MODx advice: Is MODx the right choice?

Hi bruces - I think the reason you found the thread on tagLister confusing is that it's not really about the problem you're trying to solve. That thread is not about listing articles with a particular tag, it's about listing tags belonging to a particular article.

Are you using the Articles plugin? If so, how are your Articles containers organized - do you have one container for all Articles, or separate containers for each category?

It sounds like you're just trying to display a "tag" page - that is, a page with all Articles using a particular tag. The Articles add-on creates these tag pages by using query string parameters on the container page.

So maybe the best way to do this is to have the "Theater" page (and other tag pages) not actually exist as a separate page at all. Instead, direct visitors to that page to the appropriate tag page in your container by linking it to the container page with the correct parameters. In order to get this to show up in your main navigation, you would want to create the "Theater" resource as a weblink, rather than as a normal page.

I'll try to explain better what I mean: let's suppose that "Nightlife" is an Articles container (this approach only works if there is no overlap between "Nightlife" and the other main categories). Let's suppose that Articles in Nightlife can have tags "Theater", "Cinema" and "Music Pubs" - they can have one or more of these tags.

In that case, this URL should show you a listing of all posts tagged "Theater": http://www.yourdomain.com/nightlife/tags/theater

So to place a link to the "Theater" tag page on your menu bar, you would create a resource called "Theater" as a child of the "Nightlife" resource, but make it a weblink, not a normal document (go to the "Settings" tab for that resource and change the Resource Type to "Weblink" and save). Then put the above URL in the "Weblink" field of the resource.

That way when people click on the menu item for this resource, they will be redirected to the theater tag page, which is actually the nightlife page just with extra URL parameters.

Does that make sense? I'm not sure I'm being clear, but I think this method will accomplish what you want to do.

Hello freejung!
Tnx for reading my posts and thank you for suggestion. But, wow... What can I say! It's all foggy and distant to me! As I mentioned before, I'm a complete newbie to MODx and I'm still trying to get used to it's logic and terminology. So your post is giving me a very blurry idea of what am I suppose to do. But I don't know how to do it, yet.
Right now, I'm still learning and exploring MODx and it will take awhile before I'll be able to use your solution. I've been working with CMS Made Simple for years now and it has completley different approach than MODx. For most of my sites it was great background, but it's definitely not the right tool to be used on such complex site I'm trying to build now.
I'm very grateful to all of you guys trying to get me on the right path but it seems I have a problem with the basics of MODx. For example: A few years back when I was interested in WordPress I came across 16-lessons tutorial on 'How to create a WP theme from the scratch'. Every lesson was focused on explaining WP's logic and how things should be interpreted within that logic. Never went that deep to WP thou, but I was much more familiar with WP and felt very comfortable while working on some entry-level WP projects.
I'm still searching for something like that on MODx because I feel improvising would not get me to real, rock-solid solution on this matter.
I'll get back to you if I reach that level of knowlege and feel able to set things up properly. Because what you wrote sure sounds like a smart and precise approach to my project.
Thank you very much for your effort and have a nice weekend!
Best regards,
Bruces

Here's a good place to start http://codingpad.maryspad.com/beginner-tutorials/

Also http://www.cmstricks.com/blog/2012/06/06/integrating-a-template-into-modx-part-1/

There are also a lot of video tutorials online.

Hello sotwell!
I have tried marypad and that's how I've created my test site. Haven't checked cmstricks but I will.
Right now I'm just reading and trying to figure out relations between certain content parts. I'll get back to you when I get to specific issues, no reason for bothering you guys with general questions... Of course, if you remember some new resource for learning MODx (let's say 'for dummies' kind of stuff), it'll be more than welcomed!
Have a nice day and thanks again!
Regards,
Bruces

Actually I'd be very interested in where you are having difficulties. I'm preparing a MODXpo presentation for beginners, dealing with "MODx building blocks". I've been using MODx in one form or another for something like eight years, so it's quite likely that I'm forgetting what it's like to try to learn this stuff.

