Getting Started
This manual is intended for Editors and we have attempted to cover all conceivable tasks that editors would typically perform. The subject matter is aimed primarily at users who have little or no technical knowledge. The only prerequisites are a working knowledge of your browser and very basic computer competency.
A Magnolia installation consists of at least two separate instances: the Author instance and the Public instance. AdminCentral of the Author instance is the main starting point for all tasks. AdminCentral is a browser-based interface, which provides access to the various different workspaces. Magnolia is compatible with most browsers, including Firefox, Safari, Netscape and Internet Explorer.
The Website workspace of the Author instance is where editors work to create web pages, while the Public instance contains the published website that is visible on the web. Once finalized, pages are published from the Author instance to the Public instance through a process called activation.
Editors typically perform tasks in three of Magnolia's workspaces. These are the:
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Website workspace: This workspace allows you to manage the pages of your website, and add and amend your page content.
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Documents workspace: Magnolia has a built-in Document Management System (DMS), which allows you to upload and manage your documents and other files.
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Inbox workspace: This workspace facilitates communication between the different role players in your organization.
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Data workspace: This workspace allows you to control contact data, categories and RSS aggregators.
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Forums workspace: This workspace is used to moderate user comments on web pages and communications in forums.
In this section, the basics, which are applicable to all workspaces, are dealt with.
To demonstrate Magnolia's many functions, we have used the sample websites, demo-project and demo-features, which are included in the default installation.
If the default installation is not installed on your computer, you can access it at .
Starting Magnolia
If you installed the default standalone version of Magnolia, in Windows there will be shortcuts on your desktop and in your All Programs menu.
To launch Magnolia, click on the Start Magnolia Enterprise Edition shortcut on your desktop or in the All Programs menu.
When you click on the Start Magnolia option, two screens will open in succession.
The Start Magnolia Enterprise Edition screen will appear first. In this screen, when you see the words, "Press any key to continue..." do so and the screen will close.
Next, the Tomcat screen will open. Allow Tomcat to run until you see the words "INFO: Server Startup in xxxxx ms.
Magnolia is now ready to be opened in your browser. It is necessary to leave Tomcat open whilst you work in Magnolia, but you can minimize the window.
For non-Windows users, please refer to the instructions at:
Stopping Magnolia
If you installed the default standalone version of Magnolia, in Windows there will be shortcuts on your desktop and in your All Programs menu.
To shut down Magnolia, click on the Stop Magnolia Enterprise Edition shortcut on your desktop or in the All Programs menu.
When you click on the Stop Magnolia option, the Stop Magnolia Enterprise Edition screen will open. In this screen, when you see the words, "Press any key to continue..." do so and the screen will close.
If you maximize the Tomcat window, which should still be running, you will note a number of commands relating to stopping the various modules of Magnolia. These will run automatically and when the process is complete, the screen will close automatically, and you can now safely shut down your computer.
For non-Windows users, please refer to the instructions at:
Opening AdminCentral
To begin working in any workspace of Magnolia, it is necessary to first open AdminCentral in the Author instance.
To open AdminCentral open your browser, enter the Magnolia Author instance URL in the address bar and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
The login screen will load, requesting you to enter your login information.
If you are running a standalone version of the default installation, the URL will be "http://localhost:8080/magnoliaAuthor".
Installations vary and this URL may not work in your circumstances. If this is the case, please contact your systems administrator for the correct URL.
Logging In
Once you launch AdminCentral, the Magnolia Login screen will appear in your browser window, requesting you to login.
To login, insert your username and password into the text boxes provided and then click on the login button.
If you are working on the default installation of Magnolia, you can gain access by entering "superuser" as both the username and password.
Since Magnolia 4.4, if you attempt to log in unsuccessfully more than five times your account will be disabled automatically and you will need to ask your administrator to re-enable it.
Once you have logged in, the window will reload and AdminCentral will open.
You will need to login each time you work in Magnolia. Additionally, you will automatically be logged out if you are inactive for a lengthy period. If this happens, simply login again to continue working.
Depending on your access control permissions, you may not be able to access all workspaces. If this is the case, you will only be able to see the access buttons for the workspaces that you have permission to access.
Modifying Login Details
Your username is displayed in the top right-hand corner of the screen and you can access and amend your login details by clicking on your username.
When you click on the User link, the Edit user dialog will open to display your login details and preferences.
While your user account, including your access privileges, is normally set up by an administrator, in the Edit user dialog you can change your full name, password, email address and language preference.
To make any necessary changes, simply insert the amended information into the Full name, Password and Email fields, or select a different language from the drop-down list in the Language field.
To change your password, enter a new password into the Password field and then re-enter it identically into Please verify your entry field below.
To access the list of languages, click on the small down-arrow on the right of the Language field and a drop-down list will appear. Make your selection by clicking on the relevant option and it will be inserted into the Language field.
When you select a new language, the content of both AdminCentral and the editing window is translated into your preferred language.
The screenshots below are of AdminCentral and the Home page in the editing window after selecting Czech as the preferred language.
AdminCentral
Editing Window
Logging out
We recommend that you always log out of Magnolia when you have completed your tasks.
The logout link is located in the top right-hand corner of the AdminCentral window, to the right of your user information.
To logout, simply click on the Logout link.
When you click on the Logout link, the window will reload to display an empty login screen and you can now close your browser, or log in under a different user name.
If you are running a stand-alone installation on your computer, remember to stop Magnolia before shutting down your computer.
AdminCentral Layout
The layout of AdminCentral is consistent in all workspaces. There is a navigation pane on the left and a workspace area on the right.
Website workspace
Documents workspace
The buttons in the navigation pane allow you access to the various workspaces. A blue navigation button indicates the workspace that is currently active, whereas the buttons of the inactive workspaces are green.