13.1. What Is the Content Editor Web Part?

Good things come in simple packages. That's been the case since the beginning of time, and it is still true today. In SharePoint terms, a package doesn't get much simpler than the Content Editor Web Part.

The web interface to SharePoint provides a structured environment for content to be rendered. The borders and navigation are fixed, and while you have great flexibility in adding Web Parts to a page, the user is generally at the mercy of the kinds of content provided in the existing Web Parts.

The Content Editor Web Part is designed to alleviate that problem. By providing a "page within a page," the CEWP allows site owners to add arbitrary text and images to their pages. In addition, you can have some control over that content's layout by overriding existing formatting, or even use JavaScript to enhance page functionality. One use of the CEWP would be to place a brief description or instructions on the home page of a site. The "About this Site" sidebar shown in Figure 13-1, for instance, is a Content Editor Web Part.

Figure 13-1. Figure 13-1

The CEWP provides two editing options for web browsers:

  • Rich text editor

  • Source editor

These are available in the Web Part Tool Pane, which is accessed by selecting Modify Shared Web Part from the Web Part menu. Figure 13-2 shows the Web Part menu and Editor buttons on the tool pane for a Content ...

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