What It Does
Rebuilding pages causes Big Medium to regenerate html pages in the section(s) you select. To rebuild pages, click the "Rebuild Pages" link under "Templates" in the left column options of the Big Medium control panel. This feature is available to users with webmaster or administrator accounts.
Why Would I Rebuild Pages?
Rebuilding pages is not normally required during the regular day-to-day use of Big Medium. As you add, edit, publish, unpublish or delete articles from your website, Big Medium automatically keeps all of your pages and links up to date.
You need to rebuild pages only when you change the settings or templates that govern how Big Medium builds the html for your website. Whenever you make such a change, Big Medium will suggest that you rebuild pages for the relevant section(s) of your site. Following this process ensures that all of the pages of your site reflect the latest Big Medium settings.
Selecting the Pages To Rebuild
The Rebuild Pages menu allows you to select the section and type of pages you would like to rebuild.
- Section to rebuild. This pulldown menu allows you to indicate the section or subsection for which you would like Big Medium to rebuild pages. Selecting a main section will also rebuild the pages for its subsections. Selecting "all sections" will rebuild all sections. Any of these options will also rebuild the homepage.
- Type of pages to rebuild. You may select to build all pages of the section you indicate, or only the top-level pages. Selecting "Top-level pages only" causes Big Medium to rebuild all index pages for the section: the subsection index pages, the main section page and the homepage. Selecting "All pages" causes Big Medium to build the article pages for the section, as well as the top-level pages.
The Rebuild Process
After selecting the pages to build and clicking the "Rebuild Pages" button, Big Medium handles the rest, giving you updates as it makes its way through all of the pages you requested. Now is a good time to get a cup of coffee; Big Medium is mighty fast, but large sites may take a few minutes to update. Don't interrupt the rebuilding process; nothing bad will happen if you do, but the site will not be completely updated until you allow Big Medium to complete its run through all the pages.
If you selected the "all pages" option for the type of pages to build, Big Medium starts with the article pages, building those pages in batches. Administrators may change the number of pages that are processed in each batch by changing the appropriate setting in Big Medium Setup. (If your system easily handles the default setting of 100 pages at a time, you may want to set this higher; likewise, if you start getting browser errors while waiting for Big Medium to rebuild pages, you should set it lower).
After building article pages, Big Medium proceeds to the top-level pages, building the subsection index pages, main section pages and homepage.
How Do I Know When To Rebuild -- and Which Pages?
After making any of the following changes in the widget settings, site settings or section editor, it's good practice to rebuild pages in the following ways (note that rebuilding all pages in all sections will always capture all changes, but using some of the alternative options below will take less time):
| Tool | Change | Rebuild |
| Widget settings | Any change | Rebuild all pages in all sections |
| Site settings | Any change other than time zone offset | Rebuild all pages in all sections |
| Section editor | Homepage: Change template, description or keywords |
Rebuild top-level pages in one or more sections |
| Section editor | Homepage or main section: New or updated navigation graphic |
Rebuild all pages for all sections |
| Section editor | Main section: Add new main section, or delete main section |
Rebuild all pages in all sections |
| Section editor | Main section: Change description, keywords, main section template, or default subsection index template |
Rebuild top-level pages for that section |
| Section editor | Main section: Change default article template |
Rebuild all pages for that section |
| Section editor | Main section: Change slug name |
Rebuild all pages in all sections |
| Section editor | Main section: New or updated navigation graphic, or new display name |
Rebuild all pages in all sections |
| Section editor | Main section: Rearrange main sections |
Rebuild all pages for all sections |
| Section editor | Subsection: Add new subsection or delete subsection |
Rebuild all pages in the main section containing the new subsection |
| Section editor | Subsection: Change description, keywords or custom index template |
Rebuild top-level pages for that subsection |
| Section editor | Subsection: Change custom article template |
Rebuild all pages for that subsection |
| Section editor | Subsection: Change slug name |
Rebuild all pages in the main section containing the new subsection |
| Section editor | Subsection: New or updated navigation graphic, or new display name |
Rebuild all pages for the main section containing the subsection |
| Section editor | Subsection: Rearrange subsections |
Rebuild all pages for the main section containing the rearranged subsections |
Need more help?
For further assistance and documentation, visit the website of Global Moxie, the developer behind Big Medium.