A URL input is an editing interface for relative, absolute, and fully qualified URLs. By configuring your inputs, you can customize the appearance and functionality for a better editing experience.
These instructions assume that you know where in the configuration cascade you want to configure your input. For more information, please read our documentation on URL inputs, inputs in general, and the configuration cascade.
To configure a URL input:
- Open your website files in your local development environment, or log in to CloudCannon and select the Site for which you want to configure your input.
- Navigate to the location in the configuration cascade where you want to configure your input. This can be the root of your CloudCannon Configuration File, within the
collections_config.*key in your CloudCannon Configuration File, a Schema file, the frontmatter of a markup file, or any where you configure a Structure. - Identify the
_inputskey, or create one at that level of the configuration cascade. - Add an input name key for your input under the
_inputskey (a.k.a.,_inputs.*). We recommend naming your input something simple that indicates the function or context. - Add the
typekey under your input name key, with the valueurl. - (Optional.) Add any other general configuration keys (e.g.,
label,comment,context) under your input name key. - (Optional.) Add any specific configuration keys under
_inputs.*.options(e.g.,pattern,pattern_message).
CloudCannon will now apply this input configuration to all markup files that use your input name key, without needing to save your configuration. This allows you to make changes to your input configuration and see those changes affect inputs live.
When you are happy with your input configuration, you must save your input configuration.
_inputs:
associate_link:
type: url{
"_inputs": {
"associate_link": {
"type": "url"
}
}
}All inputs are defined under the _inputs key, regardless of where they are in the configuration cascade.
This URL input is called associate_link.
The value of the type key determines the input type. This is a url input.
When you add your input key name to a data or markup file, your configured URL input will appear in the Data Editor, Visual Editor, or Content Editor.
---
associate_link: http://example.com
---
Blog content goes here.Input configuration options#
General configuration options are available for all input types. You can define the label, comment, and context box for your URL input, whether it is hidden or disabled, and how CloudCannon should handle configuration at multiple levels of the configuration cascade.
Specific configuration options for URL inputs include configuring how CloudCannon handles empty values and which URL input options are visible. You can also add input validation to require a value, specify the minimum and maximum value length, or match a regular expression.
Here is an example of a URL input using some of the most commonly used configuration keys.
_inputs:
external_link:
type: url
label: External Link
comment: Enter a URL to link to an external resource
options:
required: true
pattern: ^https?\:\/\/
pattern_message: Please use a URL starting with https://
empty_type:{
"_inputs": {
"external_link": {
"type": "url",
"label": "External Link",
"comment": "Enter a URL to link to an external resource",
"options": {
"required": true,
"pattern": "^https?\\:\\/\\/",
"pattern_message": "Please use a URL starting with https://",
"empty_type": null
}
}
}
}For a complete list of configuration keys available for inputs please read our Inputs reference documentation.
These keys configure the appearance and functionality of URL inputs in CloudCannon.
This key defines which sources and DAMs you are allowed to upload to and browse.
Valid values include site-files and the reference key for any DAM connected to your site.
If site-files is omitted from the array, site files will not be available as an asset source for this input.
Appears in: Rich Text Input options, URL Input options, File Input options, _editables.content, _editables.block, _editables.image.
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In this example, we have configured allowed sources for an Image Input.
_inputs:
image:
type: image
options:
allowed_sources:
- site-files
- my-cloudinary-dam{
"_inputs": {
"image": {
"type": "image",
"options": {
"allowed_sources": [
"site-files",
"my-cloudinary-dam"
]
}
}
}
}This key defines which sources and DAMs you are allowed to upload to and browse.
Valid values include site-files and the reference key for any DAM connected to your site.
If site-files is omitted from the array, site files will not be available as an asset source for this input.
Appears in: allowed_sources.
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In this example, we have configured allowed sources for an Image Input.
