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Layout Manager

 

What This Page Does

The Layout Manager lets you control how your site pages are arranged. You can decide which content blocks (called "widgets") appear on each page of your site and where they are placed -- such as in the header, sidebars, or footer. Think of it like rearranging furniture in a room: you pick the pieces you want and drag them into position.

[Screenshot: layout-manager-overview]

How to Get Here

Navigate to Admin Panel > Templates > Layouts

You can also reach this page from the navigation bar at the top of any Template Management page by clicking Layouts.

Understanding the Page

When you open the Layout Manager, you see three main areas side by side.

Statistics Bar

At the top of the page, four cards give you a quick snapshot:

Card What It Tells You
Total Layouts How many layouts you have created across all page types
Active Layouts How many layouts are currently live on your site
Available Widgets How many content blocks are available to place
Widget Placements How many widgets are currently placed across all layouts

Layouts Panel (Left Side)

This panel lists all your layouts, organized by page type (Homepage, Videos, Galleries, and so on). Click a page type to expand it and see the layouts you have created for that page. Click a layout name to select it for editing.

You will see colored badges next to some layouts:

  • Active (green) -- This layout is currently live on your site for that page type
  • Default (blue) -- This is the system default layout

Editor Panel (Center)

This is where you arrange widgets on a layout. When you select a layout from the left panel, the editor shows a visual grid representing the different areas of the page. Each area is called a "zone." You can drag widgets into these zones to control what appears on the page.

Widgets Panel (Right Side)

This panel shows all the available widgets you can add to your layout. Widgets are grouped by category (content, navigation, advertising, and so on). To add a widget, drag it from this panel into one of the zones in the center editor.

Tip: If you are using a smaller screen, the Widgets Panel may be hidden. For the best editing experience, use a wide monitor or maximize your browser window.

Page Zones Explained

Every layout has several zones where you can place widgets. Here is what each zone represents on your site:

Zone Where It Appears on Your Site
Header The very top of the page, above everything else
Hero Section A large featured area below the header, great for showcasing content
Above Content A strip between the hero section and the main page content
Left Sidebar A column on the left side of the page
Main Content The center of the page where videos, galleries, or other page content appears
Right Sidebar A column on the right side of the page
Below Content A strip below the main page content
Footer The very bottom of the page
Note: The Main Content zone is reserved for the page's primary content (such as the video list on the Videos page). You cannot place widgets there -- it is automatically filled by the page itself.

Page Types You Can Customize

You can create layouts for any of these pages on your site:

Page Type What It Controls
Homepage Your site's front page
Videos List The page that shows all videos
Video Player The page where visitors watch a video
Galleries List The page that shows all photo galleries
Gallery Viewer The page where visitors view a gallery
Models List The page listing all models/performers
Model Profile An individual model's profile page
Categories The page showing all categories
Cam Performers The live webcam performers page
Creators List The page for browsing creators
Creator Profile An individual creator's profile page

Available Widgets

These are the pre-built widgets you can place on your pages:

Widget What It Shows
Recent Videos The latest videos added to your site
Popular Videos The most-watched videos
Recent Galleries The latest photo galleries
Popular Models Your most popular models/performers
Live Now Performers currently streaming live
Categories A list of your content categories
Tags Cloud A visual display of popular tags
Ad Banner An advertisement placement
Custom HTML Any custom content you want to display
Social Links Links to your social media accounts
Newsletter Signup An email signup form for visitors
Featured Creators A showcase of your highlighted creators

Common Tasks

How to Create a New Layout

  1. Click the New Layout button at the top right of the page.
  2. Type a name for your layout in the Layout Name field (for example, "Homepage - Holiday Theme").
  3. Select a Page Type from the dropdown to choose which page this layout is for.
  4. Optionally, type a description to help you remember what this layout is for.
  5. If you want this layout to go live immediately, check the Set as active box.
  6. Click Save Layout.

Your new layout appears in the left panel under the page type you selected.

Tip: Give your layouts descriptive names that include the page type and purpose. For example, "Videos - Minimal Sidebar" or "Homepage - Summer Promo." This makes it easy to find the right layout later.

How to Add Widgets to a Layout

  1. Click a layout in the left panel to select it.
  2. Find the widget you want in the right panel.
  3. Drag the widget from the right panel into one of the zones in the center editor.
  4. Release your mouse to drop the widget into the zone.
  5. The widget is saved to the layout automatically.
Note: You can place the same widget in multiple zones. Each placement is independent, so the same widget can appear in different spots on the page.

How to Rearrange Widgets

  1. In the center editor, find the widget you want to move.
  2. Drag it to a new position within the same zone to change its order.
  3. Or drag it to a different zone to move it to another area of the page.
  4. Release your mouse to drop it. Changes save automatically.

How to Remove a Widget from a Layout

  1. Hover your mouse over the widget in the center editor.
  2. Click the X button that appears on the widget.
  3. Confirm the removal when prompted.
Note: Removing a widget from a layout does not delete the widget itself. It remains in the Widgets Panel and can be added to any layout again at any time.

How to Set a Layout as Active

Each page type can only have one active layout at a time. The active layout is what your visitors see.

  1. Select the layout you want to activate from the left panel.
  2. Click the checkmark button in the toolbar above the editor.
  3. Confirm activation when prompted.
  4. The layout is now live. Any previously active layout for that page type is automatically deactivated.
Warning: Activating a layout immediately changes what your visitors see on the corresponding page. Make sure you are happy with the layout before activating it.

How to Duplicate a Layout

Duplicating is the safest way to make changes without affecting your live site.

