Adding Supporting Content/Links/Materials

Hi All...

First off, I think MODx is a terrific product and will get even better as you develop it, but you are doing a great job.

There are some things that I do want it to do that I just don’t quite understand how to do, though.

Specifically, I want the end user to be able to enter content in the content area as he normally would through the editor. This information should show-up in the [*content*] area of the template. But my template also makes use of a sidebar. So, I also want my client to be able to utilize this area.

The sidebar is intended to offer additional related links (ie: "similar products" or "documentation for older models"), supporting information (such as "Terminology" or a "Quick Install Guide"), or it might display a related photo ("Image of the XPS-9000"), or in the even of any related material for that particular page, it may show an advertisement for another company product ("Go Green! All our Heaters use Clean Burning, Environment Friendly Propane (LP) Gas." with a Go Green image).

Obviously, the contents of this sidebar area is always specific to each page. In the event that there is no supporting information, though, this area could be used to show an ad.

Essentially, it almost seems as if I am looking for a new [*content*] are called [*sidebar*]. And I start thinking that what I really have to do is add a table into the database for [*sidebar*] and edit the manager template to produce another editor for that page which will fill the [*sidebar*] field for each page.

But, I’m really not a developer. So doing something like that is probably asking for too much from myself. Plus, I think I have missed something.

I do understand that I can float a div over to the right hand side of each page, or use a css tables, etc... but the whole point of using a css is to remove the end user from the code. This way, when the editors backspace over the <div> which is a functional part of the page, the whole page doesn’t *KABLAM* blow-up in his face.

I started thinking that I could use chunks to do this, but really, most of these chunks are actually unique to each page, so disassociating them from the page he is working with seems, well, stupid. After all, we are supposed to make this website easier to manage, not harder and hide things in little corners.

So now I wonder if I am right, and that I should actually modify the manager in order to accomplish what I need to. And yet, I wonder why I would have to do that.

Man, I hope I am explaining this right. But I am guessing that you guys have a much better way of accomplishing what I want to without editing the manager? Or is that actually a good option, and if so, how would you suggest I go about that?

Thanks!
-Doug
-Doug

Interesting...

I’ll answer my own question since support is so pathetic around here...

I want a sidebar with content unique to each page, so I have to create a Template Variable for it.

In creating the Template Variable I names it "sidebar". I give it a title and description so that I can’t confuse it. I assign it the rich text editor and authorize the template(s) I want to be able to use this. I save this Template Variable.

Now I have to put [*sidebar*] in the authorized Template(s), putting the code where I want it to appear.

Now, I go into a page (document) which is assigned the authorized template and walla, I get that extra text window. It is not the same, it is not using the TinyMCE editor with the option of viewing/editing the html by selecting "none" as the editor, but it does allow the user to insert rich text.

I wish it allowed me to use the same editor system, but otherwise this is exactly what I wanted.

It would have been nice to have gotten some help here, on this. I wouldn’t’ve cared if I was laughed at in the process.

Part of the issue in my lack of understanding is that a "Template Variable" is a developer term. It communicates nothing to a non-developer. I would have never thought of a variable as being a container for a long-ass string of text. To top that off, I would have called it a document variable because even though each authorized template can call the variable, it is always unique to the dang document, not the template.

But you have to understand that not everyone comes from a developer’s background. Though I did take some programming, I obviously opted to develop my creativity and design talents, instead. Using programming technology does not speak well to non-programmers.

Thanks so much for making an awesome product. Too bad you guys aren’t supporting it very well. I hope that will change. This product has come highly recommended and I had been excited about it until I received absolutely no replies for a very simple problem.

Hi Doug,
welcome to MODx

Interesting...
I’ll answer my own question since support is so pathetic around here...

^^

In creating the Template Variable I names it "sidebar". I give it a title and description so that I can’t confuse it. I assign it the rich text editor and authorize the template(s) I want to be able to use this. I save this Template Variable.

Now I have to put [*sidebar*] in the authorized Template(s), putting the code where I want it to appear.

this should actually work, make sure "Rich Text" is enabled for that ressource ( -> ressource -> "settings" tab )

The sidebar is intended to offer additional related links (ie: "similar products" or "documentation for older models"), supporting information (such as "Terminology" or a "Quick Install Guide"), or it might display a related photo ("Image of the XPS-9000"), or in the even of any related material for that particular page, it may show an advertisement for another company product ("Go Green! All our Heaters use Clean Burning, Environment Friendly Propane (LP) Gas." with a Go Green image).

you could look into "TV-Based Chunks" http://wiki.modxcms.com/index.php/Create_TV-Based_Chunks which will let you choose the sidebar element you want to be display on your page/ressource

hope i could help, j

btw. i’m not a programmer either

Migod this is a powerful system. Set the editor to None on top and it goes to none on all the rich text windows.

AWESOME!

It’s all I want and more, I just have to get a handle on how to work it all. I think the developer terminology is throwing me off a great deal, but I think I can work through it.

This site needs better access to the tutorials and such that friends send me that I can’t seem to access through the main site.

-Doug