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# README.txt file for Sidebar Manager
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OVERVIEW

Sidebar Manager provides users and authors within MovableType the ability
to manage the content found in the columns of their published weblog.

ABOUT SIDEBAR MANAGER

Sidebar Manager was created for one reason: to make it easy for users 
to manage their sidebar content with the same ease of use that TypePad.

Sidebar Manager is also quite extensible. Plugin developers can 
build widgets and widget plugins ontop of the system, making it possible 
for an infinite number of widgets to choose from. All plugin developers
have to do is create one or more template modules with a name that is 
prefixed by the following, "Sidebar: ". That's all you need to do.
Sidebar Manager will immediately display the widget within its
interfaced to be placed within the sidebar you create.

HOW TO CREATE A TEMPLATE MODULE IN PERL

Developers can use this code in their plugin's installation script
to automate the process of creating a template module in Movable
Type. This is a great way to create a nice out of box experience
for your plugin's users.

    my $tmpl = MT::Template->new;
    $tmpl->blog_id($blog_id);
    $tmpl->type('custom');
    $tmpl->name('Sidebar: Example Widget');
    $tmpl->text(<<END_TMPL);
Your template code goes here.
END_TMPL
    $tmpl->save;

INSTALLATION AND UPGRADING

Please see INSTALL.txt.

ACCESSING THE INTERFACE

Each blog in your installation of Movable Type is allowed to create as
many sidebars at they wish.

To access the Sidebar Manager interface, visit the main menu for your MT
blog. At the bottom of the center column you should see "Re-arrange My 
Sidebar" in a "Plugin actions" table. Click on "Re-arrange My Sidebar"
to access your instance of Sidebar Manager for that blog.

TEMPLATE TAGS

There is only one template tag you need to know:

  <$MTSidebar name="<name of sidebar>"$>



EXAMPLES

The template tag for Sidebar Manager is pretty straight forward. 
Insert "MTSidebar" into your template. Identify the sidebar widget by
name you would like to insert in its place.

  <$MTSidebar name="My Main Index"$>

Place this tag where you would like Sidebar Manager to insert your
sidebar. When your site is rebuild, Sidebar Manager will add each
widget you have selected in place of the above tag.

RESOURCES

  Project Homepage:
  http://www.majordojo.com/projects/SidebarManager/

  Movable Type:
  http://www.movabletype.org/

SUPPORT

Please post your bugs, questions and comments to the Sidebar Manager project
homepage:

  http://www.majordojo.com/projects/SidebarManager/

If possible, please turn on debugging before you submit the report, and
submit your debugging info with the bug. To turn on debugging, set DEBUG to 1
in PluginManager.pl. Then consult your web server's error log for the 
information reported by BookQueueToo when accessing its interface
through a browser.

HELP AND DONATIONS

Sidebar Manager represents a lot of work by one individual. While the author
is happy to write this software, and support it completely free of charge,
the author also appreciates any form of support you can provide. Please
consult the following URL to learn more:

  http://www.majordojo.com/projects/SidebarManager/downloads/

LICENSE

Please consult the LICENSE.txt file that was included in this plugin's
archive.

COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2005, Byrne Reese. All rights reserved.