Ideal for visual storytelling, this module supports featured images, descriptive notes, and direct access to object sets. Its flexible layout, customizable banner, and prominent headline text make it a popular choice for homepages.

How to Use

1. Go to Modules and Pages > Collections > Edit.

2. Navigate between configuration tabs:

   • General – set up banners and layout.

   • Banner Text – add headlines, intros, and captions.

   • Collection Index – control how collection tiles appear.

   • Collection Details – determine what's shown on each collection's detail page.

   • Collection Objects – configure object sorting and linking.

3. Upload banner images and banner text.

4. Click Save to apply settings.

Details and Options

✅ General

• Enable Page Activates the Collections landing page.

Banner

• Enable Banner Displays a banner above the grid of collections—ideal for homepage use.

• Banner Image Choose or upload a full-width image to visually introduce the page.

• Collections Banner All Works Link Adds a link below the banner to view all objects across all collections.

• Hero Centered / Intro Position Y / Hero Height Fine-tune the position, alignment, and height of the banner content.

• Hero Layout

  • Contained: Limits content width.

  • Full Width: Spans edge to edge.

  • Background: Places image behind text for immersive effect.

Banner Text

Supports multilingual WYSIWYG editing for:

• Headline – Main title over the banner (e.g., “Explore Our Collections”).

• Intro Text – Short paragraph beneath the headline.

• Banner Image Caption – Optional credit or description below the banner.

Collection Index

Controls the grid view of all available collections:

• Display Object Count Shows how many objects are linked to each collection.

• Show Collection Image from Objects Shows the image assigned to the Collection.

• Use Pagination / Collections per Page Controls number of collections per page.

• Grid Columns per Screen Size Configure responsive behavior for mobile to desktop.

• Sort Collections By Options: Alphabetical, Recent, Custom Position. (Custom requires manual drag/drop ordering.)

Collection Details

Defines layout for individual collection pages:

• Detail Page Only with Notes Hides the detail page if the collection doesn’t include notes.

• Show Collection Highlights Allows selected objects to be featured separately.

• Highlight Objects Count Number of highlights shown, separate from the full list.

Collection Objects

Manages how linked objects display within each collection:

• Sort Objects by Collection Default sort order for related objects (e.g., Date, Title).

• Collection Notes Display Shows Collection Notes, if available, above Collection Objects Results.

Tips or Notes

• Homepage Usage: Many sites use Collections as the homepage because of its banner, intro text, and tile-based layout.

• Curatorial Design: Use high-quality primary images and concise notes to make each collection stand out.

• Collection-Object Link: Only Objects can be included in collections.

Related Features

• Objects Module: The source for all collection content.

• Display and Appearance > Result Pages: Adjusts tile aesthetics and spacing.

• Field Configuration: Controls metadata display for titles, notes, and object links.

Use this interface to enable, group, and customize the visibility of both Modules and Pages. It defines how users navigate and interact with structured data (Modules) and static information (Pages), supporting tailored site layouts and streamlined access to content.

How to Use

1. Navigate to Modules and Pages from the left-hand admin menu.

2. Review the list of available modules and pages, presented in tabular format.

3. For each row:

   • Set the order of appearance using the numeric field.

   • Toggle Enabled to activate or deactivate the module/page.

   • Select one Home Page radio button to define the default landing module or page.

   • Toggle Menu visibility to include/exclude the item from the top-level navigation.

   • Use Edit to configure deeper settings for that module or page.

4. After making adjustments, click Save (top right or bottom left) to apply your changes.

Details and Options

Module/Page

Displays the name of each module or page. Modules typically include multi-page record management (e.g., Objects, Exhibitions), while Pages are static content pages (e.g., Help, About).

Order

Sets the display sequence in both the admin panel and navigation menus. Lower numbers appear first.

Enabled

Checkbox to activate or deactivate the module/page entirely. Disabled items are not accessible to users.

Home Page

Radio button allowing only one module or page to serve as the site’s landing screen.

Menu

Checkbox to show or hide the item in the main site navigation. Helpful in staging content or decluttering the menu.

Edit

Opens configuration options for the selected module or page (field structure, appearance, search settings, etc.).

Tips or Notes

• Menu Visibility: Items unchecked in the "Menu" column can still be accessed directly via URL or internal links, useful for linking supporting content without cluttering navigation.

• Setting a Home Page: Ensure only one item is selected as the home page to prevent conflicts in site routing.

• Data Re-indexing: Some configuration changes (e.g., enabling/disabling modules) may trigger backend processes like re-indexing; allow time for changes to propagate.

• User Experience: Pair with the Display and Appearance settings (e.g., uppercase labels, grid layouts) to create a consistent visual hierarchy across all visible modules and pages.

Related Features

• Display and Appearance: Controls visual formatting for menus, headers, typography, and result displays, impacting how modules/pages appear to users.

• Search and Filtering: Define how users explore content within modules.

• Field Configuration: Manage which data fields appear on module detail pages, lists, and tables.

• Discover More: Enable related content recommendations on module detail pages for cross-linking between records.

Overview

Every module in eMuseum (e.g., Objects, Exhibitions, People) includes a set of shared configuration settings that control core functionality and user interaction. These options define how users search, filter, and view module content. Understanding and configuring these settings consistently across modules ensures a uniform user experience and tailored discoverability for records.

How to Use

1. Navigate to Modules and Pages, and click Edit next to any module.

2. In the Basic Settings tab, configure the module’s shared behaviors using the available checkboxes, dropdowns, and toggles.

3. Optionally restrict module visibility to specific roles or add multilingual intro text via the Permissions and Intro Text tabs.

4. Click Save to apply your changes.

Details and Options

Basic Settings

• Enable Module Activates or deactivates the module entirely.

• Default View Defines the initial layout used for module results:

  • Images, List, Table, etc. Controls how users will see search results on first load.

• Enable Quick Search Enables a simple search bar for fast keyword-based lookup.

• Enable Advanced Search Allows access to a configurable multi-field search interface.

• Enable Filter Panel Adds a sidebar or inline filters to narrow search results by facets like type, date, or classification.

• Enable Discover More Enables the related content feature at the bottom of detail pages.

