Adding Custom CSS Style Options to the Mura CMS Content Editor Toolbar

If you would like to add your custom CSS styles to the Mura CMS content editor toolbar, also known as a the FCKeditor toolbar, then read on!

First, let's make sure we're all on the same page. If you have access to the "Admin" area of a Mura CMS site, you can login, go to the Site Manager and select a page to edit content on. In the 'Content' area, a toolbar containing buttons to format the text, insert pictures, etc. runs across the top. This is the toolbar to which I'm referring. Here you will find a 'Style' dropdown.

This dropdown is controlled by an .XML file located under /{siteid}/includes/themes/{themename, i.e., 'merced'}/css/fckstyles.xml. Here is the basic content of that file:


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Styles>
    <Style name="Align Image Left" element="img">
        <Attribute name="class" value="left" />
    </Style>
    <Style name="Align Image Right" element="img">
        <Attribute name="class" value="right" />
    </Style>
    <Style name="Intro" element="p">
        <Attribute name="class" value="intro" />
    </Style>
    <Style name="Centered Text" element="p">
        <Attribute name="class" value="center" />
    </Style>
    <Style name="Call to Action" element="a">
        <Attribute name="class" value="callToAction" />
    </Style>
    <Style name="Call to Action" element="li">
        <Attribute name="class" value="callToAction" />
    </Style>
</Styles>

In order to get your custom styles to appear in the dropdown, we would then obviously need to edit this particular file. To test this out, let's add some <Style> elements to this file.


    <Style name="Paragraph" element="p" />
    <Style name="Heading 1" element="h1" />
    <Style name="Heading 2" element="h2" />
    <Style name="Heading 3" element="h3" />
    <Style name="Heading 4" element="h4" />
    <Style name="Heading 5" element="h5" />
    <Style name="Heading 6" element="h6" />
    <Style name="Italic" element="em" />
    <Style name="Blockquote" element="blockquote" />
    <Style name="Preformatted Text" element="pre" />

Be sure you place these just after the opening <Styles> tag! Save the file, upload it to your site and navigate to your Admin > Site Manager, then select a page to edit.

Hey! Where's My Styles?

The first thing you'll probably notice is that nothing has changed. If this is the case, trust me, your changes are there, you just can't see them yet. Unfortunately, a <CTRL> + <F5> won't be enough to remedy this situation either, and this is probably where some people have thrown up their hands in frustration. Don't worry, we'll get this fixed in a snap.

The problem is merely that the contents of the XML file have been cached. So, let's 'officially' clear the cache, shall we? In Firefox, at the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Options. Select the Advanced panel, then click on the Network tab. In the Offline Storage section, click the Clear Now button. Then click the OK button to close the Options window. If you're using Internet Explorer, then use Firefox. Just kidding ... but seriously, use Firefox.

If you're like me and have taken advantage of the 'Web Developer' toolbar add-on for Firefox, it's even simpler. Just click the Miscellaneous button on the toolbar, hover over Clear Private Data, then click Cache. That's it!

Show Me More!

So now you should see your 'new' styles appearing in the style dropdown. However, you want more don't you? Of course you do. Luckily, there is some pretty good documentation on the CKEditor site at http://docs.cksource.com/FCKeditor_2.x/Developers_Guide/Configuration/Styles. There you should be able to learn more about the XML file, Style nodes, Attribute nodes, "Object" elements, and more.

I hope this helps!

Integrating Your Custom Web Site Design with Mura CMS

Are you tired of trying to shoe-horn your custom web site design into someone else's content management system? Drop in and learn how to fully integrate your custom CSS and HTML with Mura CMS, a comprehensive, ColdFusion-powered, open source content management system. In less than sixty minutes, I'll attempt to cover:

  • Exploring Mura templates & themes
  • Integrating your custom CSS & HTML
  • Creating Mura components
  • Creating Feeds/Indexes
  • Creating Custom Feeds/Indexes

If you haven't already done so, it might behoove you to catch part one, "Getting Started with Mura CMS", offered on the CFmeetup on Nov 12, with the recording here.

Where: The presentation will be online and free to anyone who's interested. The meeting will also be recorded for those who are unable to make it to the live presentation. Visit http://www.meetup.com/coldfusionmeetup/calendar/11981239/ for more information and to RSVP.

When: Thurs. Dec 3, 12:00pm US ET (UTC/GMT-5)

Feel free to stop by!

Getting Started with Mura CMS: a ColdFusion-Powered, Open Source Content Management System

Are you looking for a ColdFusion-powered, open source content management system? Drop in and learn how to have a site up and running in less than sixty minutes! Within one hour, I'll walk through each of these steps to help you get started using Mura CMS:

  • Installing Mura CMS
  • Creating your first site
  • Setting up navigation
  • Creating a custom 404 page
  • Exploring some built-in features and objects
  • Creating your first Mura component
  • Creating your first form

Where: The presentation will be online and free to anyone who's interested. The meeting will also be recorded for those who are unable to make it to the live presentation. Visit http://www.meetup.com/coldfusionmeetup/calendar/11838818/ for more information and to RSVP.

When: Thurs. Nov 12, 12:00 pm US ET (UTC/GMT-5)

Hope to see you there!

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