Building dynamic websites with the PHP application framework and CMS * Simple, step-by-step instructions detailing how to install, configure, and customize MODx * Covers detailed theory from the basics, to practical implementation * Learn the most common web requirements and solutions, and build a site in the process **In Detail** MODx is a content management system and PHP web application framework rolled into one. With the ease of a CMS and the extensibility of a framework, MODx allows you to develop professional-looking, intricate websites with its easy-to-use interface and flexible architecture. MODx provides reusable code called snippets most of which are so generic that, without any modification, they can serve multiple functionalities. The generic nature of the snippets makes it possible to get the perfect customization that is so hard in other content management systems. This book will get web developers up-and-running with MODx. With step-by-step examples and illustrative screenshots, you will be guided through installation, configuration, and customization. By the end of the book, you will have created a powerful, dynamic website by using the individual elements of MODx, without the need for programming know-how. Starting with a walk-through of installing MODx, you will quickly learn how to develop your site without having to use any programming language. Logical, step-by-step instructions will show you how to create your own unique site by adding and editing documents using the inbuilt TinyMCE editor. Change the look and feel of your site by creating your own templates using HTML, CSS, and widgets. By following the example of a blog site, you will learn how to extend your templates to allow rich user interactions through comments, posts, and forms. The book teaches a few core snippets such as Ditto and Wayfinder in detail. These powerful and flexible snippets will enable you to add multiple functionalities to your site. The book will also introduce you to many more snippets which will help you build some of the commonly required web functionalities such as forums and image galleries. Manage your users with authentication and authorization and make your site user-friendly with user groups, forums, and the use of PHx notations to embed logic in templates. Through following this easy-to-use, step-by-step guide, by the end of the book you will have a fully functional, feature-rich MODx site with professional-looking, dynamic web pages that are totally customizable. **What you will learn from this book?** * Build a complete, feature-rich website using MODx * Manage content easily using documents and containers * Manage users and access with authentication and authorization * Create templates to customize the look of your site * Learn how to enhance your website quickly with dynamic content such as recent posts and dynamic menus using core snippets * Learn the powerful templating language PHx to extend logic to templates * Use custom snippets to add more functionality such as forums and image galleries * Learn to create your own snippet for unique functionalities * Deploy a search-engine-optimized and secure site **Approach** This book is an example-driven tutorial, which will take you from the installation of MODx through to configuration, customization, and deployment. Step-by-step instructions will enable you to build a fully-functional, feature-rich website quickly and without any programming language. **Who this book is written for?** This book is ideal for those who want to learn to use MODx. Both beginner and experienced web developers will benefit from this comprehensive guide to MODx. No knowledge of PHP programming or any templating language is needed, but the more advanced chapters towards the end of the book will allow more confident developers to extend their applications even further by creating their own snippets. Cover......Page 1 Table of Contents......Page 10 Preface......Page 18 Content management system......Page 24 Abstracting logic from presentation......Page 25 Old school—conventional three tiers......Page 26 Disadvantages of the conventional three tiers......Page 27 Advantages of templating......Page 28 Advantages of application frameworks......Page 29 Content management systems......Page 30 Disadvantages of content management systems......Page 31 So, why Modx?......Page 32 Overview of the book......Page 33 Summary......Page 34 Prerequisites......Page 36 Windows......Page 37 MAC......Page 38 Downloading MODx......Page 39 Creating a database......Page 40 Starting the installation......Page 42 Installation status and diagnostics......Page 43 Documentation......Page 45 Getting support......Page 46 Web forums......Page 47 Summary......Page 48 Site configuration......Page 50 Configuring the site......Page 51 Default Manager interface page......Page 52 The basic element of MODx: Documents......Page 53 Containers......Page 54 MODx Manager interface......Page 55 Using the HTML editor......Page 56 Creating the Front Page......Page 57 QuickEdit module......Page 60 Editing documents......Page 61 General tab......Page 62 Meta Keywords tab......Page 63 Summary......Page 64 Changing the template of a document......Page 66 HTML......Page 68 CSS......Page 69 Steps to create the new template......Page 70 Making the Home Page use the created template......Page 72 Introducing template variables......Page 73 Modifying the template to add dynamic behavior......Page 74 Changing existing templates......Page 75 Creating template variables......Page 76 Template variable values......Page 78 Widgets......Page 79 Creating a document......Page 80 Post a blog entry......Page 82 Generating output......Page 84 HTML for the custom blog form......Page 86 Steps to create a chunk......Page 87 Using a chunk as a form template......Page 88 Checking the Post a Blog ! page......Page 89 Creating the template variable......Page 90 Chunk and template variable......Page 91 NewsPublisher and the Rtcontent field......Page 93 Summary......Page 94 Create web users......Page 96 Other user properties......Page 98 Add the login snippet......Page 99 Document group for friends......Page 104 User group: Document group......Page 105 User: User group......Page 106 Creating a role......Page 107 Creating a Manager user......Page 108 Checking the new role......Page 109 Showing a signup form......Page 110 Link the signup form in the log in snippet......Page 112 NewsPublisher and