Pass Data to template files in liferay - liferay

I would like to pass data such as navigation items or languages supported to the portal_normal.vm file so that it gets displayed on the portal.
I don't have a clue about how to do it. I've seen that in velocity files the data is passed in variables as follows:
<title>$the_title - $company_name</title>
I would like to do the same for navigation items and other data in my portal but I have no clue how.

Liferay's themes have a file called init.vm - this initializes quite a bit of the data. If you don't find it in your theme, it will be loaded from the _styled or _unstyled theme that you can find within the portal (or the portal source).
You can also look at the Java side of the equation: There's a class called VelocityVariablesImpl, this initializes "the other" variables in the context.
In addition, you can have a file named init_custom.vm in your custom theme, where you can add more initialization. This file is meant to be empty in default themes, but as it's included and evaluated, you can add your custom variables and initialize them in here.

Related

Accessing properties across pages in AEM HTL (Sightly)

I have a carousel component, whose slide content will be the content from another page, accessed via reference component. I want to get some properties authored in the carousel to be accessible inside the referenced page. i.e. I have Page A- with a Carousel accessing PageB through reference component. I want to get proeprties from PageA in PageB. Can this be achieved?
Sure it can, you will need to lookup/query the content and find pages where PageB is included, then get the properties of those pages (there might be more than one) and merge them. It will have to be custom code though as this is not available out-of-the-box as of AEM 6.3.
The solution could be adding a query parameter or setting a request parameter. But then again, this depends on the requirement. For me, this worked!!

Proper Kentico object for non-user-editable block of static html/javascript

The Situation: I've got a mid-sized chunk of html/javascript that contains an authentication script/input (it's a text input, radio control, and a combo box and a few buttons). What it is is less important than the concept that it's a mass of static client side code that the marketing department can pretty easily accidentally the whole thing.
The Desire: I want the users to be able to add it as a whole to a page, but not be able to modify it. When something needs to change, I want to change it in one place and have it be changed on all the pages.
What I've Tried: Widget with a default text. It works, but feels wrong. Users can edit it, and if they do when I fix it one place it doesn't propagate to all the instances. I'm a bit of a Kentico noob, but it seems like there should be a better way to do this.
Also note: I'm using portal engine if that makes a difference.
A widget is the proper usage. What you make your widget inherit from is the key in this case. I'd suggest creating a new widget based on a static HTML webpart. This way you can set the static HTML markup and hide the property from the content editor on the front end. You can do this by going to the Properties tab of the widget and setting the visibility of the field on the form. Don't delete the field, just hide it. It should be a checkbox that says hide on public form or editing form.
** Edit **
As I read through my answer and comments, I realized I meant to say clone the static HTML webpart and set its default text to your javascript. Then create a widget based on that cloned webpart. The text will reside in the web part and will allow you to update it in one place later, if needed.
I will not do it this way because you will be not able to make changes in the future. You can better create a new webpart this can be an empty webpart and then create a custom layout. In this layout you can put you're code. In this way you can always change you're code in the future and then it will be changed on all the places where the widget is placed.
I'd use a new widget based on the Static HTML webpart (make the field read only or hide it as Brenden mentioned), but store the data in a new custom setting.
no coding needed (only a macro to read the custom setting)
able to edit the script on the fly on any instance in the settings module. If you have multiple of these settings you won't need to go through all kinds of widgets to adjust their default setting but find them on a central place.
Cheers!
David
In this case I think it makes sense to create a custom web part to store all your code in it and use it that way. If you want to achieve it without creating a custom web part, you have to store the code in some non-web part and not widget specific object. I like the suggestion of creating a custom setting. You can then access this custom setting via a macro. This macro can be used as a default property of a newly created web part (inherited e.g. from the static text web part, you'd use the text property). You may as well create a widget out of it. Another approach is to use Kentico localization keys as a workaround. you can create a key in the Localization application and access it again, via a macro, e.g. {?customkey.myhtml?}. The approach with a custom setting however sounds cleaner to me.
This syntax should be working to access a custom setting value via macro:
{%Settings.CustomSettings.xxx%}
{%Settings.CustomSettings["xxx"]%}
{%Settings.CustomSettings.GetValue("xxx")%}

developing library controls for xpages

I' working on a library control for Xpages and need some help in creating.
I would create a control which reads a configuration file and creates controls in a table, controls like Editboxes, checkboxgroups and so on.
so and now to my questions:
could I initiate controls from the Exlib or must I implement them all by my self?
if I could use them from the Exlib could anyone explain me how?
I hope its clear what i mean if not please ask me for further informations.
When creating your own components, if you're closely replicating some behavior that is already in an extension library component, I highly recommend you extend that component and just add what's needed to accommodate your different functionality. This makes things much easier and you don't have to code around every little scenario that the component might be placed in.
But, if you are developing a component that is nothing like any of the extension library or core components then just ensure your component extends UIComponent or UIComponentBase. If going this route, you'll also need to create your own renderer which extends Renderer. This is what will build the on-screen representation of your component. Again, if there's already something in the core components or extension library components that closely mimics what you need then make your renderer extend that renderer. Also, don't forget to include the renderer definition in the faces-config file and the component definition in the xsp-config file or your component won't work.
As for initiating controls from the extlib.... I assume you mean can you inject them onto the page at runtime. If so the answer is absolutely yes. To add an input text field to the page where there is a container (i.e. panel, div, span, whatever) with an ID of "someContainer"
XspInputText input = new XspInputText();
input.setValue("someValue");
input.setId("someID");
UIComponent container = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getViewRoot().findComponent("someContainer");
container.getChildren().add(input);
To see the api for all of the core and extension library components take a look at the XPages Controls Documentation. For a more complete tutorial on creating your own components take a look at my blog for creating a custom component inside an nsf, the steps are pretty much the same for putting them into a library:
Part 1,
Part 2 and there is an example database in the Part 2 post.

