AXIS 10 changes for Presentation Manager operators and administrators

This article covers the UX/UI differences included in AXIS 10 and useful information for those transitioning from older versions of AXIS Presentation Manager (version 9.9) to 10.0.

The core concepts remain familiar, but some workflows and configuration areas now work differently. The main changes affect object headers, save and publish actions, statuses, Global offers, row behaviour, playback settings, entitlement indicators, theming, and advanced list rules.

Use this article to understand what has changed, what you need to do differently, and where to find updated areas in AXIS 10.

Before you begin

This article focuses on UX/UI and workflow changes in Presentation Manager.

AXIS 10 is a major update that delivers significant changes to the underlying architecture, as well as some updates to Presentation Manager. This article focuses on the changes to UX/UI workflows. The changes made have been designed to maintain familiarity with AXIS Presentation Manager for existing users. The biggest changes affect object headers, publishing statuses, Global offers, row behaviour, playback settings, and entitlement indicators. Some changes have been made due to differences in how the APIs function, or a simple UI enhancement.

For more background, see:

• What is AXIS 10?

• AXIS 10 architecture changes

Key changes at a glance

New object headers

AXIS 10 headers show more object information directly on the page. Use the header to confirm which object you are editing, its status, and key metadata before you save or publish changes.

Headers are updated for:

• Pages

• Lists

• Menus

• Items

• Channels

• Links

• Global offers

Depending on the object type, the header can show:

• An image, if an applicable image exists for the object (Asset items, Channels and Links only)

• If the object is an Episode nested in a Season, etc, a link showing where it is nested (Asset items only)

• The title of the object, and when the content side tab is selected, the name of the open content variant (Pages only)

• The object’s type and and ID (Asset items and Channels only), Distributor (if applicable, Asset items only) and Channel number (Channels only)

• The status the object is in, the type of Page (pages only)

• The parent Global offer (offers only)

• When it was last updated and who by

Page headers

In AXIS 10, the Page header shows the selected variant next to the page title. It also shows unsaved variant changes, so you can check the selected variant before saving or publishing.

The Page ID is no longer shown in the same location (accessible now via Page metadata).

List headers

In AXIS 10, the List header removes the display of the List ID. This is now accessible via the List metadata.

Menu headers

In AXIS 10, the Menu header has clearer status indicators, e.g., ‘LIVE’.

Item headers

In AXIS 10, the Item header has nested details, e.g.. Episodes relating to the Season, the asset ID (which can be easily copied from the Asset metadata), clear status indicators, e.g., ‘LIVE’ and the Distributor information.

Channel headers

In AXIS 10, the Channel header has the Channel ID (which can be easily copied from the Channel metadata), and clear status indicators, e.g., ‘LIVE’ and ‘UNPUBLISHED CHANGES’.

Link headers

In AXIS 10, the Link header has clear status indicators, e.g., ‘LIVE’, while the Link ID has been removed (this is found and copied from the Link metadata).

Save, publish, unpublish, and archive content

These objects (Page, List, Menu, Asset item, Channel, Link or Global offer) can all be amended in various ways, and the status reflects how they have been changed. To make this clearer, we’ve streamlined the list of possible statuses within AXIS Presentation Manager:

• Draft - created but not yet published, or unpublished

• Live - previously published, and has not been edited or had any other action taken since then

• Live/Unpublished Changes - edited and saved since it was last published (new status as of AXIS 10)

• Archived - available to view, but not use or amend

Check out our new article on the header and status to understand more on transitioning between statuses.

Understand AXIS 10 statuses and modular controls

We’ve made a number of changes to the header and body CTA labels and behavior, which apply to the following areas of Presentation Manager:

• DISPLAY (Pages, Lists, and Menus)

• ASSETS (Items, Channels, and Links)

• RULES (Global Offers)

The changes provided by the CTA updates introduce more granular controls. In AXIS 9.9, saving changes applies to all changes, whereas AXIS 10 is more modular, meaning you can save changes to content, variants, metadata, and theme configuration independently and without publishing them. More information below:

To Save or Publish

The following buttons are available to save, or save and publish:

• Save X (where X is the name of the side tab currently open) - this saves the content of the currently open side tab, but does not publish it. It is available when any changes have been made to the content of that side tab.

