Use the DotNetNuke FAQ standard module to provide an FAQ page on your web site.
Overview
FAQ entries and categories are specific to a particular FAQ module. Entries added within a specific module are not globally available throughout the website.
Categories maybe created to group module entries. The categories are shown on the module page, allowing the visitor to select the subset of entries to be shown.
The module offers an extra tab on the standard module settings page and two module specific entries under the pencil icon.settings.
FAQs are shown as a question with expansion arrow to enable the answer to be viewed. Below each answer statistics: number of times viewed; date created and date last modified are shown
Module Installation
The FAQ module is one of the core DNN modules maintained by DotNetNuke. The module may be downloaded from the DNN site on CodePlex dotnetnuke.codeplex.com.
Scroll down to view the related projects listed at the right hand side of the page.
The DNN FAQ is installed in the usual way. For more information see the article Install Core DotNetNuke Modules.
Module Settings
Access the settings of the module in the usual way. Set the page into Edit mode by clicking on the Edit Page button at the top right of the page and then selecting Edit This Page.
The module has specific settings accessed by a pencil icon: Add New FAQ and Manage Categories.
The module has additional settings peculiar to it, grouped together on a FAQs Module Settings tab. These are accessed by clicking on the gear icon and selecting Settings from the menu of items.
Question Categories
All of the FAQs may be shown, regardless of category. And if the checkbox Show Empty Categories is ticked then entries which haven’t been assigned to a category will also be shown.
There is no option to select FAQs from a particular category.
If categories are to be shown, there is the option to select their presentation, allowing the user to make a selection of FAQs from a particular category to be shown:
- list
- treeview
- dropdown list
Sorting
FAQs can be sorted by a number of options, ascending and descending:
- modified date
- popularity
- creation date
A checkbox allows the user to make this selection, by the addition of a dropdown list on the web page.
Tooltips
The default presentation
Tokens
A list of tokens is given. These are associated with information stored against each of the FAQs. The tokens are used are specified which may be used within the templates to present data. Items listed are:
- [FAQ:QUESTION]
- [FAQ:ANSWER]
- [FAQ:USER]
- [FAQ:VIEWCOUNT]
- [FAQ:CATEGORYNAME]
- [FAQ:CATEGORYDESC]
- [FAQ:DATECREATED]
- [FAQ:DATEMODIFIED]
- [FAQ:INDEX]
Templates
Default layout templates are included for the presentation of the question, answer and loading of the FAQs.
The templates incorporate the tokens, listed above, to present the data entered for the FAQs. For example shown below is the default question template. As can bee seen
<div class="Normal" style="width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left;background-color:#e8e8e8;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"> <img src="[Portal:HomeDirectory]../../images/action.gif" /> </div> <div style="background-color:#e8e8e8;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"> [FAQ:QUESTION] </div> </div>
FAQ Entries
The FAQ entries are managed from the pencil icon action settings associated with the module.
Items can be added by placing the mouse over the edit pencil for the module and selecting Add New FAQ.
A number of categories can be created. FAQs are assigned to these, allowing the user to filter the listed FAQs.
Categories and FAQ entries are specific to the given module.
FAQ Categories
Categories allow the FAQ entries to be grouped together.
Select to add a new category, providing details regards a name and description. A parent category may also be selected.
Preparing the images and details about the FAQ module for this article I found that I was unable to edit an existing FAQ category. Categories could be added but no subsequent action was possible.
FAQ Entry
Enter text in question and answer boxes and click on Update.
This will add a new item to the bottom of the list.
Editing an existing item click on the edit pencil alongside that item. Once again you will be able to edit the question and answer. Click on Update to implement your changes.
If one of the FAQs is no longer relevant then follow the steps to edit the item, but rather than clicking on the Update select Delete instead.
Shown in the image below is the entry form. The same form is used whether adding a new entry or editing an existing one.
FAQ entries are defined by a question and answer.
The answer entry uses the content editor allowing a full answer to be created incorporating documents, images, lists and custom formatting.
A category can be assigned.
The publishing of the FAQ can be delayed until a specific date. Also a further date in the future can be defined, after which the entry is hidden. A checkbox is provided to hide the entry. This allows the entry to be created and development without it appearing until ready.
