Working with plugins

I think whoah!

How cool, and can't wait to see what you smart folks can come up with!

This is great stuff -- now, how about triggering plugins from front-end events? With my object abstraction project, we may eventually be able to call events on specific core and user-defined objects, but I was actually conceiving of a Javascript API to allow triggering plugins from DOM events (e.g. onClick, onLoad, etc.). Any alternate ideas or anyone like this idea for a short-term approach, until "our" WizBang object abstraction layer is in place?

<sigh> and I still haven't figured out Template Variables... ops:

The only question I've got about the system events is how do we control which ones get executed in what order? Could there be a potential for conflict?

Plugins are executed on a first come first serve basis. There will be no conflict whatsoever. In future versions we could implement high top-level plugins that are forced to the top of the event execution queque.

On second thought it's even possible now to force your plugin at the top of the queque by listening to the OnBeforeCacheUpdate event and a few php scripts It's very powerful when you look at what can be done.

This is great stuff -- now, how about triggering plugins from front-end events?

OpenGeek you have not seen anything yet The new TV controls will be able to invoke custom events on the system.

With my object abstraction project, we may eventually be able to call events on specific core and user-defined objects, but I was actually conceiving of a Javascript API to allow triggering plugins from DOM events (e.g. onClick, onLoad, etc.).

Once I start working on the next version of the TVs you'll see what alking about

The power is yours - lol

<sigh> and I still haven't figured out Template Variables... ops:

Well for your TV all you have to do is press the power button and you're good to go

Here's a preview of the debug screen:

Well for your TV all you have to do is press the power button and you're good to go

Umm...I don't have a TV. :shock: (Really, I don't.)

But as far as Template Variables go, I'm still having trouble seeing where these aren't just fancy chunks. I make a snippet to do what I want, then make a chunk to put it where I want it. If it's something really complicated, the snippet just includes the external .php file that does whatever complicated thing I want to do. I really don't see where TVs do any more than that. What am I missing?

Susan,

You're pretty right on in your description, but the beauty of TVs is it takes all the complexity of comping up with what you're talking about and hides it from the end user. A lot of really cool things can be very easily done with TVs as well.

You also get multiple content areas per page with TVs, making it easier for non-HTML-proficient people be able to edit a page wihtout messing up the code.

They're a productivity boosting lifesaver, really!

Susan,

You're pretty right on in your description, but the beauty of TVs is it takes all the complexity of comping up with what you're talking about and hides it from the end user. A lot of really cool things can be very easily done with TVs as well.

You also get multiple content areas per page with TVs, making it easier for non-HTML-proficient people be able to edit a page wihtout messing up the code.

They're a productivity boosting lifesaver, really!

Might I suggest we add a good example of TV usage to our default template in the install? I have yet to use a TV myself...

But as far as Template Variables go, I'm still having trouble seeing where these aren't just fancy chunks. I make a snippet to do what I want, then make a chunk to put it where I want it. If it's something really complicated, the snippet just includes the external .php file that does whatever complicated thing I want to do. I really don't see where TVs do any more than that. What am I missing?

TVs allow MODx to be a "real" CMS by creating structured content. This way, documents can be broken down in to their individual components and then reused in other pages. This is really key and you may not need it for a small 20 page site, but you do in a 2000 page site such as http://www.ciena.com, I could build that using the original Etomite but it's possible with MODx (in fact it is built on RedDot CMS but the point is the same). Enterprise level CMSs possess a set of features such as this that enable content reuse and MODx needs to as well.