Importing HTML Pages

I have been working with the "import site" feature. It works pretty good in its basic form.

Is there any information on importing. I see that it maps the description and title. Is there any information on what the import looks for in the incoming page and what can be mapped?

Also, when I import pages it automatically "publishes" these pages? I have published turned off by default so shouldn’t it not publish the pages? They are all published no matter what I do.

Are there any plans to expand the control on importing pages/sites?

Regards,

Ken

The other thing mapped is filename > alias. I think that’s it.

Automatic publishing sounds like a bug, please see if it’s been reported already and if not report it.

I don’t think there are any plans but if you have ideas they would be great to hear.

Yes - I do have some ideas. there are a few different senarios but here is starting with the basics...

I work with many sites that use folders. Let me give an example

Home Page (index)
|
|------- Folder1
|-------------- index
|-------------- page1
|-------------- page2
|------- Folder2
|-------------- index
|-------------- page1
|-------------- page2

So I import this into MODx and imports great

But it would be nice to have more control on what gets applied to folders and documents before importing. Example: I would like to be able to have folders use the "blank" template (or whatever template) and then the pages be assigned a different template. I would like to be able to pre-determine if a document/folder is searchable or cacheable (like on page settings tab) etc.

This way, after I have imported the site, I don’t have to go back to the folders/documents and make the changes to the individual folders and documents. This is a real pain if you are importing a large site

I have also tried to use the "SuperFast" module from the repository to make global changes after importing. Its not bad but it still needs some work. Like there isn’t a "select all" option. You have to go line-by-line for every checkbox. While this is better than going into each folder/document to make changes its still alot of work if you are working with a large site.

I think it would be better to have control when pages are being imported, not after (actually both is preferred but I am talking about importing for now). I say this because there are times that a site has already been created and running under MODx but I want to import an additional site structure with many new pages and folders. This way I don’t have to go back and sift through the pages that were already there and the newly imported one.

I have managed to work with whats available but I see that in the area of importing sites it needs work.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE MODx!!!

I can say I am here to stay.

I have much more to add to this but this would be the basis to start.

Anyone interested?

Regards,

Ken

BTW - where do I post this bug?

>>Also, when I import pages it automatically "publishes" these pages? I have published turned off by default so shouldn’t it not publish the pages? They are all published no matter what I do.>>

I have been looking for the correct place to report this bug.

Regards,

Ken

http://modxcms.com/bugs/
You need to register an account - if you use the same username and email address as your forums account it will make life easier should they ever merge the authentication.

You’ll get an email whenever anything happens to the bug.

Back to the ideas:
Firstly, 0.9.5 introduces a Doc Manager module that lets you select groups of pages and change templates in bulk, which I think covers your SuperFast complaints.

Secondly, having control during the import process would indeed be useful. Perhaps if it loaded a list of the pages, presented the decisions it had auto-made, and let you change them before it actually imported?

I can tell you that I intend to migrate several dozen static websites to MODx, and so I am probably going to look at extending the importer.

PaulGregory,

Thanks for the reply - will post the bug.

And this is basically what I want to see also. I am extremely interested in this.

Not to pressure - but any idea on a timeline (if this is something you are going to do)?

Regards,

Ken

I’ve thought that some way of mapping an import would really take this feature to the next... level or two.

There will probably never be a complete, one-size-fits-all approach, but even if it got you 80% of the way.

Since many sites are two or three column setups, imagine being able to map based on div id or class, so that your rightSidebar got mapped to RightSidebarTV and your leftSidebar got mapped to LeftSidebarTV and footer got mapped to FooterChunk or FooterTV.

Agree. Even just <div id="content"> to content would be a start, making it easier to ditch the stuff that should be in the template.
But yes, if someone already has a beautifully marked-up site, it would be good to keep as much structure as possible.

And, it would be nice to go the other way and create a template based on the rest of the page.

Identity,

We’re thinking down the same path. Above I gave the first basics that need to be done.

But like I mentioned, I have many other things to include and where your going is one of them.

In fact, before I found MODx, I was getting ready to have my own system created to do what we’re talking about.

Regards,

Ken

Well hopefully you can make a huge contribution to MODx and make it happen here!

Sadly, in this area, my contribution only comes on the front end of thinking about how to make things better, but without the skills or knowledge to make them a reality.

But the world, and MODx, takes all types.