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  • Virtual Types

Virtual Types

14. March 2025

Elaine Foley

Virtual Types enable you to create content from within Picturepark that adheres to a defined structure, without having to worry about the output format of the content. Common to each of these (and other) Virtual Types is a defined structure e.g. Press Release (Structure: Headline, Subhead, Body, Footer), Landing Page (Structure: Title; Overview; Details; Form Link), Job Listing (Structure: Title; Description; Requirements; Contact) or News Item (Structure: Headline, Subhead, Body). See the demo of a Press Portal with Virtual Items. See additional information on strictly structured content. 

Create a Virtual Type

  1. Open Schemas
  2. Press + to create
  3. Select Virtual
  4. Select Parent, when creating a child Virtual Type.
  5. Provide name and ID
  6. Save

After Creating the Virtual Type

  1. Add fields to the Virtual Type
  2. Update Virtual Type settings "Layers" and add available Layers for the Virtual Type
    1. These are the only layers that can be assigned to your Virtual Types to ensure e.g. you don’t have to provide document information for press kits.
  3. Create Virtual Items in the Content Browser
 
 

Parent-Child Virtual Types

Virtual Types can be nested, which enables you to think of them in a hierarchical manner. This nesting is beneficial if you use several Virtual Types that should share some information.

For example, say you use Picturepark to publish job listings, news items, and partner listings. Each Virtual Type is different, but there are a few pieces of information you want to make sure are included wherever the information is published:

  • Copyright Notice
  • Impressum Link

You add these values to "Company Publishing" Virtual Type, and when you create children, they have fields for a copyright notice and Impressum link always available. The default values included in the "Company Publishing" Virtual Type would then be included automatically with all other Virtual Types created in Picturepark.

 
 

Create Virtual Items

You create Virtual Items directly in the Content Browser. 

  1. Open Content Browser
  2. Choose Add from Browser Toolbar
  3. Select Create
  4. Select Virtual Type
  5. Provide the content and Save

VIDEO: How to Create a New Virtual Type:

Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
 
 

Add Layer to Virtual Type

If a given piece of content requires additional metadata, Layers can be added directly to any Virtual Item e.g. Copyright Information or Event Information when a press release mentions an event.

  1. Open Virtual Types
  2. Open submenu "Layers"
  3. Add Layers that can be added to this Virtual Type

VIDEO: How to Add Layer to Virtual Type:

Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
 
 

Search and Filter Virtual Types

The Virtual Type is saved in a field called: 

contentSchemaId

Therefore you can access the Virtual Type via this field in Display Pattern, Query Filters, or searches.

Case Value
Exact Match contentSchemaId:virtualTypeId
Contains contentSchemaId:virtualTypeIdPart*
 
 

Layer in Sidebar Filter

Some default system fields are available for selection in the Filter editor e.g. permissionSetIds or layerSchemaIds or contentSchemaId.

  1. Open Filters
  2. Add a new Filter
  3. Select Permission and/or Layers
  4. Save

VIDEO: How to Access Layer in Sidebar Filter

Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
 
 

Use Virtual Type Items to Publish to Portal

You can create Virtual Items for Press Kits, Partner Listings, or News. In order to publish them to a Portal Picturepark proposes the concept for Microsites. 

Find more information on the website: https://www.picturepark.com/software/picturepark-content-platform/connectors/press-portal

Or start with your own Portal from the Picturepark Github account: GitHub - Picturepark/Picturepark.SDK.Samples: Samples featured on the Online Demo of the Picturepark Content Platform. This public online demo provides you with various samples of how a virtual organization which we have named the Fine Organic Foods Association (FOFA) supports its stakeholders (organic farmers and retailers) with unified access to product data, content logistics and up-to-date marketing resources.

 
 

Use Cases

  • Featured Content: Headline, Abstract, Teaser Image, Resource Link
  • Historic Milestone: Title, Body Text, Date, Hero Image, Gallery Image
  • Text Blocks: Title, Text, References
  • Press Kits: Headline, Release Date, Release Location, Lead, Body Text, Hero Image, Media Downloads
 
 

Virtual Type Limitations

  • You can export Virtual Types as .json files. However, you cannot import them back using the same name and id as an existing type (you have to rename id and name in the JSON file first).
 
 

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