How to Create a New Site Section
A section in Modern Campus CMS is a folder that contains an index page and optionally additional pages or subfolders. Sections are the foundation of your site’s structure, controlling how content is grouped, organized, and displayed in navigation. When you create a section, the system automatically generates key files and establishes a framework for building out that portion of your site.
How It Works
Each section functions as both a container and a navigational unit. The folder holds all related content, while the index page serves as the main landing page for that section. If a section is configured as a section root, it also initiates a sidebar navigation, where pages and subfolders appear based on the structure beneath it. This means your folder hierarchy directly determines how users experience your site navigation.
What Gets Created Automatically
When a new section is created, several system files are generated to support layout and navigation. The index.pcf file is the main page you will edit, while the _nav.ounav file controls the sidebar navigation links for that section. Additional system files, such as _props.pcf, manage configuration behind the scenes and typically do not require editing. Understanding these files helps you know where to make updates and where not to.
Navigation and Layout Behavior
Sections play a critical role in how navigation appears across your site. Sidebar navigation is driven by the section structure, with each page or subfolder appearing as a navigation item. You can choose whether a section automatically adds itself to navigation during creation, and you can later reorder or adjust navigation within the _nav.ounav file. Layout options, such as sidebar, boxed, or full-width, determine how content is displayed within the section but do not change the underlying structure.
Naming and Structure Considerations
Section folder names become part of the URL, so they should be concise, lowercase, and use hyphens instead of spaces. The section title, on the other hand, is user-facing and appears in navigation and breadcrumbs, so it should be clear and readable. Planning both the technical name and the display title ensures consistency across your site and improves usability.
When to Create a New Section
Create a new section when you need to group related content under a shared navigation structure or introduce a new area of your site. Sections are ideal for organizing content by topic, audience, or function, such as programs, services, or resource hubs. Avoid creating unnecessary sections for single pages, as this can complicate navigation and dilute the user experience.
Best Practices
Plan your site structure before creating sections to avoid rework later. Keep sections focused and logically grouped so navigation remains intuitive. Use consistent naming conventions across your site, and avoid deeply nested folder structures that can make navigation difficult to follow. Only modify navigation files like _nav.ounav when necessary, and avoid editing system-level files unless instructed by the Web Services team.