News Items and Mailing Lists

I am using MODx version 0961.p2 and a potential client has asked if I can build a site that allows visitors to sign an email list. Furthermore, he also wants to be able to create news items that automatically post to a news section on the site (hello ’Ditto’), and then get sent out via email to all individuals who have signed the email list. As a person who is comfortable with CSS and HTML, but by no means a PHP coder or MySQL guru, I am wondering it this sort of site functionality realistically exceeds what I might be able to achieve via MODx. Any thoughts on how difficult it would be to get this done would be appreciated. I would love to take on the project, but obviously can only do so if I am fairly certain I can provide the client with the functionality he wants.

Thanks folks.

- Marconi

I am not a PHP/MySQL guru either, but what you’re asking for is totally within your reach with ModX.

There are several good newsletter programs out there (TXNewsletters, EasyNewsletter, KoopsMailingListX) that you could use Ditto to populate and then send out. So, the users would signup for the email updates, you set the frequency of delivery, use Ditto to populate the newsletter with the current news and then let the newsletter module work the magic. There will be a learning curve, but you can most definitely do it.

It would all be very manageable too. I would just look through all the newsletter modules and find the one that fits your needs. Don’t get more than you need either. Fiddle with it and see what you come up with. And you can obviously come back here to ask questions to those ’gurus’ who really DO know what they’re talking about.

cbaone -

thanks very much for the info and vote of confidence. i am sure that in time i could figure all of this stuff out. just to play it safe though, i think i will look to collaborate with a more experienced MODx ’practitioner’ on this project. i just do not want to risk running into nasty configuration or implementation issues when i am under pressure to provide my client with a deliverable. if you think you are up to the task, let me know, and perhaps we can work something out.