Hello sottwell!
I can only try to explain the way I see things like this... I'm a designer and person who knows nothing about programming, php, various programming languages, etc. So far, I've noticed the best way for me to learn such things is not to actually learn how to write the code itself, but to understand the basic principles on how something was written, how certain parts of the code or certain parameters could be used or combined, how, essentially, things work in the background.

How do I do that? Well, mostly by reading specific solutions, similar to my needs. If I see an example of similar or related issue, I study how it was written, how it was used and which part of that example can be changed to better meet my needs. I'm not sure if any of this makes any sense to you but english is not my first language. But I'm trying real hard to write simple and clear, you know? :-D
For example, this is NOT the way to explain things to beginners, newbies, dummies...

For example, putting this call on your Home page, targeting the Container with ID 10:

[[Articles? &container=`10`]]
[[+latest_posts]]

...will show the latest Articles posts for that Container.

Why? Because this snippet will NOT show the latest Articles posts for that Container but instead it will show a LIST of latest articles! You see what I mean? It would be great to read something about plug-ins and "modules", at least the most important or most frequently used ones, but only if it was written through practical examples - three or four of them. So one could compare different possibilities and solutions and see the patterns of "putting things together" the way one actually needs.

Maybe it's just me, but I found it hard to find such resources and such examples where I can - by reading and with use of little common sense - let's say, "extract" important bits of code or syntaxes or whatever, and learn how to use it. It's a pity because from my own experience, this metode is really helpful for avoiding situations where one is forced to digg all over internet whenever he/she comes across a situation not familiar with. It seems to me like there's two kinds of learning resources: First one - for pre-knowledge level 0 or 1, and Second one - for users already on level 6 or 7. I see myself stuck between 2 and 5 and can't find my way out!

Sometimes it's a real pain in the a_s to find a programmer to write something you need than to make it yourself. Not because programmers won't do that, simply because what I need now and then is way to easy for people who make their money writing complex and serious stuff. Do I have to became a programmer because of that? Sure not! A few basic "tricks" and a couple of expressions for everyday use would do just fine on this level. Hell, I'll hire a programmer when I'm ready to prepare the platform for him to work! Before that, I'm useless, he/she is useless and we could only produce a useless web content!

Let me know if this makes any sense to you! I would really like to know!
Regards,
Bruces [ed. note: bruces last edited this post 12 years, 11 months ago.]

Well, that sounds like exactly what I'm going to be doing for the presentation. How to leverage the existing MODx building blocks...templates, chunks, snippets and TVs, manipulating with Output Modifiers, how to play with the more commonly used snippets (Wayfinder, getResources, FormIt), understanding how they work with their properties and their chunk tpls, with placeholders and modifiers, to get the output you want.

Go for it sottwell!
I'll be one of yours biggest fans in that case!
The example in my previous post is from 'Articles' official documentation. It's misleading (in terms of common sense it says one thing but gives something differen) and even more, one example for one single action actually means - nothing. It's pretty much useless if you are just starting with MODx, like I am.
So, I'll keep on digging on this and wait for your presentation.
Have fun with it and don't give up!
Best regards,
Bruces

Hello again!
Here's my first important update on this topic...

My way of learning is based on practice, so I took Foundation 4 theme and started adapting it for my needs. Nothing special, a couple of CSS adjustments and then I went on Extras. My first question is how to make theme's multi-level dropdown menu to work with Wayfinder? Next, Breadcrumbs works fine but mxCalendar doesn't appear on the page no matter which parameters I use in call.
MODx is the latest version on localhost. If you have suggestions I'll really appreciate it!
Thanks in advance and best regards!
Bruces

Any menu can be built by manipulating Wayfinder's properties for classnames and the tpls for each part of the menu. Just look at the template's menu structure, then configure Wayfinder to generate that structure.

Here are a couple of useful references for Wayfinder - while they were originally written for Evolution, they also apply to Revolution, just make sure to use Revo tags instead of Evo.

http://sottwell.com/links/wayfinder.html