• Enable Search Suggestions Offers autocomplete or suggested search terms based on available content.

• Sort Field / Order / Relevance Toggle

  • Set the default sorting field (e.g., Title, Date, Object Number).

  • Choose sort order (Ascending or Descending).

  • Toggle relevance ranking (Disable Relevance) if not preferred.

• Enable Multi-lingual Content Allows module content to be configured and displayed in multiple languages.

Permissions

• Restrict Module Limits access to the module to specific user roles. If checked, at least one role (e.g., Superuser, User, Staff, Educator, etc.) must be selected. If left unchecked, the module is publicly accessible.

Intro Text

• Show Intro Text Displays a customizable text block at the top of the module’s main page.

• Language Tabs Add translations for English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, and Italian. Includes a full WYSIWYG editor to format content (e.g., bold, links, images, code view).

Tips or Notes

• Best Practice: Keep settings consistent across modules for better usability, but tailor filters, search depth, and sort preferences based on content type.

• Discover More Dependency: This setting only surfaces if the module has rich metadata and is enabled globally.

Related Features

• Modules and Pages Configuration: Controls visibility and menu inclusion for each module.

• Display and Appearance > Result Pages: Impacts how grid, list, and table views behave across modules.

• Field Configuration: Defines which metadata fields are used in searches, filters, and sort dropdowns.

People Module-Specific Settings

The People module in eMuseum includes two unique configuration options that govern how names are linked across the site and how alphabetical navigation (via a Letters Index) is handled on the module’s index page. These options support more intuitive browsing and contextual linking of people records, enhancing accessibility and content relationships.

How to Use

1. Navigate to Modules and Pages > People > Edit.

2. In the module settings, locate the sections for Person Link Target and Letters Index.

3. Adjust options as needed:

   • Choose how person names link (detail page or associated objects).

   • Enable and configure the letter-based index for browsing.

4. Click Save to apply changes.

Details and Options

Person Link Target

Specifies the destination page when a user's click targets a person name.

• Details Page (default) Links person names to their People detail page, displaying biographical and related metadata.

• Objects Page Links person names to a filtered Objects page, automatically displaying all records associated with that person.

🔍 Use Case: Selecting “Objects Page” is helpful when a person’s primary relevance lies in their relationship to objects (e.g., artists, creators).

Letters Index

Controls the presence and behavior of an alphabetical navigation strip on the People index page.

• Enable Toggles visibility of the letters index.

• Field Specifies the metadata field from which to extract the first letter (typically Name).

• Language Determines the language-specific rules for sorting and indexing letters (e.g., English, German, French).

• Order

  • Natural: Sort letters based on native character order (may include diacritics).

  • Normalized: Uses Unicode NFD (Normalization Form Decomposed) for consistent alphabetical behavior regardless of accents or diacritical marks.

Tips or Notes

• Letters Index UX: Ideal for modules with large numbers of people. Ensure chosen field is consistently populated and formatted.

• Normalized Order is recommended for international collections to reduce confusion around accented characters.

Overview

By default, the following ports will be used:

• Tomcat

  • HTTP: 80

  • HTTPS: 443

  • Shutdown: 8005

• Solr: 8983

eMuseum Installation Package

Acquire an eMuseum installation package as the first step of the installation. Default packages can be downloaded from the Community Portal.

unzip eMuseum-6.4.12.zip
mv eMuseum-6.4.12 /var/opt/emuseum

3rd-party Requirements

Next, install all required 3rd-party requirements.

Install Java

Install Java in the required version.

apt install openjdk-17-jdk

Install Tomcat

Install the required version of Tomcat.

    <Connector port="80" protocol="HTTP/1.1"
               connectionTimeout="20000"
               redirectPort="8443"
               maxParameterCount="3000">

cd ~/
wget https://downloads.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-9/KEYS
gpg --import KEYS
rm KEYS

wget https://dlcdn.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-9/v9.0.84/bin/apache-tomcat-9.0.84.tar.gz
wget https://downloads.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-9/v9.0.84/bin/apache-tomcat-9.0.84.tar.gz.asc
gpg --verify apache-tomcat-9.0.84.tar.gz.asc
tar -xzf apache-tomcat-9.0.84.tar.gz
mv apache-tomcat-9.0.84 /opt/
rm apache-tomcat-9.0.84.tar.gz
rm apache-tomcat-9.0.84.tar.gz.asc

ln -s /opt/apache-tomcat-9.0.84 /opt/tomcat9

groupadd --system tomcat
useradd --system -s /usr/sbin/nologin -g tomcat tomcat

chown -R tomcat:tomcat /opt/apache-tomcat-9.0.84/
find /opt/tomcat9/ -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find /opt/tomcat9/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
chmod +x /opt/tomcat9/bin/*.sh

mkdir /var/opt/tomcat
mkdir /var/opt/tomcat/webapps
cp -r /opt/tomcat9/{conf,logs,temp,work} /var/opt/tomcat/
chown tomcat:tomcat /var/opt/tomcat
chmod 755 /var/opt/tomcat

    <Connector port="80" protocol="HTTP/1.1"
               connectionTimeout="20000"
               redirectPort="8443"
               maxParameterCount="3000">

[Unit]
Description=Tomcat 9 servlet container
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=forking
User=tomcat
Group=tomcat
Environment="JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-17-openjdk-amd64/"
Environment="JAVA_OPTS=-Djava.security.egd=file:///dev/urandom -Djava.awt.headless=true"
Environment="CATALINA_BASE=/var/opt/tomcat"
Environment="CATALINA_HOME=/opt/tomcat9"
Environment="CATALINA_OPTS=-Xms1024M -Xmx4096M -server -XX:+UseParallelGC"
EnvironmentFile=-/etc/tomcat/%i.conf
ExecStart=/opt/tomcat9/bin/startup.sh
ExecStop=/opt/tomcat9/bin/shutdown.sh

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl enable --now tomcat9.service

Install Database Management Engine

If you want to use a standalone database instance, install one of the supported Database Management Systems. Otherwise, use an existing database server.

