Metadata-Version: 1.0
Name: collective.spaces
Version: 1.0
Summary: Simple collaboration spaces for Plone
Home-page: http://github.com/collective/spaces
Author: JCU eResearch Centre
Author-email: eresearch@jcu.edu.au
License: gpl
Description: .. contents::
        
        Introduction
        ============
        
        .. image:: https://eresearch.jcu.edu.au/site-resources/spaces-logo.png
           :align: right
        
        `collective.spaces` is a simple way of creating mini-sites within the Plone
        CMS, with each mini-site based on a fully-customisable template.  
        This product deploys a light-weight Dexterity-based content type
        (called a ``Space``) within Plone and provides various additions that would
        be useful in a self-managed, collaborative environment.  For instance:
        
        * Ability for users to self-create Spaces
        * Each Space appears as a sub-site
        * Customisable logo per-Space
        * Ability for site administration to customise a template used for new Spaces
        
        What this offers
        ================
        
        * Simple Dexterity-based content type
        * Web-based forms built using ``plone.app.z3cform`` and friends
        * Leverages existing Plone tech (such as authentication, INavigationRoot and
          Dexterity behaviours)
          on offer.
        * Other options (such as ``collective.lineage``) provide unnecessary features 
          or else introduce extra dependencies
        
        Use Case (aka when-to-use-this)
        ===============================
        
        #. Desire to allow various groups of users to collaborate but without
           administrative overhead/intervention
        #. Users should be able to create new sub-sites at the Plone root, without
           the need for administrative intervention
        #. Each workspace should be able to be self-managed
        #. Each workspace can be allowed limited customisation
        #. Workspaces should be all contained within a single Plone site
        #. Desire for a template to be easily customisable, with arbitrary content
           attached within Plone.
        
        Installation
        ============
        
        Buildout
        --------
        
        ``collective.spaces`` is compatible with recent version of Plone and is 
        tested with Plone 4.2 and Dexterity 1.2.1.  Add this egg to your Plone
        instance in your buildout like so -- it's highly recommended that
        you utilise a Known Good Set (KGS) for pinning versions of the form
        libraries and Dexterity::
        
            [buildout]
            extends =
                ...
                http://good-py.appspot.com/release/dexterity/1.2.1?plone=4.2b2
        
            ...
            
            [instance]
            ...
            eggs =
                collective.spaces
        
        ZCML registration is not necessary as this egg includes a 
        ``z3c.autoinclude`` entry point.  Once you have added this to your buildout,
        re-run your ``./bin/buildout`` script.
        
        Activation within Plone
        -----------------------
        
        * Once buildout has completed, restart your Plone instance.
        * Load and login to your Plone instance, and go to `Add-ons` under `Site Setup`.
        * Locate ``collective.spaces`` in the add-ons list and `Activate` it.
        * Once complete, notice that:
        
          * There is `Create new Space` in your personal tools menu
          * A `Space Template` exists at the root of your portal
          * Site Administrators and Managers can manually add `Space` content anywhere
        
        Security defaults
        -----------------
        
        By default:
        
        * All logged-in users have the ability to create new Spaces via
          the `Create a new Space` form (``/@@create-space``). 
        * Only Site Administrators and Managers can manually create Spaces via the
          `Add new` menu. Regular users, including `Contributor` users, cannot do this.
        
        To change these defaults, load the `Manage Access` ZMI page 
        (for instance, ``http://localhost:8080/Plone/manage_access``) and change the
        roles associated with the relevant ``collective.spaces`` permissions.
        
        Suggestions
        ===========
        
        Whilst this product is opinionated regarding aspects like default security
        permissions, a configurator can use the rest of Plone's functionality
        to enhance Spaces (and reduce administration overhead). Some examples are:
        
        *Authentication*
            Enable user self-registration on Plone or enable
            another authentication mechanism to reduce administrative input needed
            (or both). Intertwining mechanisms like local authentication, LDAP, CAS, or 
            Shibboleth can easily mean that users can self-manage collaboration with 
            local and external users.
        
        *Navigation*
            If users are expected to be creating many Spaces, then the Plone portal
            tabs will quickly consume lots of space. To combat this, simply either turn
            off the ``Automatically generate tabs`` option in the ``Navigation
            settings`` control panel, or else de-select the ``Space`` content type from
            the ``Displayed content types`` option. If using this latter strategy, then
            consider how users will actually access their Space - hiding from
            navigation entirely likely means users need directly access their URL.
        
        Email notification
            A common situation may be where a site administrator
            wants to keep track of the Spaces being created. A Plone Content Rule is
            provided with this add-on to satisfy this use case.  Using this Rule is 
            completely optional -- it is installed but not enabled by default.
        
        Collaboration
        =============
        
        Source code is available within the `collective GitHub` at 
        https://github.com/collective/collective.spaces for submission of issues, 
        fixes, and improvements.
        
        To Do
        =====
        
        * Tests for email notification content rule (when enabled)
        * Handle issues with displaying ID field - can we sanely present users
          the ability to change their Space ID? 
        
        
        Contributors
        ============
        
        David Beitey (davidjb), Author
        
        Changelog
        =========
        
        1.0 (2012-03-26)
        ----------------
        
        - Provide email content rule for when Spaces are created. This is not
          enabled by default.
          [davidjb]
        - Providing decorator for elevated contributor access on the portal.
          [davidjb]
        - Added doctests for Space self-creation form.
          [davidjb]
        - Adding ability to set custom logo on Space and set image scale.
          [davidjb]
        - Added basic Space self-creation form.
          [davidjb]
        - Package created using zopeskel
          [davidjb]
        
        
Keywords: plone site space mini-site navigationroot
Platform: UNKNOWN
Classifier: Programming Language :: Python
