1. Where is my CMS Login Page?
2. Do visitors need any special software to use or view CMS managed websites?
3. Do I need any special software/hardware to add or manage my website?
4. I have a Macintosh computer. Can I edit or manage my website?
5. I use HTML files. What are CFM files and why won't my HTML files work with the CMS?
6. Do I need to know ColdFusion in order to use the CMS?
7. Should I use the same login password as my other University accounts for the CMS?
8. I'm at the CMS Login Page but it has broken images and I can't login. Why?
9. I've logged into the CMS but when I go to edit the website, all of the pictures have broken links. Why?
10. What is the typical production pipeline?

Where is my CMS Login Page?

The CMS login page is located in the root directory of a website. The actual page is called login.cfm. Therefore, a typical login would appear in the form https://www.mcmaster.ca/<department website folder>/login.cfm or https://www.<department prefix>.mcmaster.ca/login.cfm.

Do visitors need any special software to use or view CMS managed websites?

No. Visitors to your website do not know that your website is managed by a CMS. It acts and behaves normally like any other HTML webpage.

Do I need any special software/hardware to manage my website?

Yes. Website content providers and administrators may edit content using a PC only, and should be running IE 5+ ideally. Administrators and content providers are also required to install a free browser plugin which should load by default the first time you visit a page in administration mode..

I have a Macintosh computer. Can I edit or manage my website?

No. The editing tool comes in the form of a browser plugin, which the CMS company did not develop for Macintosh computers. Web admins and content managers should us a PC running IE 5+ ideally.

I use HTML files. What are CFM files and why won't my HTML files work with the CMS?

CFM files are HTML files that in addition use ColdFusion tags, special tags that are interpreted by a Macromedia ColdFusion application server. A .cfm extension is required for a CMS webpage to be interpreted correctly.

Do I need to learn ColdFusion in order to use the CMS?

No. You need to rename your HTML files to CFM files (.cfm) to allow them to work with the CMS, but you do not need to know ColdFusion to use the CMS.

Should I use the same login password as my other University accounts?

No. You should use a newly created and unimportant password for security reasons. Future updates to the CMS will have improved security allowing you to use more important passwords.

I'm at the CMS Login Page but it has broken images and I can't login. Why?

For improved security, the login pages may only be properly accessed using a secure SSL connection. Make sure that the URL of your browser begins with https:// when accessing the login pages.

I've logged into the CMS but when I go to edit the website, all of the pictures have broken links. Why?

As a side effect of the improved security, content blocks may only be properly accessed using a secure SSL connection. Make sure that the URL of your browswer begins with https:// when trying to access and modify webpages containing content blocks.

What is the typical production pipeline?

1. The website administrator uses the McMaster University Dreamweaver Templates to create and design the static elements of a website.
2. The website administrator saves the webpages based on the Dreamweaver Templates using the .CFM file extension.
3. The website administrator registers the Dreamweaver Template with the CMS through the administration panel. The Dreamweaver Templates are now Ektron Templates.
4. The website administrator adds Content Blocks to the bottom of the Ektron Templates.
5. The website administrator positions the Content Blocks in the Ektron Templates using Dreamweaver.
6. Website administrators and content managers use the CMS interface to edit content in the Content Blocks.