Tree hierarchy is represented by standard outline indenting and nesting. CommonSpot includes several options for quickly and conveniently creating trees and tree links, including adding the current page as a root node, selecting a page as a root node, or "quick-adding" root nodes.

For new trees, the left panel is blank. Click Add Node to create a hierarchical structure. CommonSpot displays these options:

• Add New Root Node: If no root node exists, creates a node labeled Root at the top of the hierarchy. This option does not display if you already have a root node.
• Add Current Page as New Root Node: Creates a node with the title of the current page at the top of the hierarchy.
• Add Page as New Root Node: Presents the Choose Page dialog for selecting the root page and creates a node with the title of the selected page at the top of the hierarchy.
• Quick Add Root Nodes: Displays the Quick Add Node dialog for creating a "skeleton" tree with a single root node, three child nodes and one subchild node. Use this option to quickly produce a tree outline. You can copy and paste tree nodes in the left panel.

Once you establish a tree outline you can easily change tree properties or tree type : add, remove, or reposition nodes: and change node properties and relationships.

Select a tree node to display options. Your current selection is highlighted and the node name displays in the right panel Title field, with other available options in the Properties right panel.

Adds a new node. Choose from the following options:

• Add New Sibling Node - Creates a new node at the same level as the current node
• Add New Child Node - Creates a new node one level down from the current node
• Add Current Page as New Sibling Node - Creates a new node at the same level as the current node, linked to the current page
• Add Current Page as New Child Node - Creates a new node one level down from the current node, linked to the current page
• Add Page as New Sibling Node - Presents the Choose Page dialog for selecting a page for a node at the same level as the current node.
• Add Page as New Child Node - Presents the Choose Page dialog for selecting a page for a node one level down from the current node.
• Quick Add Sibling Node -Displays the Quick Add Node dialog with a skeleton set of nodes for adding at the same level as the current node.
• Quick Add Child Node - Displays the Quick Add Node dialog with a skeleton set of nodes for adding one level down from the current node.

Activate or Deactivate (grayed out). Active nodes display on publication, inactive nodes do not.

Click to remove nodes.

Moves this node and its children one level lower in the hierarchy.

Moves this node and its children one level higher in the hierarchy.

You can also click and drag to reposition nodes.

Note the instructions in the dialog header:

• Moving a node directly below a node with children positions it as child node.
• Moving a node below a node without children makes it the next sibling.

CTRL-click-and-drag reverses this logic: dropping a node in the first child position makes a sibling, dropping it anywhere else makes a child.

Tree and node properties are a function of the Tree Properties Definition XML and Node Properties Definition XML defined for the Tree Type, with display controlled by the layout selected for the tree type, the styles assigned to the specific tree and the layout (typically a render handler) selected for the tree at the page level.

Create or select a node in the left column and assign attributes in the right. You must separately save each set of node attributes by clicking the Save button at the bottom of the right panel after you make changes.  Click Cancel to exit without saving.

You can assign the following standard options to each node:

NOTE: Settings in Tree Navigation Layout Properties define which items render on a page or template for all fields. For example, if Image is deselected in Layout Properties for this tree, any image chosen here or elsewhere in the tree will not display. Make sure to enable all elements you want displayed. See Tree Navigation Layout Properties in the Elements Reference for details.

• Parent: Displays the last or logical parent node. Pick from the dropdown to move this node to another location within the tree hierarchy.
• Position: Defaults to the last or logical order within the hierarchy. Pick from the dropdown to change position for this node.
• Title: The name displayed for this node.
• Description: Optional text to display with the title for this node.
• Item Class: Optionally enter a style class to format the selected node.
• Link Target: Click to select a link target and set window and other attributes. See Insert Link in the Contributor's or Element's Reference for details.
• Image: Click to select an image to display for this node. See Choose Image in the Contributor's Reference for details.
• State: A checkbox for activating/deactivating this node.

Parameters: You can also add custom tree and node metadata to request additional fields. For examples, review the files in commonspot/samples/trees and the demo site.