_inputs:
image:
type: image
options:
allowed_sources:
- site-files
- my-cloudinary-dam{
"_inputs": {
"image": {
"type": "image",
"options": {
"allowed_sources": [
"site-files",
"my-cloudinary-dam"
]
}
}
}
}This key toggles whether CloudCannon will prevent typing into the text field of a File or URL Input, while still allowing context menu options to change the value.
Setting this key to true will prevent typing into the input text field.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: URL Input options, File Input options.
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In this example, CloudCannon will prevent typing into the URL Input url.
_inputs:
url:
type: url
options:
disable_direct_input: true{
"_inputs": {
"url": {
"type": "url",
"options": {
"disable_direct_input": true
}
}
}
}This key toggles whether CloudCannon will disable the context menu option and the drop area for uploading files.
Setting this key to true will disable the context menu option and prevent uploading file through drag-and-drop in a File Input.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: URL Input options, File Input options.
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In this example, CloudCannon will disable the option to upload a file in the context menu and prevent uploading file through drag-and-drop in a File Input.
_inputs:
image:
type: image
options:
disable_upload_file: true{
"_inputs": {
"image": {
"type": "image",
"options": {
"disable_upload_file": true
}
}
}
}This key toggles whether CloudCannon will prevent file uploads inside the "Select existing file/image" file browser modal window.
Setting this key to true will prevent file uploads inside the file browser modal window.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: URL Input options, File Input options.
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In this example, CloudCannon will disable the option to upload files inside the file browser modal window.
_inputs:
image:
type: file
options:
disable_upload_file_in_file_browser: true{
"_inputs": {
"image": {
"type": "file",
"options": {
"disable_upload_file_in_file_browser": true
}
}
}
}This key defines how an 'empty' value will be saved. Does not apply to existing empty values.
Defaults to: null
Allowed values: null string
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, Date/Datetime Input options, Time Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
This key toggles whether CloudCannon will hide the option to link to an email address.
Setting this key to true will hide the option to link to an email address. This does not prevent typing a mailto: link in the input.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: URL Input options.
This key toggles whether CloudCannon will hide the options to link to an existing file, and upload a new file.
Setting this key to true will hide the options to link to an existing file and upload a new file. This does not prevent typing a file path in the input.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: URL Input options.
This key toggles whether CloudCannon will hide the option to link to a page.
Setting this key to true will hide the option to link to a page. This does not prevent typing a file's output URL in the input.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: URL Input options.
This key toggles whether CloudCannon will hide the option to link to a telephone number.
Setting this key to true will hide the option to link to a telephone number. This does not prevent typing a tel: link in the input.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: URL Input options.
This key defines the maximum string length, in graphemes, that CloudCannon will allow in an Input. When configured, CloudCannon will warn you when an Input value is too long. If the Input already contains a longer value, CloudCannon will require you to remove characters until the Input contains a valid string to save your changes, or discard your unsaved changes.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
This key defines the message that explains which maximum string length an Input will accept. This key requires you to define `options.max_graphemes.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
This key defines the maximum string length, in characters, that CloudCannon will allow in an Input.
When configured, CloudCannon will warn you when an Input value is too long.
If the Input already contains a longer value, CloudCannon will require you to remove characters until the Input contains a valid string to save your changes, or discard your unsaved changes.
Value can be any non-negative integer.
If this key is set to 0, CloudCannon requires the Input to be empty.
If options.min_length is also configured, this key cannot be a smaller number.
This key has no default.
This key is available for Code, Color, File, Select, Text, Rich Text, and URL Inputs.
To use this key in a Select Input, allow_create must be set to true.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
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In this example, we want our team to enter a blog description using the Rich Text seo_description Input. This Input limits you to a maximum of 125 characters.
_inputs:
seo_description:
type: markdown
comment: Enter a brief description of this blog.
options:
max_length: 125
min_length: 25{
"_inputs": {
"seo_description": {
"type": "markdown",
"comment": "Enter a brief description of this blog.",
"options": {
"max_length": 125,
"min_length": 25
}
}
}
}This key defines a custom error message that explains why a value has failed the validation criteria from options.max_length.