Install Solr

If you want to use a standalone instance of Solr, please follow the following steps. If you plan to use a shared instance, skip the next steps.

tar zxf solr-9.5.0.tgz

set SOLR_JAVA_HOME=C:\eMuseum\jdk17

cd C:\eMuseum\home\utils\WinSW
eMuseumSolr.exe install

eMuseum Application

Create Database

Create a new eMuseum database including user as follows.

CREATE DATABASE emuseum;
ALTER DATABASE [emuseum] SET RECOVERY SIMPLE;

CREATE LOGIN emuseum WITH PASSWORD = N'emuseum', CHECK_POLICY = OFF, CHECK_EXPIRATION = OFF;

USE emuseum;
CREATE USER emuseum FROM LOGIN emuseum;
EXEC sp_addrolemember 'db_owner', 'emuseum';

CREATE DATABASE emuseum CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER 'emuseum'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY PASSWORD 'emuseum';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON emuseum.* TO 'emuseum'@'localhost' WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Create Database Schema

Since version 6.4, eMuseum creates the database schema automatically on start-up.

Create Solr cores

Copy eMuseum’s core configuration to Solr’s data folder.

If Solr is not used exclusively for eMuseum, the data folder depends on the Solr setup. Rename the core folders to emuseum_records and emuseum_vocabularies (if you use a shared Solr instance for several eMuseum applications, use a prefix like the client name). Additionally, change the core names inside core.properties files within the core folders to match the folder names.

Restart Solr for the changes to take effect. Optionally, you can log in to the Solr admin dashboard at http://localhost:8983/ and check if the two cores are listed.

Deploy Webapp

Adjust the following settings:

• emuseum.home The path to the eMuseum folder: C:\eMuseum\home (Windows) or /var/opt/emuseum (Linux)

• emuseum.jdbcurl The database connection URL

• emuseum.dbuser The database user name

• emuseum.dbpassword The database user password

• solr.serverUrl The base URL of the Solr server

• solr.corePrefix The prefix of the Solr cores (including any trailing character like _).

Copy the context descriptor to Tomcat.

Deploy the war file.

Start the Tomcat service.

First Start

Open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost/admin. Login as superuser/superuser.

Change Superuser Password

Change the superuser password to a strong password.

Set License

Set a license under Configuration → Application → License.

Configure Application

Adjust the following application settings:

• Application name

• Hostname

• Use HTTPS (if enabled and a domain has been set up)

This section provides tools to adjust the visual elements of your eMuseum site—such as colors, fonts, and layout—so you can craft a cohesive design that enhances user experience and aligns with your institutional identity. The Appearance Configuration Options include:

• Colors: Customize the color scheme, ensuring consistency with your branding.

• Fonts: Select and configure the typography used for a cohesive and readable design.

• Layout and Grid Options: Control the structure and spacing of content, allowing for flexibility in how information is displayed.

• Header/Footer: Adjust the appearance and content of the header and footer areas, key elements that frame the user experience.

• Breadcrumbs: Configure breadcrumb trails to enhance navigation and help users understand their location within your online collection.

• Skins: Apply predefined skins or create custom skins to change the overall look and feel of your eMuseum site quickly.

• Custom CSS: For advanced users, inject custom CSS to apply unique styles or override existing styles for finer control over the appearance.

General

The General section includes a set of fundamental appearance settings that affect your eMuseum site's overall layout and visual style. These options allow you to establish a consistent and appealing design that aligns with your brand or user preferences.

Global Layout Max Width

• Description: This setting determines the maximum width of the content displayed across all pages within your eMuseum iste. By setting a max width, you ensure your content remains visually cohesive and does not become too spread out on large screens or too cramped on smaller screens.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 1400px (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Adjust the value in pixels to control how wide the content can stretch. A higher value will allow the content to expand more, while a lower value will constrain it within a narrower space.

• Best Practice: Set a width that complements your content structure and ensures readability across different devices.

Rounded Corners

• Description: Enables rounded corners to various UI elements such as buttons, text inputs, and select fields. This option softens the edges of these components, providing a modern and visually appealing aesthetic.

• Configuration:

  • Unchecked: Corners remain square.

  • Checked: Corners are rounded, creating a more contemporary look.

• Use Case: Ideal for aligning the UI with modern design trends that favor softer, more approachable visual elements.

All Caps Text

• Description: Transforms all menu items and small labels to uppercase text. This setting can be used to create a uniform and prominent text style, making these elements stand out more clearly.

• Configuration:

  • Unchecked: Text retains its original casing.

  • Checked: All relevant text elements are converted to uppercase.

• Consideration: While this option can enhance visibility, it may reduce readability if overused, particularly for longer text strings.

Enable Big Search Box

• Description: This option moves the search box from the header to the main content area, where it is displayed more prominently and at a larger size. This can make the search function more accessible and easier to use, particularly on content-heavy pages.

• Configuration:

  • Unchecked: The search box remains in the header.

  • Checked: The search box is placed within the content area, making it more noticeable.

Enable Sharing

• Description: When enabled, this setting adds social media sharing buttons to objects within the collection, allowing users to share content across various platforms easily. This can help increase the visibility and engagement of your content.

• Configuration:

  • Unchecked: Sharing buttons are not displayed.

  • Checked: Sharing buttons are enabled, making it simple for users to share items directly from your eMuseum site.

Fonts

The Fonts section allows you to customize the typography across your eMuseum site, giving you control over the visual style of text elements. These settings are crucial for establishing a consistent and readable design that enhances the user experience.

Use Google Fonts

• Description: This option enables the use of Google Fonts for both the body text and titles throughout your eMuseum site. If this setting is disabled, your eMuseum site will revert to the default fallback fonts.

• Fallback Fonts:

  • Body Text: "Lato"

  • Titles: "Lora"

• Configuration:

  • Unchecked: Google Fonts are not used, and eMuseum defaults to the specified fallback fonts.

  • Checked: Google Fonts are enabled, allowing you to select from a wide range of fonts available through the Google Fonts library.

• Best Practice: Enable this option if you want to use specific Google Fonts to match your branding or enhance the visual appeal of your online collection.

Typography Body Font

• Description: Sets the font face for the body text that appears on all pages within your eMuseum site. This setting controls the default typeface used for paragraphs, descriptions, and any other general text content.