  1. Select the layout you want to copy from the left panel.
  2. Click the copy button in the toolbar above the editor.
  3. Type a name for the copy (for example, "Homepage - Test Version").
  4. Click OK.
  5. The copy is created as an inactive layout. Make your changes on the copy.
  6. When you are satisfied, activate the copy to make it live.
Tip: Always duplicate your active layout before making major changes. This way, you can easily switch back if something does not look right.

How to Delete a Layout

  1. Select the layout you want to remove from the left panel.
  2. Click the trash button in the toolbar above the editor.
  3. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
Warning: Deleting a layout is permanent and cannot be undone. All widget placements in that layout are also removed. Default layouts cannot be deleted -- you must first set a different layout as the default.

How to Export a Layout

Exporting creates a backup file you can save or share.

To export a single layout:

  1. Select the layout in the left panel.
  2. Click the download button in the toolbar above the editor.
  3. A backup file downloads to your computer.

To export all layouts at once:

  1. Click the Export All button at the top of the page.
  2. A single backup file containing all your layouts downloads to your computer.
Tip: Export your layouts regularly as backups. If you accidentally break a layout, you can import the backup to restore it.

How to Import a Layout

  1. Click the Import button at the top of the page.
  2. Select a layout backup file from your computer (one you previously exported).
  3. A preview shows you what will be imported.
  4. Click Import Layouts.
  5. The imported layouts are created as inactive so they do not affect your live site.
Note: If an imported layout has the same name as an existing one, the word "(imported)" is added to its name so you can tell them apart.

Creating a Custom Widget

If the built-in widgets do not cover what you need, you can create your own.

  1. Click the + button at the top of the Widgets Panel (right side).
  2. Fill in the widget details:
  • Widget Name -- A name for your widget (for example, "Holiday Banner")
  • Widget Type -- Choose a category: Content, Navigation, Advertising, Social, or Utility
  • Description -- A brief note about what the widget does
  • Icon -- Choose an icon to represent the widget in the library (a live preview shows as you type)
  1. On the right side of the form, choose a starting template:
  • Basic Widget -- A simple starting point
  • Video Grid Widget -- Shows a grid of video thumbnails
  • Static HTML Widget -- For plain text or custom content with no moving parts
  1. Click Create Widget.

Your new widget appears in the Widgets Panel and can be dragged into any layout.

Warning: Creating custom widgets with code requires technical knowledge. If you are not comfortable editing code, use the Static HTML Widget template, which works without any coding.

Demo Mode

If your Layout Manager shows an orange banner at the top saying "Demo Mode," it means the page is in read-only mode. You can browse layouts and widgets and export backups, but you cannot create, edit, or delete anything.

Note: Demo mode is typically enabled on demonstration or preview installations. If you need to make changes and see this banner, contact your site administrator to disable demo mode.

Tips for New Users

Tip:
  • Start by duplicating an existing layout before making changes -- this gives you a safe copy to experiment with.
  • Keep your layouts simple at first. You can always add more widgets later.
  • Try not to place too many widgets in a single zone. Three to five widgets per zone is a good limit for keeping your pages fast and clean.
  • Test how your layout looks on a phone or tablet after making changes. Some widgets may need to be hidden on smaller screens.
  • Use descriptive layout names so you can quickly find what you need later.
  • Export your layouts as backups before making major changes.

Troubleshooting

I see a "Coming Soon" page instead of the Layout Manager

What you see: Instead of the full editor, you see a placeholder page with a compass icon and a list of planned features.

How to fix it: The Layout Manager has not been fully enabled on your installation yet. Contact your site administrator or hosting provider to enable the Layout Manager feature.

I cannot drag widgets into zones

What you see: Widgets in the right panel do not respond when you try to drag them, or they do not land in the zones.

How to fix it:

  1. Refresh the page and try again.
  2. Make sure you are using an up-to-date browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge).
  3. If your browser window is narrow, the Widgets Panel may be hidden. Try making your browser window wider or using a larger screen.

 

My layout changes are not showing on the site

What you see: You made changes to a layout, but your site still looks the same.

How to fix it:

  1. Check that the layout is set as Active (look for the green "Active" badge in the left panel).
  2. Clear your browser cache or open your site in a private/incognito window.
  3. If the layout is active and you still see the old version, wait a minute and refresh again -- some changes take a moment to appear.

 

I cannot create, edit, or delete anything

What you see: Buttons do not work, or you see error messages when trying to make changes.

How to fix it:

  1. Check if an orange "Demo Mode" banner is visible at the top of the page. If so, the page is in read-only mode.
  2. Try refreshing the page. Your session may have expired.
  3. If the problem continues, contact your site administrator.

 

I get a "Widget key already exists" error when creating a widget

What you see: You try to create a new widget but get an error saying the key already exists.

How to fix it: Each widget needs a unique identifier. Try changing the widget name slightly -- the identifier is generated automatically from the name. If you previously created a widget with a similar name, choose something more distinct.

The import failed

What you see: You tried to import a layout backup file but received an error.

How to fix it:

  1. Make sure the file you selected is a layout backup file that was previously exported from the Layout Manager.
  2. Try exporting a fresh backup from the source site and importing that instead.
  3. If the file was edited by hand, it may have become corrupted. Use the original exported file.

 

Page When to Use It
Template Dashboard See an overview of all template settings and quick links to each tool
Theme Manager Change your site's color scheme and theme settings
Feature Toggles Turn site features on or off without changing layouts
Style Manager Adjust fonts, colors, and spacing for your site's appearance
File Editor Edit individual template files (for advanced users)

Last Updated: 2026-02-04

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