Is there documentation for the #Model type in Orchard?

I'm customizing my father-in-law's Orchard site and trying to create a .cshtml file to control the display of a Containable content type, but I'm having a bugger of a time finding the data in the #Model field. Is there any documentation on it anywhere?
So far I've found #Model.Slug and #Model.Title. What I'd really like is access to the custom fields on the Content Type.
The Model object is of a dynamic type so it's properties are dynamically added depending on what modules are being used.
If you are using the new 1.1.30 version of Orchard you can use the new Shape Tracing tool which is part of the Deisgner Tools module which can be installed through the modules gallery. This will add a panel to the bottom of your website page that will allow you to see and navigate through the Model object.

Magento _prepareLayout() called 5 times to many

** New EDIT **
so what I'm trying to do is this.
I want the to add new form elements generated by my module on the product view of the following url
http://magento.example.com/catalog/product/view/id/46
ultimately these elements will be determined to show up by a related table in my module
I expected that if I extended Mage_Catalog_Block_Product_View in my module as shown below I would be able to create a block in the product form that would contain such form fields, only if he are in the related table in my module
so I created a test.phtml file in
app/design/frontend/default/default/templates/<module>/test.phtml
then as you can see in my the View.php file described bellow I built the block and displayed it in the product view.
It did appear but 5 times too many. from the answers below this is normal so that answers the question as to why the it shows up five times but leaves the question what is the proper way to proceecd since this plan is not going to work
** End New Edit **
in my module I call _prepareLayout() and it does this 5 times when i pull up the page
here's my code
in
/app/code/local/Namespace/Module/Product/Veiw.php
class <Namespace>_<module>_Block_Product_View extends Mage_Catalog_Block_Product_View {
protected function _toHtml() {
return parent::_toHtml();
}
public function _prepareLayout() {
$block = $this->getLayout()->createBlock(
'Mage_Core_Block_Template',
'my_block_name_here',
array('template' => '<module>/test.phtml')
);
if ($block){
$this->getLayout()->getBlock('content')->insert($block)->toHtml();
}else{
echo "no block";
}
return parent::_prepareLayout();
}
}
NOTE:
I just noticed this also takes away the price availability qty and add to cart button. which is also a problem
EDIT
First I want to thank you all for your answers. Second i want to give you more context
the reason for choosing to do this in the module is that I don't want the block to show up on every product . What i have is a table of what I'll call custom options containing properties of the product sort of like hair color height weight etc and depending on what set of properties are attached to the product (if any) will depend on what html content will show up on the page.
so in one case it my get a drop down menu and in another case it may get an input box. the other very important piece is that this must be setup so that I can give the end result out as a module that can be installed and not worrry that it won't show up if someone upgrades there magento
that said does it still make sense to do this all in the xml file ?
It seems to me that your code is overriding a core Magento module in order to achieve what could be easily done in the layout xml configuration. I would strongly recommend the follwing:
Use the built-in configuration mechanisms (e.g. layout xml - read Alan's excellent tutorial here) instead of writing code whenever possible.
Don't override the core code
if you must change the behaviour of the core code, use an Observer rather than Rewrite/Override
if you absolutely must Override, always call parent::whatever()
For example, if you create a <module>.xml layout file in your theme (app/design/frontend/default/<theme>/layout), you could use the following code:
<catalog_product_view>
<reference name="content">
<block type="module/block" name"my_block_name_here" template="module/test.phtml"/>
</reference>
</catalog_product_view>
You would then need to use a getChildHtml('my_block_name_here'); call within your phtml to position the block.
So unless there is other functionality happening inside your _prepareLayout, there's no need to override the core, or even to override the default catalog.xml.
EDIT (small edit above)
So now in your Block (I would recommend that you call it Namespace_Module_Block_Product_Customattributes or something like that), you are not overriding the core Product_View block, but merely processing your logic for what html widgets to use to render your custom attributes. Leave the rest of the tier prices, add to cart, other generic product block code, etc to Magento to work out.
If you are worried about the upgrade path for your module's users, you should definitely NOT be overriding core code. Use the configuration approach and very selectively introduce code that "plays nice" with the system rather than try to boss it around with overrides.
I took a look at a stock Magento install of CE 1.4.1, and unmodified the _prepareLayout method is called six times when loading the URL
http://magento.example.com/catalog/product/view/id/46
That's because the class is instantiated six times. So that's the correct behavior.
As for the vanishing element, I can'y say for sure, but your override to _prepareLayout doesn't appear to either
Do the same things as Mage_Catalog_Block_Product_View::_prepareLayout
Call parent::_prepareLayout();
When you override a class in a Magento you're replacing an existing class with your own. If you change a method, you're responsible for that old code being run.
It's not clear what you're trying to accomplish here. You should consider breaking your problem down into smaller problems, and then posting one (or more) "I tried X, expected Y, and got Z" type questions. As written no one's going to be able to answer your question.

Resources