• Configuration:

  • Default Font: "Lato" (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Select your preferred font from the dropdown list or enter a custom font name if using Google Fonts or other available fonts.

• Use Case: Choose a font that ensures readability and complements the overall design aesthetic of your online collection.

Typography Title Font

• Description: Sets the font face for titles on all pages. This includes headings, section titles, and any other prominent text elements that serve as labels or headers within your eMuseum site.

• Configuration:

  • Default Font: "Lora" (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Similar to the body font, you can select a preferred font from the list or specify a custom font, especially if using Google Fonts.

• Best Practice: Select a title font that contrasts well with the body font, ensuring that titles are distinct and easily noticeable.

Typography Font Base Size

• Description: This setting determines the base font size, which serves as the default size for body text. All other text elements will scale relative to this base size, maintaining consistent proportions across different devices and screen sizes.

• Configuration:

  • Default Size: 16px (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Adjust the value in pixels to increase or decrease the overall text size. A larger base size will make all text elements appear bigger, while a smaller size will reduce the overall text size.

• Consideration: Adjust this setting to balance readability with the overall layout, ensuring that text is neither too small nor too large for comfortable reading.

Colors

The Colors section allows you to define the color scheme for various elements across your eMuseum site. By customizing these settings, you can create a visually cohesive and branded interface that enhances user engagement and experience.

Global Link Color

• Description: This setting determines the text color for all hyperlinks on your eMuseum site. Consistent link color helps users quickly identify clickable text elements.

• Configuration:

  • Color Picker: Choose the desired color using the color picker or enter a hex code for precise color selection.

• Best Practice: Use a color that contrasts well with the background and body text to ensure links are easily distinguishable.

Global Link Hover Color

• Description: Sets the text color for links when the mouse hovers over them. This provides a visual cue to users that the text is interactive and clickable.

• Configuration:

  • Color Picker: Select a color that differs from the standard link color to enhance the hover effect, signaling interactivity.

• Consideration: Ensure the hover color is distinct enough from the regular link color to be noticeable yet still harmonious with the overall color scheme.

Global Base Dark Color

• Description: This setting applies a dark color to menu items, body text, and other primary content areas. It serves as a foundational color that provides contrast against lighter background colors.

• Configuration:

  • Color Picker: Choose a dark shade that complements the overall theme of your online collection.

• Use Case: Ideal for establishing a strong contrast between text and background, improving readability and focus on content.

Global Highlight Color

• Description: Sets the color for buttons, highlighted text, and active states throughout. This color is often used to draw attention to important elements or actions.

• Configuration:

  • Color Picker: Select a vibrant color that stands out against other UI elements, making interactive components more visible.

• Best Practice: Choose a highlight color that aligns with your brand identity and creates a sense of urgency or importance where needed.

Media Zone Background Color

• Description: This setting controls the background color on detail pages when using a one-column layout. It helps distinguish media-rich areas from the rest of the content.

• Configuration:

  • Color Picker: Select a background color that complements the content within the media zone, ensuring that text and media are easily viewable.

• Consideration: Use a subtle or neutral color that supports the content without overwhelming the visual balance of the page.

Skins

The Skin section allows you to define the overall look, feel, and structure of your eMuseum site by selecting and configuring a skin, also known as a theme. Skins are essential for establishing a consistent and branded visual identity for your online collection.

Understanding Skins

• Description: Skins, or themes, are a collection of styles and templates that control the appearance of your site. They consist of various file types common to web design, including CSS stylesheets, JavaScript files, and image graphics. These skins allow you to easily customize the design of your eMuseum site without altering the core content.

• Structure:

  • CSS Files: Control the visual styling, including colors, fonts, and layout.

  • JavaScript Files: Add interactivity and dynamic behavior to elements on the page.

  • Template Files (*.tml): Define the structure of pages and how content is displayed.

Selected Skin

• Description: This option allows you to select the skin you want to apply to your eMuseum site. The selected skin dictates the overall aesthetic and user experience.

• Configuration:

  • Dropdown Selection: Choose from the available skins listed in the dropdown menu. The selected skin will be applied across the entire site, changing the visual presentation instantly.

• Best Practice: Select a skin that aligns with your brand identity or the specific look and feel you want to achieve for your users. Consider how the skin's design complements the content and functionality of your online collection.

Customization and Flexibility

• Modifying Skins: Since eMuseum was created with modern web standards in mind, there is a clean separation between content and design. This allows you to make basic changes to your site's appearance by editing the skin files. Anyone familiar with CSS can modify these files to adjust the look and feel.

• Compatibility: eMuseum template files are HTML-compatible and include processing logic. This logic is unobtrusive to web browsers, meaning that browsers will simply render the content as HTML without affecting the skin's functionality.

Applying a New Skin

• Procedure: To apply a new skin, select it from the dropdown menu and save your changes. eMuseum will reload with the new skin applied, giving your site a refreshed appearance.

• Consideration: Before applying a new skin, review its layout and design to ensure it meets your requirements. Test the skin in various browsers and devices to confirm compatibility and responsiveness.

Header

The Header section allows you to control the appearance and layout of the header, which is shown at the top of all pages. These options are only used by the default skin and play a crucial role in establishing the first impression of your site.

Centered Header

• Description: Centers the logo and main menu on the page, creating a balanced and symmetrical header layout.

• Configuration:

  • Option: Select this option if you prefer a centered alignment for your header elements, which can create a more traditional and organized appearance.

Bar

• Description: Adds a colored bar behind the header section, providing a distinct background for the header that can enhance visibility and aesthetic appeal.

• Configuration:

  • Option: Choose this option if you want a more defined header section that stands out from the rest of the page content.

Header Text Color

• Description: Sets the color of the text inside the header, applicable to all textual elements such as navigation links and headings.

• Configuration:

  • Color Picker: Select a color that contrasts well with the header background to ensure text readability.

Header BG Color

• Description: Sets the background color of the header bar if the bar option is enabled. This color forms the backdrop for the header elements, impacting the overall look of the header.

• Configuration:

  • Color Picker: Choose a background color that aligns with your site’s theme and branding.

