Can I relate entries AND assign extra data to those entries with P&T Playa, Matrix, or anything else?

Question

This is my first EE build. I'm building a system that allows users to create content entries to be displayed anywhere on the site and in various different display formats (eg: featured, compact, thumbnail etc.). One entry could appear on several different pages and look different depending what display type it was given for that page.

Here's what I have already set up:

• Create entries in a "Content" channel with various fields like rich text, images, links etc.

I know EE Relationships will do this:

• Assign any number of those entries in any order to an entry in the "Pages" channel

I NEED to do this:

• Associate a "Display Type" with each of those entries at the time of relating them to a page

This would allow me to share those entries across the site, but separate their display types from the data without that being done in templates.

If a combination of Playa, Matrix, Low Variables or any other add-on will help, I'd love to know!

I have to get purchase orders every time I spend an tiny amount of money so it's difficult to purchase add-ons unless I really know I can use it. :(

Thanks!

Mat

Answer 1

If I understand your scenario correctly, you can do what you want using the combination of Matrix and Playa.

So, simplified scenario for a field in your Pages channel:

A Matrix field with two columns: Display Type and Content.

Display Type is whatever kind of field you'd like to use for setting type (e.g., a select drop-down).

Content is a Playa field with a relationship to the Content channel.

Does that match what you're asking? Happy to provide more details if you have questions about any of the nuances about this.