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Types and levels of listings control the functionality amount of listings and their directory conception.

Listings type settings:

• name and seo name - seo name is a userfriendly part of url, user friendly URL recommended for better search engines optimization
  
• enable locations in listings and zip or postal index options - using it listings may be assigned with city, state, country, ...
  
• search type: global search, local search, disabled. For 'global search' will be used global configuration - if it was enabled, listings will be searched globally website scope. 'local search' - this type will use its own search configuration and search fields, search will be processed only from listings of this type.
  
• enable 'what?' field search - enables search by keywords field
  
• enable 'where?' field search - enables search by locations field
  
• enable categories search list
• categories type - as well as search type, each listings type may has its own list of categories either connected to global categories list
  
• meta title and meta description - recommended for better search engines optimization, if empty - information from site settings will be used

Listings levels settings:

• name of level
  
• listing active period - after this period listing will expire, listing will set suspended status and user have to prolong listing, also you may set eternal active period
• featured listing label - just sets $listing->level->featured object's property to true, usefull for web designers
• title enabled - when enabled users will be able to enter titles of listings, some listings may skip titles entered by users, for example autos ads - usually title automatically builds from its make and model
• seo title enabled - seo name is a userfriendly part of url, user friendly URL recommended for better search engines optimization, when disabled listing's url will have its ID
• meta information enabled - allows to fill in meta description and meta keywords fields during listings creation, also useful for SEO
• listing description mode and description symbols length - short description of listing may enabled as pure text area field or richtext editor or disabled at all
• categories items number - listing may be viewed in this number of categories items
• locations items number - listings will have number of locations, each with own marker on map and marker icon
• pre-approved moderation mode - when enabled - after creation listing will have 'unapproved' status, listings will be moderated before activation
• enable logo and logo size options
• images count, images size and images thumbnail size
• videos count and videos size
• files count
  
• maps enabled and maps size options
• users options panel: print option, get listing in pdf option, quick list option, email friend option, email listing owner option, report this listing option
• social bookmarks panel option
• ratings enabled option
• reviews mode - may be disabled, may have view of pure list of reviews or may have view of comments tree
• content fields - additional information in assigned content fields

Look at this simplified example scheme of system's structure:

As you see main components of the directory script these are: types, users groups, content fields. Each type contains listings levels. According to enabled options and settings of type and level, listing gets necessary functional destination and layout.

On the example above 'Simplified', 'Basic' and 'Featured' levels of 'Special ads' type combined into membership package, called 'All in one unlimited package'. This allows users to pay onetime only for package and create for example unlimited number of listings. Such things have great marketing and promotional potencial. Or for example '2 Featured listings package' membership package plan, 2 featured listings for only $5.95 when standalone featured listing costs $5.00.

As an example 'Events' type has local type of search. 'Event dates' content field assigned with 'Free level', search by this field realized in calendar widget, selecting date in this widget will lead users to search results page with listings those satisfy 'Events date' condition.

Also each listings type in the system may have local categories list, this means that on index page users see global categories, when entering to type's page - local categories list show.

Site manager can set up permissions not only to directory functions, but also to content types. Typical types in the directory script allow to create listings for any users groups, but for example 'Our News' type of listings may be created/edited/deleted by certain groups of users 'Admins' and 'Website managers', so usual members just allowed to view such listings.

Each level may have a price for their listings with currency and value according to the users group of listing owner. You may manage it at 'Payment/Listings prices' page. More information you may find in Payment section.

As you see Types-Levels model of the directory script provides you a great instrument of marketing features. During listings creation user choose listing type and level.