modx CMS

Instructions

Installation: 1) Create a new Template Variable with the following information: a) Variable Name: automaticTpl b) Caption: Eg: Comma separated list of template ids c) Description: Eg: Children will be created using the specified template IDs. Each template Id represents a level d) Input Type: Text e) Input Option Values: Empty f) Default Value: Empty g) Widget: Don't change, leave blank. h) Sort Order: Don't change unless desired. i) Template Access: Select which templates should use this TV. The children of the documents using this template will be created with the template specified in step 1.b. j) Access Permissions: It's up to you what users will have access to change this TV. You will need to set up documents groups and permissions 3) Take note of the id of the automaticTpl Template Variable from either the Template Variable Resource List or from your database table modx_site_tmplvars. 4) Create a new plugin with the following information: a) Plugin Name: automaticTpl b) Description: Sets the default template when a children is created. c) Plugin Disabled: Leave Unchecked d) Plugin code (php): Copy & paste the code from the automaticTpl.php file that you downloaded. 5) Go into the System Events tab and find OnDocFormPrerender and check it on. 6) Go into the Configuration tab and paste the following code: &automaticTplTvID=automaticTpl TV ID;text; 7) Click anywhere outside the textbox, this will dynamically generate a new parameter field. 8) Input the ID of the Template Variable you took note of before. 9) Save the plugin 10) Go back to the main Plugins Resource List page and click on 'Edit Plugin Execution Order by Event'. Ensure that 'automaticTpl' is sorted BELOW 'Inherit Parent Template'. If not, change it to be so. Testing: 1) Edit a document that has a template with the TV 'automaticTpl' asociated to it 2) Inside automaticTpl TV insert the id of the template you want you children to be created by default Eg: 4 3) If you need to assign the default template for children on more levels put a comma separated list Eg: 4,6,29 4) Save the document 5) Create a children for the above document. The "Uses template" field should be populated by default with the name of the template Id you entered. In our example: 4 6) Save your document. If you entered a comma separated list GO TO 7. Otherwise you're done 7) Create a children in for the children document created at step 5. 8) Create a children for the children document created at 5. The "Uses template" field should be populated by default with the name of the second template Id you entered. In our example: 6 9) And so on if you entered a longer list of IDs Advanced Usage: Refer to the example above. If the template id 6 has an automaticTpl TV with the value of 30 the children of the document using this template will be created using the template id 30 not 29. The plugin goes up the tree until it finds the first not empty automaticTpl. This way you can have more flexibility for multiple levels of documents