This key requires you to define options.max_length.
This key has no default.
This key is available for Code, Color, File, Select, Text, Rich Text, and URL Inputs.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
Show examplesHide examples
In this example, we prompt our team to enter a valid number of characters using a custom message.
_inputs:
seo_description:
type: markdown
comment: Enter a brief description of this blog.
options:
max_length: 125
max_length_message: You are only allowed 125 characters.
min_length: 25
min_length_message: Please write more than 25 characters.{
"_inputs": {
"seo_description": {
"type": "markdown",
"comment": "Enter a brief description of this blog.",
"options": {
"max_length": 125,
"max_length_message": "You are only allowed 125 characters.",
"min_length": 25,
"min_length_message": "Please write more than 25 characters."
}
}
}
}This key defines the maximum string length, in words, that CloudCannon will allow in an Input. When configured, CloudCannon will warn you when an Input value is too long. If the Input already contains a longer value, CloudCannon will require you to remove characters until the Input contains a valid string to save your changes, or discard your unsaved changes.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
This key defines the message that explains which maximum string length an Input will accept. This key requires you to define `options.max_words.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
This key defines the minimum string length, in graphemes, that CloudCannon will allow in an Input. When configured, CloudCannon will warn you when an Input value is too short. If the Input already contains a shorter value, CloudCannon will require you to add characters until the Input contains a valid string to save your changes, or discard your unsaved changes.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
This key defines the message that explains which minimum string length an Input will accept. This key requires you to define options.min_graphemes.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
This key defines the minimum string length, in characters, that CloudCannon will allow in an Input.
When configured, CloudCannon will warn you when an Input value is too short.
If the Input already contains a shorter value, CloudCannon will require you to add characters until the Input contains a valid string to save your changes, or discard your unsaved changes.
Value can be any positive integer.
If options.max_length is also configured, this key cannot be a greater number.
This key has no default.
This key is available for Code, Color, File, Select, Text, Rich Text, and URL Inputs.
To use this key in a Select Input, allow_create must be set to true.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
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In this example, we want our team to enter a blog description using the Rich Text seo_description Input. This Input requires a minimum of 25 characters.
_inputs:
seo_description:
type: markdown
comment: Enter a brief description of this blog.
options:
max_length: 125
min_length: 25{
"_inputs": {
"seo_description": {
"type": "markdown",
"comment": "Enter a brief description of this blog.",
"options": {
"max_length": 125,
"min_length": 25
}
}
}
}This key defines a custom error message that explains why a value has failed the validation criteria from options.min_length.
This key requires you to define options.min_length.
This key has no default.
This key is available for Code, Color, File, Select, Text, Rich Text, and URL Inputs.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
Show examplesHide examples
In this example, we prompt our team to enter a valid number of characters using a custom message.
_inputs:
seo_description:
type: markdown
comment: Enter a brief description of this blog.
options:
max_length: 125
max_length_message: You are only allowed 125 characters.
min_length: 25
min_length_message: Please write more than 25 characters.{
"_inputs": {
"seo_description": {
"type": "markdown",
"comment": "Enter a brief description of this blog.",
"options": {
"max_length": 125,
"max_length_message": "You are only allowed 125 characters.",
"min_length": 25,
"min_length_message": "Please write more than 25 characters."
}
}
}
}This key defines the minimum string length, in words, that CloudCannon will allow in an Input. When configured, CloudCannon will warn you when an Input value is too short. If the Input already contains a shorter value, CloudCannon will require you to add characters until the Input contains a valid string to save your changes, or discard your unsaved changes.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
This key defines the message that explains which minimum string length an Input will accept. This key requires you to define options.min_words.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
This key defines paths for your Rich Text editors or File inputs.
If undefined at higher levels of the configuration cascade, paths will default to any
values configured in the CloudCannon configuration file.
Appears in: Rich Text Input options, URL Input options, File Input options, _editables.content, _editables.block, _editables.link, _editables.image, _editables.text.