Header Vertical Padding

• Description: Adds padding to the top and bottom of the header, increasing the space around header elements to adjust the overall height of the header.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 30px (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Adjust the padding value to create a more spacious or compact header, depending on your design needs.

Selected Logo

• Description: Displays the currently selected logo that appears in the header. This logo represents your brand and is a critical visual element of your site’s identity.

• Configuration:

  • Option: Review the displayed logo to ensure it’s the correct representation of your brand.

Upload New Logo

• Description: Allows you to upload a new logo to the list of existing ones. This feature provides flexibility in updating your branding as needed.

• Configuration:

  • Option: Use the "Browse" button to select and upload a new logo file from your device. The newly uploaded logo will be available for selection in the header.

Footer

The Footer section controls the appearance of the footer, which is displayed at the bottom of all pages. These settings, like the header, are only used by the default skin and are important for providing essential information and navigation links at the end of the page.

Footer Enabled

• Description: Enables or disables the page footer. The footer typically contains additional links, copyright information, and other relevant details.

• Configuration:

  • Checkbox: Check this option to display the footer on all pages. If unchecked, the footer will be hidden.

Centered Footer

• Description: Centers the content within the footer, creating a balanced and organized layout similar to the centered header option.

• Configuration:

  • Option: Select this option if you want a symmetrical alignment for your footer elements.

Footer Text Color

• Description: Sets the color of the text inside the footer, applicable to all textual elements such as links and copyright notices.

• Configuration:

  • Color Picker: Choose a text color that contrasts well with the footer background to ensure legibility.

Footer BG Color

• Description: Sets the background color of the footer, establishing the overall visual tone for the footer area.

• Configuration:

  • Color Picker: Select a background color that harmonizes with the rest of your site’s theme.

Footer Padding Vertical

• Description: Adds padding to the top and bottom of the footer, allowing you to control the space around footer elements and adjust the overall height of the footer.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 30px (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Modify the padding value to achieve the desired footer spacing and appearance.

Result Pages

This section allows you to customize the layout, grid settings, and display options for result pages in your eMuseum site. These settings enable you to control how search results, images, lists, and tables are presented, ensuring a consistent and user-friendly experience.

Results Layout

• Description: This setting determines how search results and associated filters are displayed on the page. You can choose between a one-column or two-column layout based on your content's structure and the desired user experience.

• Configuration:

  • One Column: Displays filters and results in a single column. This layout is straightforward, providing a linear flow from filters to results.

  • Two Column: Displays filters and results in two columns. This layout places the filters alongside the results, allowing users to easily adjust filters while viewing the results.

• Best Practice: Use the two-column layout for content-rich pages where users need to frequently adjust filters without losing sight of the results.

Grid Gutter Width

• Description: Sets the space between items in grid views, such as image grids or list grids. This spacing helps define the visual separation between items, contributing to the overall readability and organization of content.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 15px (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Adjust the pixel value to create more or less space between items. A larger gutter width creates more breathing room, while a smaller width results in a denser layout.

• Consideration: Choose a gutter width that balances content density with visual clarity, especially on grids where items need to be distinctly separated.

Limit Titles to Single Line with Ellipsis

• Description: This option truncates long titles to fit within a single line, adding an ellipsis ("...") at the end to indicate that the full title is longer. This feature maintains a clean and uniform appearance by preventing titles from wrapping onto multiple lines.

• Configuration:

  • Checkbox: Enable this option to limit titles to one line. If left unchecked, titles will display in full, which may cause them to wrap onto additional lines.

• Use Case: Ideal for maintaining a consistent layout in grids or lists where space is limited and titles vary in length.

Images Grid

The Images Grid section allows you to define how images are displayed across various content types, such as Collections, Objects, People, and Exhibitions. You can choose from different grid layouts to best showcase your visual content.

Layout Styles:

• Masonry: Stacks images on top of each other like bricks. This layout dynamically adjusts to different image sizes without cropping, creating a visually interesting and varied grid.

• Standard: Each item is given equal space on the grid. This layout provides uniformity, making it suitable for content that requires a consistent and balanced presentation.

• Fit: Crops images so that they are uniform in size. This layout is ideal when consistency in image dimensions is important for the overall design.

• Mosaic: Crops images with varied sizing throughout the grid, resulting in a non-linear, artistic presentation that emphasizes visual diversity.

Content Type Configuration

• Description: For each content type (e.g., Collections, Objects, People), select the layout style that best suits the visual presentation of that content. Each content type can be configured independently, allowing for tailored displays.

• Best Practice: Choose a layout style that enhances the content's visual impact while ensuring usability and accessibility.

Items Per Page

• Description: Sets the number of images displayed per page within the grid. This setting controls how much content is visible before users need to navigate to the next page.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 12 items per page.

  • Customization: Adjust the number based on the amount of content and the desired page load performance.

Columns Per Page (Responsive Design)

• Description: Defines the number of columns displayed per page for different screen sizes (e.g., x-small, small, medium, large screens). This ensures that the grid layout is responsive and adapts to various devices.

• Configuration:

  • X-Small Screens: 2 columns.

  • Small Screens: 3 columns.

  • Medium Screens: 3 columns.

  • Large Screens: 4 columns.

• Best Practice: Configure these values to optimize the display across all devices, ensuring a smooth and visually appealing user experience.

List Grid

The List Grid section controls the presentation of lists of content, such as text-based entries, in a grid format similar to the Images Grid.

Items Per Page

• Description: Sets the number of list items displayed per page.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 12 items per page.

  • Customization: Adjust the number to fit the amount of content and user preference for scrolling or pagination.

Columns Per Page (Responsive Design)

• Description: Defines the number of columns for list items across different screen sizes.

• Configuration:

  • X-Small Screens: 1 column.

  • Small Screens: 2 columns.

  • Medium Screens: 2 columns.

  • Large Screens: 3 columns.

• Use Case: Optimize these settings for readability and navigation on various devices.

Table

The Table section manages the display of tabular data, ensuring that data tables are presented in a clear and organized manner.

Table Items Per Page

• Description: Sets the number of table rows displayed per page.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 24 items per page.

