Renaming the Categories & Keywords and other GUI labels

Question

Can we extend / replace the labels presented in the SDL Tridion 2011 Content Manager Explorer?

I'm specifically interested in changing the root items under publications.

Background

SDL Tridion has organizational items, which groups or "stores" items or building blocks (not to be confused with Template Building Blocks, a specific item).

For example:

• A folder stores components, schemas, and templates.
• Structure groups store pages.
• Categories store keywords.

Under the default Publication, we get three options: a root Folder, a root Structure Group, and a label for Categories & Keywords (which contains Categories).

The Categories & Keywords label itself isn't a Category in the same way that Building Blocks is a folder. Dominic Cronin hints at the differences in this SO answer.

Question

1. I can rename and localize Building Blocks and Root. But can I/where would I extend/change the Categories & Keywords label? I'm thinking it's part of Tridion.Web.UI.Strings. It would have to be translated/translatable.
2. Alternative programmatic suggestion?

Use cases for changing these include:

• Change folder, SG, and maybe the Categories & Keywords name to make it easier for authors to have context on where they're at in the BluePrint (I sometimes forget context when the Publication name isn't visible)
• Reduce confusion for when "Categories & Keywords" or other Tridion terms confuse authors. This should be used sparingly, but maybe "Tridion Categories" could help distinguish between the "Categories" that an organization already uses.

Feisty

I'm still not sure you have a use-case here, Alvin. The categories in Tridion are implicitly the Tridion categories. Would would it be an improvement to have "Tridion Publications" instead of "Publications", or "Tridion Content Management" in place of "Content Management". There's quite some usability research behind the UI choices in the product, and I find it easy to accept that "Tridion" is implied in this context. Maybe if you gave a different example I'd see why you want this. – Theologize

Well, specifically I've had customers where "Categories and Keywords" means something very specific to the business. To such organizations, Tridion Categories and Keywords are simply pre-defined lists or a way to classify something. I'd only recommend Tridion {Item Name} so it wouldn't be something so far off that a future developer or training has to struggle with "oh we call those Lists." – Feisty

Oh and we do this all the time with schema fields and item names. Tridion links are either external or component links, but we usually change the schema field description to something business-specific. We also rename publications, folders, Categories, and keywords, even if authors don't know the item type they're using, it makes sense in the context they use them. The Categories & Keywords sticks out because our root folders aren't called Components nor do we call the root Structure Group Pages. – Feisty

Answer 1

You can make a DataExtender, which will override Title attribute for this particular node. You will recognize "Categories and Keywords" node by it's ID - it will start with "catman-" prefix.

Pisces

+1 and accepted for the hint where to find it and what to change. I'd also warn anyone attempting to change these labels to still consider the impact on training and future development (Dominic Cronin does have a good point above). – Feisty

Thanks. Indeed, changing them will have some impact. Another side - performance. To minimize impact of your Data Extender, you can apply it only for the GetList service method called for Publication. Because "Cats & Keys" could only appear there. And don't forget about localized versions of your overwritten Title. – Pisces

Answer 2

Great question. It is possible to use a DataExtender to modify the Tridion response, including the tree. I know an extension has been written before to hide certain parts of the outbound email distribution list tree based on group membership.

However, I don't think I would recommend a GUI extension for this. Instead I suggest filing an enhancement request through customer support since it should be part of the product and you have a good use case that applies to many customers.

Inexecution