This page explains what object types are and how you can manage them within KLEKSI.


What are object types?
An object type determines which data you can register for an object.

Examples of object types are:

• Painting
• Sculpture
• Publication
• Photo
• Object
• Audio file
• Video file

Because each type of object has different properties, you can determine for yourself which information must be recorded for each object type.

For example, a painting requires fields for artist, technique, and dimensions, whereas a publication requires fields for author, publisher, and ISBN.

KLEKSI offers complete flexibility to configure the desired structure per object type.


The structure of an object type
KLEKSI works with a flexible structure consisting of three layers:

1. Groups
2. Elements
3. Fields

Example

Group : Identification
Element : Manufacturer
Fields :

• Manufacturer's name
• Role manufacturer

When an object has multiple makers, the Maker element can be easily duplicated so that multiple makers with different roles can be registered.

This structure makes it possible to keep complex registration structures clear and organized.


Create an object type
Go to Object types via Management.

• Click on the + button.
• Enter a name for the new object type.
• Click Save.

The object type is added to the overview and is immediately available for further configuration.


Manage the structure of an object type
Click Edit Structure next to an object type.

You are now on the structure management page.

Here you see:

• Left: the current structure of the object type.
• Right: all available elements.

From this page, you can create groups, add elements, determine the order, and manage existing components.


Creating and managing elements
Elements form the building blocks of an object type and contain one or more fields.

Create new element

1. Click on the gear icon.
2. Open the overview of all elements.
3. Click on the + button.
4. Give the element a name.
5. Add the desired fields.
6. Set read and write permissions if necessary.
7. Click Save.

The new element then appears in the list of available elements.


Setting up the structure
First, create a group. Click on 'Add new group' to create a new group.

Examples of groups are:

• Identification
• Description
• Manufacture
• Provenance
• Documentation
• Media

Adding elements to a group

1. Enable the Edit option.
2. Create a group on the left side.
3. Drag an element from Available elements to a group within the Current structure.
4. Release the element at the desired position.

With drag & drop, you can also adjust the order of groups and elements.


Reuse elements
An important advantage of KLEKSI is that elements can be reused across multiple object types.

When the same element is used across different object types:

• the element only needs to be maintained once;
• users can search for the same data across multiple object types;
• data structures remain consistent.
• When a new field is added to the element, every object type that uses this element automatically has this new field available.

Examples of reusable elements are:

• Manufacturer
• Dating
• Material
• Dimensions
• Location
• Etc...

Elements that are used exclusively for a single object type can be searched separately.


Rights and access management
KLEKSI supports extensive permission structures for both dashboard users and frontend visitors.

For each role, you can determine:

• Which collections are visible.
• Which elements are visible.
• Which elements may be edited.
• Which elements are read-only.

When certain information should not be accessible to everyone, it is best to place it in a separate element. You can then protect this element with permissions.

This allows you to maintain full control over which information is visible to which user group.


Remove elements (under object type management)
Deleting an element requires additional confirmation because previously entered data may also be lost.

Remove an element from an object type

1. Enable Edit.
2. Drag the element from the Current structure back to Available elements.
3. Confirm the deletion action.

You will then receive a warning such as:

Are you sure you want to remove 'Documents' from the current structure? Data that has already been entered for objects using this element will be deleted with this action.

To prevent accidental deletion, you must first enter the specified word before the final delete button becomes available.


Delete fields (for object type management)
Be careful when deleting fields. When you delete a field from the structure of an object type, all values entered for this field in the associated objects are also deleted. Deleting a field can therefore affect a large number of objects and must be performed carefully. To prevent unintended data loss, only a user with the Administrator role can delete a field from the structure.

When an element is used by multiple object types, deleted fields, including all entered data, are deleted from all object types that use this element.

Therefore, always check first:

1. Which object types make use of the element in question.
2. Whether the data is needed elsewhere.

You can find this overview via the gear icon in the element manager.

Manage fields

Change field type (under object type management)
Changing the field type affects the data already stored in the field. When you change the field type for an individual object, the existing content of that field is lost. This applies regardless of which field type you change the field to, for example from a text field to a list box or from a text box to a text field. If you change the field type within the structure of an object type, the existing content of this field is lost for all objects that use this structure. Changing a field type must therefore be done with due caution. To prevent unintended data loss, only a user with the Administrator role can change the field type.


Set up field validation
It is possible to configure the validation for a field. KLEKSI offers a toggle that allows you to set whether a field is required. This is intended for fields that you want to be minimally populated for an object. As long as the field is empty, this is indicated by a red dot. As soon as the field is populated, it turns green. This allows you to see at a glance whether the minimum required data is present.

On our roadmap: Sorting and filtering options are being added to the object overview. For example, if you have set four fields as required, it could become visible that an object is 100% complete when all four are filled in, or 75% complete when only three of the four required fields are filled in.

Set 'Use as'
In addition to the other field settings, you can also determine the function a field has within KLEKSI. By default, every new field has the function 'Standard'. If desired, you can assign a specific function to a field.

The following features are available:

• Use as 'Default'
  This is the default function of a field. The field has no special function within KLEKSI and can be freely used to record data.
  
  
• Use as 'Title/name'
  This determines which field is used as the title or name of an object. The content of this field is used to display the object recognizably within KLEKSI and in parts of the public environment.
  
  
• Use as 'Subtitle'
  This determines which field is used as the subtitle. On the frontend detail page, this value is displayed directly below the title or name of the object.
  
  
• Use as 'Description'
  This determines which field is used as the public description of the object. On the frontend detail page, this text is displayed below the title and subtitle. Additionally, the content of this field can be used for the text-to-speech function, allowing visitors with dyslexia, a visual impairment, or other reading difficulties to have the description read aloud.
  
  
• Use as 'Location'
  The original function of this field is to display the location of an object on the frontend. However, the location field can also be used for other purposes. For example, you can display a year, manufacturer, place name, or another relevant value here that you want to bring to the visitor's attention at a fixed position on the detail page.

Brief explanation
The Use as option is intended to assign a special function to specific fields instead of using them as default fields. When all fields are set to Default, a Title group containing the Title field appears by default for every object. However, you can choose to use a different text field as the title field. For memorial cards, for example, you could set the Last Name field as the title field. The default title field would then be omitted. This is particularly useful for collections where objects do not actually have a title. When a user subsequently creates a new object, KLEKSI no longer prompts them to enter a title first, but in this example, the last name. More functions are available via Use as, which relate to the frontend, among other things. For instance, you can determine which field is used as a subtitle. This could be a place name, date, or other relevant data. This is also convenient if you do not want to see the Title field separately in its own group/element, but prefer to use a title field within another element as the title field.



Important
An object type cannot be changed. Once an object has been registered, the selected object type can no longer be changed. This is a deliberate choice within KLEKSI, because each object type has its own structure with specific fields. If an object type were to be changed afterwards, there is a risk that data would be lost because certain fields do not exist in the new object type. Did you accidentally select the wrong object type? Then the object must be re-registered with the correct object type. Therefore, always carefully check that you are selecting the correct object type before creating a new object.