XPM issues about creating SG and Folder, Componentlink field, and uploading image

Question

I'm working with Experience Manager of Tridion 2013. I'm facing some issues, so I'd like to ask some questions.

1. Is it possible to create Structure Group and Folder on Experience Manager?

   I think it's impossible, so it's neccesary to create them on Content Manager Explorer before using Experience Manager.

2. When creating new component, is it possible to copy component that is refered in Component Link field of Prototype Compoent?

   When creating new component, a Prototype Component is copied. But if the Prototype Component has Componentlink field, component that is refered in it is not copied. As a result, newly created component refers to same component as Prototype refers to on the Componentlink field. This causes problem when user edit the linked component. So I think it's good if linked component is also copied when creating new component. Is it possible?

3. How can user upload new image on Experience Manager?

   User can modify image by editing Multimedialink field. But to do that, all Multimedia Component have to be created already. It's better if user can upload new image on Experience Manager(in other words, creat new Multimedia Component). Is it possible?

Answer 1

The design principles behind Experience Manager state that the content creation process should be simplified, and therefore there was a conscious decision to hide/remove decisions from the editor creating content. Selecting where to create components or pages is one of those decisions, which we have come to realize do not always match a customer's expectation.

Some steps have already been taken to improve this experience with SDL Tridion 2013. For instance, when creating a new page from an existing Page Type you will get the option to select where components should be cloned to - instead of having to use the predefined location. You can't - however - create a new folder for this content.

The same unfortunately also applies to Structure Groups.

While we are keeping an eye on how to improve this, you have to realize that everytime we introduce an option to Experience Manager we are making it more complex for people to use.

For images, you have found it out yourself, you can drag & drop images into the library.

Regarding the cloning of linked components, that is indeed not easy to fix. One potential way is to have an event handler that fires when a new component is cloned (I am not sure, but I think this is a Copy/Paste command executed by XPM) where you'd have to build quite a few checks to make sure you're not messing up the wrong components:

• Is it a new component (i.e., Version 1)
• Is it a new component from an existing Content Type?
• Is it based on a source component with a specific component link?
• Should that linked component be cloned (your own business logic applies here)

And then you could decide to clone the linked component and modify the newly created component to point to that one instead of the original one.