authentication......Page 113 Summary......Page 114 Ditto......Page 116 More flexibility with parameters......Page 117 Aggregated data in a template......Page 118 Theming MODx—chunks and placeholders......Page 120 Creating a template variable to hold the category......Page 122 XML formats......Page 123 Readers......Page 124 Formats......Page 125 Ditto and XML formats......Page 126 Creating RSS views for each category......Page 127 Filtering......Page 129 Multiple clauses......Page 130 Summary......Page 131 Menu details in document properties......Page 132 Getting to know WayFinder......Page 133 Creating a simple menu......Page 135 Nested menus......Page 139 Changing the name in the menu......Page 146 Doc Manager......Page 147 Removing pages from the menu......Page 149 Breadcrumb navigation......Page 150 Summary......Page 152 Working of snippets......Page 154 Jot with the minimal configuration......Page 155 Snippet parameters......Page 158 Placeholders......Page 165 Installing a snippet......Page 168 Adding a snippet......Page 169 Copying required files......Page 170 Using the snippet......Page 171 Snippet without dependent files......Page 173 Summary......Page 174 PHx in action......Page 176 Adding Family and Friends documents......Page 177 Simple usage......Page 187 Conditional statements......Page 188 Usage with the PHx placeholder......Page 189 Summary......Page 190 Installing SMF......Page 192 Installing the SMF module......Page 197 Image gallery......Page 198 Emailing from forms......Page 202 Edit profile......Page 207 List users and view profile......Page 208 Link to edit profile......Page 210 Similar posts......Page 212 Summary......Page 215 Learning to create a snippet......Page 216 Returning an output......Page 217 Returning placeholders......Page 218 Processing a chunk......Page 220 Using parameters......Page 222 MODx API......Page 223 $MODx->db->select......Page 224 Fortunes......Page 225 Creating the table......Page 226 Code for fortunes......Page 227 Testing the snippet......Page 228 Chunks, placeholders, and parameters......Page 229 Summary......Page 231 Search engine-friendly URLs......Page 232 Meta tags and keywords......Page 235 Site map......Page 236 Descriptive text......Page 238 Filesystem......Page 239 FTP......Page 240 SFTP......Page 241 Database......Page 242 Importing......Page 243 Configurations......Page 245 Writable configuration file......Page 246 Manager configurations......Page 247 Summary......Page 248 Plug-ins and events......Page 250 Using an existing plug-in......Page 251 Configuration......Page 252 System events......Page 253 Using custom plug-ins......Page 254 Learning about the plug-in......Page 257 Creating plug-ins......Page 258 Modules......Page 260 Executing a module......Page 261 Module's Manager interface......Page 262 Dependent plug-ins......Page 263 Summary......Page 265 Index......Page 266
In Detail
MODx is a content management system and PHP web application framework rolled into one. With the ease of a CMS and the extensibility of a framework, MODx allows you to develop professional-looking, intricate websites with its easy-to-use interface and flexible architecture. MODx provides reusable code called snippets most of which are so generic that, without any modification, they can serve multiple functionalities. The generic nature of the snippets makes it possible to get the perfect customization that is so hard in other content management systems.
This book will get web developers up-and-running with MODx. With step-by-step examples and illustrative screenshots, you will be guided through installation, configuration, and customization. By the end of the book, you will have created a powerful, dynamic website by using the individual elements of MODx, without the need for programming know-how.
Starting with a walk-through of installing MODx, you will quickly learn how to develop your site without having to use any programming language. Logical, step-by-step instructions will show you how to create your own unique site by adding and editing documents using the inbuilt TinyMCE editor. Change the look and feel of your site by creating your own templates using HTML, CSS, and widgets. By following the example of a blog site, you will learn how to extend your templates to allow rich user interactions through comments, posts, and forms. The book teaches a few core snippets such as Ditto and Wayfinder in detail. These powerful and flexible snippets will enable you to add multiple functionalities to your site. The book will also introduce you to many more snippets which will help you build some of the commonly required web functionalities such as forums and image galleries. Manage your users with authentication and authorization and make your site user-friendly with user groups, forums, and the use of PHx notations to embed logic in templates.
Through following this easy-to-use, step-by-step guide, by the end of the book you will have a fully functional, feature-rich MODx site with professional-looking, dynamic web pages that are totally customizable.
Approach
This book is an example-driven tutorial, which will take you from the installation of MODx through to configuration, customization, and deployment. Step-by-step instructions will enable you to build a fully-functional, feature-rich website quickly and without any programming language.
Who this book is for
This book is ideal for those who want to learn to use MODx. Both beginner and experienced web developers will benefit from this comprehensive guide to MODx. No knowledge of PHP programming or any templating language is needed, but the more advanced chapters towards the end of the book will allow more confident developers to extend their applications even further by creating their own snippets.
Like someone else said, you can learn MODx by finding resources on the internet. I started reading this book to get introduced to the system, and it was OK for that, but I found I didn't really use it or need it when I actually started making my MODx site. It's a good overview/introduction that may help you understand what MODx is and how it functions, but not totally needed if you just want to jump right in and make a site with MODx. Also, since the release of MODx 1.0/1.0.1, the terminology used in this book is no longer correct, so it may actually confuse you (Resources are now Elements, Documents are now Resources, etc.) And I found some of the writing to be awkward.
