Creating a content class #

This page is for developers who have a content model on paper and now build the first class. It follows one class, an event, through every step a real project needs: the class, a first object, a template, permissions and a package. Do it on a development installation first (Development environment).

Contents #

1. What you need
2. Step 1: create the class
3. Step 2: create an object
4. Step 3: give it a full view template
5. Step 4: let editors create it
6. Step 5: carry the class to other installations
7. Checks
8. When something goes wrong

What you need #

• An administrator account on a development installation.
• A design extension of your own for templates, for example extension/exp_mysite (Your own design extension).
• The class written down: identifier exp_event, attributes title (Text line, required), intro (Text block), body (XML block), start_date (Date and time, required), image (Image).

Step 1: create the class #

1. In the administration, open Setup > Classes (/class/grouplist).
2. Open the class group Content and press New class.
3. Enter the name Event and the identifier exp_event.
4. Set Object name pattern to <title>. Leave URL alias name pattern empty: the URL is made from the name.
5. Leave Container unticked: events have no children.
6. Under the attribute list, choose Text line and press Add attribute. Name it Title, identifier title, tick Required and Searchable.
7. Add the other attributes the same way: Intro (Text block, intro), Body (XML block, body), Start date (Date and time, start_date, required), Image (Image, image).
8. Press OK. The class is stored and appears in the group's list.

Until you press OK the class is a temporary version that nobody else sees; Cancel throws it away. The content model and editing content, section 2 has the same steps with screenshots of the fields.

Step 2: create an object #

1. Open Content structure, select the folder the events go in, choose Event in the create menu and press Create here.
2. Fill the fields and press Send for publishing.
3. Open the new page on the public siteaccess. Without a template of your own it is drawn by the design's generic full view, which lists the attributes.

Fill a few events with real content now: they are your test data for templates and fetches.

Step 3: give it a full view template #

Add an override rule to your design extension, for the public siteaccess only. In extension/exp_mysite/settings/siteaccess/<public siteaccess>/override.ini.append.php:

<?php /* #?ini charset="utf-8"?

[exp_mysite_full_event]
Source=node/view/full.tpl
MatchFile=full/exp_event.tpl
Subdir=templates
Match[class_identifier]=exp_event
Priority=10
*/ ?>

Then the template, extension/exp_mysite/design/<your design>/override/templates/full/exp_event.tpl:

<article class="exp-event">
    <h1>{$node.name|wash()}</h1>
    <p class="exp-event__date">
        {$node.data_map.start_date.content.timestamp|l10n( 'shortdatetime' )}
    </p>
    {if $node.data_map.image.has_content}
        {attribute_view_gui attribute=$node.data_map.image image_class='large'}
    {/if}
    {if $node.data_map.intro.has_content}
        <p class="exp-event__intro">{$node.data_map.intro.content|wash()}</p>
    {/if}
    {attribute_view_gui attribute=$node.data_map.body}
</article>

Styles go in your design's stylesheet, loaded through [StylesheetSettings], never in the template (No inline CSS). Clear the caches that hold settings and override lookups, then reload the page:

php bin/php/ezcache.php --clear-tag=ini --allow-root-user
php bin/php/ezcache.php --clear-id=template-override,content --allow-root-user

More on rules: Templates and overrides for CMS developers.

Step 4: let editors create it #

1. Open Users > Roles and policies and edit the editors' role (or create one).
2. New policy: module content, function create. Limit Class to Event and Subtree (or Node) to the events folder.
3. Add content/edit limited to Event and Owner if editors should only change their own events.
4. Save and assign the role to the editors' user group.

Sign in as a test editor (with an address at example.invalid) and check that Event is offered in the events folder and nowhere else. Details: Roles, policies and unactivated users.

Step 5: carry the class to other installations #

The class now exists only in this database. Before you build further, put it into files:

1. Setup > Packages > Create new package > content class export.
2. Select Event, then enter a name, summary, version and license. The package is written to the local repository.
3. Export the package file and commit it to your project, or build a site package that installs it (Site packages and installers).

Templates and settings are already files in your extension; with the package, a new installation gets the whole feature from your repository. Packages explains install and upgrade of packages.

Checks #

• To do: The class has the identifier you planned; every attribute identifier is lower case and reused where it should be.
• To do: An object publishes, and its page shows your template (with ShowUsedTemplates on, the debug output lists full/exp_event.tpl; Debug output and logs).
• To do: A test editor can create events in the right folder only.
• To do: The class is in a package in your repository.

When something goes wrong #

Related pages #

• Content classes and attributes
• View modes
• Tutorial: override a full view: the designer's version
• Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.