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Setting up a multimedia connector in Content Manager

When implementing a multimedia connector, you probably want the external content to be available in Content Manager so that users can access, use and publish the external content along with the published Components. The External Content Library (ECL) feature makes this possible. During connector setup, there are a few tasks that you need to complete in Content Manager to enable this functionality.

About this task

In Content Manager, you need to create one or more "stub" Folders to support the external multimedia content. ECL uses these Folders as the container for the following stub items:

  • Multimedia Components — Each Stub Item corresponds to a piece of multimedia content that is referenced in ECL but stored in an external system. When a user adds a reference to an ECL multimedia item, for example by creating a Multimedia Link, ECL generates a corresponding Multimedia Component as a Stub item, basing it on the ExternalContentLibraryStubSchema.
  • Multimedia Schemas — When a connector is added to the system for use with ECL, ECL automatically generates a Multimedia Schema as a Stub Item, giving it the name ExternalContentLibraryStubSchema-CONNECTOR NAME.

In addition, you will need to make some adjustments to any Component Schema that you want to support the functionality.

Procedure

  1. In Content Manager Explorer, open the Publication where you want to expose the external content.
  2. Under the Building Blocks node, prepare one or more stub Folders as follows:
    1. Create a new Folder to contain the multimedia stub items for the connector.
    2. Click Save, but keep it open for now.
    3. Go to the Info tab and note the value of the Item URI field, such as tcm:1-10-512. You will need to add this information to your connector's configuration.
    4. Click Save and Close.
    Repeat these steps for additional stub Folders, as needed.
  3. Add the connector to Tridion Sites and configure it for use as a connector in the desired environments.
  4. Return to Content Manager Explorer and use the Refresh option (of F5) to ensure that the connector appears in the user interface.
  5. Do the following for each Component Schema that you want to support the ability to add multimedia content from the external system:
    1. In Building Blocks Folder structure, locate the Schema and open it for editing.
    2. Go to the Design tab.
    3. In the Schema Fields area, select the Multimedia Link that you want to enable for ECL items.
    4. In the Field Details area, select the Connector's stub Multimedia Schema from the list of Available Schemas. It has a name such as ExternalContentLibraryStubSchema-CONNECTOR NAME. Available Schemas. ist and click Add to move it to the Linked Schemas list.
    5. Click Add to move it to the Allowed Schemas list.
    6. Repeat steps 4c through 4e for additional Multimedia Link fields, as needed. You can also do the same for regular Component Link fields as long as the Allow Multimedia Links option is selected.
    7. When finished, click Save and Close to update the Schema.
    8. Repeat these steps for additional Schemas, as needed.
  6. Optional: If your organization uses a templateless, data-only publishing model, do the following:
    1. In the Building Blocks folder structure, open the stub Folder for the connector.
    2. Open the ExternalContentLibraryStubSchema-CONNECTOR NAME Multimedia Schema for editing.
    3. On the General tab, change one or both of the following options, as needed:
      • Enable each Schema field to be made publishable when authors publish an item based on this Schema
      • Enable each Schema field to be made searchable for website visitors
    4. Click Save and Close to update the stub Multimedia Schema.

What to do next

Proceed with the connector setup and create the JSON configuration file.