Embedding another CMS inside MODx Evo

It took me weeks to figure out how I could embed another CMS inside MODx.
(It was starting as making a bridge for phplist)
This is not meant to merge between frameworks, but rather to include the spesific ones, let’s say: ZENphoto, phplist, and so on.

Greatly thanks to Chuck who made the BkupMODx which uses this trick, so I could find it out.

Thanks to the MODx Evo’s iframe, so we can use its Module’s frame to pull out those CMSes.
(I don’t know about Revo, never tested it yet)

How to do this?
Create new module, put this one liner code:

The path location can be in the [root] folder, doesn’t need to be inside assets/modules folder.

I yelled to my self when I finally saw this:



It took me days making the bridge, which useless now

I’m opening this thread, since I still need to collect the simplest idea of referring each Log In user with MODx’s user.
Perhaps somebody can lightening my mind.

Indeed, since the Manager uses frames, it’s quite easy to "embed" external applications into a module.

http://modxcms.com/forums/index.php?topic=20654.0

As far as combining users, that’s a bit more complicated. You can easily enough use a plugin to add a new MODx user to the external application’s user database, but logging in/out is the awkward part. MODx defines its SESSION with a unique session id, and maintains login status via the session. The external application would need to be customized to use the same session id, and when logging in to MODx you would need another plugin to add the session values the external application needs; as well as possibly recording login data to the external application’s user logging system. While not impossible, it definitely requires more or less extensive customization, depending on how the external application is coded. I’ve edited some that had the session_start in one place, and others that had it in almost every .php file. This is important because you have to set the session_name every time before a session_start, or you’ll get the default PHP session for that page.

How does MODx rename its session_name()?
It isn’t defined as PHPSESSID.

You might be able to knick some ideas used in SMF Bridge for integrating users:

http://modxcms.com/forums/index.php/topic,3565.0.html

I used it a couple years back with reasonable success. It may have improved since then.

It’s all done in the config.inc.php file.

Line 17:


And then starting on line 55:

Some applications may have an API for logging in via code, so you could use a MODx plugin to make use of the API. Others would require more drastic methods of coordinating the login sessions.

is that possible also to Revo?

no, it can not.
revo doesn't use frame.

You can, however, create a CMP (Custom Manager Page) to do the same thing. The CMP can have an iframe if you want it to.

hi sottwell,

thanks.. i try that and i give you feedback.

Quote from: sottwell at Oct 25, 2012, 01:24 AM

You can, however, create a CMP (Custom Manager Page) to do the same thing. The CMP can have an iframe if you want it to.

Lol.
Never thought about this.
Intriguing.