Pretty easy, huh?

Ext JS is obviously a Javascript framework, so it also depends on your browser. Just compare it between firefox (w/ or w/o firebug) & chrome. Everything is being loaded dynamically.

But...

2.1 is around the corner (and as I’m sure some of you have tested) that tries to eliminate some of the ajax requests by getting the data in PHP and passing that as javascript variables/objects in the head of the page. The site tree still refreshes, but it’s an improvement.


It would actually be nice to have a jQuery variant of MODX around. I’m a much bigger fan of jQuery than I am of ExtJS and MODX is a content management framework, not a system, so you are actually encouraged to do it. Within two months I hope to have HandyMan ready for launch, which may very well be the first step towards a completely different manager (though as it’s meant for mobile devices, I think it’s unlikely to be used for big stuff like the security system).

Everytime I develop something I haven’t tried before there’s obstacles I need to cross which often ends up in diving into the core code or bothering the core team (Sorry guys!). Yes: the documentation needs work. That’s tough though, cause what is the priority? New users, or those with experience trying to make most of what’s available?

Mark,

What documentation are you using to write HandyMan?

Is there something related on how to write a Manager using another
javascript library like DOjo, MooTools, jquery, etc.?

Can you give us some tips?

Pretty much anything I can find, I guess. There’s no set "way" to do it, and you can’t just duplicate and change some variables to make it different. The best documentation (besides Shaun & Jason) is probably the existing code.

Basicly, MODX uses connectors to provide an access point for AJAX requests to get access to processors - which are the PHP codes that do the actual stuff. What this means is that when you are building something in jQuery, and want to do something (for instance create a new resource), you don’t have to code that all over again. Just AJAX the data to the connector (connectors/index.php) passing an action ("resource/create") and all the data you have (+ the mod auth key thingy). The connector will forward it to the processor and do the actual stuff.

With HandyMan I don’t want to send it with AJAX, so what I do is just create a regular form which posts to the current page and the php running that page uses $modx->runProcessor() which is sort of a connector. So you don’t have to code your own script - just use what’s already there, and work on the top layer (interface) and the code that sends the data off. So in theory you don’t even need JavaScript.

You’re free to check out the source for HandyMan on Github - it’s being built using jQuery Mobile: https://github.com/Mark-H/HandyMan