Below are the answers to some frequently asked questions
How do I login to edit an OmniUpdate site?
Login to your OmniUpdate site by clicking on the “Last Updated:” link, located at the bottom of any page on the left. The login process uses your Dartmouth NetID and password.
How do I create a new page or folder in OU?
You can create a new page by going to Content, Pages, and clicking on “+New.” There are three page creation templates in OmniUpdate that should help simplify the process for creating sections and pages on your website.
How do I update the section path (breadcrumb) at the top of my web page?
Once logged in to OU, navigate to the folder whose section path (breadcrumb) needs updating and edit the _section-path.inc file, then publish the file.
Can I paste content in OU and retain the formatting?
No, you cannot. You can only paste in content as Plain Text and format it using the options available from the Format drop-down menu.
How do I create a mailto link in OU?
Within the editor, select the text for the link, click on the Insert/edit link option from the Tool bar, then enter mailto: and a full e-mail address in the Link URL field. For example, mailto:firstname.middleinitial.lastname@dartmouth.edu.
Can I have access to delete files from my website?
Editors have access to the “Recycle Bin.” Instead of “deleting” pages, you can “recycle” them to the “Recycle Bin,” where they can be restored at a later date, if necessary.
If you need to permanently delete the file, not just recycle it, you must recycle it first, then go into the Recycle bin, by clicking the restore button, and delete the page from there.
Please be aware that you cannot recycle files in the /docs/, /pdfs/, and /images/ folders; they can only be deleted.
Can I give someone access to only one folder on our website?
Yes, you can. We can set up groups on the website, assign users to those groups, then assign a group to each folder.
We’ll need to know what OU account(s) should have access to what folder(s). Please send your request in the Services Portal.
How do I resize an image in OU?
Click the /images/ folder at the top level of the website, then switch to the “Production” server. Please note that to see the “Production” server tab, you must be viewing the website in full view.
To resize an image that has already been uploaded to OU, click on the image link. When the image window appears, resize and/or crop the image, then click the Upload As button. If you can overwrite files (Level 8 or above), click in the Overwrite box, then click OK. This will overwrite the file that already exists. If you cannot overwrite files (Level 7 or below), you must upload the image with a different filename.
To upload a new image (again, in the /images/ folder at the top level of the website on the Production server), click on the Image/Upload link. A window will appear. Locate the image on your hard drive that you want to upload, select it, then click Open. The image window will appear. Crop and/or resize the image, then click the Upload As button. Make sure the image is named appropriately, then click OK.
I’m having problems uploading an image. What am I doing wrong?
Please note that all images must be uploaded to the /images/ folder at the top level of the website, on the “Production” server.
OU will only allow filenames that conform to the following file naming convention.
Ensure that your file names contain only lowercase characters, numerals, hyphens, and underscores, followed by a dot (.), then the extension (.html, .pdf, etc.)].
Examples: house.jpg, new-edition.html, issue3.html; not Blue house.jpg, New Blue.html, bluehouse.JPG.
If you attempt to use any other characters in the filename, you will not be allowed to create the page or upload image(s) or document(s).
Can I upload a .zip file to my website?
No, you cannot.
I need to edit a checked out page. Can you help?
If a web page on your website is checked out by another user and you need edit that page, please first ask the user to check the page back in or publish the page. To find out who has checked out the page, hold your mouse pointer over the locked padlock; it will tell you which user has checked it out.
As a last resort, submit a request in the Services Portal requesting that the page be checked back in for you. This will lose any changes made to the page by the person to whom it is currently checked out.
I’d like to restrict access to some content on our website. Is this possible?
Yes it is. We can set this up for you.
We need the following information:
- The name of the folder that needs to be protected.
- Whether the folder is restricted to the Dartmouth community or to specific individuals within the Dartmouth community.
- If restricted to specific individuals within the Dartmouth community, we need the e-mail address of the individuals in this format: WebauthAllowUser firstname.middleinitial.lastname@Dartmouth.edu (one per line).
Please note that all information in that folder will be protected; you cannot protect just one page in a folder.
How do I embed a YouTube video into my web page?
Navigate to the video on YouTube that you would like to embed directly into your page. This may be a video that you uploaded to your own account, or a video owned by another user. Embedding the video is the same process for either scenario.
- Click Share.
- Click Embed.
- Set a desired width for the video. We recommend not exceeding 500px, and the height will be automatically calculated for you.
- Copy the embed code.
- Return to OmniUpdate and select the HTML button from the editing toolbar on the page you would like to embed the video into.
- Find the location you would like to embed the video into and paste the code snippet from your clipboard.
- Click Update.
The video will now be represented in the editor by a yellow box in the location that you pasted the code, and be fully functional when the page is previewed in OU or Published to the Production server.
What is the difference between the Staging server and the Production server?
Within OU, there are two servers: the Staging Server and the Production Server.
- The Staging server is used to store and serve web pages in the editing, workflow, and approval process before going live on the Production server.
- The Production server is updated via the Staging server. Published pages are pushed to the Production server and become available on the web. The Production Server is also where all binary files (images, documents, pdfs) are directly uploaded.
Please note: When files are deleted on your website, they are deleted from both the Staging server and the Production server. They cannot be recovered.
I need a form added to one of our web pages. Whom do I contact?
Submit a request in the Services Portal. Someone from Web Services will get in touch with you to discuss the requirements of the form.
I need a new OU account created on our website. Whom do I contact?
A formal request for a new OU account must be sent via email from the person who oversees the website to Help, stating who the new account is for. The user must be a Dartmouth community member in order to get an OU account.
Is there a limit on the number of OU accounts we can have on our website?
There is currently no limit on the number of accounts you can have on your website, but our guideline is to set up accounts that will be used by “active” users, meaning those who will update the website on a regular basis (not just once or twice a year).
Web Publishing Services pays for each account we create, so we want to make sure each account is used regularly.
I haven't updated our website in a long time. When I try using our generic account, it doesn't work. What do I do?
Generic accounts no longer work. If you need an OU account, please have the person who oversees the website submit a formal request via email for a new account to Help..
Additional OmniUpdate Resources:
Refer to OmniUpdate's Help section first. It includes online help, downloadable PDFs, and video tutorials.
Still need help? Submit your request for help to Web.Support@dartmouth.edu.