The Package and Aggregator Package folder types provide suitable types for building up the structure of the application.
Both of these permit extensive customisation, for example to change the table shown in a folder listing, to show icons, or to control the types offered in the new menu.
This configuration could be coded directly into the nodes in the instance folder. However, this means that, once a product is installed, it is very difficult to change the configuration. It is much better to create custom folder types that take the place of the standard folder types but are pre-configured with the desired configuration. You can then modify this configuration (held in the product library), which means installs will pick up the new configuration just by updating the node type.
To create a custom folder:
- Copy Package but use the Inherited copy option to link the definition of the copy to that of the original.
- Create a node of type Package Configuration to hold your configuration. See Gadget Folder Configuration for an example of setting the view, new menu options, icon and the type offered from the new menu.
- Use the Template field on your copy of the package type to link to your configuration (on the Advanced tab). Also set the Do not inherit from template of the copy to include fields you don't want to copy, particularly Description. See Gadget Folder for an example.
Creating a custom aggregator package is similar. Base your copy on Aggregator Package and use Aggregator Configuration to hold configuration. See Gadget Main Folder Configuration for an example of customistation for an aggregator to use icons, and see Gadget Main Folder for an example of a customised aggregator.