Examples of how to call a chunk and feed it variables from a snippet?

I’m wanting to create my own snippet and create a chunk with [+variables+] inside it, but I don’t know how to go about doing this, in addition - how do you call a chunk from a snippet?

Also, I’ve been coding some basic examples but found that if you try to put php functions in the snippet it will not load and you have to import/include the file instead....

Is there a snippet/module How-to-build section, that includes how to call chunks from snippets?

Thanks.

There’s no (documented) API function like $modx->saveChunk(). Here’s a basic example how to *update* an existing chunk:
http://modxcms.com/forums/index.php/topic,22068.msg136560.html#msg136560
It runs a Wayfinder snippet call and inserts the output to the chunk.

If you want to create a new chunk inside a snippet (with PHP), have a look at manager/processors/save_htmlsnippet.processor.php
case 77, line 44

Get a chunk from a snippet with $modx->getChunk(’my_chunk_name’);

See also:
http://wiki.modxcms.com/index.php/Creating_Snippets
http://wiki.modxcms.com/index.php/Category:API_Function

Also, I’ve been coding some basic examples but found that if you try to put php functions in the snippet it will not load and you have to import/include the file instead....

PHP functions can be used just fine inside snippets; maybe check the "creating snippets" page I posted above for tips. Or post such an example here to see where you went wrong. Loading snippets from the filesystem with include() is a good idea with large snippets, but is optional.

Here’s two more links that should help you re: [+placeholders+]

http://wiki.modxcms.com/index.php/API:setPlaceholder
http://modxcms.com/forums/index.php/topic,12127.msg80789.html#msg80789

many thanks.