  Note: In Pages, this button is entitled Save Variants. It saves all the variants in the Content side tab.

• Save and Publish - any new changes across the entire object are saved, and the whole object is published to make it visible to your end-users to view and interact with. It is available when there are any saved or unsaved changes, which have not been published, in the content of any of the side tabs.

To Unpublish, Archive or Delete

Within the More drop down list are further options:

• Unpublish - this removes the object from publication, so your end-users can no longer view and interact with it, and puts it back into a status of Draft.

• Archive - this puts the object into a status of Archived, which prevents any further use, although it can still be viewed. Note that if this is actioned while an object is in a status of Live, it is automatically unpublished.

• Delete - this completely removes the object from the system. It is only available in Pages.

Note: To check the success of selecting any of these options, the header includes the updated status of the object. See The header and status for details of the resulting status after taking any action.

Copy IDs and slugs from metadata

In AXIS 10, you can copy IDs and slugs from the metadata.

Use the ID when you need the system GUID, for example when searching for an object or sharing a reference.

Use the Slug when you need the final part of the object URL.

To copy either value, select the copy icon next to the field in the metadata.

Understand theming changes

In AXIS 10, we’ve made changes to how App theming is configured. This means, the Global theme, Asset theme (including Links), and Page theme are now centrally managed via our Design system, and is therefore no longer an option in the Presentation Manager UI.

List-level theming (used for branded rows) remains within AXIS Presentation Manager.

Manage page variants and tags

In AXIS 10, the selected page variant appears in the header next to the page title. This helps you confirm which variant you are editing before you save or publish changes.

Color-coded variant Details are now called Tags. Tags help you identify or group variants, but they are separate to the variant title.

In the example below, Example 1 is the variant tag and the Variant 2 is the variant title.

See Editing page variants for further information.

Configure rows and front-end display behavior

Linear Program support in Hero rows

AXIS 10 extends live Program support to these Hero rows:

• HX1 - Advanced Hero

• H1 - Hero

• H2 - Hero peeking

These rows now display the information from the currently live Program asset from the configured linear Channel.

Note: Hero rows must be configured with a List. To display live Program information, add one of more Channels to a List, then configure the Hero row with that List.

This behavior is in addition to the existing linear-specific rows: EPG1, EPG3, CH1, CH2, CHD1, and CHD2.

Read our article on displaying currently live program information in rows.

List Title now displayed in rows

In a row, above the list preview, in addition to the List name, is the list Title. These are both clickable links that open the list.

Add URL links to rows

Operators can now include URL links within rows, allowing direct navigation to specific content, sign-up pages, or external destinations.

Internal-facing name for Links and Channels

It’s now necessary to configure a Link name for a Link, and a Channel name for a Channel, which are only visible within Presentation Manager. These are in addition to the existing Titles, which do display in the front end Apps.

Playback and entitlement indicators

Image badge support

AXIS 10 introduces the ability to configure Image badges in AXIS Presentation Manager to display in the Apps, helping to make content more engaging, dynamic, and instantly recognizable.

This is configured in two places:

1. Enter the name of the image in the Badge Image field in the Badge section of Asset Metadata.

2. An Administrator must go to ADMIN > Settings > System > Display, Image Base URL, input the location of the images used for images badges. Both areas must be configured.

For more information and a full list of supported rows, visit our Image badges article.

Distributor logo support

The addition of Distributor logos improves content recognition with clear logo branding in the hero on Item detail pages. This increases visibility for content brands and partners.

Distributor logos are supported in the DH1 Hero row and the H10 Text row:

• DH1 Hero row: configuration is at asset level.

• H10 Text row: configuration is at row level. The image displays before the title and tagline if left or center aligned, and after the title and tagline if right aligned in the Apps.

For more information and a full list of supported rows, visit our Distributor logos article.