  • Customization: Adjust this number based on the complexity of the data and the need for scrolling or pagination.

• Consideration: Larger tables might benefit from fewer items per page to maintain clarity and prevent overwhelming users with too much information at once.

Details Page

The Details Page section allows you to customize the layout of detail pages. Each module can be configured individually, enabling a tailored presentation of detailed content based on the specific needs and characteristics of each module.

Layout Options

• Description: For details pages, three different layout options are available, providing flexibility in how detailed content is displayed:

  • One Column: Displays content in a single, full-width column. This layout is straightforward and ensures that content is presented in a linear, easy-to-read format.

  • Two Column: Splits the content into two columns, allowing for a more organized presentation where different types of information can be displayed side by side.

  • Three Column: Further divides the content into three columns, ideal for displaying a large amount of related information in a compact and structured manner.

Navigation

The Navigation section allows you to configure how users navigate through result pages within the your eMuseum site. These settings determine the flow and usability of search results, lists, and other paginated content, ensuring a seamless user experience.

Navigation Type

• Description: Select how result pages can be navigated by users. This setting determines whether users will scroll through results continuously or navigate through distinct pages.

• Options:

  • Scroll: Enables infinite scrolling for results. With this option, users can continuously scroll through results without having to manually navigate to the next page. This option is often preferred for a more dynamic and uninterrupted browsing experience.

  • Pager: Enables traditional page navigation for results. With this option, users navigate through results by clicking on numbered pages or navigation buttons, offering more control over which page they are viewing.

• Best Practice: Choose the navigation type that best fits your content and user preferences. Infinite scrolling is great for content-heavy pages, while paginated navigation provides a more structured browsing experience.

Result Count

• Description: When enabled, this option allows users to define the number of items that will appear per page in List and Lightbox views for search results. This setting gives users more control over how much content they view at once.

• Configuration:

  • Max. Result Count: Sets the maximum number of items per page that users can specify. This helps prevent users from selecting an excessively high number of items, which could impact page load times.

  • Default Value: 100 (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Adjust the maximum result count based on the balance between performance and user experience. A higher number may show more content at once, but could slow down loading, especially for large datasets.

• Consideration: Enable this option if you want to give users flexibility in how they view content. If disabled, eMuseum will use the default items-per-page setting.

Show Links for First and Last Page

• Description: This option controls whether to show links to the first and the last pages in paginated views. These links provide quick access to the beginning and end of the result set, which can be useful for users who want to jump to these positions.

• Configuration:

  • Checkbox: Check this option to display links to the first and last pages in the pagination controls. If unchecked, these links will be hidden, and users will have to navigate through the pages sequentially.

• Use Case: Enable this option if your content spans many pages and you want to offer users a quick way to access the first or last pages. It’s particularly useful for large datasets where users may need to skip to the beginning or end.

Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs provide users with a navigational aid that shows the path they have taken through the site, helping them understand their location within the online collection. Although useful, breadcrumbs may not fit well into all site designs and can sometimes be redundant, which is why they are disabled by default.

Show Breadcrumb

• Description: Enables or disables the display of breadcrumbs on pages. Breadcrumbs provide a visual trail that helps users understand their path through the site, allowing them to navigate back to previous pages easily.

• Configuration:

  • Checkbox: Check this option to display breadcrumbs on all pages. If unchecked, breadcrumbs will be hidden.

• Best Practice: Enable breadcrumbs if your site has a deep or complex structure, where users might benefit from a visual cue that shows their navigation path.

Show ‘Home’ Link

• Description: Determines whether to include a ‘Home’ link at the beginning of the breadcrumb trail. The 'Home' link typically points to the main page of your online collection, providing a quick way for users to return to the start.

• Configuration:

  • Checkbox: Check this option to include a ‘Home’ link in the breadcrumb. If unchecked, the breadcrumb will start from the first level below ‘Home.’

Use Application Name

• Description: This option controls whether your online collection or institution name is used as the 'Home' link in the breadcrumb instead of displaying the literal word "Home."

• Configuration:

  • Checkbox: Check this option to use the application’s name as the link text for ‘Home.’ If unchecked, the breadcrumb will display "Home" as the link.

• Consideration: Using the name can provide a more branded experience and may be preferable if you want to reinforce the application’s identity.

Show Link to Current Page

• Description: Determines whether to display a link to the current page within the breadcrumb. By default, the current page is displayed as plain text without a link.

• Configuration:

  • Checkbox: Check this option to make the current page a clickable link in the breadcrumb. If unchecked, the current page will be displayed as non-clickable text.

• Use Case: Enable this option if you want to provide users with the ability to refresh the current page by clicking its breadcrumb link.

Link Current Page to Itself

• Description: Controls whether the current page, if included in the breadcrumb, is linked to itself. This setting provides additional flexibility in how the breadcrumb trail is presented.

• Configuration:

  • Checkbox: Check this option if you want the current page in the breadcrumb to be a clickable link to itself. If unchecked, the current page will remain as plain text in the breadcrumb.

• Consideration: Linking the current page to itself can be useful in certain navigation scenarios, but it may also be redundant. Consider the typical user journey when configuring this option.

Discover More

The Discover More feature enhances the user experience by displaying related content at the bottom of Module details pages. This feature can be enabled on a per-Module basis through the Module configuration page, allowing users to explore content related to the current record without manually creating relations in the TMS (The Museum System). The Discover More section provides options to control how related content is surfaced and displayed.

Record Count

• Description: Sets the number of related records to display in the Discover More section. This determines how much content is shown at the bottom of the details page, giving users a broader or more focused view of related items.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 12 records (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Adjust the number based on the amount of related content available and the desired page layout. Increasing the record count shows more related items, while decreasing it limits the display to the most relevant records.

• Best Practice: Choose a record count that balances the richness of related content with the overall page length and load time.

Minimum Term Frequency

• Description: Specifies the Minimum Term Frequency, which is the frequency below which terms will be ignored in the source document. This setting helps filter out less significant terms that might not be useful in identifying related content.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 1 (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Increase this value to ignore terms that appear infrequently and may not be meaningful for establishing relationships between records.