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In this example, we have configured paths for the blog Collection to set custom upload and static paths.
collections_config:
blog:
paths:
uploads: /uploads/blog/
static: /assets/{
"collections_config": {
"blog": {
"paths": {
"uploads": "/uploads/blog/",
"static": "/assets/"
}
}
}
}This key defines the path for the location of statically copied assets for DAM files.
Appears in: paths.
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In this example, we have configured the DAM static path for the blog Collection.
collections_config:
blog:
paths:
dam_static: /assets/dam/{
"collections_config": {
"blog": {
"paths": {
"dam_static": "/assets/dam/"
}
}
}
}This key defines the path for the default location of newly uploaded DAM files.
You can use dynamic placeholders for uploads and dam_uploads.
Appears in: paths.
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In this example, we have configured the DAM uploads path for the blog Collection.
collections_config:
blog:
paths:
dam_uploads: /dam/uploads/blog/{
"collections_config": {
"blog": {
"paths": {
"dam_uploads": "/dam/uploads/blog/"
}
}
}
}This key defines the path for the name of the uploaded file, when uploading DAM files.
Appears in: paths.
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In this example, we have configured the DAM uploads filename path for the blog Collection.
collections_config:
blog:
paths:
dam_uploads_filename: '{filename|slugify}'{
"collections_config": {
"blog": {
"paths": {
"dam_uploads_filename": "{filename|slugify}"
}
}
}
}This key defines the path for the location of statically copied assets.
Appears in: paths.
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In this example, we have configured the static path for the blog Collection.
collections_config:
blog:
paths:
static: /assets/{
"collections_config": {
"blog": {
"paths": {
"static": "/assets/"
}
}
}
}This key defines the paths for the default location of newly uploaded site files.
You can use dynamic placeholders for uploads and dam_uploads.
Defaults to: uploads
Appears in: paths.
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In this example, we have configured the uploads path for the blog Collection.
collections_config:
blog:
paths:
uploads: /uploads/blog/{
"collections_config": {
"blog": {
"paths": {
"uploads": "/uploads/blog/"
}
}
}
}This key defines the path for the name of the uploaded file.
Appears in: paths.
Show examplesHide examples
In this example, we have configured the uploads filename path for the blog Collection.
collections_config:
blog:
paths:
uploads_filename: '{filename|slugify}'{
"collections_config": {
"blog": {
"paths": {
"uploads_filename": "{filename|slugify}"
}
}
}
}This key toggles whether CloudCannon will use relative paths instead of absolute paths for uploaded files.
Setting this key to true will make CloudCannon use relative paths for uploaded files, which are relative to the file being edited rather than the repository root.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: paths.
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In this example, we have configured uploads to use relative paths for files uploaded in the Content Editor.
_editables:
content:
paths:
uploads_use_relative_path: true{
"_editables": {
"content": {
"paths": {
"uploads_use_relative_path": true
}
}
}
}This key defines a regular expression that the Input value must match.
When configured, CloudCannon will require you to enter a value that matches the REGEX pattern.
If the Input already contains an invalid value, CloudCannon will require you to enter a valid string to save your changes, or discard your unsaved changes.
Value must be a valid REGEX string.
If your REGEX string includes a \ character and CloudCannon Configuration File is a .yml file, use single quotes ' around the string to avoid a
build error.
This key has no default.
This key is available for Code, Color, File, Select, Text, Rich Text, and URL Inputs.
To use this key in a Select Input, allow_create must be set to true.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
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In this example, we want our team to add an email address to the contact_email Input using the correct email format.
_inputs:
contact_email:
type: email
options:
pattern: '[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}'
pattern_message: Please use the format ___@___.__{
"_inputs": {
"contact_email": {
"type": "email",
"options": {
"pattern": "[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}",
"pattern_message": "Please use the format ___@___.__"
}
}
}
}This key defines the flags (e.g. case-insensitive searching) for the regular expression set in options.pattern.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
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In this example, we have configured pattern flags for a text input to enable case-insensitive searching.
