Building/using new content types

[spcherub]

I am not sure where this question belongs so I will try forum-board first.

I am looking to setup a new installation of CMSMS for an upcoming conference. I would like to be able to create new content types for agenda items (conference sessions) and for speakers (speaker bio). I want to do it this way so I can reference these content items in different places but only have to edit them in one place. Each of these types need to have distinct attributes (speaker bio will have name, title, photo, summary etc.). And I will need a way to reference them in other templates either as a list or as individual items.

I realize I can setup different templates for each of these content types, but what I really want to do it use the data in other templates. I know I can re-purpose modules such as jobs and try and reuse the existing fields to model a speaker bio, but is there a better/more efficient way of doing this with the core product?

In summary, I am looking for a way to model content types, allow users to edit individual items outside the context of where they are used and be able to use these items in different templates programmatically.

Do the CMSMS experts in this forum have any advice? Or point me in the direction of existing documentation?

TIA!
S

[Upon further reading I realize that I could create new modules to handle this. I would prefer to use existing ones or use functionality built into the core set instead. I'm reasonably proficient in PHP and pick up Smarty programming if necessary]

[alby]

Each of these types need to have distinct attributes (speaker bio will have name, title, photo, summary etc.). And I will need a way to reference them in other templates either as a list or as individual items.

Why don't use Cataloger module?

Alby

[spcherub]

Thank you for that suggestion. I will look into this this morning. Meanwhile do you know if this module supports the modeling of additional fields for different content types?

Thanks,
S

[alby]

Thank you for that suggestion. I will look into this this morning. Meanwhile do you know if this module supports the modeling of additional fields for different content types?

No, contenttype is one (item in this case) but you can add additional fields

Alby

[spcherub]

Alby - Thanks for the clarification. So in my particular, I cannot use this module as I need at least two different content types (sessions and speakers).

On a related note I know I can model desired content types using the existing core functionality of defining new templates. Is there any way I can pull content from another page into the current page? Also is there any way I can list a set of pages (that match a particular criteria - such as list all content pages that are of type "session" and that have a desired value in a specific field) on another page using a combination of smarty tags and code?

As an example, assume I model the session content type with a field called session_type. What I would like to do is on a given page, list all the content items of type session that have the word "keynote" in the field session_type. Additionally I would like to be able to pull all the cntent fields from one specific session page into another page (of a different template).

Again I am looking to see if this can be done within the base core functionality. [I am aware that CalGuy's CGExtensions provide something similar and I am going to be looking into that as well).

Thanks
S