• Consideration: Set this value based on the nature of the content and the specificity of terms you want to consider. A higher value will focus on more commonly occurring terms, while a lower value may include more varied but potentially less relevant terms.

Minimum Document Frequency

• Description: Specifies the Minimum Document Frequency, which is the frequency at which words will be ignored if they do not occur in at least the specified number of documents. This helps ensure that only terms occurring across multiple records are considered when identifying related content.

• Configuration:

  • Default Value: 1 (as shown in the example).

  • Customization: Increase this value to exclude terms that appear in only a few documents, thereby focusing on more widely shared terms that better indicate relationships.

• Use Case: Adjust this setting based on the diversity and distribution of content across your records. A higher value emphasizes terms that are more common across records, potentially leading to more broadly related content.

Customization Tips

• Relevance of Content: Carefully configure the term and document frequency settings to maximize the relevance of the content displayed in the Discover More section. This helps users find genuinely related content that enhances their browsing experience.

• User Engagement: Use the Discover More feature to keep users engaged by surfacing additional content that they might find interesting, thereby increasing the time they spend on your site.

Custom CSS

The Custom CSS section allows you to create or edit a custom stylesheet that will be applied across all eMuseum pages when enabled. This feature provides advanced users with the ability to further customize the appearance of their application by directly modifying or adding CSS code.

Enable

• Description: This option controls whether the custom CSS should be applied to the site. Enabling this option allows the CSS code you have written to override or extend the default styles of the application.

• Configuration:

  • Checkbox: Check this option to enable custom CSS. When unchecked, the custom CSS will not be applied, and the site will use the default or other configured styles.

• Best Practice: Enable this option only after you’ve tested your custom CSS to ensure it doesn’t conflict with existing styles or cause unexpected layout issues.

CSS Code

• Description: This is where you input your custom CSS code. The code written here will be included in the site's stylesheet and will affect the appearance of all pages in the application.

• Usage:

  • Code Editor: Enter your CSS code directly into the provided editor. The editor supports syntax highlighting, making it easier to write and review your code.

  • Example: In the provided example, the body background color is set to red using the following

  Copy

  a.customClass {
      color: red;
  }

  • Customization: Use this editor to apply specific styles that meet your design requirements, whether it’s changing colors, fonts, layouts, or adding unique visual effects.

• Consideration: Be cautious when applying global styles like the example, as they will affect the entire application. Always test your CSS thoroughly in different browsers and devices to ensure compatibility and responsiveness.

Customization Tips

• Modular CSS: Consider writing modular and well-organized CSS that targets specific components or pages to avoid unintended global changes.

• Backup: Keep a backup of your original CSS or any significant changes you make so that you can revert if necessary.

• Performance: Avoid overly complex or heavy CSS rules that could slow down page rendering or negatively impact user experience.

6.5.6

Improvement

• Set X-Content-Type-Options response header

Bug

• Fix custom Thesaurus fields to render correctly in multi-view reports

• Properly expose custom thesconcept fields in reports

• Fix URL in password recovery eMail

• Fix category groups when multilingual content is disabled

6.5.5

Bug

• Avoid Solr error for large keyword search suggestions

• Fix the deletion of the Node with history

• Update system requirements with minimum MariaDB version: 10.5.2

• Fix the indexing of translatable type filter fields

• Respect Use descriptor for Thesaurus concepts setting in Detail API

• Correctly remove the existing objects_locations entry when multiple components of the same object are imported

• Fix query type for Groups based on advanced searches

• Add back the option for admins to edit existing user details

6.5.4

Bug

• Fix license hover text for disallowed features

• Allow Reports to display non-ASCII characters

• Fix admin indexing page layout overflow

• Show admin Dashboard and Sign Out links over the disclaimer banner if enabled

• Fix the incorrect report detail link in the Templates table on the Reports Index page

• Remove duplicate "My Favorites" link from the Favorites Menu when not authenticated

• Query ULAN data via HTTPS

• Fix the indexing process for People without an “alpha sort” value

• Fix null error produced by locale switcher

6.5.3

Improvement

• Use "secure" flags on cookie settings

Bug

• Do not remove report restrictions on role check

• Fix OAI-PMH record selection when using multiple conditions

• Use URL identifier for Collections in OAI-PMH

• Fix item link context for the Loans and Events modules

• Fix detail page navigation initialization

• Fix URL error for pagination on Collections page

• Use the correct Original format image download literal

• Fix advanced search when multilingual content is disabled

• Run indexing after disabling multilingual content for a module

• Fix the error when attempting to access the Admin Index page

• Import multilingual data for configured languages only

• Render IIIF Presentation Manifest even if media files are missing

• Fix locale switching error when filters are applied

6.5.2

Bug Fixes

• Remove duplicated indexing and import dates on dashboard

• Allow different values for history cleanup of data and vocabularies indexing

• Fix null error produced by locale switcher

• Fix “recordLastUpdated” field on detail pages

• Fix duplicated thesconcept values in API Results

• Display actual value instead of true in API results

• Properly handle category fields regardless of module level translation setting

• Fix AddressException when configuring admin logging email

6.5.1

Bug Fixes

• Gracefully handle custom fields modal if the user logged out on another screen

• Fix Thesaurus terms on multiviews

• Show the Favorite delete icon on the list and table view

• Fix Favorites records to not disappear after changed data import

• Hide the Favorites icon if Favorites are restricted

• Fix image format labels in Media Permissions config UI

6.5

System Requirements

• Drop support for Java 11

• Support Java 21

• Support SQL Server 2022

• Support H2 database

New Features

• Combine admin and configuration pages

• Support external media server

• Support multilingual content

• Support Google Model Viewer for 3D media

• Add YouTube media viewer

• Add Sketchfab media viewer

• Add Vimeo media viewer

• Add Micrio media viewer

• Create a "total record" count for use in Layout.tml

• Add Search suggestions / Did you mean search

• Add "show menu item" to each module configuration page

• Add configuration option to link fields by related field value

• Allow admins to disable Collections page

• Allow admins to select homepage from modules and pages configuration

• Allow admins to create new users from the user management admin page

• Allow admins to disable the use of Google Fonts

• Ping each Solr core on the Search Engine admin widget

• Make Solr options configurable via admin UI

• Tokenize suggestions by Solr

• Add option to specify JPEG compression quality

• Add additional Analytics configuration to place scripts in different parts of the Layout

