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#1 2011-03-28 21:51:00

blinding
New Member
Registered: 2011-03-28
Posts: 1

templating textpattern

Hi, I’m thinking about switching to textpattern but don’t quite get how the theming/templating works. I’m using movable type right now, and I really like how customizable its is, but I want to try a lighter cms. I’ve downloaded a few themes to take a look, it seems everything is stored in plain txt, can you use php or server side include and can you output everything in php? Thanks.

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#2 2011-03-28 22:11:27

maverick
Member
From: Southeastern Michigan, USA
Registered: 2005-01-14
Posts: 976
Website

Re: templating textpattern

Welcome Textpattern and to the forum!

  • Txp [page] templates work as basic x/html and css.
  • The page templates, forms, and css are stored in a database.
  • When a page is called, Txp does all the heavy lifting of dynamically putting your page together. I believe this is different from Moveable Type, where a site is “rebuilt” and saved as actual files?
  • Txp’s tag language is one of its key strengths. They have a x/html like feel. It means you generally don’t need php unless you want it, or in special situations. You call your content with the tags.
  • Forms function similar to php includes. Page Templates pull it all together.
  • A section is assigned a page, and Txp outputs the result according to the url it receives.

There are some excellent beginner tutorials available online. To get started, check out:

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#3 2011-03-28 23:53:43

maruchan
Member
From: Ukiah, California
Registered: 2010-06-12
Posts: 590
Website

Re: templating textpattern

Hi, I’m thinking about switching to textpattern but don’t quite get how the theming/templating works.

I like the dive-right-in approach for those new to Textpattern: From existing site or just existing HTML template: View Source —> Copy —> Paste into “default” Page template in TXP admin —> start replacing content with TXP tags.

I’m using movable type right now, and I really like how customizable its is, but I want to try a lighter cms.

I like lighter CMS software better too. :-)

I’ve downloaded a few themes to take a look,

Don’t get too discouraged by what you find — TXP is just different and the download —> install method that most CMSes use for templates is not available here without extra work.

it seems everything is stored in plain txt,

As opposed to what?

can you use php or server side include

Yes and yes.

and can you output everything in php?

What do you mean by that? Like, can you use raw PHP to output content instead of TXP tags? I suppose so…

Last edited by maruchan (2011-03-28 23:55:15)

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