Built-in property types

Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) content is built up by models with properties that store and present data. You can use many built-in property types in your models and create your own.

You can use most property types as instance or list properties. Some types are list types themselves; those cannot be modeled as lists.

Common property types

What you want to create	Property solution	Editing experience
Plain short text – Control the allowed length with the `StringLength` attribute. Use a custom tag to control the containing tag, such as using an H1 for the main header for the page.	`String`	One row input
Plain long text – Control the allowed length with the `StringLength` attribute.	`String` with `UIHint.Textarea`	Text area
HTML	`XHtmlString`	A TinyMCE HTML editor
Integer value – Controls other rendering, such as the number of items in a list. Control the min and max values with the `Range` attribute.	`Int`	A number slider
Date and time – Control the min and max values with the `Range` attribute.	`DateTime`	A date and time picker
Double – Control the min and max values with the `Range` attribute.	`Double`	Check editor
Boolean	`Boolean`	Checkbox
Page type – Filter items in a list, and so on.	`PageType`
BLOB – Hold binary data (such as an image). Route to a BLOB with pattern `<Url to content>/BlobPropertyName`.	`Blob`

Work with other content

To refer to existing content, use the Link or LinkCollection to create internal or external links.

Use ContentArea to display content from other content.
Use ContentReference, ContentReferenceList, or URL to link to a single content of a specified type.
Use the AllowedTypes attribute to further restrict the kind of links that can add to a property (although there are a few known limitations).

`ContentReference<T>` property type

ContentReference<T> is a built-in property type that allows you to reference a single content item of a specified type.

[AllowedTypes(typeof(MyPageType))]
public virtual ContentReference<MyPageType> FeaturedPage { get; set; }

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Note
PageReference is now obsolete. Always use ContentReference<T> for pages, media, or blocks.

Use a content reference with many UI hints to select different entities in CMS, such as a block, a media item, a block folder, or a media folder.

What you want to create	Property solution	Editing experience
Link to a media file of any type* – Link to any file in the media repository. Use `ContentReference` instead to use standard content rendering. (Mostly for backward compatibility.)	`ContentReference` with `UIHint.MediaFile`	Content picker with drag and drop support
Link to an image* – Lets an editor select content in the media repository by implementing IContentImage.	`ContentReference` with `UIHint.Image`	Content picker with drag and drop support
Link to a video* – Lets an editor select content in the media repository by implementing `IContentVideo`.	`ContentReference` with `UIHint.Video`	Content picker with drag and drop support
Link to a media file* with the possibility to append information in the URL – Each link can be an item inside Optimizely CMS, such as pages, media, and external URLs. Use URL instead of `ContentReference` to add information, such as query string parameters to control size.	`Url` with `UIHint.MediaFile` or `UIHint.Image` or `UIHint.Video`	Content picker with drag and drop support
Content area	`ContentArea`
URL	`Url`	Link dialog with drag-and-drop support
Link to multiple external and/or internal resources – Does not support `AllowedTypesAttribute`.	`LinkItemCollection`	Link collection editor with drag-and-drop support
Link to external or internal resource* – Does not support `AllowedTypesAttribute`.	`LinkItem` Note:* Available in CMS 12.11.0 and later.	Link editor with drag-and-drop support
Link to multiple internal pages, media files, or other content types* – Supports `AllowedTypesAttribute`.	`ContentReferenceList`	Content picker with drag and drop support

Select predefined values

You can use the following solutions to create drop-down lists and check box lists:

What you want to create	Property solution	Editing experience
Select a single item from a relatively short list of options	`String/Int` with SelectOne attribute	Link to implementation page
Select several items from a relatively short list of options	`String/Int` with SelectMany attribute	Link to implementation page
Select a single item from a relatively long list of options. – Use with caution because the auto-suggestion editor creates requests to the server.	`String/Int` with AutoSuggestion attribute	Link to implementation page

Validation attributes

CMS supports the following validation attributes that are part of the .NET:

Range
StringLength
RegularExpression
EmailAttribute

You can create custom attributes that implement either ValidationAttribute. See Write custom attributes.

Common property types

Work with other content

ContentReference<T> property type

Note

Select predefined values

Validation attributes

`ContentReference<T>` property type