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Inherited Content Template (ICT)

  • The ICT is where the site name, footer and inheritable content is configured in a site.
  • The ICT contains content areas that can be displayed on any page in a site.
  • The ICT is a required file included in all new sites. Do not delete this file.
  • The ICT is only visible to content authors in AEM. They are not visible to visitors of the live site.
  • The file's name ("inheritedContent)" and title ("Inherited Content)" cannot be modified.
  • New inherited content templates can be added to child pages of a site.
  • Users can inherit content from the root level ICT, or select "New" to add new content.

Inheritable Content Areas:

  1. Local Header - add the site name to this section
  2. Left Sidebar - set sidebar to 'new' and drag components to this section; layout components are not be available for use in the left section.  Any content added to this section will display under any left navigation present on the page
  3. Above/Below Content - any content added here will be displayed on all pages of the site (unless another inheritedContent template file is present elsewhere)
  4. Right Sidebar - set sidebar to 'new' and drag components to this section; layout components are not available in the right section
  5. Local Footer - predefined and new footers can be customized in this section
  6. Page Information> Open Page Properties> Inherited Content Settings
 (image file) 
  1. Navigate to the root folder
  2. Find and open the “inheritedContent” file
  3. Select the Page Information icon
  4. Choose "Open Properties"
  5. Go to "Inherited Content Settings" tab
  6. Under Local Header, choose New Predefined
  7. Under Left Column, Before/AFter and Right Column, select "New"
  8. Under "Local Footer", choose one of the following:
    1. New Predefined
    2. New, or
    3. Inherit 
  9. Select the blue Save & Close button

A section can either inherit the content defined from an Inherited Content template (ICT) above it in the page hierarchy, or it can be set to create new content. The following options are available:

  • New Predefined: Similar to "New", this option stops inheriting content and embeds a predefined component with a set of variations for the user to choose from. Applies to the footer and local header only.
  • Inherit: The section inherits content that has been defined in an Inherited Content template above it.
  • New: A fresh canvas is provided for the user to create new inheritable content. This does not apply to the site title.

  When you create a new ICT, you must configure all sections to New Predefined, New or Inherit.

The local footer sits directly above the Toronto Metropolitan University global footer. There are two footer options:

  1. New Predefined
  2. New

New predefined footer

The predefined footer is pre-populated with a common layout and content components.  This layout is based on the Toronto Metropolitan University Web Style Guide.

Content must be updated but the components cannot be removed, and no new components can be added.  

New footer

  • The new footer option is a blank template that is customized by the author.
  • Certain layout and content components are not available for use in the footer.

Navigate to the "Sites" page to locate the main file where you want to create the new inherited content template. In the top right corner:

  1. Select Create > Page
  2. Select Inherited Content and select Next.
  3. Select Create.

The filename and title are autofilled and cannot be modified.