php question

208 Posts

ian_m Reply #1, 19 years, 1 month ago

I have an existing site which has a very simple php script which pulls some info out of one table in a database on just one page, what I would like to do is convert this site to MODx but I am not sure how to intergrate this with MODx.

1. Should I copy the table into the modx database so that the content will become searchable.

2. I guess I need to put the php into snippet, but is there anything for the connection to the database I need to know about or do I leave it the same as on the non MODx site like this $dbcnx = !@mysql_connect(’localhost’, ’root’, ’password);

3. Am I so out of my depth should I not bother.

Cheers

Ian

24,544 Posts

BobRay Reply #2, 19 years, 1 month ago

Quote from: ian_m at Sep 04, 2007, 04:46 PM

I have an existing site which has a very simple php script which pulls some info out of one table in a database on just one page, what I would like to do is convert this site to MODx but I am not sure how to intergrate this with MODx.

1. Should I copy the table into the modx database so that the content will become searchable.

2. I guess I need to put the php into snippet, but is there anything for the connection to the database I need to know about or do I leave it the same as on the non MODx site like this $dbcnx = !@mysql_connect(’localhost’, ’root’, ’password);

3. Am I so out of my depth should I not bother.

Cheers

Ian

If you wrote the original php code, you’re almost certainly up to doing this.

You should make a snippet and put it a call to it on your display page, e.g.

[!yourSnippetName!]

It could contain your original code (and maybe you should to start with that) but you might also want to consider putting the data into a MODx table and using the MODX Database API (DBAPI) to access it. See http://www.modxcms.com/dbapi.html

Down the road, you might want to modify the snippet to take additional parameters. That way you can have different displays of the data on different pages, let the user select how things should look, or show a debugging version. All these will involve calling the same snippet but with different parameters, like so:

[!yourSnippetName? &fullDisplay=`yes` &debug=`no`!]

Look at some of the existing snippets in MODx to see how to do that.

Bob

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1,535 Posts

Garry Nutting Reply #3, 19 years, 1 month ago

Well, I’m in agreement with Bob on this one - with a bit of reading up on the DBAPI and some refactoring of your original code you’ll have no problems getting your code into a snippet.

If you transfer your table into the MODx database, then you can eliminate having to create your own connection to the database because the DBAPI handles the connection. Just refactor any mysql function calls to use the MODx DBAPI and you’ll be on your way.

Note that snippets behave very much like PHP functions so store your snippet output in a variable and then use a ’return’ statement at the end of your snippet to push your snippet output to the page as opposed to using ’echo’, ’print’ or inline PHP statements. (Hope that makes sense wink

It’s getting late and I’m pass my bedtime, lol)

Garry Nutting
Senior Developer
MODX, LLC

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @garryn
Web: modx.com

24,544 Posts

BobRay Reply #4, 19 years, 1 month ago

Quote from: garryn at Sep 04, 2007, 06:35 PM

Note that snippets behave very much like PHP functions so store your snippet output in a variable and then use a ’return’ statement at the end of your snippet to push your snippet output to the page as opposed to using ’echo’, ’print’ or inline PHP statements. (Hope that makes sense It’s getting late and I’m pass my bedtime, lol)

Garry,

Could you give a quick example of how to use the return statement to pass information. I’ve created some snippets that I think would be improved by using this technique but I’ve never quite understood it in the snippet context. It sounds like a way to avoid using relatively inelegant SESSION variables.

Bob

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208 Posts

ian_m Reply #5, 19 years, 1 month ago

Thanks very much for the replies,

Well I put my php in a snippet added my tables to the MODx database updated my database log in and wow it worked like a dream, one of the tables included a list of names and these dont get pulled out by the search function but for now I am just happy that I can include my own php bits no problem, had a scan of the dbapi and it is just a little beyond me, for instance if I am querying a table I have added to the database why does it say $table = $modx-> values.

Not quite understandwhy I need the $modx-> but, like I said I only know very basic php but am trying to learn more.

Thanks again

Ian