• Support process context of package requests to receive media in smaller packages to reduce target HD reqiurements

• Add Virtual Groups pages to sitemap.xml

• Show additional host details on admin dashboard, including the IP address

• Make languages configurable in the admin UI

• Ship MariaDB JDBC driver

Bug Fixes

• Always set both “width” and “height” in IIIF Image API image sizes

• Close all asset streams

• Fix saving of import history with warnings

• Fix advanced search for select list fields

• Fix Favorites icon to show up for results

• Fix indexing of media and vocabularies fields

Improvements

• Upload admin assets to a unified "uploads" folder

• Add canonical URL meta info to eMuseum pages

• Use cookies only if user confirmed cookie policy

• Replace MarkItUp with improved WYSIWYG editor

• Allow pagination for Favorites

• Add configuration option to group people index letter with and w/o diacritics

• Show duration of Indexing process progress

• Add Open Graph Protocol to Favorites

• Add og:type to Open Graph Protocol

• Allow removing Objects from Favorites in List and Table view

• Use init and finalize phase for the indexing process

• Support API keys via HTTP header

• Rename “eMuseum Nodes” page to “Collection Data”

• Use single query for calculating Collections Object counts

• Index display name instead of ID for people filter

• Make field labels translatable from text fields under the advanced field options

• Split bulk import queries into chunks

• Split deletion of all data of a Node into chunks

• Make all fields work properly in API outputs

• Add pager to the bottom of the Node History page

• Add import type filter to Node History page

• Provide a message that no Groups exist when admins attempt to set Group media

• Prevent right-clicking on all media types when configured (not just images)

• Show which node is currently being indexed (for instances with more than one TMS dataset/node)

• Don't enable ULAN by default

• Trim license key to improve copy&paste

• Move about.properties to emuseum.properties

• Get the Favorite objects count via count query

• Sort search suggestions by weight

• Use GS favicon on Configuration and Dashboard pages

• Order Object Titles by display order

• Order Module Record Geography by PrimaryDisplay

• Update Microsoft JDBC driver to version 11

• Remove unused asset files, including CodeMirror, Fonts, etc.

• Run partial index after changing multiview report fields

• Remove incremental indexing option on admin page

• Update default logo size

• Use Tomcat’s “sendfile” feature for media files

• Support custom fields in eMuseum API

• Remove CSRF protection from search forms to prevent errors when searching after the session expires

• Sort profile fields on configuration pages alphabetically

• Always use arrays for multivalue fields in JSON API

• Avoid XML parsing for report generation

• Use advanced search instead of filtered quick search for linked fields on detail pages

• Enable zooming by default

• Preserve Favorite Object references for unpublished Objects

• Preserve Group Media references for deleted/unpublished Media

• Fix size of header message display, including “No results” and “Currently indexing”

• Add "disallow" property to robots.txt for reports

• Cover all field config output options

• Change wording of "USE FOR SEARCH RESULTS" to "DISABLE RELEVANCE"

• Fix Collection name not appearing in page titles and breadcrumbs when the Collection Details page is disabled

• Make "Images" view appear first in field and view selectors

• Let JSON API follow redirects of the XML request

• Update French language labels and messages

• Update German language labels and messages

• Update Spanish language labels and messages

• Use GS logo font for the default logo and make it transparent

Dependencies

• Update Flying Saucer to version 9.9

• Update Gradle plugin “grgit” to version 5

• Update H2 to version 2.3.230

• Update Handlebars to version 4.4

• Update Hikari to version 5.1

• Update JSON library to version 20240303

• Update JSass to version 5.11

• Update Jackson Databind to version 2.17

• Update Java JWT to version 0.12

• Update Javassist to version 3.30

• Update Liquibase to version 4.29

• Update Logback to version 1.5

• Update Lucene to version 9.11

• Update Micrometer to version 1.13

• Update Microsoft JDBC driver to version 12.8

• Update OpenCSV to version 5.9

• Update RDF4J to version 4.3

• Update Solr client to version 9.6

• Update Spring Data JPA to version 2.7

• Update Spring Security to version 5.8

• Update Apache Tika to version 2.9

• Update Video.js to version 8

• Update jQuery to version 3.7

• Update javassist to version 3.29

• Update eMuseum License library to version 6.6

• Update eMuseum Networkapi library to version 6.5

Previous Version Changes

Before applying changes specific to eMuseum 6. found in the sections below, all changes required to upgrade earlier versions of 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.5 must be applied. Those changes can be found in the corresponding release notes.

6.5

System Requirements

• In addition to Java 17, Java 21 is now supported

• Drop support for Java 11

Solr Changes

If the data folder within the eMuseum home directory is used (<EMUSEUM_HOME>/solr/), adjust the Solr configuration to point to <EMUSEUM_HOME>/solr/solr8 for Solr 8 or to <EMUSEUM_HOME>/solr/solr9 for Solr 9.

If a separate Solr data folder is used (instead of <EMUSEUM_HOME>/solr/), copy over the files from <EMUSEUM_HOME>/solr/solr8 for Solr8 or from <EMUSEUM_HOME>/solr/solr9 for Solr 9.

Template Changes

For each custom skin (sub-folders in the <EMUSEUM_HOME>/skins/ folder), apply the following changes. Please note that custom skins only contain files for custom changes. If a mentioned file does not exist in the custom skin’s folder, no changes need to be done.

Merge changes on the following template files (if present):

Configuration Changes

The following parameters have been removed from the context descriptor (C:\eMuseum\Tomcat9\conf\Catalina\localhost\ROOT.xml on Windows and /var/opt/emuseum/bin/ROOT.xml on Linux per default installation). These options can now be configured in the administration section of eMuseum.

• solr.serverUrl Dashboard → Search and Filtering → Solr Server → Server URL

• solr.corePrefix Dashboard → Search and Filtering → Solr Server → Core Prefix

• tapestry.supported-locales Dashboard → General Settings → Languages

Please set these settings to the values you find in the context descriptor.