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Adding Application Shortcut
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Introduction

This article describes how to add a shortcut to a custom application to the Sitecore menu.  Although there are many ways to define a custom application, this article focuses on applications built as Sitecore Layouts (aspx files).  

 

1.  Creating a Layout

In this article, we describe how to add an application based on a Sitecore layout (an aspx file).  Before we can add the application, we need to create a layout.  We do this in the Layout Studio. 

  1. Choose the Layout Studio application from the Sitecore menu.
  2. Choose the File » New » Layout menu command from the Layout Studio.  

This opens the New Layout wizard.  Follow the steps in the wizard to provide the layout name and location.  For example, we create a MyApp layout in the Layouts folder.  The Layout Studio displays the new layout.  

 
MyApp Layout 
 

  1. Now you may define the appearance of you application.  For the purposes of this article, we simply add the text, "This is my new application!"
     
  2. Save the layout.

2.  Editing the Sitecore Client

Please refer to the Editing the Sitecore Client article for instructions.

3.  Creating an Application

This section describes how to create a new application object based on the layout we created above.

  1. Select the Content Editor»Content»Applications » New » New Application menu Item, as shown below. 


     
  2. Provide the name of the application, for example: MyApp.
     
  3. Select the OK button.
     
  4. For standard ASP.NET applications:
    In Content Editor, create the application.  In the Application field of the data section, link to the application:
     
    /layouts/MyApp.html  
     
    For XML applications:
    Create the XML layout in the core database, create the application under /sitecore/content/Applications but leave the Application field empty of this application empty and choose the XML layout for the default device for the application object.
      
  5. In the Display name field, add an application display name, for example: My Application.  This will be the application window title. 
     
  6. In the Icon field, add the url of an icon, for example:

    /sitecore/shell/Themes/standard
    /People/16x16/planet.png
     
    This is an icon provided with Sitecore.  Additional icons can be found in these folders.
     
  7. In the Data section Tool Tip field, add a tool tip, such as My very own app!
     
  8. Save the Application.

4. Creating a Shortcut

The application now exists, all that remains is to add a shortcut to the application on the Sitecore menu, so that users can access it.  This section describes how to add the shortcut, which is also done in the Content Editor.

  1. Select the sitecore»Documents and settings » All users » Start menu item in the sidebar.


     
  2. This Item provides several sub Items that allow you to choose where to add your shortcut.  The options include:  
     
    • Bottom
      The horizontal menu at the bottom of the Sitecore menu.  Note that there is very limited space on this menu.
       
    • Left
      The left half of the Sitecore menu.  Sitecore displays Items on this menu with a large icon and a tool tip explaining the purpose of the application, making this menu appropriate for the most important or commonly used applications.  
       
    • Right
      The right half of the Sitecore menu.  Sitecore displays Items on this menu with a smaller icon and without a visible tool tip.  This area may include submenus. 
       
    • Programs
      The All Applications menu.  This is an appropriate location for applications that are not used as often or by as many Users.
  3. Choose an area for your shortcut and select the corresponding Item.  For this article, we choose the Left area.  
     
  4. Right click on the Left area and select the New » New Application Shortcut menu Item. 
     
  5. The Content Editor creates the application shortcut and selects it. In the Data section Application field, add a link to the application as follows: 

    /Applications/MyApp
     
  6. In the Display name field, add an application display name, for example: My Application.  This will be the shortcut title.

      
  7. In the Icon field, add the url of an icon, for example:

    /sitecore/shell/Themes/standard/
    People/16x16/planet.png
     
    This is an icon provided with Sitecore.  Additional icons can be found in these folders.
     
  8. Save the Application Shortcut.  

The process is now complete.  Open the Sitecore menu and view the changes.

 

My Application