Template as file

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[WijbaL]

Is it posible to use template files instead of making templates in resources-templates?

it will be a lot easier to edit.

ive tried to include a snippet that includes my template and that works but is there a way to do it without snippets?
or any other tips

thx, WIjbaL

[zi]

AFAIK, I think snippets are the only way to include php scripts.

[chodorowicz]

I just wanted to ask if anything changed in this issue, that is what's the best way to include a template from a file

editing template in modx manager isnt so convenient and copy&paste method gets really tiresome

thanks for the answer in advance and thanks for such a wonder which modx surely is - it's awesome project

greets!

[ER]

This is completely possible.  Here's how you do it...

Create a Snippet called includeFile and copy-n-paste in this code:

Code:

<?php
# Snippet to include files from filesystem
# [[includeFile? &file=`assets/templates/mytemplate/file.html`]]

if ( !isset($file) || $file== "" ) return "No file specified."; //check if there's a file given.

//Start the buffer
ob_start();

//include
include $file;

//get contents from the buffer
$ob_contents = ob_get_contents();

//and kill/delete the buffer
ob_end_clean();

//return it to MODx
return $ob_contents;
?>

Once you save that, make a new Template or edit your existing template.  Erase any Template code you have in there and paste in this call to the includeFile Snippet you just created:

Code:

[[includeFile? &file=`assets/templates/YourTemplateName/YourTemplateHTMLFile.html`]]

I took this from the code I found in the Molio templates.  It works perfectly for me.  I hate having to always paste in my new HTML code after I edit it on my local machine.

Cheers!

[chodorowicz]

many thanks, works perfectly

[Sylvaticus]

This looks great. A question: Do you then have an auto-transfer of your html-template-file? Or how do you do this? To make this efficient, i mean?

[ER]

Well, my workflow is this:

1) Edit HTML in Dreamweaver on my local machine.
2) Upload the HTML file(s) within Dreamweaver's FTP function to the live site.

I imagine a lot of web developers/designers work this way, so that's why editing the HTML within MODx's template page is such a pain.  Even if you don't have Dreamweaver, it's just as easy to drag-n-drop the files over to the live site through any FTP client.

Another way I work is actually even easier for me.  I'm on a Mac and I use YummyFTP.  With that FTP client, I can find the file on the live site that I want to edit, then click on the editor button and it downloads the file to my editor of choice (TextMate), I make my edits and when I hit save, YummyFTP automatically uploads the saved file back to my live site.  I do this when I'm making small changes since I don't use TextMate fulltime (yet).

So you can see there's lots of options for you to make this as efficient as possible.

[rthrash]

I use the same technique with Textmate and Transmit er16004. I think you'll reallly like what the future has in store.

[Whitefen]

For anyone interested in other Mac software options...

Most of the major Mac FTP clients integrate with BBEdit using the same kind of direct integration as you mentioned with YummyFTP and TextMate.

This system works very efficiently for me.

[ER]

"...And I'm a PC":

FileZilla for FTP: http://sourceforge.net/projects/filezilla
EditPadLite for editing text (better than Notepad): http://www.editpadlite.com/

Both of these are free and can do what we're talking about on the Mac... but with less fun.

[sottwell]

SubEthaEdit is really fancy, not only do the major ftp clients use it for a default editor (I use Cyberduck) but it also has multiple editor collaboration over either local networks or the Internet, using "Bonjour". Different color highlighing for what the other editors are doing, in real-time. But it's not free any more. So I started using Smultron, which pretty much does the same thing without the collaboration. I still prefer SubEthaEdit's layout, though.

[rthrash]

I've used SubEthaEdit's collaboration feature at a conference and it's incredibly cool.

[myfriendscallmebill]

Is it posible to use template files instead of making templates in resources-templates?

Name your template file "myTemplate.html"

Place it in "/assets/templates/myTemplate.html"

Create a template variable named "templateTV"
Make it's input type = "file"
make it's default value = "@FILE assets/templates/myTemplate.html"

Create a document template named "myTemplate"
Go back to the template variable and make it available to this template.
Then return to this template and set its contents to "[*templateTV*]"

Create a MODx document.
Set its template to "myTemplate".

Now you can edit your template file in Dreamweaver, etc. then upload it to /assets/templates/myTemplate.html, and when you refresh your MODx document you'll see your changes.

Is that what you wanted?