Editing Structure Content with the Content Editor

Building an online course, coaching library, or member resource hub usually means working with many connected posts. A course has modules, modules have lessons, lessons may have videos, quizzes, downloads, submissions, access rules, drip timing, and custom fields.

The BricksMembers Content Editor gives you a focused place to edit that post content and its settings without changing the structure order.

This guide explains when to use the Content Editor, how it differs from the hierarchy view and Quick Edit, and where to find the fields you need while editing structured content.

What the Content Editor Is For

The Content Editor is for editing one structure item at a time while staying inside the current structure. You can switch between lessons or modules from the left navigation, edit the title and post content in the center, and adjust settings in the right sidebar.

Use it when you want to work on the content itself: lesson text, video settings, access levels, enrollments, drip rules, quiz assignment, protected downloads, submissions, categories, tags, native Content Fields, or compatible custom fields.

It is not for changing the structure order. Reordering, adding, deleting, duplicating, restoring, and parent assignment still belong in the Hierarchy view with Edit Mode.

How to Open the Content Editor

1. Go to BricksMembers → Content & Structures.
2. Open the structure you want to edit.
3. Click the Content tab above the structure columns, or click the content-edit action on a specific row.
4. If your WordPress admin menu shows direct structure subitems, you can also open the structure’s Content subitem directly.

The URL uses this format:

admin.php?page=brm_structure_{structure_id}&mode=content&post_id=7410

The Three Editing Areas

1. Left Navigation

The left side shows a simplified content tree. It is only there for navigation. Click a post to load it in the editor. If the tree needs more or less room, drag the separator between the tree and the content area.

Because this tree is navigation-only, it does not show the full structure-editing controls from the hierarchy view. That keeps the editing screen cleaner and prevents accidental structure changes.

2. Center Content Area

The center column is where the selected post’s content lives.

• Title edits the WordPress post title.
• Post Content edits the classic WordPress post body when the selected item uses classic content.
• Custom Fields appear below the post content when an ACF-compatible custom field plugin is active and a field group is assigned to that post type.
• Content Fields appear in their own section when the BricksMembers Content Fields module is enabled and a field group matches the selected post.

The inline editor is designed for normal lesson and resource content. It includes paragraph and heading formats, inline formatting, lists, alignment, links with target and rel options, image insertion by URL or from the WordPress media library, media insertion, horizontal rules, and simple columns.

If the selected item uses Gutenberg blocks or Bricks content, BricksMembers does not force that content into the classic inline editor. Instead, it shows the right action for opening the full WordPress editor or Bricks Builder.

3. Right Settings Sidebar

The right sidebar contains the settings for the selected post. It uses accordion panels, so only one settings group is open at a time.

• General contains the permalink slug, the view action, post status, and author. The author field shows an avatar or placeholder first; use the edit action to switch it into a select field.
• Media contains the video URL/source picker, duration, video image, and featured image. The video image and featured image sit together in one row.
• Access & Levels contains required user levels plus inherit and cascade options when available.
• Enrollment, Drip, Video & Watch Policy, Assigned Quiz, Protected Downloads, and Submissions appear when the corresponding module or post type support is active.
• Categories & Tags gives you the same searchable term workflow used elsewhere in BricksMembers, including selected term pills and create-on-the-fly behavior where your account has permission.

Editing Images and Video Images

The Media panel includes both the Video Image and Featured Image. Click a thumbnail or the set action to open the WordPress media library. Use the remove action to clear an image.

These image previews use a larger available attachment size when possible, so the preview is clearer than a tiny 150×150 thumbnail.

Working With Custom Fields

The Content Editor can show two different field areas: BricksMembers-owned Content Fields, and compatible Custom Fields supplied by an ACF-compatible field runtime.

Native Content Fields belong to BricksMembers. Matching scalar fields can be edited directly in the Content Editor and are saved through the Content Fields value service. Required Content Fields are validated on the server, so the value cannot be skipped just by hiding or changing the browser control.

When your site uses an ACF-compatible custom field runtime, such as Advanced Custom Fields or SCF, BricksMembers can render assigned field groups below the post content in the center column.

This placement gives larger fields more room. Groups, repeaters, relationship fields, gallery fields, taxonomy fields, true/false switches, select fields, and other custom field controls are not squeezed into the narrow settings sidebar.

The visible label stays Custom Fields. It does not hardcode the name of one custom field plugin, because compatible runtimes can provide the same field APIs.

ACF-compatible fields remain owned by the active custom field runtime. BricksMembers renders and saves them through that runtime when available; it does not convert them into Content Fields unless you intentionally use the Content Fields migration flow.

When to Use Quick Edit Instead

Quick Edit is still useful when you only need to change a few basics from the hierarchy view.

• Use Quick Edit for fast changes like title, status, permalink, video settings, video image, featured image, user levels, quiz assignment, drip override, categories, and tags.
• Use the Content Editor for sustained writing, Content Fields, compatible custom fields, detailed module settings, and post-to-post editing.
• Use Hierarchy with Edit Mode for structure changes like reordering, adding, deleting, duplicating, and parent assignment.

A Practical Editing Workflow

1. Build or adjust the course hierarchy in the Hierarchy view.
2. Switch to Content when the structure is ready.
3. Select the first lesson or module from the left tree.
4. Edit the title, post content, media, access, module settings, Content Fields, and compatible custom fields.
5. Save the post, then move to the next item from the left tree.
6. Use the view action in the General panel to preview the frontend post when needed.

This keeps structure management and content editing separate. You can write and configure posts quickly without accidentally changing the order of your course, while still having the full hierarchy one click away.