_inputs:
search_term:
type: text
options:
pattern: ^[a-z]+$
pattern_flags:
ignore_case: true{
"_inputs": {
"search_term": {
"type": "text",
"options": {
"pattern": "^[a-z]+$",
"pattern_flags": {
"ignore_case": true
}
}
}
}
}This key defines the s flag - . matches newline characters.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: pattern_flags.
This key defines the m flag - ^ and $ match the start and end of each line rather than the entire string.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: pattern_flags.
This key defines the u flag - Pattern is treated as a sequence of Unicode code points.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: pattern_flags.
This key defines a custom error message that explains why a value has failed the validation criteria from options.pattern.
This key requires you to define options.pattern.
This key has no default.
This key is available for Code, Color, File, Select, Text, Rich Text, and URL Inputs.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, File Input options, Choice Input options.
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In this example, we prompt our team to use the correct email format in the contact_email Input using a pattern message.
_inputs:
contact_email:
type: email
options:
pattern: '[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}'
pattern_message: Please use the format ___@___.__{
"_inputs": {
"contact_email": {
"type": "email",
"options": {
"pattern": "[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}",
"pattern_message": "Please use the format ___@___.__"
}
}
}
}This key toggles whether CloudCannon requires this Input to have a value.
Setting this key to true will require you to enter a value to save your changes, or discard your unsaved changes.
By default, this key is false (i.e., CloudCannon does not require this Input to have a value).
This key is available for Array, Code, Color, Date and Time, File, Number, Object, Select and Multiselect, Text, Rich Text, and URL Inputs.
Defaults to: false
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, Number Input options, Range Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, Date/Datetime Input options, Time Input options, File Input options, Multiselect Input options, Choice Input options, Multichoice Input options, Object Input options, Array Input options.
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In this example, we want to require our team to enter an author value for markup files with this Input.
_inputs:
author:
type: text
comment: Enter the name of the author for this blog post.
options:
required: true{
"_inputs": {
"author": {
"type": "text",
"comment": "Enter the name of the author for this blog post.",
"options": {
"required": true
}
}
}
}This key defines a custom error message that explains why a value has failed the validation criteria from options.required.
This key requires you to define options.required.
This key has no default.
This key is available for Array, Code, Color, Date and Time, File, Number, Object, Select and Multiselect, Text, Rich Text, and URL Inputs.
Appears in: Text Input options, Textarea Input options, Code Input options, Color Input options, Number Input options, Range Input options, URL Input options, Select Input options, Rich Text Input options, Date/Datetime Input options, Time Input options, File Input options, Multiselect Input options, Choice Input options, Multichoice Input options, Object Input options, Array Input options.
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In this example, we prompt our team to enter an Input value using a required message.
_inputs:
author:
type: text
comment: Enter the name of the author for this blog post.
options:
required: true
required_message: You are not allowed to leave this blank.{
"_inputs": {
"author": {
"type": "text",
"comment": "Enter the name of the author for this blog post.",
"options": {
"required": true,
"required_message": "You are not allowed to leave this blank."
}
}
}
}Valid values#
Here are some examples of valid values for the key url.
Empty/null value:
url:
Any valid string (quoted or unquoted):
url: ""url: ''url: example.comurl: "example.com"url: 'example.com'url: "https://example.com"
URLs containing : must be surrounded by quotes
Any valid string:
url = ""url = ''url = "example.com"url = 'example.com'url = "https://example.com"
Null value:
"url": null
Any valid string:
"url": """url": "example.com""url": "https://example.com"
Unconfigured URL inputs#
In some cases, CloudCannon can still detect a URL input even if you have not configured it.
CloudCannon will interpret any unconfigured input with the key name url or link, or that ends in _url or _link, as a URL input.
external_link: https://cloudcannon.com/This behavior is convenient if you have simple inputs or do not want to configure inputs. It is also beneficial for new websites on CloudCannon where you have yet to create any CloudCannon-specific configuration.
We recommend configuring your inputs for greater control over their functionality and appearance.