MODx tutorial – Page 7 – The Coding Pad

Building a Website with MODx for Newbies – Part 5: Introducing Snippets

Welcome to part 5 of our series of tutorials on building a website with MODx CMS. So far we’ve looked at:

Part 1: Introduction to MODx
Part 2: Installing MODx
Part 3: Working with Templates
Part 4: Introducing Chunks

As we work through these tutorials, we’re building a MODx resource site called Learn MODx. In the last installment we introduced chunks and learned how to use them to clean our template and make it more manageable. So far our website looks like this: (you can click on the images to see a larger view)

Today, we’re going to introduce snippets and learn how to use them to add functionality to our website using one simple example. At this point in our tutorial, if you’ve been following along, our website navigation is simply cosmetic and the links don’t really lead anywhere. We’re going to use a snippet to rectify that and make our site navigable from the horizontal menu links.

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Building a Website with MODx for Newbies – Part 4: Introducing Chunks

Welcome to part 4 of our series of tutorials on building a website with MODx CMS. So far we’ve looked at:

Part 1: Introduction to MODx
Part 2: Installing MODx
Part 3: Working with Templates

As we work through these tutorials, we’re building a MODx resource site called Learn MODx. In the last installment we started working with templates and moved our site from using the minimal base MODx template to the nice blue Swansong template. So far our website looks like this: (you can click on the images to see a larger view)

In this tutorial we are going to get a gentle 🙂 introduction to chunks. I had mentioned in the last post that we would delve into chunks AND snippets in this post, but I realized after some thought that I was being a tad too ambitious. I feel that it’s better to introduce each in its own post. I apologize for any crashed hopes and dreams, and any harmed puppies and turtles, but we will look into snippets in the next post.

So what are these chunks anyway? Chunks, to me, are like little mini-templates.

Continue reading “Building a Website with MODx for Newbies – Part 4: Introducing Chunks”

Building a Website with MODx for Newbies – Part 3: Working with Templates

Welcome to part 3 of our series of tutorials on building a website with MODx CMS. So far we’ve looked at:

Part 1: Introduction to MODx
Part 2: Installing MODx

As we work through these tutorials, we’re building a MODx resource site called Learn MODx. So far our website looks like this: (you can click on the images to see a larger view)

If you recall, we didn’t install the sample website but instead opted for a minimal install, which I feel is cleaner and easier to work with. As I clarified in my addendum to the post on Installing MODx, Shane’s comment about the value of installing the sample website as a demo to see how MODx does things is an excellent idea. If you didn’t read the addendum to that post and the comments please do so.

In today’s post, we’re going to start looking at templating MODx. We’re going to begin implementing a new template to our site to give it a unique look and in the process we’ll learn about some of MODx’s template tags.

Continue reading “Building a Website with MODx for Newbies – Part 3: Working with Templates”

Building a Website with MODx for Newbies – Part 2: Installing MODx

Welcome to part 2 of our series of tutorials on building a website with MODx CMS. In part 1 we had a brief introduction to MODx, and in this second installment we’re going to download and install MODx and do some basic configuration.

Following the modality of other tutorials on this blog, I am actually going to build a website to accompany this tutorial so that you can track your progress with mine and see the actual end product of the different techniques and skills that we’ll be covering.

As of this writing, MODx is currently in version 0.9.6.3. Do use the latest stable version. If any of the steps in these tutorials change, I will do my best to make a notation in the relevant posts.

NB: I initially wrote these tutorials for MODx Evolution 0.9.6.3 but if you’re using Evolution 1.o+ they will work just fine. There are some changes in terminology, and you can get a basic idea of the differences by watching this screencast that I created. If it makes you more comfortable you can work through these tutorials using 0.9.6.3 and then upgrade your website to 1.0+ following the directions on this screencast. These tutorials will NOT work for the Revolution 2.0+ branch of MODx.

What Will We Build?
Well, just like we’re doing in the Drupal series, we’re going to build a MODx resource site aptly named Learn MODx, but the skills we learn and use as we build this website can be extended and adapted to any kind of website you want to build. Because MODx is highly adaptable and flexible, you will find that there can be many ways to accomplish one goal, and the way we do it here is not the only way to do it. I welcome your feedback, comments, and suggestions at every step.

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Building a Website with MODx for Newbies – Part 1: Introduction

Today I’m going to start on a new series of tutorials that will teach you how to build a website using MODx CMS. As always, I invite you to add comments and share your knowledge as we learn and build together. I also encourage you, as you follow these tutorials, to work along with me, installing a local copy of MODx on your computer so that you can follow along and see MODx in action.

What is MODx?

Continue reading “Building a Website with MODx for Newbies – Part 1: Introduction”