Configure straight to playback

Administrators can configure selected asset types to open directly in playback when users select them in the Apps. This bypasses the Item Details page. You can configure straight to playback for:

• Channel

• Program

• Movie

To configure this, go to ADMIN > Settings > System > Playback and enable the setting Live Straight To Playback.

If this is not configured, users are taken to the Item Details page. Live content always opens directly in playback.

For more information, visit our Straight to playback article.

Lock icon support

Lock icons can now be displayed on assets for unentitled users, indicating the content is on the service but not available to the user due to a lack of entitlement.

Lock icons are supported on both Hero and Body rows.

• Hero rows support additional information such as customizable copy alongside the lock icon to inform users why they aren’t able to watch the content, e.g., ‘Subscription required’. Hero rows surface CTAs, e.g., ‘Sign in/Subscribe’, which are tailored depending on how your service offers content.

• Body rows surface the lock icon only.

This is configured by an Administrator role in ADMIN > Settings > System > Display > Show Lock Icon, where it can be Enabled or Disabled. When enabled, the lock icon displays across the board, where entitlement is needed to watch an asset.

For more information, visit our Lock icon article.

Reverse play order for Show assets

We’ve introduced reverse ordering, meaning the latest Show assets can now display first in the list — typically used for News content. If configured, users can quickly and easily see the newest content at the top of the list, eliminating the need for users to scroll to navigate to content. Choose between displaying content by the Episode number (Ascending) Oldest to Newest (e.g., the first available season, first episode), or Episode number (Descending) Newest to Oldest (last available season, last episode). Alternatively, display content by Date offered (Newest first), or Date offered (Oldest first), using the Offered date of the Episodes.

This feature applies to Episode rows (D1 Episode grid, D2 Episode list, and D3 Episode), displaying on the Show Detail page and is configured at the Show asset level. It’s important to note that from AXIS 10 onwards, Show ordering specified at the Show asset level overrides any Season Ordering at row level.

Skip missing episodes

Occasionally, gaps in episode ordering occur, which is visible on the Show Detail page episode list. For example, when episodes 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, are available, the continue watching functionality now seamlessly progresses from episode 3 to 5, previously, stopping at the end of episode 3, once complete. This enhancement optimizes the user's End-of-Play user experience.

Global offers, Offers, Deals, and Plans

AXIS 10 simplifies offer management in the Rules area.

Deals and Global offers, in versions of AXIS previous to 10.0, overlapped, so bringing them together in AXIS 10.0 has made it easier to configure in one place. Global offers and Offers replace the Deals functionality, except that the assets themselves hold the information about the Distributor.

Assets are now ingested under a Offer rather than a Deal.

Prior to AXIS 10.0, Deals were used as containers for Offers. In AXIS 10.0, the Deals tab is deprecated, and the Global offer is the container, configurable with absolute dates.

The following Offer types can be added to a Global offer:

• Free offers

• Subscription offers

• Purchase offers

• Rental offers

The Offers within it define when, where and how an asset is offered, and to which user group. Multiple asset types can be added to a single offer. Offers can then be applied directly to assets, and as they are held within a Global offer, inherit any absolute dates applied to the Global offer.

• Global offers and Offers are created and edited within RULES > Global Offers.

• Once published, Offers can be added to an item in ASSETS > Items > Offers.

Note: Plans functionality is currently in progress and will be available soon.

Understand advanced list rules

We’ve made changes to some of the advanced list rules available in AXIS 10. Advanced list rules allow you to adust or extend a list rule beyond what can be done using the parameters available in the standard view.

The fields below, highlighted in yellow, have been modified in AXIS 10:

Not specific to AXIS 10 but still worth knowing…

Enhanced row/page flexibility

AXIS Presentation Manager and Deltatre Apps version 1.0 onwards, supports a wider range of row/page combinations. We have a recommended implementation for an optimized user experience, see AXIS 10 and Deltatre Apps: row/page flexibility explained.

This change gives operators greater control over content layout and presentation. It allows operators to leverage the power of rows across their entire multi-platform offering.