view information is updated and when editing a lock symbol is shown in the toolbar.

Example of a locked page

CAUTION
Locking a page can be performed when impersonating a user. However a page locked in this way can only be unlocked (by customers) using the user who was impersonated.
Pages cannot be unlocked by impersonating the user who locked the page.
If the user who locked the page is not available to unlock the page, contact Customer Support to evaluate options to remove the lock.

Unlocking a Page

Unlocking a page is very similar to locking the page. Once the page is locked the lock options are replaced by unlock actions.

The Page Information menu lists Unlock as an option and the Lock icon in the sites console is replaced by an Unlock icon.

Unlock button

CAUTION
Locking a page can be performed when impersonating a user. However a page locked in this way can only then be unlocked (by customers) using the user who was impersonated.
Pages cannot be unlocked by impersonating the user who locked the page.
If the user who locked the page is not available to unlock the page, contact Customer Support to evaluate options to remove the lock.

Undoing and Redoing Page Edits

The following icons allow you to undo or redo an action. These are shown in the toolbar when appropriate:

The Undo and Redo buttons

TIP
  • The keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Z is also available to undo page edit actions.
  • The keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Y is also available to redo page edit actions.
NOTE
See Undoing and Redoing Page Edits - The Theory for the full details of what is possible when undoing and redoing page edits.

Undoing and Redoing Page Edits - The Theory

AEM stores a history of actions that you perform and the sequence in which you performed them so that you can undo multiple actions in the order that you performed them and redo them to re-apply one or more of the actions if necessary.

If an element on the content page is selected (such as a text component), then the undo and redo command applies to the selected item.

The behavior of the undo and redo commands is similar to that in other software. Use the commands to restore the recent state of your web page as you make decisions about content. For example, if you move a text paragraph to a different location on the page, you can use the undo command to move the paragraph back. If you then decide that the previous position was better, use the redo command to “undo the undo”.

For example, you can:

  • Redo actions as long as you have not made a page edit since you used undo.
  • Undo a maximum of 20 edit actions (default setting).
  • Also use Keyboard shortcuts for undo and redo.

You can use undo and redo for the following types of page changes:

  • Adding, editing, removing, and moving paragraphs
  • In-place editing of paragraph content
  • Copying, cutting, and pasting items within a page
NOTE
  • Special permissions are required to undo and redo changes to files and images.
  • The history of changes to files and images lasts for a minimum of ten hours. Beyond this time however, the undo of the changes is not guaranteed. Your administrator can change the default time of ten hours.
  • Your system administrator can configure various aspects of the Undo/Redo features according to the requirements for your instance.
fbcff2a9-b6fe-4574-b04a-21e75df764ab