Can Actinic create a list of all extended info pages for a sitemap?

[robmackley]

Hi there

I’m trying to get Actinic to automatically create a list of my extended info product pages to put on to my sitemap page

EG:

<a href="../acatalog/info1.html">Product 1</a><br />
<a href="../acatalog/info2.html">Product 2</a><br />
<a href="../acatalog/info3.html">Product 3</a><br />

If you look at http://www.pioneercaraudioonline.co.uk/acatalog/sitemap.html you'll see what I mean. The only way I've managed to do it here is to hard code it from a spreadsheet – not ideal as my customer changes his products on a weekly basis.

I've spent the day trying to do this (I thought it would be straight forward) but have not managed it yet so I'm just looking for some guidance please.

I’ve tried adapting a section in the advanced user guide called ‘Including Brochure Pages in the Site map’ but I’m struggling getting my head around list layouts.

[leehack]

With that few products, you'd be best converting to not using extended info pages at all as that's the worst way to do SPP setup with Actinic. Do one product per section instead, you will end up with a better, faster solution and your sitemap will be automatically done for you.

[robmackley]

Thanks for such a fast reply Lee

Could you elaborate please as I'm not sure I'm with you... I can see that doing this would automatically give me my sitemap but how would having 130 subsections, each with just one product in, make it a faster solution?

[NormanRouxel]

A way of doing your original request.

<actinic:block type="EntireSectionList">
	<actinic:block type="ProductList">
		<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsPopUpPageGenerated%22%20%2f%3e" >
			<a href="<actinic:variable name="ExtendedInfoPageName" />"><Actinic:Variable Name="ProductName"/></a><br/>
		</actinic:block>
	</actinic:block>
</actinic:block>

[leehack]

Could you elaborate please as I'm not sure I'm with you... I can see that doing this would automatically give me my sitemap but how would having 130 subsections, each with just one product in, make it a faster solution?

Using extended information pages is widely regarded as the slowest and worst way to do SPP. There are standard SEO fields missing, which are there for sections and the overall performance in actinic itself is dog slow. I recently released a site that used to take just over 1 minute to compile the preview page with extended info pages being used, whereas it took just 3 seconds using subsections. Equal amount of product in both situations.

Extended info pages should be used for larger images, that is all nowadays IMO, especially with the new features actinic are about to (in the next few months or so) launch on v9.0.3.

[robmackley]

Thanks Norman - That works perfectly!!

Lee, interesting points. I must admit this is the first time I've heard suggestions about not using extended info pages for SPP. I have had to do a lot of customisation of the pages to get over some SEO issues.

I'll certainly look in to it further before starting my next project.

Thanks for the advice.

Rob